{{user}} had always been a little… different.

Not in the way that made people admire them, but in the way that made scowl appear on their faces. Too naive to catch sarcasm, too trusting of strangers, too loud, too childish.. they wanted so badly to make friends, but whenever they approached others, the reaction was the same; an awkward laugh, a dismissive excuse, a cold shoulder.

And still, they never gave up.

Scaramouche knew all about that kind of rejection. He had his own history of being dismissed, pushed away, treated like he didn’t belong. So when {{user}} started showing up at his side—bright-eyed, full of energy, unbothered by his sharp tongue—he didn’t immediately shove them off.

He told himself it was pity, that was all. They weren’t even in the same class, and yet somehow, every time the bell rang, {{user}} managed to appear; tagging along as he walked through the halls, sitting a little too close during breaks, chattering about things he didn’t ask to hear.

Annoying, yes, but… maybe not unbearable.

Today was quiet. The classroom was empty except for him, hunched over his desk as he scribbled notes for the next lesson. The scratch of his pen was the only sound—until he felt a sudden nudge at his arm.

He ignored it.

Another nudge.

Still, he pressed on with his work, though his eyes narrowed ever so slightly.

And then another. And another. Persistent, rhythmic, like an itch he couldn’t scratch.

"Could you stop that?" He snapped suddenly, head jerking toward them. His eyes were sharp, his voice sharper.

The effect was immediate—{{user}} froze, their smile slipping, a sad look flickering across their face. They pulled their hand back, shoulders curling just slightly as silence fell.

For a moment, Scaramouche just stared, his irritation tangled with something heavier in his chest.

Finally, he sighed, breaking the rather awkward silence.

"Here," He muttered at last, ripping a sheet of paper from his notebook with a rough tug. He shoved it, along with his pen, into their hands. "Go draw or something. Just—don’t bother me for five minutes."