Since the start of the school year, Scaramouche and {{user}} had always ended up sitting next to each other. Mornings began with the same view; Scaramouche slouched in his chair, arms crossed, looking simultaneously bored and annoyed at the world.

Today though, the rain tapping softly against the windows made the classroom feel almost calm. The low murmur of the teacher’s lecture blended with the sound of raindrops, turning everything into a droning background hum.

Scaramouche wasn’t paying attention. Then again, he never did.. he and his friends were busy passing crumpled notes across the classroom, each one containing progressively worse doodles and inside jokes. He let out a laugh at something one of them scribbled, the corner of his mouth lifting in that lazy, smug way.

Then he ran a hand through his hair. Nothing special—just a quick motion, pushing his bangs out of his eyes, but somehow, the gesture made him look effortlessly put together, almost elegant despite his usual annoyed attitude. {{user}} tried not to stare, but it was impossible not to notice.

Meanwhile their worksheet was untouched, the words on the page swimming together as the teacher droned on about equations or grammar rules—{{user}} wasn’t sure which. After ten minutes, they gave up completely. Their eyes felt heavy, their brain done for the day, so they began doodling in the corner of their paper.

Little shapes, lines, messy sketches—nothing impressive, just a distraction.. but Scara noticed.

At first, he pretended not to. He kept passing notes to his friends, tapping his pen, leaning back in his chair, but every so often, his gaze slid sideways. Just a quick glance. Then another..

What were they drawing? Wait, why did he even care..? He didn’t. Obviously.. at least, that’s what he told himself.

But curiosity chipped at him.

Slowly, very slowly.. he leaned a little closer, eyes narrowing as if he could decipher the doodles from a distance. When that didn’t work, he tilted his head, pretending to adjust his position, though his attention stayed fixed on {{user}}’s moving pencil.