- finally us || xiao x aether

[ aether ]

this is.. crazy- i can't believe it's already been a few weeks and i haven't done any pranks. it feels so weird. of course i can't do it alone. somehow when i do them alone, something goes wrong, it's like a curse.

and lumine... sighhh, that rude ass teacher. well, we really can't do anything, she's probably the only teacher who despises us. the other teachers are fine with our harmless pranks and most of them like us because we're known for also helping the teachers and students a lot.

aside from me still adjusting to this new school year, i just realized that xiao is my ever first guy friend. sounds pathetic, i know since i've been stuck with lumine and all. of course i had guy friends in the past but it somehow never worked out because i kept hanging out with lumine and would not have time for the 'only boys' friend group, whatever that means. of course, i couldn't care less, i love my twin more. wait... is this why we don't have romantic partners yet? because we're always together? is this the world telling us to grow up or something?

"aether, your food is getting cold." xiao looks at me, "you okay?"

"...yeah. where's the other two anyway, feels weird without them." we're at the rooftop and there's a few students who eats here as well.

"hutao said something about lumine being all happy that she's having lunch with someone she likes. hutao joined them because lumine was too nervous."

what, lumine is too fast- i mean, she's experienced so... man, why do i feel like it's easier for girls.. lumine will definitely win if i don't atleast settle for someone. should i just settle for xiao?

"what is it? you haven't even touched your food, are you really okay?" xiao leans closer and places his hand on my forehead. i- someone save me.

"your fine.. but your face is red. a cold?" xiao looks at me , concerned. xiao, are you, perhaps heh, gay?

"hah- i'm fine, xiao." i gently push him away. "it's.. just hot hahah..." yeah, hot.

"okay. then start eating, it's awkward eating alone."

"sorry hehe.."

this is bad. i know i said i would settle for anyone, doesn't matter what gender... but still! i can't fall for a guy! last time i fell for one, he was straight and was so disgusted when i confessed. it's half my fault that i assumed his sexuality but he was so touchy so i thought he was gay! ughhh, fuck that guy! makes my blood boil. i wish i could kick him on the balls again.

"aether... are you mad at me?" huh?

oh shit, i've been glaring at xiao. "no! i'm sorry, i just remembered a bad memory. it's not your fault hahah.." well he did trigger the memory, i'm just kidding, xiao is innocent.

"is it that bad? want to talk about it?"

hmmm, we should be talking about girls right now.. not my ugly past. is xiao straight? man, i can't just assume. but i wonder if he knows my sexuality. i'm pretty sure a few of our schoolmates know since during our first year of highschool, me and lumine made a poster about lgbtq+ for the school board.

"well... have you ever liked someone? gasp- maybe you're already taken?"

"no.. i've never been in a relationship before." huh, that's somehow unbelievable with that looks of yours.

" that's surprising, no one ever caught xiao's attention??"

"well, maybe there was some who i thought were cute but they ended up being a rude person, something like that." when he says cute , does he mean girls only? shut up, aether.

" i understand what you mean.. such a waste of looks."

"so the bad memory is related to this.. you dated before?" yikes, i thought i avoided that question.

"whhaaaatt? me? nah, it was just an old crush of mine, i got rejected really badly."

"really? i didn't expect that. i would date you if i were a girl."

that's it. that's the answer. if anything, that sentence scream 'straight' or 'you're cute, no homo tho'. isn't it bad if xiao just said the exact same words the guy i had a crush on before said too??? a red flag?? maybe, i should look for someone else.. i'm so sad right now.

"hahah... right." i want to go home.

we ate in silence after that. this day isn't going well for me.

...

it's the end of the day. finally, time to go home. i had to rush out the classroom after quickly saying bye to xiao which definitely confused him. we usually go out the school building together and then we meet lumine and hutao at the school gate.

"aether, you're alone?" lumine finally arrives. she's alone too.

"where's hutao?"

"did you forget xiao is one of the cleaners for your classroom today? she's waiting for him. she told us we can go ahead though."

"oh.. right. well, let's go."

lumine catches up to my side. she takes a look at my face and i swear to god, i wasn't making any expression.

"something happened. what is it? do i beat them up?" chill, my dear twin.

"well.. it's xiao.."

"omg, i knew it! when i first saw him, he looks almost exactly like your type of guy.. maybe except the height.."

"doesn't matter, he's still handsome- anyways! about him- can you ask hutao about his type??"

"huh? you usually figure that out yourself. are you scared he'll end up only liking girls?"

"hahah... you got me. he told me he'd date me if he was a girl, what do you think?"

"yikes- uhhh, mostly, they don't know anything about being gay, for sure. but! there's a small chance, they can just be closeted."

"small chance.. i'm screwed. i don't want to fall for him."

"hmm, okay, don't give up yet brother, i'll ask hutao about it. i know you assume a lot but you're always wrong so who knows!"

"uhm, thanks? what about you, how'd you know about aya.., ayaka?"

"yes, ayaka. i actually don't lol. but, listen! unlike you, my gaydar is strong and she definitely has a thing for girls."

"huh- then use your gaydar on xiao!"

"sorry bro, only works on girls."

"what even.. how was your lunch with her anyway?"

"it felt like an ordinary friendly lunch since hutao was there. not that i was aiming for anything else, i was just happy to have lunch with her."

"hmph, at least i had lunch with xiao alone."

"sighhh, are you still upset? can you not just 'hey xiao, do you like guys?'?"

"do you want me to lose a friend?"

"he looks like a good guy. even though he was straight, he wouldn't probably mind."

"i can't tell yet, it's only been a few weeks."

"want me to set you up on a blind date?"

"yes. thank you."

"wow, no hesitation. i feel bad for xiao."

"stop talking like he likes me. find someone cute."

"sure, dear brother."