Pushover | Aether x Reader

Thirty

"Do they not live together? I'd say it's awfully hard to not be close in those circumstances."

"Yeah but like!" Hu paused to make that obnoxioisly loud straw sound. "I heard so many people tell me they've been walking around the halls in close proximity... Holding hands..."

"And?"

"...and the fact Aether would blow off favors because he claims he has to go help (Y/n)?" Hu raised an eyebrow.

"I don't see anything wrong with Zeus finally setting up boundaries."

"Hello? He was at her beck and call the whole day!"

Albedo halted his sketching and looked at her, unamused. "Have you ever perhaps considered that maybe they were simply working on their latest advocacy together? As they are its designated leaders?" he asked.

Hu blinked at him for a couple of seconds before she puffed her cheeks, "Look, all I'm saying that it's very odd, okay! Very strange indeed!"

"Be it strange, let's not make this any more difficult for them, okay?" Albedo smiled, patting her shoulders. "Look, they're heading over to us right now." He gestured for the two advancing subjects of their conversation.

"Hey, you two. Mind if we sit here?" (Y/n) asked.

"Not at all, please, do take a seat." Albedo flashed her a smile and moved over to make space for the other boy.

Hu leaned back in her seat, crossing her arms. "Soooo, anything new with you two? Been working on that lil project you invaded Principal Varka's office for?"

(Y/n) chuckled. "Yeah, we've been making good progress! Spent most of the morning working on it together."

Aether scratched the back of his neck, smiling. "Yeah... we’ve been at it all day."

Hu's eyes narrowed slightly. "And that’s all you’ve been doing?" she prodded.

"Well, yeah," Aether replied, not catching the insinuation. "There’s a lot to handle with the project. And (Y/n)’s been really helpful—"

"I’d say we work well together," (Y/n) interrupted, her tone oblivious to the way Hu was staring at Aether's hands seemingly itching to hold hers.

Albedo cleared his throat softly, amusement tugging at his lips. "It’s good to see such harmony between you two."

Hu stifled a groan, shaking her head. "That... is an understatement."

"What was that?" Aether asked, glancing over at her.

"... Nothing," Hu huffed, looking at Albedo desperately.

Albedo chuckled. "Give them time."

And so the four friends happily ate their lunches, talking like regular high schoolers for the first time in a long while.

-------

Kunikuzushi stood in the shadows of the hallway, arms crossed tightly as he overheard the conversation between Hu, Albedo, (Y/n), and Aether from across the cafeteria. His jaw clenched at the sight of Aether standing so close to her.

He did not mean to eavesdrop, but the moment he heard her name, he couldn’t help but stop in his tracks.

Rumors about them had been swirling around the school, and each one seemed more infuriating than the last. Now, seeing it with his own eyes—how easy they seemed together, how comfortable—it gnawed at him.

But a bitter voice in his head reminded him—he had no right to feel this way. He’d been nothing but cold to her, pushing her away every chance he got. Yet, no matter how nasty he had been, he just could not shake his feelings for her.

Kunikuzushi scoffed at himself. What did he expect? That she would wait around for him to stop being a coward and admit how he felt? That she would gnore someone like Aether, who clearly cared about her, for someone like him—someone who had done nothing but hurt her?

After a long moment, Kunikuzushi turned his heel and disappeared back into the hallway before anyone could notice him.