4*TOWN as Your Seatmate in Class - Highschool AU
Gen. ;; Fluff + tiny amounts of angst - Headcanons/Scenarios
Warnings ;; Bullying + Stress (Robaire's section)
Proofread + Edited ;; No, sorry !!
Auth. Note ;; This was supposed to be posted yesterday but I'm an idiot and forgot to finish Tae Young's section and when I noticed I was too tired to write anything remotely good :'D !!
Also, quick disclaimer, I'm not American so I have no idea what type of school system they have over there, I'm basing this high school experience off of my own experience :)
I really struggled with writing Z's and Tae's and I think it's obvious in both the length and the quality so I hope you can forgive me (especially Tae's in comparison to the last one)
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Aaron T - The One Who Steals Your Shit
It's a hate-love relationship
You hate when he asks to borrow your stuff
You love when he leaves you alone
Not one single class goes by where T isn't asking you for something
A pencil, a pen, a ruler, a rubber (eraser), tape, colouring pencils, specifically a purple crayon, post-it notes, a compass and protractor, glue - things that you can find in most shops
Has this man never heard of the stationary section ??
You don't even know why T needs half the stuff he asks you for given it's an English class but there we go-
It's gotten to the point where you're just giving him your pencil case before he even opens his mouth
T gets this goofy grin whenever you give him what he needs (which is every time he asks)
And maybe you keep giving him your stuff just to see that grin
Look,, I'm not saying you're a simp
But I'm not not saying you're a simp either
It's okay, we all go through our phases
One day I'm sure you'll be able to look at a pretty boy and not throw your empty wallet at his feet
But until that day it looks like Mr. Aaron T has got you wrapped around his finger
It's not all one-sided though !!
Because T's got a secret (Another day, I'm back at school. I thin about him, he's so cool !!)
He absolutely has every single piece of stationary he's ever asked you for in his bag
I don't mean he's stolen your stuff
I mean T already has all the stationary he needs in his bag he just chooses not to get it out so that he has a reason to talk to you
Yeah this is that trope - buckle in
Mama T has made sure her baby has everything he ever will ever need and makes him pack his bag every night before school
So I bet you're wondering how you found out about this
If you weren't wondering before you better start now
Well, friend, it was the unzipped backpack trap
Y'know when you're walking and your bag is completely open
You know exactly where I'm going with this
It was the end of class (and the day) and everyone was packing up or already gone - you got back the fineliner T had borrowed and you were ready to go home
And then the loudest unzipping sound came from your right
You turned just in time to see a waterfall of multi-coloured stationary fall out of an unzipped pencil case that was falling out of an unzipped bag
And a frozen T, watching as all his stuff went crashing into the floor, stood with his bag swung in front of him as he prepared to leave
Mans is giving all fish a run for their money with his impression rn
Poor boy is just opening and closing his mouth trying to think of something to say
And you have so many things to say you can't choose which one to say first !!
T glances at you...and then tries his best to avoid your attempts at eye contact
"Who put all of that in there...haha...wow..."
The loudest snort escapes you as you cover your mouth trying to muffle your laughter
T can't help but smile - at least you were laughing, despite his embarrassment at least you didn't hate him
Bit dramatic but then again this would be boring if it wasn't
"You're such an idiot, oh my god" in between wheezes, snorts and loud hyena laughter
As T joins you in laughter he finds himself glad that this happened, even if it is a blow to his ego, otherwise he would never know this side of you
From this day on, T pledges to be the reason you smile brighter and laugh louder every day
Jesse - The One Who's Never Paying Attention
Jesse's the kinda bitch who gets the highest grades every time - he's top of the class in most things - yet he never pays attention
And its beginning to get to you
And you're way too sleep deprived to be dealing with this mental stress rn
Sitting next to this boy is torture because as you put all of your effort into focusing and still struggle to keep up with the lesson while Jesse has no problems
So confident in his abilities that he doesn't even try
Which definitely isn't the case
I think Jesse is someone who cares deeply about doing well in school, though he'd never admit it (he definitely instilled this mindset into his kids too)
He studies every night at home and reads ahead on the material so he knows it in preparation for class
Because the teachers don't teach in a way he understands, it just doesn't click for him
So he takes his education into his own hands
So during class time ?? He's completely up in the clouds
Jesse loves to sketch in class
He'd prefer pottery but y'know...not exactly possible to bring out his wheel in the middle of a maths lesson
Oh yeah, this is a maths class
So he sketches pottery designs and whatever catches his attention really
As Jesse sketches, you are contemplating putting yourself into a coma (death's straight up commitment dude and you're too indecisive for that-)
But for now slamming your head into your desk repeatedly will have to do :)
How the hell is any of what this teacher is babbling on about meant to make sense in any way, shape or form ??
Literally name a part of their "explanation" because you call bs !!
You keep quiet because imagine having the teacher call you out as you have a breakdown ?? literally bye
However, being your seatmate, Jesse has no choice but to pay attention
Literally, you're causing his lines to shake-
But also because you've caught Jesse's attention and your...movements are making you hard to draw
How can he draw that sparkle in your eyes if you're face down on your desk ??
A light tap on your shoulder brings you out of your wallowing
Fuck, the teacher's caught you now
They're gonna hate you for forever now and you're gonna fail because they'll make sure to never explain anything in a way you understand and fuck shit damn it you need to pass this class
You look up - ready to really put on a show of tears and pretend your friend's grandma's pet's uncle Gustopher died last night-
Arguably worse it's Mr. Know-It-All
And fuck if he doesn't look like god's gift to the world in this stupid lighting from this stupid angle which no one should look attractive from
It's official: you hate Jesse Whats-His-Last-Name
(Because of course Jesse is just as free about pet names as he is when he's grown up - probably even more so)
GOD DAMMIT AISAKJBSLABDBC
How dare he use that on you ??
Especially looking like that
WELL AREN'T YOU ARTICULATE ??
"Okay, how about you rest for a bit, I'll take some notes for you, alright?"
You manage a nod and a watery smile
And somehow you manage to pass out for the rest of the lesson
You wake up to the sound of chairs scraping and loud talking
On the left side of your desk is a sheet of neatly written notes with diagrams (you could cry-)
As you pick it up to put away in a safe place you notice another piece of paper underneath it - folded.
Curiosity obviously wins out so you pick it up and are met with many sketches
Flowers, clouds, lots of pretty things
But the two noticeable drawings ??
One of you staring forwards with your pen held against you bottom lip
And the other one of you sleeping at your desk
You couldn't lie they were beautiful
Is this really how you look ??
Did Jesse see you this way ??
Speaking of- you look around for Jesse but he's long gone - along with everyone else
Better skedaddle before the teacher attempts conversation- oh wait they're gone too
You let yourself smile as you slip both of the pieces of paper into your bag
Aaron Z - The One Who Comes to Class Injured
Oh man, you have major concerns about Z
Every other week he's sporting some new injury
A month or so ago he was on crutches with a sprained ankle
2 weeks ago he had a black eye
Last week he nearly ripped a tendon and wasn't allowed to come in
And now he's got himself a broken arm
What the hell is Z doing to get these injuries ??
Is someone hurting him ??
Is he getting into fights ??
Is the extracurricular sports he plays religiously ??
And why does he get extra desk space-
Just give him his own desk, dammit !!
And of course Z is so quiet that he barely has any friends in his classes and none of his actual friends seem to share any with him either
So now you'd been lumped with the poor guy to help him out whenever he has an injury since you shared most (all ??) of his classes
Z just looks so uncomfortable whenever you're alone together
You'd be offended if you didn't know his personality
Unfortunately, his general discomfort makes you feel just as awkward as he does
And it's kind of a problem
Because your teachers keep looking at you like they're expecting something
Like you'll suddenly become besties
Not that you wouldn't love to be friends with Z
The guy seems really cool
This bizarre buddy system had only recently taken place so you'd only been helping him since the start of the week
And it's already this bad
Again, not a bad thing !!
Just had to make a friend for life in these conditions, y'know ??
Doesn't help that your almost as awkward on a good day so...
You walk side by side, carrying both your and Z's bags to your next class which, surprise surprise, you share
Stuck in the monotony of school life your mind begins to wander
As you amble along Z begins sneaking glances at you
You accepted to escorting him around school like a bodyguard
You offered him a smile every time he sat down next to you
You even offered to carry his bag when all you had to do was walk him to the next class
Why're you being so nice to a...not stranger...acquaintance ??
Sucked into his own thoughts Z didn't notice the small step in front of him
The sudden drop (though pretty small) was enough to send him flying into the wall shocking you both out of your stupors
You sprinted over, checking over him like a worried mother as Z stood there stewing in his embarrassment
"Oh my god! Please tell me you didn't break the other arm!"
"...it's fine..." he replies in the quietest voice ever
"Are you sure? Do you want to go to the nurse's office anyway, just to be safe? I have plasters but I'm not sure they'll help all that much"
You break into nervous laughter before it quickly turns into real giggles and snorts (yes you will snort every time you laugh, if I have to suffer this irl you can suffer through it in headcanons !!)
Though he doesn't laugh with you Z does crack a smile which is a win in your book
"You sure? Because your track record suggests otherwise"
You receive a playful glare for that one
"Come on, clumsy. I'll make sure you make it the rest of the way to class in one piece."
Maybe the next time you had to help out with Z's injury the silence would be so awkward
Robaire - Your Academic Rival
Similar to Jesse's headcanons, Robaire is one smart cookie...it infuriates you
Because you can fight back
The competitiveness on you two is scary ngl
Everyone else in your class has given up trying to beat either of you
They just silently hope that whoever is highest in the most recent test doesn't gloat about it
And you're not...happy about it, shall we say
So of course Robaire has taken it upon himself to rub it in your face as much as he can
And though you hate losing you can't deny the anticipation and excitement you feel whenever test scores are released
Because win or lose it's a lot of fun competing with Robaire
And he has fun too, don't you worry
On occasion Robaire has been known to study for a few more hours than usual leading up to a test just so he can beat you
And his friends find it hilarious
Because on you could get under the cool, calm and collected Robaire's skin like this
So they simply watch in amusement as he turns to you, a victorious smirk on his face
"Look like your crown is slipping, your highness. And with that, I think your throne is mine."
"Just you wait, Robaire, I will crush you in the next test. Prepare to taste my dust."
"I don't think I will. If you can't even keep up a streak of more than one victory compared to my four in a row, how could you hope to seize the next one?"
"Pure determination, loser. Watch me."
You grab your bag and stand up
"Here, I'll even give you some dust-eating practice. See ya next class."
You wave and move on out of there
But not before you hear a hushed whisper from nearby
"They're such a try hard it's not even funny..."
You're no stranger to mean comments and prefer to let them roll off of you like water off of a duck's back but these particular voices with comments like these had started to follow you everywhere
What really got to you, though, was the fact you never saw who was saying them
There's no way to turn them off
And you hate that you're letting them start to affect you but you just can't help it.
Your only haven is your home and even there the comments had started to pick up, your mind echoing them back to you whenever you had a single moment alone
It's starting to make studying even harder than it already is
Which is why you completely bombed the next test
You can only hope you don't start to cry as you flip through pages upon pages of red crosses next to your hastily scribbled answers
You hadn't gotten a bad score on a test in so long
What would everyone think if they found out-
The pick-me doesn't even have a leg to stand on
Look who's all bark and no bite
This is Robaire's rival ?? yikes...
Fuck...what will Robaire say ??
And after you'd gone and blabbered your mouth at him too
So when Robaire turns to you, holding his paper close to his chest and grinning as if he knew he'd won, you lost it
You sprinted out of the room and to the toilets as fast as you legs could carry you
A sight that left Robaire more than a little speechless
One of his friend laughed, "Is that their way of telling you that you've eaten their dust or?"
But Robaire had seen your face and it hadn't been mischievous or even slightly smiling
Robaire walked up to your desk and flipped your paper over, eyes widening when he saw your score
Well, now he knows why you ran...
Dropping his paper on top of yours to hide the score, Robaire runs out of class too
Meanwhile you're staring at yourself in the mirror willing the redness in your eyes to disappear
You left your paper there anyway, there's no way that the whole class doesn't know about it by now
You give your swollen eyes one last look before leaving the toilets
And fucking great, Robaire himself is right there as you leave
You stare at him for a second and then nod
Jury's out on everyone else though
"I'm gonna need you to convince me, chéri. Because seem as okay as you want me to believe."
"It's whatever, man, forget it."
"It's fine if you don't want to talk about it right now. How about a hug? Feel free to say no." Robaire smiled gently at you and you felt your heart squeeze in your chest
You hesitate before nodding and stepping forward into his waiting arms
You breathe in and smell what can only be described as Robaire
You have no idea what to place the scent as, it's just warm and it's him
Maybe you'll tell him in a minute, or an hour, or a day or maybe a week but here, in his arms, you feel safe and better already
Tae Young - The One That You Tutor
Given the fact the Tae Young's moved around a lot, he's also the new kid a lot
And that always affects his classwork
Different curriculums, different teaching styles, even different languages and he's expected to roll with it and keep up
Tae's expected to ride the wave of change but he keeps getting sucked under, flailing around as he tries desperately to stay afloat
Even his best classes are ones he's somehow behind in and it's pretty upsetting
Tae Young is smart but all of this confusion and catching up to topics he hasn't even heard of yet is lowering every semblance of his confidence and self-esteem
Which is where you come in
Being a part of the tutoring program it's literally your job to make sure the students under your care are getting the grades they deserve and are understanding the topics they're learning
You share their losses, their wins, everything - you watch the people you're assigned to grow and learn and nothing makes you happier
And you like to think they enjoy being tutored by you just as much
So when you're told you've been given a new tutee you're happy to help out
It's what you do after all
So you make your way to the library, note books in hand
You'd done enough tutoring by now that you had a set plan of how to go about things
In this first session not much tutoring would be done, honestly, but in order for your tutee's to learn anything you'd need to figure out how they learn, what they need to learn and what's causing them to struggle
When Tae Young was told he'd been given a tutor he felt ashamed
If he'd just been able to keep up with the work then he wouldn't be in this situation
Tae's barely been in this school a month and he's already enough of a failure that he needs another student to tutor him.
He felt like all eyes were on him as he shuffled to the library, nervously picking at the skin around his nails
Even the wall had eyes to judge Tae with
You made sure to get to the library before your new tutee (such a weird word lol-)
You set up at your normal table and waited, wondering who they might be
Tae Young stands outside of the library, fingers tapping out random pattern on his thigh as he hypes himself up
He takes a shaky step inside and looks around, hoping to find his tutor
You watch Tae Young vibrate on the spot as he frantically looks in all directions
Well, your new tutee hadn't come yet so you could probably help him out
Turning to the side, Tae Young catches your eye and almost deflates in relief
You give him what you hope is a reassuring smile
"Not to worry. But, uh, I don't normally see you in here, what's the occasion?"
Tae Young chews on his lip for a moment before looking up at your through his lashes
His voice drops down to a hushed whisper
"I'm supposed to be getting a tutor but I don't know where they are..."
Your smile widens into a grin
"Well, I think I've hit the jackpot then because I'm waiting for my new tutee. Bets on who that might be?"
Tae's eyes widen comically as he lets a smile take root on his face and you stifle an aw
"Really? Thank goodness, I was super worried that they'd be mean but I guess I don't have to worry about that anymore!"
You laugh and guide him to your table
"I'd hope not. Well, since I already know you we can skip introductions. I have a rough idea of what you might need help with but it's much easier for the both of us if we hash it out together; does that sound good?"
Tae Young nods and flops into a chair, his earlier nerves dissolving as he listens to you talk
With a tutor like you he won't have to worry so much anymore
And if he slips you a thank you note and a daisy the next time he sits next to you in class that'll be our little secret ;)
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I always end up writing too much for Jesse's sections T^T stupid character limit !!