Coming together
Secret Santa for septicabzies for @codesecretsanta !!!! I saw you had ocs and I love writing ocs! I hope I did them justice! I wanted to get a few slice of life vignettes to get a few different interactions out! I hope you like it!
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“Why did I room those two together?” The headmistress whispered under her breath as two boys were led into the office. She smiled tersely and sighed. “Rafael, Antonio. What brings you in today?”
Antonio’s lips quirked up in a smile, despite his trying to avoid it. “Absolutely nothing, Miss Delmas. We were just minding our own business!”
“With backpacks full of homemade stink bombs,” Elisabeth Delmas raised an eyebrow and both boys hung their heads as she sighed. “Where were you planning on putting them?”
Both were silent for a long minute, and Sissi crossed her arms. “I’m waiting. You’re not leaving this office until you tell me where you were going to let off these stink bombs.”
Raphael sighed and lifted his head. “The second-floor boys’ bathroom. We were going to set them off above the ceiling at different times so no one could figure out where they were coming from or when they’d go off…”
“Thank you for being honest, Raphael,” Sissi smiled softly and nodded. “But your behavior still needs to be addressed. Both your parents will be receiving a call, and you have detention for three days. You’re dismissed.”
Antonio and Raphael quickly stood and took their now empty backpacks from the teacher that had brought them down. They headed for the dorms, and before Antonio could ask, Raphael slipped one singular stink bomb out of the pocket of his cargo pants and handed it to Antonio.
“Don’t ask questions, now we can get back at Geoff and Hanson for pouring spoiled milk on our carpet.”
Antonio cradled the last stink bomb and laughed. “You didn’t tell her that was the plan?”
Raphael made a face. “Of course not, didn’t you know? Their dads were like her best friends when our parents were in school. She wouldn’t take their side, but she’d have come down harder on us for not coming to her first.”
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“Carry the one, move that there, move that to the other side, simplify, and I should have… Tristan, can you look at this problem? I think I did it right, but I want someone smarter than me to double check before I commit to the answer.” Daniel looked up from his homework and slid the paper towards his roommate, who took it quickly.
Tristan’s eyes scanned the page quickly, and he smiled as he handed it back. “Looks perfect, Daniel. You’re really coming along with this, and soon you won’t even need me to look over your homework.”
“You really think so?” Daniel took the paper back with a smile.
“Yeah,” Tristan turned back to his laptop and let his fingers fly over the keys. “You’re smarter than you give yourself credit for.”
Daniel beamed and turned back to his homework with a hum. “I think that’s one of the nicest things anyone’s said to me in a while.”
“Well, you deserve it, and don’t let anyone or any subject make you think otherwise,” Tristan leaned into his computer. “A little work, and you could probably test into honors math for next year.”
Daniel smiled wider as he wrote out the next equation to solve. “Hey, do you mind if I put on some music to study to? It always helps me think.”
“Sure thing, I’ll probably tune it out, but that’s fine.”
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“Where did you manage to find scented nail polish? I thought no one sold it anymore,” Kimiko chuckled as she dipped the brush back into the literally bubblegum pink liquid. She pulled it back out, let the excess drip back into the bottle and gently brushed it onto Maya’s finger.
“The corner store had a few bottles of a few different scents! They had a black grape that I picked up for you if you want me to do yours next!” Maya grinned widely and watched as the pink spread and shimmered in the fluorescent lighting. “I love the shade! It’s so pretty!”
“It is really nice, and it’ll look better after a second coat,” Kimiko agreed before leaning in with a conspiratorial grin. “I’m sure Antonio will love it.”
Maya flushed and looked away with a yelp as Kimiko laughed.
“I’m sorry, I’m just teasing you,” Kimiko smiled. “Just a little joking between roommates, you know?”
“Yeah,” Maya sighed. “I guess I’m just not used to feeling so… silly when a boy walks by. Have you ever gotten that feeling?”
Kimiko shrugged. “A couple times, but I never let it bother me too much. Crushes come and go, but it’s not like my brother lets them anywhere near me anyway.”
“A tad overprotective?” Maya laughed
“That’s an understatement if I’ve ever heard one.” Kimiko laughed as well.
Maya looked at her finished hand as Kimiko started on her other hand. “Thank you for helping me with my nails. It’s something my mom and I always do together, and it never looks right when I do it by myself.”
“No problem, Maya,” Kimiko smiled. “You said you want to do mine when yours are dry?”
Maya grinned and nodded eagerly. “I would love to.”
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“Are you reading the Crimson Runes series?!” Daniel’s eyes lit up when he saw the book in Raphael’s hands. “I love the Crimson Runes!”
“Oh my god, don’t get him started, he won’t shut up about it,” Kimiko groaned. “It’s the only book he likes, but he’s obsessed.”
“I’m rereading it for an essay on a work of fiction that means a lot to me in English class,” Raphael slid into the empty seat across from Daniel. “I got the first book a few years ago with a gift card for my birthday and I couldn’t put it down! Read it in two days!”
“I have a signed copy of the first book,” Daniel smirked. “My dad took me to a comic con a few years ago because I saw he was on the guest list and I begged him to go to get my copy signed.”
“That is so cool!” Raphael put a napkin in his book to hold his place as he set his notebook aside, marked with pages and quotations. “I tried to go to that con, but we had a family thing we had to go to.”
“Bummer,” Daniel shook his head. “Maybe if he ever does a con again, you and I can go together and get your copy signed!”
Raphael smiled and nodded. “That’d be cool.”
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“Skateboards aren’t so hard once you get used to them, Maya,” Antonio smiled as he held the board out to his classmate. She looked warily at the plank of wood and took it hesitantly.
“Do I have to do this?”
“Of course not! Only if you want to!” Antonio held his hand back out to take the board back, but Maya held it to her chest.
“No, I want to try! But…I don’t have to try any ramps today, do I?”
“Nope! We can do all flat concrete today if you want,” Antonio smiled and reached to check her helmet, making sure it was on securely. “Ready, Miss Belpois?”
“No, but I want to be,” Maya set the board on the ground, and carefully went to stand on it. Antonio let her balance herself on his arms, and held her steady as she got her bearings.
“You’re doing great, Maya!” Antonio smiled and bit the inside of his lip. “Tell you what. You stay on the board, I’ll walk you forward a little, you focus on balancing while it’s moving, okay?”
Maya nodded, and Antonio started to walk, holding Maya’s arms carefully so she didn’t fall. As she found her center, she giggled and stood a little taller, making ANtonio grin.
“That a girl! You’ll be riding like a pro in no time!”
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Jeremie smiled at the letter from his daughter.
“Aelita! Maya sent a picture she took with the camera we got her for Christmas last year!”
Aelita came up behind Jeremie and kissed the side of his head as she looked at the picture. She saw the kids gathered around their two, and her eyes softened when she saw all the familiar features in the other children.
“They look…alive. Happy.”
“I think sending them to Kadic was the best decision we could have made,” Jeremie put his hands on hers and kissed her cheek softly. “Should we tell them they can invite their friends over sometime soon? I want to meet the kids they’re spending all their time with.”
“I wouldn’t have it any other way,” Aelita kissed his nose and sighed. “I miss them.”
“Me too.”