Work Text:
A whole month had passed since outreach day. A whole month since Ajax set you up. A whole month since meeting Xavier Thorpe.
The entire 31 days consisted of mutual pining and ranting to the gorgon about your "unrequited" affections. This was another one of those days.
"I just don't understand why he hasn't spoken to me" you whined at your friend, hanging upside down on his bed. It was technically against the rules to be in his dorm, delinquency only heightened by the fact it was currently nine minutes after curfew, but where was the harm if you weren't caught?
"Have you actually spoken to him?" Ajax offered, trying to be supportive though his patience had begun to wear thin. Xavier had sworn him to secrecy, threatening to set all of his drawings of the Hyde upon the gorgon if he told you about his feelings (albeit the artist wasn't actually aware it was reciprocated, but Ajax, being clueless, was not one to risk it.)
"Well, no..." You responded quietly "but that's not the point!"
"I mean.. it kinda is, Y/N" Ajax offered a small, sympathetic smile. From his own experience he was well aware of how hard it was to speak to someone you regarded so highly. "Listen, if it's bothering you that badly just treat him as you would any friend. I'm sure he's wondering why you're avoiding him, you know." (He absolutely was.)
"I'm not trying to avoid him, Jax! I just have no idea what to say without seeming like an absolute bloody idiot." You groaned, dragging your palms down your face.
"If you can't speak to him," He pondered thoughtfully. "What if you wrote what you were thinking?"
"What in the Romeo and Juliet kind of bollocks-" you started, cut off by the Gorgon's finger pressing to your lips.
"He's an artist, Y/N. He's into the romantic poetry shit."
The harder you considered Ajax's proposition, the more it began to make sense. The cogs whirred into action within your brain. This plan would take a shit ton of newfound confidence, though it would be substantially easier than talking face to face. And if it ended terribly, at least you shot your shot, and wouldn't need to live in regret of what could have been.
"Alright. I'll do it - but I'll need your help so you'd better have thought this through."
-
Xavier trudged across the quad, hands in the warm pockets of his prussian blue hoodie and white wired earbuds softly playing gentle melodies. His mind was deep in thought.
Deep in thoughts of you.
You infiltrated your way into his mind, sense of humour and charismatic charm overtaking his subconscious. At first he felt lighter than air, initially confident you felt the same way, but every minute you ignored him chains of doubt weighed down on his soul. Recalling the fast friendship you made at the Weathervane still managed to bring a slight flush of warmth to his cheeks, and jokes made at the expense of Tyler pulled a smile to the corners of his lips. He shook his head to clear those unwanted thoughts, trying to avoid all memory of you, and therefore his irritating crush.
This was futile however, and even more so when you came jogging over, breathless from the exertion. Xavier blinked twice: this was something he had fantasised for so long, and he was unaware if his delirious mind was further feeding these "delusions".
"Hey, Xav. I'm really, really sorry I haven't spoken to you since outreach day, but I hope this explains it all." You cringed at the fast pace of your words, barely audible due to the rapid speed of your voice.
Xavier nodded slowly in confusion as you thrust a white envelope into his hand. It was incredibly smooth and sealed with a red heart sticker, clearly given to you by Enid. On the front of the letter in black biro was his name, but before he had a chance to peel back the seal, you interrupted him.
"Hold on, don't read it in front of me haha. I couldn't cope." Your cheeks flushed, a pink tinge dusting across them as he offered you a confused frowning smile, placing the letter into his backpack.
"Okay, well, thank you, Y/N. I can't believe you're leaving me in suspense like this."
A smile drew across his face at your giggle in response.
-
The dorm was empty when Xavier returned at the end of the day. He had been unable to concentrate in his last lesson, too intrigued and confused about the letter. Closing the door behind him, he dropped his backpack, quickly retrieving your note and finally thumbing it open.
The paper was slightly crinkled and contained a lot of faded pencil, surface clearly broken by the amount of drafts you made. The clear amounts of effort you put into a note to him sent a spark of warmth flooding through his body, and butterflies began to form.
The letter was short, only written on A5 paper and still not filling the whole page, though it was evident that each word was carefully thought out.
Xavier
I wrote a letter for fear I could never tell this to your face. The truth is that, for the first time, I really enjoyed outreach day. Not because of the Weathervane (obviously) but because of you. It was as if as soon as we started talking everything clicked into place. I really like you, and I was hoping you'd join me next time in Jericho. Who knows, maybe we could hit the Weathervane and piss off Tyler again.
Lots of love (wow that's bold)
Y/N.
-
Ajax's phone buzzed in his pocket. Drawing down the notification, he was met with full block capitals from a certain artist.
"I THINK I GOT A DATE!"