Part 1 Part 2 Part 3

Context: It was your first day at a new school, and the first words you heard after 'Welcome' were 'Don't talk to the boy with the scars!'. It was repeated by everyone, but no one would explain why. You decided to learn for yourself by bringing him his lunch, and... you made a friend! His name is Eli, and he's apparently the Devil himself. You... aren't so sure about that, though.

Setting: School

Tags:[MM4A][Friends to Lovers][Mysterious Masked Boy Speaker][Friendly Himbo Speaker][Friendly New Kid Listener][Wholesome AF][A little spicy][Mild Angst][Making Friends][Reverse Comfort][Super Cute][CW: Mentions of Implied Abuse]

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[E] = Eli

[J] = Jake

[Scene opens in school]

[SFX: A school bell/students trying to prepare for first period]

[You meander the school hallways from your locker, heading for Eli’s locker. However, a tall, muscular boy stops you]

[J] “H-Hey, um, ‘scuse me? Before you go to Eli?”

[Pause?]

[J] “Hi, um. My name’s Jake. I’m the quarterback on the football team and, um… Could I ask you a quick question?”

[...]

[He looks at you curiously]

[J] “So… is Eli, um… This is really awkward, but I saw you come in with some bruises and stuff near when you started, and um… OK, he isn’t hurting you, right?”

[Pause.]

[Jake breathes a sigh of relief]

[J] “Phew, OK… I thought not but… I dunno, the guy has a reputation and none of us are really sure how much of it is true. He doesn’t seem like a bad guy, but…”

[Pause <3]

[You tell Jake about Eli. The Eli you know. How you dance together, how he checks on you multiple times at night when you have bad dreams, how he appreciates your cooking, and his talents. By the time you’re done, Jake is smiling]

[J] “Oh my gosh, that’s so CUTE! You dance together and he checks on you a bunch when you have nightmares??? He’s a bean! Sandra owes me twenty, I freaking knew it!”

[Pause!]

[J] “Man, that is SUCH a relief! I’ve been wanting to ask him about his commissions for ages now!”

[Pause?]

[J] “Yeah! Could you ask him if he maybe could talk to me, when he has a second? I’d really appreciate it!”

[Pause <3]

[Jake beams, full of himbo energy]

[J] “Thanks, Smiley!”

[SFX: The Listener heading over to Eli’s locker and, subsequently, a very grumped Eli]

[E] “...Took you long enough to talk to him.”

[Pause]

[E] “...What did Jake want, then? Or, what shit talk was he trying to force into your head?”

[Pause]

[Eli sighs, throwing his bag in his locker]

[E] “...Thanks for being honest, I guess… He wanted to know if I was hurting you, hm? How noble. Weird that it took him most of the year.”

[Pause?]

[He pauses]

[E] “Wait… He wanted to know if I did commissions? What, with my printer?”

[Pause!]

[E, suspicious] “...Why?”

[Pause]

[E] “...Right, the football equipment… It’s as old and dusty as this old and dusty ass town… Did you take down details?”

[Pause???]

[E, flustered] “No, I… I know you’re not my secretary, I just thought-”.

[Pause]

[You offer your hand and Eli looks down at it]

[E] “...You can’t expect me to talk to him. Even when holding your hand, you can’t…”

[Pause?]

[E, mad] “No, he’s never done anything to me, personally… but he and his cronies have been whispering about me for YEARS! Everyone in this school thinks I’m the Devil!”

[...Pause.]

[He reacts like you hit him but eases almost immediately]

[E] “...Fuck you. You don’t get to be cute and also hit me with a badass line like, ‘Maybe it’s time to show them you’re a good Devil’. Fuck off.”

[Pause <3]

[He exhales and takes your hand]

[E] “...You’re lucky I like holding your hand, Tabby Cat… Come on… I’m trusting you.”

[SFX: The pair of them walking up to Jake/the chatter kind of dying down]

[J] “Holy shit-!”

[E] “Sup. My partner said you wanted to ask about commissions?”

[J, kind of starstruck] “...You’re taller than I thought you’d be. And buff.”

[E, confused] “I… work on machines a lot. Now, uh… Commissions?”

[J, excited] “Yes! Do you think you could draw a badass version of the school mascot for us to put on our helmets, please?”

[E] “The Owl King? You want a metal version of him?”

[Jake nods enthusiastically]

[J] “And sparkly! Erm, please…”

[Pause!]

[J] “Yeah! The sparkly ones are my favorites, too.”

[E] “...Yeah. I can send Coach a quote for the cost for a job that size. It’d take a while as well to get the helmets in shape to apply the decal.”

[SFX: Phone typey types]

[Jake and the others watch Eli type on his phone, one-handed, marveling]

[J] “Dude, it’s so cool that you have your own business and a partner that reps you so hard. My ex-girlfriend said calling me cute was a service, but Smiley here said you were super cool!”

[E, deadpan] “They’re a pathological liar, pay no mind.”

[SFX: The crowd laughing]

[Pause <3]

[J] “Still, it’s cool! You two are cute together.”

[SFX: Indistinct Eli grumbles]

[J] “Smiley said you were into horror movies, too. We have a marathon every third week at my place. You two should come!”

[E] “...Uh… OK?”

[J] “Cool! Here’s my number, let me know if you guys can still make it closer til so I know how much pizza to order, please.”

[SFX: Phone typey types]

[Eli takes his number and you see him send an email off with remarkable speed]

[E] “Yes… Cool. I, uh, sent off the quote to Coach. I’ll keep an eye on my mailbox.”

[Pause!]

[J] “Oh, you gotta get home and cook supper? Damn, lucky man, if the smell of the lunches you bring in is anything to go off of. I won’t keep you two! Thanks for hearing me out, Eli. I hope we’ll get to see you two at the marathon!”

[Pause <3]

[E] “Yeah… See you around, Jake.”

[SFX: Them walking away from the crowd together]

[...<3]

[E] “I did not call you my partner, shut up…”

[Pause?]

[He exhales shakily, all of him vibrating with stress]

[E] “...I can’t believe I did that. I can’t believe I talked to them, just for you. I can’t believe I’m going to hang out with them, JUST FOR YOU. You know they’re planning a prank, right? They’re going to try and take my mask off, snap a few pics and then light the internet up with some new creepypasta…”

[Pause <3]

[E] “... I can’t believe it… If the Coach signs off on that quote, that’d be enough money to buy some new floors for the kitchen! You’d be able to listen to music and dance while you’re cooking, and I could get a nicer bed for you so your back wouldn’t hurt as much-”.

[Pause?]

[He short circuits, fumbling and falling over himself briefly]

[E] “...I… guess we could get a bigger one so I could fit in with you, sure.”

[Pause?]

[E] “Course the couch hurts to sleep on, it’s like… a hundred years old. But I sleep with my mask off… You don’t need to roll over in the dead of night to see a fucking ghoul snoring in your face.”

[...]

[E] “...Do you pity me?”

[Pause.]

[E] “Why not?”

[Pause?]

[E] “...I think you’re the only person who has ever just… liked being around me. That likes my company… I know you say you won’t mind, but the damage underneath this mask is… rough, Tabby. It’s lost me people before…”

[...Pause]

[He doesn’t seem to know what to do with your words as you continue on home]

[E] “...If you’re OK to wait on me… then I promise, I’ll try not to leave you waiting for long, OK?”

[Pause <3]

[E] “...OK, fine, I did call you my partner… but I meant business partner!”

[Pause <3 <3 <3]

[E] “Shut up… You want to be my prom date…?”

[Pause <3]

[E] “Cool. C’mon, I gotta go watch for that quote. Especially if I’m taking your cheeky ass to prom.”

[SFX: Fade out on them walking home together]

[To be continued]

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Note: ~aNd ThEy WeRe rOoMmAtEs~

Second Note: Eli is the living embodiment of that one He-Man clip where Skeletor grunts: "I AM NOT NICE!"