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10. Payjay - I'm not leaving you

I said this at the start of the Knife x Paper deely, but imma repeat it - I'm not a Payjay person. I know, but they just seemed to me like they were better as casual buds...
4.5/10
Oh god another gay high school au. I just didn't know how else I could make the premise work I'm sorry

Requested: @xPotted_plantx

"I - just feel like I'm nothing. Why can't I be of any use? To anyone?"
Trembling like a leaf at the back of the room, Paper cursed himself for being so dumb, stupid, feeling worthless and how it made him worthless... he just hoped, hoped to whatever mattered most to him that nobody would notice the tears tracking down his cheeks or the red circles around his eyes. The walls of the classroom-turned-prison closing in, he felt like screaming out to someone, just screaming something, letting it all out.
But you can't do that in a crowded room full of people who don't understand you.
Slamming his face into the desk and folding his arms around to obscure his head, he sobbed pathetically. What should've been a column of emotion only spattered out of him like a pipe backed up for years with unexpressed doubts: just a small leak springing, nothing too unusual, nothing that would solve the crushing problem. Paper just hoped and prayed that nobody would see, and that the teacher wouldn't pick on h-
"Paper?"
A shiver pulsing through his entire body, Paper bolted up straight, locking eyes with the teacher through the silence. Slowly but surely, as if within a nightmare, everybody else in the class turned around in their seats to stare, to judge. To snicker and laugh. That was it. That's enough. Paper had HAD IT.
"I - I'M NOT ANSWERING! I DON'T WANT TO BE HERE!" he shouted, his voice wavering with anxiety. Horrified, the teacher outstretched her arms as if to stop him from streaking off out of the door; a pitiful effort. Paper disappeared.

It was a wonder he didn't run into anything sooner, actually. His eyes were completely obscured by veils of tears that almost refused to fall, tracking down the old furrows where they always ran. He rolled like a drop of water down the staircase, heading for the door, when he slammed into something warm.
"Ouch! Hey!"
Tipping over backwards, Paper felt the second collision, back to the floor as his spine was knocked almost out of his body.
"Oh, I'm sorry about that, are you sure you're ok?"
A warm hand took his and pulled him back up to his feet, where he continued crying weakly. Another hand placed itself on his shoulder in respect and reassurance.
"I-I'll be o-ok I thin-k..."
"Well, you kinda don't look ok."
The crystals melted, as Paper looked up to see a serious looking boy, around his age or maybe a little older, with light ginger hair that was combed perfectly back to his head. Exchanging his sobs for smaller sniffs, he studied the other person closely, tracing his features.
"O-ok, I'm a b-bit anxious, excu-use me."
He tried to push past the other figure, but he felt a limb block his way. Desperate to exit, to leave the school, the urge to run, it was strong, but not as strong as this mysterious stranger.
"What are you doing? L-let me go!"
"I'm not leaving you, you need somebody to talk to."
"N-no, I don't. I really, really don't."
"Please, tell me what upset you. It'll make you feel better afterwards."
Realising that he wasn't going to be able to shake the stranger off any other way, Paper gave in, staring downwards and flushing dark red with embarrassment.
"I... can't really deal with being in a room that full with people for so much of the day. Everything scares me. I needed a break today, I've been stuck in huge horrible classes for nearly five hours."
He could sense that the other boy was staring at him as he gazed towards the floor, but he didn't even care anymore.
"I just need to reset."
"Can I help you with it?"
The blunt question shocked Paper a little. Nobody had ever genuinely gone out of their way to help him before... a passing glance, an inquiry perhaps, but -
"Yeah, maybe."
His own answer shocked him more.
"Alright then! Let's go do something to take your mind off it."
The young man linked his arm through Paper's, marching away at an uncomfortable speed in an attempt to be hasty. Dragged by his arm, Paper had no choice but to follow him.

"So... how did it all begin?"
The blossoms tumbled off the almond tree, floating on the grassy path that stretched horizontally in front of the bench. It was beautiful, so beautiful that Paper was actually starting to feel his muscles relax despite his anxieties.
"I - I just felt like this since I was really small. Talking to people, even my friends, sometimes terrifies me. And I want to talk to people and get to know them, but how can you do that if you're scared stiff?"
They had exchanged names as they were walking, so the boy Paper now knew as OJ squinted his eyes and leaned back, crossing his legs over each other as he sat almost sideways.
"Yeah. That sounds like it sucks."
"It does."
Hands folded in his lap, OJ cleared his throat awkwardly.
"You know, you're doing it fine right now. Neither of us know each other but you're talking really well. I'm not judging you at all."
"Really?"
"There's nothing to judge. You're... pretty cool, actually."
Practically blushing, Paper glanced away for a moment, then smiled widely. He couldn't help himself.
"Oh, uh, thank you! So much!"
OJ shrugged as if it were all just a normal day in his life to be helping random people face their fears.
"We're all scared of something. Everybody has their own individual thing they can't deal with: I mean, mine is the McDonald's clown, so I feel a little stupid..."
Paper snorted with laughter, then clapped his hand over his mouth, embarrassed. OJ didn't seem to notice though, so that was good.
The bell came from the school, screaming out across the field. Paper's expression dropped, as he realised he didn't want to leave. OJ had been so kind to him, had given him such friendship that he'd grown attached, even though he hadn't even known him for a full hour yet. There was just - something calming about him and his appearance. Something that smoothed out all his creases and made him feel normal.
"I - have to go. My bus leaves soon." he sighed, standing up from the bench and swinging his bag up, only to feel a hand grasp his.
"No. You're still on edge. I can see it."
Heart aching with excitement and anxiety, Paper turned around to see OJ hopefully locking both of their hands together. Looks like leaving wasn't an option anymore.

I'm so sorry I had to cut this short, I just had zERO IDEAS