Lullaby Licorice || Amajiki T. x Reader

03. Afterward

"H-H-HEY, (L/N)-CHAN," called out Tamaki softly when the room was emptied.

The girl turned, and her stomach sank. Tamaki shifted his weight from one foot to the other, avoiding eye contact.

"I, just, um-I just," he began. "Wanted to make sure, that you don't hate me? I'm-I'm really sorry, about what I said yes-yesterday. It wasn't my int-t-tention to offend you, or anything. . ."

Using advanced detective skills, she could easily tell he was extremely nervous. And hell, so was she. It was unlike him to be confrontational, and she kind of expected to avoid him awkwardly forever.

"It-Um," she cleared her throat. "It's fine! I already said I didn't think you would, so let's just drop it, okay, Amajiki-Senpai?"

His eyes glanced up and met with her (e/c) hues, lacking their usual sparkle but her face still smiled reassuringly, gently.

Still, to him, she still looked so sad.

The only thing he could do without making it more awkward or worse was quietly agree. His hand grabbed onto his arm tightly, squeezing at it as his gaze fell to the floor again. "Yeah. . . You're a g-good kouhai."

Something else possessed him to blurt out that last bit, but he didn't miss the way she blushed a bit in bewilderment, before giving a soft chuckle.

• • •

It was during passing period when Tamaki was with Hado heading to their next class. They conversed about regular things and about class, but Tamaki felt a little anxious that he still hadn't seen (Y/n) that day.

"So I said to her-I said-" spoke Hado as she chewed on a snack from earlier. "I deserve to get a higher grade! I knew exactly how to use the Pythagorean Theorem, and what do I get for it? A D because the only grade in there is a miscalculated math qui-"

Out of nowhere, Mirio's face appeared in the wall beside them. "Hey guys!"

The two let out a squeak, clinging to each other from fear instinctively until they realized it was him.

"Oh, Mirio!" beamed Hado.

"H-Hey. . . Please don't do that," pleaded a scared Tamaki.

Mirio laughed as he walked out the wall and joined them. "It was the quickest way, I wouldn't have done it if I didn't have something important to tell you!"

That caught their attention, and they looked at each other in confusion before looking back at Mirio. "What is it?" asked Hado.

Mirio's smile faltered a bit, and he looked nervous as he scratched his face.

"(Y/n)-Chan got in a fight today."

The news was a shock to everyone. Classmates, teachers, staff. (Y/n) sat in the hallway right outside the Principle's office, slouching and folding her hands between her moderately spread legs, now that it was time for class and the halls were empty.

Almost empty.

When she heard the steps coming from her left, she glanced over. Her eyes widened to see the trio of third years marching over and waving at her. The three pairs of footsteps shuffling about disturbed the silence from before.

She slouched even more, and looked away in embarrassment. Hado immediately jumped on her back and chirped out her name.

"(Y/nnnn)-Chan?" She wrapped her arms around the younger girl and face her. "Hey, are you okay?"

Tamaki's eyes softened in concern when she looked at him for a moment, then quickly avoided eye contact.

"I hit back harder," she stated firmly.

"I don't think that makes it better," Mirio rubbed his neck. "What happened though? Mind telling us?"

Tamaki was glad Mirio asked, since curious to know too. His insides knotted at the possibility that the small, sweet (Y/n) was rebelling because of the rejection.

(Y/n) seemed uneasy when Mirio asked. She leaned against the wall, and they noted the bandages and scrapes on her face, arms and knees. There was a particularly large bandage smacked on her right cheek and to her neck, along with two on both her knees.

The sight of her bruised up that way nest him sick to his stomach with nausea. But geez, if she got this hurt, how much harder did she hit?

"It's not important. But my grandma's gonna be coming in, so," she shrugged. "Hope she doesn't bring him," she murmured so quietly that Tamaki almost didn't catch it.

Him? he wondered.

"But what about you guys, Togata-Senpai? Shouldn't you be in class?" (Y/n) raised an eyebrow and smirked. She looked at Tamaki, and he almost squeaked. "Science's covering insects in evolution in the wild. Thought you might be interested in that."

Oh, he almost forgot, with everything going on. And it was true, he was excited. Mostly to see if they'd be talking about butterflies again, even if only briefly.

"We wanted to m-make sure you were okay," he replied sheepishly.

(Y/n) scoffed with an amused smile, and Tamaki couldn't help but curve his lip up a bit too.

The door beside her opened, and a student exited, covered in just as many bandages and scrapes as she was, if not more. He must've been her age by the looks of it, but none of the older three had ever seen him before.

The boy glared at (Y/n), gritting his teeth, while (Y/n) stared coldly. It was unsettling to see her make such a face.

His eyes landed on the three beside her, and settled on Tamaki. A shiver ran down his spine under such an angry stare.

The boy's mouth opened to say something, before he glanced at (Y/n) one last time and walked away angrily, making sure to stomp his feet with every step.

"What was that about?" Mirio put a hand on his hip.

"So teeeeense," Hado commented.

Tamaki didn't say anything, confused about the kid's hostile look forward him. Hell, if he picked a fight with him, he probably wouldn't have the courage to fight back.

Nezu stepped out of the door too. "(L/n), a minute please," he smiled cheerily like always.

"Kay-Kay," (Y/n) stood up quite calmly and dusted off her legs, but deliberately avoided her knees. Tamaki didn't know if those were good signs or not since she looked more relaxed about it than he thought she'd be.

With a peace sign and stoic (but still friendly) expression, entered the principle's office for the fate that awaited her.

"You three start heading on to class now," ordered Nezu.

"Yeah, we just wanted to check up on her," explained Mirio.

"Why would someone try to beat her up?" said Hado to no one in particular.

"Actually," began Nezu. "Witnesses told us that it was (L/n) that initiated the fight."

With that baffling news, he left to lecture the girl.

None of them saw her during or after class that day.

--
I'm watching Vampire Knight and rhegdgdb
But fuck I can't wait until we get to see kiri and tamaki show what they got in s4 s4 mostly feels like it's dragging on exposition so they can make the season just the fight then cultural festival and that's it OR I suck and my opinions r wrong