Chapter Text
It’s been a weird day for Till.
Weirder than usual.
He’s used to the looks. The double-takes. How people around him talked behind his back.
But today, the stares are coming from one specific group. (Cough jocks cough)
At first, it was subtle.
——
Math class, 3rd period.
Till can feel someone staring a hole on the back of his head. He looks behind him without being obvious.
Dewey.
Two rows back. Mouth open. Eyes narrowed.
Looking like he's trying to solve him instead of the equation on the board.
‘The hell did I do?’ Till thought before turning back around and going back to solving some equations he had been struggling with.
——
History class, 4th period.
Hyunwoo. The gentle giant with arms the size of Till’s entire torso. Who’s currently sitting to his right.
Who has been “accidentally” dropping his pen.
Again.
And again.
And again.
Each time he leans down to pick it up, he glances at Till’s notebook.
Which currently has a very unflattering sketch of their history teacher as a medieval bard with a receding hairline.
“….”
Till slides the notebook off the desk.
Hyunwoo’s pen drops a fourth time.
‘If this guy dislocates a shoulder trying to sneak another peek, I’m not responsible.’
He thought before resuming to making another sketch.
——
Then there’s Acorn, linebacker who once tried to bench-press the principal’s car for a challenge.
Same guy who had walked into a door, muttering something about “forbidden crushes.”
——
Now? They’re escalating to interactions.
He was not used to this.
Till’s slamming his locker shut, earbuds dangling, when Acorn appears in front of him.
‘Holy shit he scared me,’ Till held his beating heart, hand clutching his chest.
“Hey, Till, do you uhm… like somebody.”Acorn blurts, face already redder than the team’s jerseys.
‘The hell is this guy.’
“I mean—uh do you like somebody. Who likes... people?”
‘Holy fuck is this guy on drugs’
“How would you act if a black hair guy with a snag tooth asked you out?”
“…”
‘That description sounds familiar…’
“Are you talking about Ivan?”
Acorn panics and starts doing some hand movements to distract
"Uh—n-no! I mean, hypothetically! Totally hypothetical! Like, if some guy like that y'know?—wanted to, uh, ask you out. What would you say?"
"I'd probably say yes? If I liked him back," Till replied slowly, trying to figure out if this was some elaborate prank.
"Why are you asking me this? Did someone put you up to it?"
"N-nope! Just... curiosity! Gotta go! Practice!” Acorn stammered before running off.
‘What a weird encounter’
——
Lunch
Till grabbed his usual spot at the edge of the room, away from the main crowds, popping in his earbuds to drown out the noise.
He was midway through a sandwich when a shadow loomed over his table.
Dewey. Again.
The guy slid into the seat across from him without invitation, flashing a grin.
"Yo, Till! Mind if I join? Cool, cool."
Till pulled out one earbud, eyeing him warily.
"Do I have a choice?"
Dewey laughed loudly earning a few glances from nearby tables.
"Nah, man, just wanted to chat. About... stuff. Like, dating stuff. You into that?"
Till nearly choked on his bite. 'What is with these guys today?'
He swallowed, composing himself. "Dating stuff? Since when are you the love guru?"
Dewey leaned in, lowering his voice to what he probably thought was conspiratorial.
"Hypothetically speaking if someone asks you out, how would you want them to do it? Flowers? Serenade? Big romantic gesture?"
"Uh... I don't know. Just ask normally? No need to be extra." Till shrugged, but his mind was racing.
'Is this about Ivan? No way. Why would the jocks care?'
Dewey nodded vigorously, scribbling something on a napkin.
"Normal. Got it. Nothing too much. Cool, man. Thanks!" He stood up abruptly, napkin clutched in his fist, and went back to the jock table across the room where Hyunwoo, Acorn, and a couple others people (wait was that Mizi, the cheer captain who hung with them?)who were huddled, shooting not so subtle glances Till's way.
Till sighed, popping his earbud back in.