funky town

It was the insane heat that brought everyone here in the first place. Being the third week of school, the summer air had not yet left New England. With that came the agonizing humidity and scorching sun. Sitting around miserable, it was Divina who had the idea to go out to the lake. No one needed convincing to head down the considerably cooler water. 

While everyone was splashing in the murky waters, you stayed in the shallows. If you were heat, then the chill of water was your natural enemy. While it didn’t hurt you to be in it, water was just uncomfortable to you; you were insanely out of your element. 

You mindlessly meandered in the shallows as you balanced on the slimy rocks and plants. You had rolled up the legs of your flowing pants to above your knees, though the water didn’t even pass mid shin. The mud felt cooling on your soles as you kicked up clouds of muck, the occasional crawdad scurrying away. The pond smell has already faded into the background. 

You leaned down and ran your gloveless hands through the water, a small amount of the steam rising from your skin. A few water bugs danced across the surface, at your disturbance. Your fingers delicately flitted across the smooth stones, finally settling for a flat piece of siltstone. Plucking it up, you flipped it over in your palm before flicking it across the water. It skipped for a few seconds before disappearing into the dark depths. 

A sudden yelp brought your eyes up from the fading ripples and further into the lake. It had been Yoko. From her flailing form and the devious look from Kent, she has most likely been thrown. Smiling to yourself, you leaned back over and chose another stone to skip.

Out of your periphery, you saw a mass lazily floating over to you. Xavier was on his back, loose hair floating around his head like a halo. His eyes were closed to his surroundings but he seemed to know exactly where he was going. You grabbed another stone, and skipped it close to his head, a few droplets landing on his skin. One eye opened.

“You could’ve hit me.” Xavier’s words held no intent behind them. You and him both knew that his head was never your target. 

“Remember when we used to do this?” while it wasn’t a whisper, but your voice was quiet.  

“Hmm?” Xavier kicked his legs so he would drift closer to you. You looked at his hands. His fingers were splattered with the remnants of a deep purple paint.

“We used to see who could skip the furthest…member?” You skipped another rock “We would have Rowan judge.” 

Xavier rolled slightly in the water and got on his knees. He began fishing around in the murk, stirring up clouds in the once clear water. 

“If I remember correctly...” Xavier pulled his empty hand out, now covered in mud “I was the frequent champion.” He plunged back in

You scoffed “If I remember correctly,” you mocked his words  “you were a sore loser.” 

He feigned offense, his non busy hand smashing over his heart “Words hurt, (Y/N).” Xavier pulled out a smooth stone. “words hurt.” 

Xavier finally stood, and wound up to throw his rock. Letting go, it made one wimpy skip before disappearing under the water with a loud plunk.  

“oh.”

Your laughter was barking. It came from deep within you, and pierced the quiet air of the lake. You had to lean over to try and get any oxygen in through the mirth. Xavier stood shocked, his mouth slightly ajar and eyes wide. He had definitely not expected this outcome. You were beginning to calm from your laughter, a slight wheeze in your throat. 

“You spoke too soon, Xav.” You took a step deeper into the water. 

“I call a mulligan.” 

“Nope.” You popped the p “it’s 1: nothin’.” you leaned down to get another stone. Something more slimy than the stones bushed past your fingers. You pulled back fast. 

“What?” the humor was instantly gone from Xavier’s voice “What is it.”

“Oh nothing.” You walked to the side a bit “Probably just a plant or somethin’.” 

Xavier was still looking around your old spot.

“You’ll have better luck deeper in.” you gestured around you “I got everything good over ther-ahhh-” 

Something had wrapped around your ankle and tugged. You could briefly hear Xavier’s “Oh fuck!” before going under. 

One second you were screaming above the water, and the next, you were being dragged along the rocks. The luminescence of your skin was getting more evident the further in you went; the murky water glowing a sickly green. You shut your eyes against the long plants of the lake that kept smacking you across the face. You didn’t know how much time had passed, but you had run out of air long ago. 

Were you going to die? You could feel the desperation for oxygen go from your lungs down to your toes. Water invaded your mouth and nose and you no longer had the strength to force it out. 

You felt it in your stomach first. The hum was warming and it energized you to your core. Was this it? Were you finally passing on? Was this the release of death? The questions were short lived as the feeling reached your fingers. They began to move on their own accord, reaching out to the depths to your left. This wasn’t death you were feeling, it was raw power. 

You didn’t have time to think about it as the rush you were feeling was dying off, quickly being replaced by a primal urgency for air. You flailed against the current coming from whatever was pulling you, your hands desperately trying to find something to grip onto. Your limbs began to feel heavy as you began to lose focus on fighting. You could hardly register the new grip upon your shoulders as your head lulled back, unable to stay awake any longer. 

Breath. 

It was the first thing that came across your mind as you began involuntarily coughing, lake water gushing out of your mouth.  You were vaguely aware of a force on your back as you gulped mouthfuls of air. You didn’t care that it burned your throat. 

Looking up from the solid ground, you were met with the hazel eyes of Xavier. He was hovering, hands outstretched as if he wanted to touch you. Taking more gulps of air, you looked behind you to see Bianca, her hand running up and down your back. Through the shallow she was still in, you could see the silver scales of her tail. 

“Breath (Y/N).” she commanded, her hand still on your back “You need to breath” 

You leaned forwards, your forehead landing on the damp ground. You could feel the lakeside mud sticking to your skin, but you just didn’t care.

“What happened?” 

“You were pulled under.” Xavier spoke, his voice solemn “B dove in and was able to pull you out.”

“It was some sort of tentacled bottom feeder, I think.” While it wasn’t directed at you, you could still feel the anger radiating off of Bianca. 

“Thank you, Bianca” 

Getting your breathing more under control, you rolled over so you were resting on your back. 

Marcella gasped “(Y/N), your leg!”

You looked to see a dark puddle forming under your right calf. Sitting up to examine it, you found a pretty sizable gash from where the creature had grabbed you. It was the size of your palm and leaking deep red with streaks of gold mixed in. They caught the rays of the afternoon sun and seemed to glow even brighter. Your dampness was not helping stop the flow of blood. Bianca handed you a dry shirt. She examined the blood on her hand as you wrapped the dry cloth around your calf. 

“(Y/N), what’s this gold stuff?” Ajax quickly grabbed Bianca’s hand and examined the blood. She scoffed and quickly pulled it back

“Did that thing bite you or somethin?” the swim cap he was wearing was wiggling, the snakes trying to get out “Cause like” he gulped “discolored blood is like a huge sign of venom.”

“No.” you finished tying the cloth “It’s just ichor.” 

“What?” 

You had said is so casually that the group felt dumb they didn’t know that was. Eyes wide, Bianca swiftly put her hand in the lake. The blood clouded around her hand till it disappeared into the water. 

“Ichor.” you hesitantly stood, testing the pressure on your injured leg. “The blood of the gods.” 

Everyone nodded their heads, the pieces being put together. Everyone except Bianca

“Why would that be in your blood?” 

“Because my dad’s a primordial.” 

You took a step forward, stumbling slightly. You fell onto Ajax; he steadied you.  As you were beginning to gain your strength back, small tufts of steam began rising from your skin. You took another step forward. While it was with a limp, you were able to stay upright. 

“I’m going to head up to the infirmary, see if this needs stitches.” you gestured to your leg 

“I’ll come with you.” Marcella stepped forwards, but you held out your hands to stop her

 “Nah, it's okay, Marce. You enjoy the lake.” you took another step forwards, wincing slightly “I’ll see you all at dinner.” 

You turned, walking up the hill. As you went, you could shake what had happened. Not only could you not fully grasp that you had almost died, but you had definitely felt celestial power.

Only once before had you felt like that, and it had been the only time you had seen your father’s chariot. It was during an eclipse that he had come down to see you and your mother. In all of its golden glory, you could feel its power course through your veins as your child hands brushed over the detailing. The chariot was only slightly younger than time, and a relic of the old world. 

Whatever was down there was ancient.  

The group watched your retreating form, wincing at the limp you couldn’t quite hide. 

By now Bianca had dried off, and walked to be next to Xavier. He slung his hand over her shoulder as she leaned into him.  

“So her dad is like a god?” she was genuinely curious 

“Titan technically.” Xavier answered “Her dad is Helios.” 

“Wait…” it was Kent “Does that mean her mom like… fucked the sun?” 

Divina smacked his shoulder “Dude, come on.” 

Let me know if you want on the tag list

Your assigned brewing stand was against the side wall, a large window overlooking the quad by your side. Marcella, your partner, sat next to you. She was flipping through the new text books that had been passed out, examining the title chapters and occasionally stopping to examine a picture. 

You liked Marcella. At dinner, you had learned much about her. Marcella had been going to Nevermore for two years with her twin brother, Ajax. She was seventeen, liked the color red, and absolutely hated country music. Her favorite food was Kimchi-jjigae, she was from urban Oregon, and she loved scented candles. Macella liked to laugh at your dumb jokes and could carry a conversation like it weighed nothing. 

“The hell is conocybe pileus and why do I have to juice it?” Marcella was now hunched over the book, her face scrunched in question. She was reading the ingredient list for the assigned potion of today; a potion of clarity. A simple brew that shouldn’t take more than a few minutes. You had made it before for when some of the pills would cloud your mother’s mind. You had also learned, thanks to Leto, that it was a great way to help clear out a hangover. 

“It’s the top of a type of mushroom.” you answered Marcella, sliding on your heat preventative gloves. “You just kinda squeeze it until the mushroom juice comes out.” you mimed it, tightly balling your hands into a fist.

She chuckled, whispering  “mushroom juice” under her breath, eyes still glued to the page. “We also need to grab some alchemists paste, han fibers and shreiker’s blood.” 

“I can start grinding the lotus root.” Marcella got up and walked to the storage closet. 

Even through the chunky leather of your heat resistance gloves, you were able to peel the skin off of the delicate bulb and began grinding them in the provided mortar and pestle. Adding the first one to the cauldron full of spring water, you began to peel the second.

Marcella hummed slightly as she placed the rest of the ingredients on the table. She picked up the final lotus root, watching you struggle slightly. 

“Why are you wearing gloves?” through your periphery, you saw her pause before dropping the plant like it burned her “These aren’t dangerous for us, right?”

You chuckled, throwing the root down in the mortar and pestle. “No. I’m wearing them because it's still summer.” You began grinding down 

“What?” pure confusion laced her voice 

“It’s because the sun is still so close to earth.” you scraped the edges of the bowl before going back for a second pass. 

“I’m not following.” You dumped the second batch into the cauldron. 

“I get my powers from the sun.” You picked up the final root and began peeling “Whenever it is closer to the earth, they get stronger. Because it’s when the sun is the closest, summer is the worst season. It makes it a little harder to control, so I wear the gloves as a precaution, especially when making potions.” 

Marcella nodded, watching your hands move. 

“For example..” you began grinding again “accidentally cooking the lotus root would turn this into a potion of confusion.” You swiped the edges of the mortar “And, if we boil the shreiker’s blood too early, it would become more of a paste than a liquid.” Into the cauldron it went. 

Looking into the large pot, you stirred the mixture until clear. Marcella had begun to squeeze the liquid from the mushroom caps. 

“Doesn’t it get annoying, wearing the gloves and everything?” 

“I mean… kinda.” you reached for the alchemy paste “It definitely gets old, having to constantly think about it.” you put the white goo into the mortar and took just a pinch of han fibers “But I’ve never known anything different.” you started to grind the two together

“I get that” she put the vial of the mushroom juice into the potion “It’s like me with my snakes. Yeah, wearing a hat all the time can be kind of a pain, but it’s just a part of life, ya know.” she stirred. “Besides, I would hate to stone someone.”

“What’s it like to be stoned?” the second you said it, you knew you probably shouldn’t have. To your relief, Marcella didn’t seem to mind. 

“It’s weird.” Marcella reached for the sheiker’s blood “It’s like a blind panic when it happens, and then you wake up a day later still panicking.” She carefully put a few drops into the cauldron. “You’re stiff for like a week afterwards and your mouth tastes like dust.”

You hummed in contemplation, still grinding the mixture. By now, the white paste had turned a dull pink from the han fibers. 

“That doesn’t sound fun.” you reached for the spoon

“It’s not, but what are you gonna do?” she shrugged, and put the spoon in your outstretched hand. 

You scooped the goo into the spoon and dipped it into the clear liquid. Taking a quick glance at the text, you spun it clockwise and read the incantation from the book. Pulling out the spoon, the now glowing liquid bubbled more intensely before instantly calming to a clear, blue liquid. Grabbing a ladle from the station drawer, you spooned it into a vial. 

“A potion of clarity.” you handed the bottle your partner to write on. In the short time you had known her, you had already realized Marcella had better handwriting than you. After bottling the rest of the potion, you and Marcella cleaned your station until the bell to change classes. Unlike a regular school bell, it was deep in tone, and reminded you of a giant grandfather clock. 

The halls of Nevermore were not as crowded as you remembered them. Maybe it was because you were older, but everything seemed a little smaller. The pillars were not as looming and the thought of going through the quad was not as daunting. Still, you planned to just go back to your room during your lunch period. 

Walking along, a glimpse of color caught your eye amongst the gray of the stone; you stopped to examine. On one singular tile was a small landscape. Leaning closer you lifted up your sunglasses to peer at the art. 

You always wore the tinted shades to cover the constant glow of your yellow eyes; the only physical trait of your father passed down. You blinked rapidly at the sudden invasion of light unflitered as your eyes adjusted. 

The bright greens of the field and the blue of the sky stood out against the graying stone. It was so incredibly detailed. You could make out a bird in the sky, the shadow of a deer in the background woods, and even a beetle on a closer blade of grass. It was enchanting 

“Do you like it?” You jumped, whipping around to see Xavier Thorpe watching you closely. You were sure you looked like a deer in the headlight, and you felt like a child caught stealing desert. Chuckling at your reaction, Xavier extended his hand, fingers flexing at his artwork.

“Watch.”

As you stared at the painting, you could see the tall grass start to move as if bowing in the wind. You could hear the buzz of bees and the chirping of the bird you had spotted. A small smile graced your lips at the scene. You could almost smell the sweetness of the morning dew that lingered on the grass

“I did that at the end of term last year.” he pulled his hand back, and the paint lost its life.

“It’s beautiful.” you looked up at the boy 

“Thanks.” he smiled, eyes remaining forwards. You didn’t know what to say, and you didn’t think he did either. 

Xavier was different from when you had last known him. He had grown quite a bit taller, and finally fit into his lanky arms. His hair was much longer than his previous undercut, and his cheekbones had only gotten sharper. While you had seen him at the funeral, the difference was much more drastic up close. The Xavier you had known two years ago would have never painted the bricks at Nevermore. Back then, he was a stickler for rules, full of anxiety of what his actions would do against his father’s reputation. Even from this short encounter, you saw how differently he carried himself; he wasn’t so tense.

You were sure you were different as well. You had definitely gotten taller in the last two years and had filled out a bit as well. You were sure he remembered you just as well as you remembered him, but you just didn’t know how to word it. How would you? “Hi, I’ve been gone for two years, let's just be friends again”? “I know the last time you saw me was when my mom died, but let's just pretend that didn’t happen”?  No. 

So, you were stuck looking at the painting for an uncomfortable amount of time. 

“How have you been, (Y/N)?” he was the first one to speak 

“I’ve been okay. It’s nice to be back at Nevermore.” You looked over at him to see Xavier already watching you. He quickly averted his eyes back forward. “You?” 

“I’m alright.” 

You scuffed your boot against the floor. 

“Would you like to come sit with us?” his words were rushed as he spoke, the usual coolness of his voice replaced with nerves. 

“Huh?” 

“At lunch.” he quickly added “it’s pretty much everyone from” he paused “before you uh, ya know…” he trailed off.” he was so painfully trying not to bring the funeral up and your two year absence.

“That would be nice.” 

The table the group occupied was in a different corner of the cafeteria than the one you sat at the previous night with Marcella. At it sat all of your old friends: Kent, Yoko, Divina, Rowan, and plus two new people. Xavier explained on the way. 

The first was a gorgon boy. His name was Ajax and he was Marella’s twin brother; who wasn’t there because she had a different lunch period. He was goofy and obviously unaware of it. It was fun. The second was another siren, a girl named Bianca. She had only come to Nevermore two years ago, so you never met her before. She was gorgeous with her full lips and siren eyes. 

Bianca emitted authority to the point where it made shrink into yourself a little as you sat down. Still, she smiled with shining teeth and held out her hand to you. 

“You must be (Y/N). Everyone’s told me so much about you.” You took her manicured hand into your gloved one and shook. You didn’t hold on for too long. Even through the gloves, one could still feel the heat, especially now from your racing neveres.

“It’s nice to meet you.” she nodded, as if your reaction had garnered her approval. 

Somewhat expecting Xavier to sit at the open spot by your side, he walked around and slid in next to Bianca. He wrapped his arm around her shoulder and she leaned into his side.

Oh. 

It didn’t take a genius to put it together that they were thing. You felt the need to look away, an awful heat rising towards your face. You didn’t even know why you cared, but you did. You wished for anyone to talk so you would have a reason to think of something else. 

“How are you, babe.”

Oh thank god. It was Yoko who spoke. She looked over at you through her circled framed glasses and tapped her nails against the wooden table top.

“I’m okay enough. I missed you guys.” a chorus of “me too” filled the table Now just ignoring Bianca and Xavier, you fell into conversation. “What’s new with everyone. I was really bad at staying in touch.” 

It wasn’t a lie. You had been rather bad at keeping a regular correspondence with everyone while taking care of your mother. You had basically missed two years of everyone’s lives. 

Yoko’s permanent fangs had finally grown in. Kent had gone to Australia for a whole summer. Rowan’s telekinesis had gotten stronger to where he could move small buildings. Divina had charmed her way onto a filming set and had been an extra in a music video. It was somewhat overwhelming to hear all you had missed. 

After the initial tension of time was gone, it was easy to fall back into the way things were before. Making dumb expressions at Yoko for laughs, lovingly poking fun at Kent with everyone, swapping your food with Divina’s, casually debating with Xavier over random topics. Ajax had fit right in by making dumb yet funny jokes and contributing to the debates. Even Bianca had seemed to have carved a spot for herself, making small quips at Kent and adding her own opinions into the conversation. You had jumped in your seat when the bell had rang, not even thinking ten minutes had gone by, let alone 40. 

Standing up, you slung your school bag over your shoulder, and waited for everyone to be ready. Having your next class with Rowan, the pair of you walked off, laughing at Kent as he tripped over his shoe. A calming warmth washed over you as you and Rowan walked through the semi crowded halls. Everything was just like before; a small piece of the past could still live on.  

I made this an x reader but the only physical description is your eyes bc of your lineage (child of helios). I imagine them like Leto’s eyes from Lore Olympus. 

Let me know if you want on the tag list

“Before we start, I just wanted to say how sorry I am for your loss” Principal Weems tried to be comforting, but it was a phrase you had heard too many times in the past few months.

“Thank you, ma’am.” you never knew how to respond to it either.

“Now.” the older woman spun her chair around so she could reach for a desk drawer. You could hear the click of her heels on the floor as she turned. At her distraction, you spared a glance out of the window. Through the thin curtains you could see forms of people. You could get a flash of a vibrant coat or the shape of a cart rolling belongings around. Weems came back up with a manila folder.

“I understand you have been homeschooled these past two years by your mother.” You nodded your head “your academics are not in question, all of your work has been looked over and is more than adequate for you to be able to continue here.” She turned a page, pausing briefly in her speech to scan the document. “Now, your previous dorm room has been filled already, but I can still put you in Ophelia Hall. How does that sound?” 

While it came from a place of good, Principal Weems was trying to be gentle with you; as if a single misspoken word would send you into a frenzy.

“That would be great, thank you.” 

“Excellent.” she did some more scanning “Now, I would think your old uniform is a tad too small for you now, so I’ve had a new set sent to your room. Your schedule,” she pronounced it so Britishly “and other papers are all here, so all that’s left is to get you settled in.” she slid the file over to you. As you reach out to grab it, Weems placed her hand over yours, pulling back almost instantly at the heat. 

“Sorry ma’am. 

“Quite alright.” She examined her hand for any burns. In finding none, she continued “Now I know these past few years have not been easy for you, (Y/N). If you ever need anything, I want you to tell me, alright.” You nodded again, looking directly into her eye “Your guardian has also asked that I set you up with someone local to help you through these times.” You felt your stomach drop “We have a trusted therapist in Jericho who has been excellent in the past. It is all very discrete and...”

“Thank you, Principal Weems.” you cut her off, sliding the folder off of the desk. You stood. “Will that be all?” 

“Yes, dinner is at 7 but, uh, you remember that.” you nodded your head “Do you need help moving in?” she looked at you with a motherly care in her eye. 

“No, I should be good.” You walked to the door. “Have a nice day.”

 The road leading to Nevermore Academy was packed with cars of all types. Decadent chauffeur cars were parked neatly along the side while battered minivans and what could only be described as grandpa cars sat crooked on the grass. You made your way along the drive until stopping at a large wheeled wrangler. While the inside was empty of people, you could see the edges of wings from the top of the car. 

“Ya know, I think it’s soooo fuckin’ dumb that I couldn’t be in there with ya.” The voice was feminine, alto in nature with slightest hint of a Boston accent. “I may not be ya blood, but I’m still ya god damn legal guardian.” 

“It’s alright, it’s not like you missed much.” your shoes scuffed against the asphalt “It was just my schedule and stuff. Plus the mandatory sorry for your loss speech” There was a bark of laughter as a response “Besides, you can still help me move in.” A slight groan broke through the amusement of the being on the top of the car, but she was still laughing. You walked around to the back of the wrangler and opened the trunk. 

“You didn’t tell me you wanted me to go to therapy while I was here.” The laughter stopped. A horned head emerged from the top car, red eyes looking down at you. Loose strand of dark hair fell forward, making a sort of curtain. 

“It’s for my peace of mind, (Y/N). It’ll make me sleep bettah knowing ya got someone here for ya: just to check in.” she paused “Sorry I didn’t tell ya.” 

“It’s okay, Leto.” In all honesty, you weren’t mad at all. It warmed your heart to know she worried about you that much. You picked up one of your bags, slinging it over your shoulder. 

“You gonna help me or what?” 

 A loud thump shook the car as Leto slid off the top.  

“Ya lucky I like you.” 

“Sure.” she lightly smacked you with the edge of her bat-like wings and stood next to you, eyeing up the amount of stuff you had to bring up. 

“Think we can bring it up in one trip?” she asked, testing the weight of one of your boxes. 

You huffed “Probably.” 

You could bring everything up in one trip, but at the cost of feeling in your forearms. Leto wasn’t faring any better. Having the bright idea to hang bags from her horns, her head was being weighed down to the point where she just asked you for directions. After lugging yourselves up stairs and through long halls you came to your room. Praying that there was someone inside, you kicked your foot against the door. You heard music stop and shuffling until the door was open. Over the boxes in your hands, you could see a hat covered head and the arch of  a brow.  

“Oh wow?” was the first thing your roommate said and you and Leto walked past her. 

All but throwing the items burning your body, you shook out your forearms and turned to face your new roommate. The first thing you noticed about her was how tall she was, almost besting Leto’s 6’1. The next was the maroon beanie carefully wrapped around the top of her head; a gorgon. She stuck her hand out, and you saw her nails were neatly done in a crimson polish. 

“Hello, you must be (Y/N). I’m Marcella Petropolis.” you shook your hand some more willing the heat to leave your fingertips. Taking her hand in a firm grasp, you shook it without any issue. 

“It’s nice to meet you, Marcella.” The taller girl smiled before clapping her hands on her thighs 

“I’m so sorry I can’t stay but I have to go help my brother. Want to meet up at dinner, get to know each other?”  

You smiled back “That sounds great.” She began walking to the door  

“See you soon.” 

“I like her” Leto announced from out in the hall, a mix of her wings and the luggage keeping her there “now please fucking help me.”

You quickly walked over “Sorry”

Moving in didn’t take nearly as long as you expected. After scooting your bed so it was against the wall and pushing your desk so you could look out the window, it was easy work. Leto put your clothes away as you lined up plants and trinkets along the windowsills and nightstand. Even though you weren’t on the top floor, you still had a small balcony overlooking the school, accessible through the window behind your bed. You had sun-catchers dangling in front of the windows for when the clouds decided to leave. A quilt, made by your mother, covered your bed where a few too many pillows had been piled up. In the corner where the bed had originally been, you put your small potion brewery.  In all, it was coming together nicely. 

As the dark sky became darker, and the final thing was put into place, your heart began to grow heavy. Leto would have to leave. Leto hadn’t left you alone since the funeral. 

Turning around, you already found the succubus looking at you. While her eyes were in your direction, she was off somewhere else. 

“What are you thinking about?” you haphazardly put down the vials you were holding and turned to face her.

“Yah Ma.” she answered “and how proud she’d be of ya.” 

You smiled slightly “Thanks Let” 

Leto held out her arms wide, smiling to the point where her fangs showed. You happily accepted the embrace, pulling yourself closer as her wings wrapped around you. 

“What are you going to do when I’m gone?” 

You felt the rumble of a chuckle in her chest “I have some work that’s gonna take me out West. I should be back at home before your break.” You nodded into her “Hey, promise me you’re gonna take care of yaself, okay? It can get all types of wild here and I just…” she cut off, swallowing loudly “I just want ya to have a good time. Ya deserve it.” If possible, you pulled her even closer. 

“I promise, Let. You don’t have to worry though, it's just school.” 

“Ha, nice try” she freed you from her wings and let go, opting to place her hands on your shoulders “I legally have to worry about ya. Remember?” 

You smiled, it didn’t reach your eyes

“Alright, I’m gonna go before ya make me cry.” Leto pushed off your shoulders, a dramatic move for just turning around. “Get good grades, don’t do drugs, use a condom…”

“Hey!” 

She turned around and winked, “Ya can never be too safe.” Her eyes lingered on you for just a second “ I love ya, (Y/N). Don’t forget to call.”

“I won’t, love you too.” 

With that, she was gone. You listened till the sound of her boots on the stone floor dissipated before letting out a breath you didn't know you were holding. 

As you walked down to the first floor many familiar faces passed you. Enid Sinclair; her family has sent you meals and care packages all throughout your mother’s illness. Paul Pasker; his father had been your pharmacist. Yoko Tanaka; she has been your roommate for your first years at Nevermore. Xavier Thorpe; the last time you had seen him was at the funeral a few months back. You knew these people, or, you had. You knew them two years ago before your mom got sick and you had left. Now they were just people whose names you knew.