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zachary willows had memorized cedric diggory’s habits, and so did he.

the way cedric always waited outside the library when zachary took too long on opening his blind boxes. the way he leaned in when he laughed, like he couldn’t help sharing the moment. the way he said zachary’s name softer than anyone else’s, like it meant something.

for zachary.

zachary sincerely had this crazy obsession towards him, always noticing small details about him, thinking about him alot, making sure that no one gets in his way, and always getting really jealous when he talks to other people with that disgusting smile he did when they hanged out. it really took him a long time to realize, zachary willows likes cedric diggory.

few days later, cedric stopped doing all the things they do together, which made zachary concerned and curious immediately.

but at first it was small, cedric leaving him and not waiting for him for taking too long on unboxing blind boxes, cedric choosing a different seat in class that’s far away from him, and lastly, his eyes sliding past him in the corridors like zachary was just some random student instead of the person that he was comfortable with.

zachary definitely noticed, definitely.

but days had passed, or weeks, cedric never came back to him.

zachary tried to be calm with this situation, he tried. he tried to be quiet. but the silence sat heavy in his chest and mind, making it hard to breathe— there was just distance and questions cedric refused to answer.

zachary couldn’t just pile up his feelings to himself only, so he thought of a better solution, corner him.

it happened in an empty corridor, stone walls echoing too loudly, zachary’s hands trembling despite himself. cedric froze in guilt and whatever mixed feelings he has to himself when he saw him, like he’d been caught doing something wrong.

“why are you avoiding me?” zachary asked. his voice cracked immediately trying not to tremble, betraying him as he crosses his arms to his chest.

cedric was about to reply, but stopped and shut his mouth, looking away.

zachary laughed, sharp and breathless, and then the words came out messy and rapidly, “did i do something? did i annoy you? because if you were tired of me you could’ve just said so instead of pretending i don’t exist.”

that’s what broke him, he looked at zachary’s eyes, trying not to flinch, “zachary—“

“no,” zachary snapped, tears already spilling. “you don’t get to be my lover—”

he choked on the word, shaking his head. “my best friend.“ with his chosen words to say, it felt like a bullet was shot into his heart.

his shoulders shook, he hated crying. hated how exposed it made him feel. “i thought—” his voice dropped to a whisper. “i thought i mattered to you.”

silence stretched between them, thick and unbearable.

then cedric broke.

“i was scared,” he said, voice rough. “and i still am.”

zachary looked up, stunned. cedric’s eyes were glassy, hands clenched at his sides like he was holding himself together by force. “i realized to late, that— i love you.” cedric admitted, the words tumbling out. “not just as a friend. and every time i was around you, it got worse. i couldn’t focus. i couldn’t pretend it didn’t matter.”

he laughed bitterly. “so i thought if i stayed away, it would go away too.”

zachary’s anger fizzled out, replaced by disbelief. “you ignored me… because you like me?”

“yes,” cedric said immediately. “because i like you too much,”

“i love you too much.” cedric stepped forward, placing his hand on zachary’s cheek, caressing it.

the hallway felt suddenly smaller. zachary’s heart pounded so loudly he was sure cedric could hear it.

cedric leaned in slowly, tentative. zachary closed the last bit of distance, and their lips met in a soft, hesitant kiss—gentle, awkward, full of everything they’d both been holding back. zachary’s hands found cedric’s, squeezing tightly, while cedric rested his forehead against zachary’s after pulling back slightly, breathing the same heavy air.

it wasn’t perfect. it wasn’t practiced. it was messy and raw and real—and somehow, that made it exactly what they both needed.

zachary whispered, barely audible, “i love you.”

cedric just smiled against his lips. “i love you too.”

cedric leaned in again, lips messy and desperate, hearts pounding from weeks of longing. zachary’s hands tangled in cedric’s robes, holding on like letting go would erase everything.

they pulled back just slightly, foreheads touching. cedric whispered, voice trembling, “you… you feel too good to stop.”

almost instinctively, cedric pressed a soft, fleeting kiss to zachary’s neck, right below the jawline. zachary froze, cheeks burning, breath hitching, and let out a small, shaky moan. “c-cedric baby.” he whispered, hands clutching cedric’s shoulders tighter.

cedric rested his head against zachary’s, shy and flustered, letting the messy intimacy hang in the air.

then—click!

the corridor door swung open, and both of them jolted apart, faces flaming. standing in the doorway was none other than chesika malungihan and her gals, mhikarius alphahard, jodizenia villamaterium, and others, eyes wide, clearly trying not to laugh.

“oh… um…” she said, blinking rapidly. “sorry… we didn’t mean to—uh…”

zachary scrambled back a step, hair a mess, hands still brushing cedric’s. cedric ran one hand down his face, muttering, “i—we—ugh…”

the firls smirked smirked, shaking their head. “don’t worry, we’ve seen worse in the library.” then chesika malungihan closed the door, leaving them flustered and silent, hearts still racing.

zachary let out a breathy laugh, burying his face in cedric’s shoulder. “you are impossible,” he said.

cedric chuckled, pink and embarrassed. “yeah… but somehow, i’m not going anywhere this time.”

they stayed like that in the hallway, messy, flustered, but closer than ever, holding on and letting weeks of unspoken feelings melt away.