Awa'altu High: ATWOW highschool au!!

Kiri

He asked if she had a key to get into her house. If anyone else had asked her a question with such an obvious answer, Kiri would have had a sarcastic comment ready to throw at them. If anyone else had offered to drive her home while she had a migraine, she would have said no without even considering it. If anyone was standing at her doorway, holding her bag, helping her up the porch steps- well, no one else would have made it this far. She didn't even have to think about what she would do. If anyone else tried to find their way into her life like he had, she would have locked them out before they could even get the chance. However, he was not anyone else. No one could be like him. No one would put turtle bandaids on her fingertips because she bit her nails too far. No one would follow her around like a gentle shadow, despite how standoffish she was at first. No one would drive her home, taking the long way, in complete silence, just to leave and go home without asking for more. Without even asking for a thank you. Kiri didn't want him to go. She didn't care that Neteyam had told him not to come inside. She didn't care that her parents could potentially decide to come home early. She didn't even care that her head ached so deeply that she could barely hear. "My parents won't be home till late tonight," she told him. "They're on date night all day. Well, I guess it's date day, then. But, they won't be here till late. You can just stay till, like, five. Or six. Or until Neteyam gets home." She didn't want him to go. She wanted him to stay with her. She knew he wouldn't mind sitting in silence in her darkened room. He'd probably enjoy it. "I don't want to make Neteyam mad," Rotxo whispered. "I'll handle Neteyam. Please?" She pushed her hair back with her thick glasses, looking him in the eyes. Rotxo's eyes were so dark they were almost black. She thought they looked like ink blots on white paper. His already gentle gaze softened as he took in the entirety of her face. He always looked at her like he was seeing her for the first time, like he had when she had stepped out of Neteyam's car on the first day of school. "Okay," he breathed. He shouldered her bag and gently pushed her glasses down back over her eyes. "Thank you," she said, smiling to herself.

He helped her up the stairs. She didn't want to tell him that she could see perfectly fine, even with her glasses on. She had both hands wrapped tightly around his arm. He was stronger than he looked, but in a gentle way. Ao'nung's strength was visible and intimidating, whether he meant for it to be or not. Rotxo's was softer, in the way you'd only notice if you got the chance to be as close to him as she was now. He had gone downstairs to get her an ice pack, making sure to shut her curtains before he did. Kiri went to her closet, pulling out her favorite hoodie. It had belonged to her mother, her birth mother, when she and Jake worked together. She had left it at his house, and forgotten to come back for it. She never wore it outside the house and washed it gently by hand to make sure it was as safe and lasted as long as possible. She pulled the hood up to cover her head, closing her eyes and taking deep breaths. She heard the sound of ice cubes hitting the kitchen floor followed by a whispered stream of curse words echoing from downstairs. Kiri grinned, folding her hands in her lap.

"Hi," she whispered, looking up at him. "I have something for you," he grinned, holding a towel-wrapped ice pack out in front of him. "I put the towel on to make sure it doesn't hurt your skin too badly. The cold. To make sure the cold doesn't- you get it," he laughed, shaking his head. She nodded, smiling. "I do get it," she whispered, taking the ice pack and putting it inside her hood, against the back of her neck. She looked up at him as he took a step towards her. He dropped to one knee, slipping his hands through the gaps in the sides of her hoodie. She felt his fingers graze the sides of her neck gently. "Here," he whispered, turning the ice pack long-ways and tucking the end of it under the neckline of her shirt. Rotxo was looking down at his hands as he worked. Kiri was looking at him. "That way it stays in place." His gaze traveled up Kiri's face until their eyes met. The softness of his eyes and the way he was cradling her face made her flush. Rotxo's pinkie and ring fingers rested on the base of her neck, with his thumbs just behind her ears. Kiri was thankful for the darkness of the room and the shadow of her hoodie for obscuring her reddened face. Rotxo blinked, pulling his hands away. She felt the absence of his warmth instantly. She exhaled sharply through her nose in protest. "What?" he asked, tilting his head to the side. His brows furrowed in concern. "Nothing," she muttered, closing her eyes. She found it difficult to both hold eye contact with him and speak at the same time, especially with him this close to her. "The warmth felt nice," she whispered. "Warmth?" he asked. "Yeah. The contrast of your hands with the ice felt nice." Kiri cringed at her lack of subtlety. "Did it?" he asked softly. "Yes. Put them back," she answered, opening her eyes to look at him. His curls hung in front of his eyes, as if he had just ran his fingers through them. Rotxo nodded rapidly, placing his hands back inside her hood.

"Kiri, what are we doing?" Rotxo asked. She had shut her eyes again, and had been taking deep breaths. "You're helping me with my migraine, and I am so very thankful for you," she whispered, eyes still closed. She could practically see the face he was making in her mind's eye - eyes wide, lips slightly apart, brows raised. "No, I mean, in general," he murmured. She opened her eyes slowly, looking up at him. She was right. He was making that exact expression. "Because- Because I like you. And, I think- I hope you like me, because you kissed me, and I didn't even make the first move, and I don't think you would kiss me if you didn't like me, and-" He hadn't been focusing on her face. It was clear he was working very hard to get all of his words out. She gently reached up to his face. When her fingertips brushed his bottom lip, he froze. "Shhhh," she whispered gently, a small smile on her face. His eyes darted around her face. "I wouldn't kiss you if I didn't like you, you're right," she said, voice so soft it was barely audible. His gaze met hers again, but this time his eyes were full of a different light; desperate for an answer, almost pleading. "You wouldn't?" Rotxo asked. His voice broke with nerves. Kiri smiled softly at him. She slid her fingertips down to his chin. "No. I wouldn't." He blinked at her. "So- what are we-" His words died in his throat. Her fingers rested on his jaw, with her thumb pressed against the side of his neck. She leaned closer, just a little bit, just enough. He looked deep into her eyes. "Tell me what we are." She blinked at him in surprise. The assertiveness in his voice was something she hadn't heard before. "Please," he added, smiling softly. "Me?" she asked, tilting her head to the side. A flare of pain, white-hot and angry, spread across her vision. She winced, shutting her eyes tight. Rotxo flinched."Oh, god, stop," he whisper-shouted. "I'm sorry. You should be resting. Kiri, your head. You should be-" She opened her eyes again, gazing down into his."Oh, shut up," Kiri whispered softly, lifting his jaw up to hers. His worried expression softened. "Okay," he breathed. She hesitated, looking deep into his black eyes. "Kiss me," she murmured. "Okay," Rotxo repeated, nodding.