Disclaimer: I don't own Vocaloid in any way, shape of form.

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Ugh! This is awful! Why am I doing this again?

Because everything gets better before it gets worse.

Can't you teach me this life lesson some other way?

Nope. But don't worry, you'll enjoy this soon enough.

Not if I die first.

Stop being a fucking drama queen. I need this and soon enough so will you.

Gakupo Kamui

Heading over to his favorite tree, blood drips down Gakupo Kamui's knuckles. Noting the injury with disinterest, the boy casually licks it up, iron on his tongue, only to watch it well up again. Oh well. It'll stop bleeding eventually.

Stretching out his arms above his head, exerting the muscles, the pull feels good. Rolling his shoulders, his neck, his hair whirls around him in a perfect arc. Violet, speckled with blood, the "gang" that approached him today were just a bunch of small fries at best, a bunch of punks trying to prove something to someone. It was somewhat annoying, the entire encounter. But in the end, it came out to be a good stress reliever so it wasn't entirely pointless.

Dropping his arms, the tree comes into view. It's a giant oak with a study trunk, great for just lounging against for hours, which is exactly what he liked to do around this time of day. Smile tugging on his lips, his reasons for doing what he does may not exactly be the best. But it's all a matter of perception. Per-cep-tion. It's a magical word that makes him feel less creepy than he actually is. After all, he has a reputation to maintain.

A few feet from his favorite tree, Gakupo Kamui pauses mid step, there's someone in his seat. A girl. Holding a cigarette in her hand, smoke fogs around her in a thick cloud. Scowl on her face, looking entirely displeased, she takes a drag from the cigarette. Holding the smoke in for way too long, she coughs viciously, her body practically bent over in half.

Staring at the display, Gakupo Kamui almost considers relocating to a different tree. After all, there are enough windows, he'll get a perfect view regardless. But no. That's his tree and there's no way he's giving it up for some underclassman who can't even properly smoke a cigarette.

Controlling his irritation bubbling under his skin, Gakupo Kamui is now so glad that those punks tried to mess with him earlier, he doesn't want to hurt this girl over something stupid.

Stopping a few inches in front of her, he can clearly hear the girl grumbling to herself, what even? Slowing titling her head to look up at him, Gakupo Kamui is met with fierce teal eyes and he vaguely recalls the rumors of a teal haired girl in Year 2. Something about her eyes or that she worked part time as an S&M Queen. Something like that.

Legs crossed over, cigarette hanging lazily between her fingertips, there is a silence and Gakupo doesn't know how to break it without making a fool of himself. Poking his Dr. Martens with her foot, the girl offers him a small smile. "I took your tree, didn't I?"

Nodding once, frown fiercely plastered on his face, he can feel his usual brand of intimidation rolling off his body in waves. He has a reputation for a reason. But instead of scampering away in fear like everyone else, the girl simply smiles a little wider and moves over. Patting the seat next to her, Gakupo almost can't keep the shock off his face. Standing in front of her a little longer, her teal eyes ablaze with something he can't quite name, there's something curious about the girl.

Deeming it unnecessary to make an issue out of the invitation, Gakupo finds himself sitting next to her, their shoulders brushing. Leaning back against his tree, the relaxation slips into his skin and he can almost forget the abnormality of the situation. Pulling out a pack of cigarettes from his jacket pocket and a lighter, his own cigarette is soon set aflame, it's smoke mixing with the girl's.

Taking a drag, the smoke swirls in his mouth, his lungs and his entire being and it's good, exactly what he needed. Blowing it out in perfect hoops, he almost chokes when the girl next to him starts coughing just as violently as before.

Glancing over at her, Gakupo can't restrain the question any longer. "What are you trying to do?"

Tears slipping from her eyes, she states the obvious. "Smoke. I'm trying to smoke." Waving her cigarette with disdain, she straightens up once again, practically glaring at the filter between her fingertips.

"Well you're taking in way too much smoke at once. That's why you're coughing like that."

Eyebrows bunched up on her face, she takes a moment to consider his words before gesturing at him. "But you…"

"I'm experienced. You're not. Stop trying so hard. This is supposed to help relax you, not kill you."

Lips falling open, the girl just stares and stares. And suddenly, Gakupo remembers what this girl used to look like, quiet, conservative, uptight, like the world was shoving her down into the ground. Staring back at her, he watches, with mild fascination, as she burst into laughter, her entire body shaking with mirth. Tears slipping from her eyes, she looks at her cigarette and takes another drag, a small one. Holding the smoke in for just a moment, she releases, amazement written clearly on her face.

"God, that still tastes awful."

"You get used to it."

"So I will."

Sitting there, under his favorite tree with a strange girl, the smoke from his cigarette curls around hers and it's…nice. And when Oliver meets his eyes, she watches quietly, not interrupting, not mocking him, just observing the moment for what it is and what it isn't.

He can vaguely see their reflection against the library window, their two bodies sitting side by side, their hair, teal and violet, pooling against the grass. The smoke has long since faded, their cigarettes snuffed out.

Eventually standing up, the girl brushes dirt from the back of her skirt. Standing a few inches in front of him, their positions reversed, she smiles…no….smirks. Glancing back at the library windows, she whispers, "I won't tell."

What she won't tell, he's not exactly sure. But he's grateful anyways.

"I'm Miku, by the way."

"Gakupo."

Amusement in her eyes, she says, "I know." Gathering her bag, she adds, "After all, you reputation precedes you."

And this, Gakupo knows is true.