>today's the first day of school
>a whole friggin year at some big city school 'Volcano High'
>that's what you get for pretending to be an anime protagonist to the point even teachers didn't want to speak to you
>day's going pretty well
>mask almost falls off a few times, can't have people finding out
>during lunch hear some students going on about an amateur band playing after school
>seems like a decent place to meet people, why not go
>show up to the venue after school
>standard rock band looking place like you see in vidya
>seems like the band is about to start playing
>what is this
>two bassists and a drummer
>literally what were they thinking
>if you wanted to hear an incomplete song you'd listen to literally anything made by those fags at /mu/
>everyone in the room is laughing at the band
>it is pretty funny, yeah
>point and laugh at the retards for thinking this was music
>watch them break down and run offstage in embarrassment to the cheers of the crowd
>people start leaving
>well, this was a waste of time
>two days later
>those band members didn't even show up to school yesterday
>don't blame them
>looks like they showed up for class today though
>science class
>you instinctively cringe when you hear the phrase "partner assignment"
>almost immediately everyone is paired up
>except for some dolphin looking chick that was one of the bassists
>looks like there's no choice either way
>get started with assignment
>things are pretty silent
>don't blame her, as long as the assignment gets done
>teacher notices and comes by the desk
>"Is everything alright anon? you getting along with your partner?"
>Yeah, she's fine
>for some reason she cringes
>"alright, anon. let me know if you need anything."
>teacher leaves
>"I'm not a she."
>Do what now
>"I said I'm not a "she". Doesn't this nonbinary bracelet mean anything to you?"
>"Well?"
>how were you supposed to keep up with all these dumb flags
>this isn't worth getting into a quarrel over
>you apologize
>she seems content
>wait a second, she doesn't dress unlike a woman
>if anything she's trying to show off how womanly she is, what's the deal with that?
>just special treatment or some-
>get flashbacks of you with an eyepatch, three plastic katanas and a cape just two years ago
>oh, that's it.
>apologize about laughing at her
>"""they""" look at you weird
>"uh, sure. Anon, was it?"
>end up making small talk the rest of the assignment
>well, that's one way to make a friend
>a week later
>the two of you ended up getting seats next to each other in science period
>talking one day, conversation ends up at music
>tell her the glaring flaws in her band design as carefully as possible
>she nods along as if she knew all along
>she shows me her other band members on her phone in photos
>they're all varying degrees of 'lookatmee' in both clothing choice and personalities
>she asks you if you want to come along to band practice sometime
>well, she's your only friend. wouldn't look good to decline
>after school
>the band's meeting spot is on the edge of the schoolyard where nobody ever goes
>the other members are already there
>after talking with them you feel a combination of smug vindication and despair that your assessment was right
>good lord these people are all terrible influences on each other
>you're not even sure the drummer is male
>just smile through it all and get home as fast as possible
>"Oh, anon, since you're here can you give feedback on a new song?"
>all smiles.
>the song is just as bad as the one they played a week ago
>tell them that there's simply no way a high school band made up of two bassists and a drummer can make consistently decent music
>and they should try diversifying a bit more
>they get angry, immediately tell me to leave for being a 'poser'
>is this 2021 or 1990
>fang tries talking to them about it, they end up in a heated argument about 'artistic freedom' and 'experimental music
>tell fang you're fine, see each other tomorrow at school
>as you leave you hear them arguing more
>you're not going to bother looking up half of these insults
>browsing /v/ late at night
>there's a knock on the door
>put on mask disguise and opens the door
>"Oh anon... I just... that fight with my bandmates got rough and... Can I stay here overnight..?"
>you're not mean enough to say no
>make hot chocolate and puts extra blanket on the couch
>alright, time to go to bed
>"Wait-"
>what is it now
>"Would you stay up a bit longer?"
>... fine.
>stay up with fang until she falls asleep on the couch and then go to bed
>wake up next morning
>she's long gone, to school probably.
>while making breakfast look in trash
>she threw out her skull necklace
>few weeks later
>fang has since changed from a bass guitar to an electric one
>it's an improvement at least
>she's still with the band, they're just on a bit shaky terms
>she's absent during science class
>that's strange, you swear you saw her in the halls earlier
>one bathroom pass later you're checking all the family restrooms
>no dice, they're all unoccupied
>how about one of the empty classrooms?
>nope.
>that leaves only the roof
>probably should have checked that first.
>lo and behold, she's laying on her back, facing the clouds
>as you approach she speaks
>"What am I even doing here...?"
>what do you mean?
>"This whole time i've been more concerned with this stupid band, and I try and I try and..."
>"I just can't get people to even look my way anymore..."
>she lays it all out for you between sobs
>you lay down next to her and listen
>somehow no teachers show up
>"I just don't know what else I can do to get people to like me..."
>tell her 'You don't need any band or whatever to get someone to like you'
>she blushes and starts holding back her tears
>"Thanks, anon."
>she sits up
>when you sit up as well, her snout hits your cheek accidentally
>she gasps and looks away
>"oops, sorry"
>don't worry about it
>end up going back to class and get chewed out for being in the bathroom the whole period
>about a month later
>fang's band has gotten a load better recently
>now the songs can pass for background noise in a supermarket
>one saturday morning you get a text
>'need to find a place to play friday. first gig in over a month. pls come help'
>it's not like (you) have anything to do on a saturday
>meet her at a coffee place in the city
>recently she's been wearing more tasteful clothing
>you tell her her dress looks nice and get a new shade of red out of it
>the other bandmates aren't here
>you ask fang where they are
>she looks away and says they couldn't make it
>right
>after grabbing coffee look around the city, asking various places for a spot to play
>unfortunately word got around after the first attempt
>after four hours of looking not a single place was willing to host fangs' band
>you end up resting at some pizza place
>by now it's lunchtime so you split the bill for a large pizza
>you end up sitting on a bench next to each other
>you haven't noticed before but she eats sort of like a dog does, snapping her mouth open and closed
>it's cute, but you're not going to say that out loud
>you instinctively look away as she turns towards you
>out of the corner of your eye you can tell she saw you looking
>she gets a devious look
>oh boy what is-
>she leans in to kiss your cheek
>on purpose this time
>as best as she can, at least
>you scoot a bit closer to her and finish having lunch
>after eating, you figure you may as well ask the pizzeria owner if they'd be a willing host
>somehow, they agree happily
>good lord you hope they didn't see any of that
>next saturday
>the day of the concert
>the band is getting ready to play
>to say they look nervous is an understatement
>everyone else has their phones out, recording "just in case"
>fang looks towards you
>you give a thumbs-up back
>after a few moments of silence, the band begins
>as stated earlier, they're not bad
>of course, they're not too good either
>the other people don't look too pleased the band got better
>they finish their first song, and silence
>you start clapping and cheering
>alone
>for several seconds
>the rest of the crowd starts giving a half-hearted cheer
>as the band plays more songs, the crowd starts enjoying it more
>by the end, everyone in the room has had a good time
>fang jumps off the stage and gives you a huge hug
>out of the corner of your eye you see the other band members hesitate for a moment before continuing to cheer
>you'll ignore it
>few months later
>the two of you are officially dating
>the band gives you nasty looks when you show up though
>who cares about them
>midterms are coming up
>time to cram
>it's an ideal study afternoon in the school library, at least
>heavy rain, lights dimmed, all that
>you've convinced fang to study with you
>you're an hour into precal notes when fang speaks out of nowhere
>"i've been thinking about my future"
>oh yeah?
>"I think i'll be a teacher somewhere."
>pretty tough line of work, doing all that for petty cash
>"yeah, but I want to help people grow."
>you almost ask where that notion came from, then stop
>she rests her head against your shoulder
>then gets back up because she can't read like that
>you ended up making the most of study hall with fang
>you actually end up getting pretty decent grades out of it, too
>few weeks later
>you're walking home from school when something hits you from around a corner right in the gut
>while you're reeling in pain, a second blow to your legs, leaving you on the floor
>you manage to look up at the perpetrators
>well, you can't say it hasn't been a long time coming
>"you need to drop your little shindig with fang, yeah?" the pink male(?) said, placing his foot on your side
>"she used to be cool until you came around" the shorter purple one chimed in
>go suck a lemo-
>another kick
>"I don't recall it being an option for you."
>"either you stop dating them, or we show the school these rather interesting photos we found."
>you don't have to look up at their phones to know exactly what's on there
>why did it have to be *three* katanas...?
>it can't be helped, you can't just drop her like that
>you tell them to piss off again and get a new bruise in return
>by all means you should have a few broken ribs by now
>>band kids
>right
>"What are you doing...? ANON!"
>everyone collectively looks at fang with varying degrees of surprise on their faces
>fang slaps the phone out of the pink guy(?)s' hand and it cracks on the ground
>you don't think you've ever seen her this angry
>the other two are scared off, and fang helps you to your feet
>you make it back to your place and you crash on the couch
>you can't reach down to take your shirt off without pain shooting up your arm
>fang has to carefully take it off for you
>she leaves to the kitchen looking very flustured
>she gets you a few ice packs and you actually have to tell her to stop
>she decides to stay for the night
>by decides you mean demand
>she sleeps in your bed while you stay on the couch this time
>a week later
>you're in science class
>fang refuses to talk to the other band mates, despite their begging
>she's stopped wearing that spiked hairband around her head-spike thing
>it's another partnered assignment
>a decent ways through the teacher makes the rounds
>"hello, anon, fang. are you understanding the instructions well?"
>Yes, we're doing fine. Fang had a bit of difficulty figuring out the first part, but I helped them.
>out of the corner of your eye you see fang cringe a bit
>"alright, anon. I'll leave you to it."
>the teacher leaves
>"anon, you... you can call me a girl."
>huh?
>quite the change to make, isn't it?
>"I.. don't need something like that to make me happy."
>you look into each others' eyes for a bit, then back to the assignment
>at least now you don't have to worry about slipping up in front of her
>a few months later
>school prom night
>take a wild guess who you took
>the two of you show up, engage in dances, eating food, all that
>a few people come up to ask fang who she is, only to be shocked that it's her
>it's a fun night, all in all
>after a few hours you ditch the place and go lay on a hill
>here's something you've been waiting for. classic anon.
>you pull a few classic nintendo zappers from your bag, and give one to fang
>you tell her it's for shooting stars, then lay down
>the two of you jokingly shoot at the stars a bit, bragging about who's gotten more
>eventually, you stop
>just laying there, in the grass
>who knows how long?
>"thank you anon."
>?
>"thanks for saving me."
>you slide your hand across the grass towards her, and she grabs it
>you stay there a while longer
>after school ends you and fang go your separate ways for a while
>go abroad for college
>fast forward two years, return to hometown
>walking around, seeing all the changes
>"Oh, anon!"
>who was that
>there's someone waving at you, looks like a kindergarten teacher
>Oh, a pterodactyl. How does she know my name?
>wait
>there's no way
>Fang..?
>"Are you back from college already? You should come visit my family for dinner!"
>end up getting back together with fang
>she still gets embarrassed when you bring up her high school antics
>after eight months propose to her
>get married at local church