Teyvat's Academy of Vision-Holders I (Ittorou Edition)

Chapter 2 - Grand Romantic Life

Gorou's POV 

     Holy Celestia, this guy's got a staring problem. Please stop - does he know? Maybe he doesn't like someone without a Vision sitting next to him. Or he thinks I'm weird. What the hell is wrong with him?! Kokomi, please keep your promise about lunch. He was still staring at me, only in minute-long intervals between stern looks from the teacher - I would've broken down if I'd actually slipped up and called him "Sensei" like my instincts wanted to.

     "Please pass your papers to the end so it's easier for me to grab them. They are for a grade, so wandering eyes will have points docked without mercy."

     "Shit..." came a quiet, nearly silent comment from my right. Compared to his sheet, my borderline illegible writing - Kokomi's gonna make me practice again - looked even worse. For someone with such big hands and terrifying golden eyes, he had gorgeous handwriting. Flowy and still easy to read, obvious practice put into it. I hope you don't know Kokomi. She'll make you help and I don't want you staring at me.

     "Thank you," he murmured, repeating it every time as he made his way down the rows, pausing beside me. "Is your name on it?"

     "Dang," he mumbled again, signing it with the most effortless cursive I'd ever seen. "Thanks."

     "Did you?" It took a moment to realize he meant me, so I checked and nodded. "Good. This seat works for you, right? I have no problem rearranging to account for any issues."

     "I-I'm supposed to get glasses soon, so I'll be fine."

     "Your eyes aren't the ones I'm worried about." I caught the slight shift of his arms beside me and just shrugged a little. "You can change your mind. Arataki?"

     "Uh, yeah?"

     "Behave." He huffed, looking away even as his ears - which were long, pointed, and mostly hidden in his shiny hair - drooped. Mr. Zhongli clicked away, heel-to-toe despite how loud his fancy shoes sounded against the tiled floors. Thankfully, he was staring at his phone, so I could actually look at him too.

     Flowing white hair, bright red horns poking up from his forehead, muscles big enough to fight sixteen Ruin Guards without breaking a sweat, and terrifying gold eyes that were etched into my memory - which was inconvenient considering how many memories I already had that didn't matter. Why is your uniform different?

     "I... I wasn't doing it on purpose. I'm sorry if it's making you uncomfortable." His voice wasn't as low or smooth as I'd expected from his appearance - Why was his jawline so defined and sharp? Why were his hands so big and veiny? Why was he so pretty as a guy? - but it still made me sleepy despite the obvious twitching my hands were still doing.

     "What do you mean? What were you doing?"

     "...I like your eyes." If my mask hadn't covered my cheeks, he would've laughed at how red I was.

     "T-Thanks." He smiled a little, flashing a peek of pearly white fangs and tusks before he looked away. That'll keep me up all night. And tomorrow. And probably all year - this is fucking ridiculous. The familiar sound of swords clanging startled me, just barely keeping myself composed enough not to make a noise. It was a preview screen for a movie titled "Osial Versus the Traveler's Connections." Sure, it was a fairly recent event, but from my own knowledge, it was very deserved.

     That didn't change the warning on the screen and the MA rating in the corner. "Blood, gore, violence, dramatization" were written in bright white letters as he added subtitles - a nice gesture I hadn't often seen from teachers. I could feel sunshine eyes on me again, so I risked looking back, relieved when he snapped away again. Should I have told the truth instead? Do I really care? What if the compliment was a lie? What if he's gonna gossip?