ajax pertropulous (TMBLR)

VALENTINES

@sourcherryandsprinkles

As the tradition followed, cards were distributed to respective students on Valentine's Day morning. Reactions varying from glee to surprise, confusion and disappointment.

You took a subtle glance at Ajax, watching him opening his card. By the surprise on his face, he was not expecting anything. A shy smile curled on his lips as he read the message, followed by a frown when unable to find the identity of the writer. He showed it to Xavier, whispering something, but the psychic shrugged.

‘’Maybe it’s Enid? The paper is pink and written in sparkly gel-pen,’’ you heard Xavier say during lunch.

He and Ajax were sitting together in the quad two tables behind you and you could hear their conversations almost perfectly.

‘’Enid?’’ Ajax sounded unsure. ‘’I don’t know…’’

‘’Or the girl who sits behind you in history? Gorgons are shy. Maybe that’s why she didn’t sign her name.’’

‘’Kendra? That's a good guess!’’

You sighed sadly.

Later in werewolf reproduction class, Ajax sat at his usual seat beside you and slipped you the mysterious card. You thought he had finally figured it out that it was from you, but ended up disappointed the moment he opened his mouth.

‘’Y/N? You’re a girl, right?’’

You rolled your eyes as you took your textbook and opened it to the page indicated on the chalkboard. ‘’According to my birth certificate, yes,’’ you replied with a chuckle.

‘’It’s gonna sound weird but, could you help me decipher who wrote this valentine?’’

Your face dropped, just like your hopes of Ajax reciprocating your feelings.

You faked a smile. ‘’Sure.’’

‘’Xavier thinks it’s Enid, but she put glitter in all the cards she sent this year and this one didn’t have any. You sit beside Kendra in Botany class, right? Do you recognize her handwriting?’’

Boys are so dumb, you decided as you made your way to your dorm to scream into your pillow. Your roommate was on a date with some siren so no one would hear your laments or see you ugly crying over a dumb boy.

Ajax was cute and clueless, but his cluelessness was making you want to put magnifying glasses over his pretty brown eyes so he could see all the hints you've been dropping about your feelings for him. You even tried to ask him out on a date a few times, but he didn't get that you wanted to do that activity with him — only him.

You took a turn to take the stairs that would get you to Ophelia hall and collided with the one person you didn’t want to see.

‘’Sorry!’’ Ajax quickly apologized although you were the one not looking where you were going, too caught up in your frustrations. His hands grabbed your arm before you could kiss the floor.

If you hadn’t been so upset, you would have internally screamed at this rom-com-esque moment.

‘’I…I’m avoiding Bianca. She’s looking for me,’’ he said before you asked any questions.

You drew your eyebrows together in confusion. ‘’Bianca is your...mystery valentine?’’

‘’No!’’ Ajax immediately corrected you, holding his hand. ‘’God, no. She’s looking for Xavier. Not me.’’ He shook his head, laughing awkwardly at the thought of going on a date with Bianca Barclay. She was out of his league and not at all his type. ‘’She tried to make plans with him in hopes to get back together, but he’s not interested in rekindling and went hiding in his art shed. Please, do not tell Bianca where he is.’’

‘’His secret is safe,’’ you promised. ‘’Have you found who your mystery valentine is?’’ You tried to conceal your heartache and kept your voice casual.

He shook his head, visibly disappointed. ‘’No. Unfortunately.’’

The pink card was peaking from his blazer pocket, right over his heart. It almost made you smile.

‘’I even asked Enid, but she didn't—’’

‘’How can you be so blind?’’ you asked out of frustration, the words slipping from your mouth. ‘’It was me who sent you that card. Me. Not Enid. Not the gorgon girl sitting behind you in history. Me.’’

You held your breath, bracing yourself for having your heart crushed, but that's not what happened.

‘’Why didn’t you say anything?’’ Ajax asked, his lips curling into a soft smile, feeling a huge weight was lifted off his shoulders.

‘’I tried — many times —, but you never got the hints. I even used a strawberry scented gel-pen because I know you love strawberries.’’

‘’That's what smelled so good every time I opened the card!‘’

You laughed nervously.

‘’Do you...do you want to go for a walk? It's a lame date, but curfew is in an hour so there's not much to do.‘’

You nodded and Ajax took your hand in his, smiling.