seasons. : a fireafy fic

chapter thirty

The diploma feels so light when the president places it in his hands. When his name is announced, he can hear a few whoops and cheers from people who considered close friends, and almost seconds later, silence for the next name.

It felt like a blur. As Firey stepped off the stage, he marveled at the piece of paper, astounded that he worked almost four years for this.

For a piece of paper.

And with all the classes he'd skipped? He couldn't believe it all ended today.

He searched the crowd to find Leafy, but she was nowhere to be seen. There were too many people. Her name was called much before his, during the Biology section.

As he walked back to his seat, Firey instead looks into the crowd, half hoping his mom would be there.

She wasn't. Obviously.

He doesn't allow himself to be disappointed, however. His mom would have been proud of him, and he knew it.

His dad wasn't there either. That was to be expected.

Though instead of his father, he sees Eraser in the crowd, clinging to Pen's shirt and sobbing violently. Marker is standing on the opposite end of Eraser, looking quite happily at Firey.

The second the pink-haired man saw Firey make eye contact with him, he immediately stopped his manly crying.

"Firey!" he shouted. "We're so proud of you! Congrats on graduating!"

"Why the hell are you at my graduation?" As Firey drew closer, he paused, holding up the line of graduating students behind him for a second. Why the fuck were his coworkers here?

"Don't worry, we closed the shop for the day!" Marker explained cheerfully.

That was not at all what Firey was concerned about.

Firey blinked and decided to continue walking, fidgeting with the diploma in his hand. He heard Snowball's name being called in the background by the graduation staff, and he knew the school had moved on from the Engineering section to the Psychology section.

He took his seat, trying to find Leafy again. He scanned the crowd quickly, back and forth, until a little ways ahead, he found her.

She had been watching him, a small smile on her face. She waved when they made eye contact, and his quickened heartbeat settled when he looked at her. He was comforted under the gaze of her emerald green eyes, sparkling in the sun like fine glassware.

Professor Two's voice eventually ceased calling out the names of students, and Firey looked back up towards the stage.

The president stepped back up to the podium and cleared his throat.

"Everyone in attendance, by my power, I'd like to announce this year's graduating class!"

Cheers erupted everyone once more, hats were thrown into the air, confetti cannons launched skyward. He did it. It was done. Four years of college education and it was all over. No more classes. No more finals. No more awful anglerfish mascot.

He pushed through the crowd towards Leafy, who was running straight towards his arms. He lifted her up, spun her around, before kissing her with so much joy his heart could almost explode.

The memories were still fresh in his mind as he sat on the hill where they shared their first kiss, their first real one.

Leafy was beside him, and they were still wearing their maroon graduation gowns. The sun was setting before them as they peacefully watched the clouds go by.