In the glitzy heart of Atlanta, where dreams shimmer under the relentless sun, Sebastian Hygiene Hansel was a name on everyone's lips that autumn.
"Hey, it's the Minecraft kid!!!" Citizens would shout from the rooftops as Sebastian passes by for school. In response, he gives a hearty wave and rolls up the window of his limousine. The celebrity life was rewarding, but tiring.
"Hit the gas," Sebastian commanded his personal driver. "My friend's waiting for me at school." The driver solemnly nods and speeds up in accordance to Sebastian's orders. As most people knew, disobeying an order from the Minecraft kid meant a punishment worse than death.
In no time, they had arrived at the school. Without a word to his driver, Sebastian jumped out of the limo and onto the onslaught of cameras and paparazzi. Grinning for the cameras, he strolls into the high school cafeteria. The second he gets in, all eyes turn to him. Everyone wants to talk to him; everyone wants to be his friend.
Except one person. Sebastian notices someone in the corner. A flash of red hair, but the person was not... facing him? They weren't looking his direction, eager for even a peek at the young star. They were sitting with some of his other adoring fans, but they seemed wholeheartedly uninterested. Sebastian was confused. He had never met someone so unabashed in the face of pure fame. He tried to get closer to speak to the mystery person, but he felt a grab on his arm.
Spinning around, he was flashed with a yellow-toothed grin. "James!" Sebastian exclaims.
"Shebashtian!" James laughs back, his lisp as prominent as usual. "Ive been waithing for you!"
"Yeah, hey buddy," Sebastian says, still attempting to peek over his shoulder and see this mystery person. "Hey, did you happen to see-"
"Come on dude!!" James interrupts, dragging Sebastian by the arm. "I've got this girl who says she'll give me her number if she gets your autograph!!"
Sebastian sighs and obliges to James' will. Although James is his best friend, he still gets a little sick of his antics when he attempts to get the attention of women. 'Oh well,' Sebastian thinks. 'Not everyone's a movie star like me.'
It was not an untrue statement. Day after day, Sebastian was renowned by his peers as an almost god-like figure. Which is what started his desperate hunt for the red-haired mystery.
---
It had been a few days, but Sebastian had not found the red-haired person. After all, he didn't even get a glimpse of the person's face, and did not know their gender. Regardless, he had people searching around the clock. Even his dreams had been affected. Multiple nights, he found himself waking up in a cold sweat, having nothing on mind but that red hair.
Even more days passed. Sebastian was getting more and more desperate. He started coming to school earlier, attempting to see the flash of red hair once again. Finally, he struck gold.
It was another day of coming to school early. Sebastian sat in the empty cafeteria, absent-mindedly doomscrolling through all of his TikTok thirst traps. Just as he was thinking about whether or not he should post on snapchat saying "Guys, don't give me your shit tomorrow, (depression) I wana f*ckin kms", he saw that red hair. Although it was just in the corner of his eye, he recognized it immediately.
Sebastian jumped out of his seat and walked over, almost sprinting, to this mystery person. He tapped them on the shoulder just once, and they turned around.
He was shook. He has never seen something so beautiful in his life. Their androgynous features and elegantly applied makeup painted a magnificent picture. "You beautiful wonderful gal," Sebastian muttered under his breath.
"What was that?" The person said, visibly confused.
Shaking his head, embarrassed, Sebastian had one question to ask. "Who... are you?"
"The name's V, what's it to ya?" They said with a cocky grin.
"Don't you... know who I am?"
"Am I supposed to?"
Sebastian's jaw dropped to the floor. "Sebastian Hygiene Hansel? Minecraft star? Movie star extraordinaire?" V still looked unamused. "You really don't know me?"
"Not a clue." V said. "Can I go now?"
"No!" Sebastian yells, louder than intended. He looks around, embarrassed, but then realizes the cafeteria is still near empty. "I mean, uh, please don't go. I still want to talk tuah."
V laughs. "Well, fine. We can chat for a bit. Until my friends get here, at least."
Sebastian silently celebrates. He supposes this is what people must feel like when they meet their idol. A joy he has never understood until this moment. It's funny, how the one person leaving him starstruck is completely detached from the celebrity world.
Their conversation starts. Slow and awkward at first, but after all the basics are over with, they start to resonate with each other. The conversation flows easily, jokes landing perfectly and laughs shares in a beautiful manner. Before they know it, an hour has gone by and V's friends have arrived.
Even this red-haired angel's friends were starstruck by Sebastian, and he had to sign a few more autographs before he was able to leave. However, just before he left, V slipped a piece of paper into his pocket.
Beating off his adoring fans, similarly to how he beats off his meat, Sebastian makes it to the school bathroom to read the paper. Inside the stall, he unravels it. On the note is a phone number with a heart hastily scrawled. A tear rolls down Sebastian's thigh. He had never been so excited in his life.
---
Slowly, over text and eventual Facetime calls, Sebastian and V's relationship blossoms. Their interactions are so genuine, so raw, and so honest. Sebastian was truly able to say he had never felt such a strong connection to someone before. He didn't want to be hasty, but he was near certain it was love.
The fall faded into winter, and when winter started fading, Valentine's Day came. Sebastian had been talking with V for months now. He had fallen deeper every day, unable to find even a single problem. They seemed to agree with each other on everything, catch every joke the other made, and just clicked perfectly.
The Minecraft star made up his mind. He was going to ask V out on Valentine's Day. He had a bouquet prepared in V's favorite colors, dark red and black. He was prepared. And he was not backing out now.
He got to school early, reminiscent of the time they had first conversed. Dressed up to the max, he was wearing a dapper suit with a charming tie to distract from his 4'6 stature.
After waiting for around 20 minutes, the glimpse of red hair. He saw it. And got into position.
Playing The Passion of Lovers by Bauhaus, he knelt down, extending the bouquet in front of him. V covered their face with their hands and squealed.
"V, will you do me the honor of being the Alex to my Steve?" Sebastian asks, tears rolling down his thighs.
"Heh... I guess... I am... Steve." V giggles, and hoists Sebastian up while kissing him.
"I didn't know you get bad bitches?" James said, suddenly appearing and stinking up the cafeteria with his breath.
"I guess I do." Sebastian said with a smile on his face, and leans in for another kiss from V.
THE END (pls don't sue im anorexic)
