If there was something even more unnerving than people confronting him, it was the rumors, the hushed whispers the other students toned down to when he walked by.

Nuisances always annoyed Placido to no end, but he absolutely despised cowardly nuisances.

As any other day, he rubbed at his temples while trying to focus on his coffee, -they say he killed a man once,- on his goddamn philosophy essay, -one man? I'd say several, didn't you know he briefly served in the military? That's probably why he is repeating an year…- and dammit, to think he actually liked philosophy, -oh yes, that was as punishment from his father, he must have always been a brat to be exiled from his own family!- but the words just swirled and escaped and, -where is his family anyways? No wonder he's so ill-mannered- and, -not even his own flesh and blood can bear him- AND…!

"If you've got a problem, say it to my fucking FACE, you underdeveloped, filthy ins-!"

"Placido."

He had snapped. Again. He furiously turned to that calm voice chiding him into silence, to meet eyes with Izayoi Aki. Her arms were crossed and her eyes were stern, but she really looked more disappointed than anything else.

Aki sighed, and took a seat in front of Placido at his empty cafeteria's table.

She'd been observing him quite a while now, namely because he really was starting to get on her friends' nerves (Yusei especially, even though none of them understood what he ever did to warrant Placido's hate. Maybe it was the better grades in physics and P.E. ...), and she couldn't help but see...the way people avoided him, talked behind his back, went out of their way to get on his nerves; the way he was always frustrated and kept by himself, loathing any attempt at socializing.

He didn't fit. Just like herself.

And maybe that was why she made the effort to try and support him, because he may have been the rudest guy she had ever met, but what if he was a misunderstood one?

Heavens knew how the school year had been so far for her, and if it weren't for Yusei and Crow she'd still be alone, hurting anyone on her way and being hurt to the core, in an endless spiral of hate and pain. She still wasn't completely over it, the healing process long and guilt still co-existing with her anger, but she wasn't alone now.
And she was beyond grateful for that.

So maybe that was what Placido needed too, and that was why she found herself at his table for a while everyday, before going to her friends.

"I've brought you this today," she said, sliding a cup of tea and a pouch of leaves his way: "heard you have an important test soon, so this was brewed specifically for focusing."
...which meant she heard so from Yusei, as he was in his same year and class, but she knew she'd better not mention his name to Placido.
He gave a nod as his only sign of appreciation, and carefully took a sip. Aki gave a small smile, and turned to her book.

That was how it all started actually, and how things were for the time being; Placido was giving an harsh talk to someone -as per usual-, and while Crow muttered words of exasperation, Aki had enough of the cafeteria's peace interrupted by the same jerk and just put her cup of tea in front of him.

"This is way more relaxing than yelling your lungs out, you know," she simply stated, and as soon as Placido opened his mouth to give an earful to her as well, she swiftly pushed the cup against his lips.
"Come on. Despite my reputation, this won't poison you, I swear. It'll be good for your nerves, brewed it myself for my own raging ones."
"What do you even know about what's good for me?! How dare you-!"

And another forced gulp of tea.

Aki hadn't been so lucky that first time, as Placido just ragequit the cafeteria altogether, but she'd been persistent. She just ended up silently leaving a cup of tea next to him every now and then, and he must have somewhat appreciated the gesture since when she finally tried to sit at his table he didn't bite her head off.

The girl would ask him how he was feeling, and would always bring with her a brew tailored for Placido's needs of that period. This all started a month or so ago; now they were breaching actual conversation territory, and the thing excited and terrified Aki at the same time.

"Next year is gonna be your last, have you started considering to join a club? That would bring you credits."
"I don't need credits," he replied, hints of pride and anger in his voice: "I'll do just as well with my grades alone. And then I'd rather avoid having to spend time with imbeciles, I already have to bear them enough as is."
"But I've heard that professor Borelli approved a mechanic workshop, I thought you may have been interested in that?"
"Not if I have to deal with brainless idiots."

Aki sighed in defeat: "Alright, alright, I got it. Besides, I'm not one to talk…"
Placido raised a brow at her, a shadow of a smirk on his lips: "Oh? So you're pushing on me when you haven't decided on a club yet?"
"Well, I'm an year before you, so it's not as important," she huffed: "A friend is actually trying to convince me to join his club, but I don't know…"
"If you don't like it, dump him and his stupid club," suggested the older boy with a roll of his eyes. The 'friend' in question must be Hogan or Fudo, ugh.
"It's not something I have particular interest in, but I probably need it…"
"Why? Which club it is?"
"...domestic economy."

Placido stifled a laugh, causing Aki to flare.

"S-shut up! I bet you're no better than me at cooking or cleaning..!"
"I'll have you know that I can perfectly take care of myself and my surroundings, Izayoi,"
"Oh yeah? Then how come you were almost tearing your hair off just a minute ago? And look, you have such bags under your eyes, you probably don't even sleep properly!"
"What that does even have to do with domestic economy?"
"It shows you can't take perfectly care of yourself, so stop boasting!"
"God, you're an annoying one." he concluded, rubbing his temples.

Aki puffed up, but changed topic: "By the way, you feeling ok there?"

"Yeah. Just an headache," he squinted as another pang of pain blurred his vision for a second: "Ok, maybe more like a very painful headache,"

"I hope that's not a migraine...maybe I can help you?" she tentatively got up to walk next to him, a bit worried.
"No, just...the test, essays, and those damn bugs not shutting up…" he growled, then noticed how close she was and got up from his seat too, ready to leave: "Nothing your teas can help with, so don't fret."

Aki bit her lip, nervous: "No well, I was thinking about another remedy. With me has always helped, maybe it can do some good to you as well? It's just an oil, nothing crazy, don't worry."
"I doubt an oil could do any-" he stopped mid-sentence, wincing -probably shouldn't have gotten up that hastily- and reconsidered: "...well, may as well give it a shot. Nothing to lose, I guess."

He didn't really believe a simple oil could do anything, but he had been skeptical of her teas before and proven wrong. The redhead gestured for him to follow her, and he complied.

The whispers were kind of difficult to ignore, though. He should have expected them; they already started back when Aki made it an habit to sit with him, and now that they were leaving who-knows-where together -right, where was she even going?- gossipers noticed and kept up their title.
The thing was even more interesting to talk about since they both were the troublesome outcasts surely up to no good, and had a bit of age difference (it was true technically he was just a class ahead of her, but she had skipped an year over and he repeated his, making them 16 and 19), and god, how he wanted to smother them…!

Placido's train of thought was interrupted when Aki grabbed the hem of his shirt and dragged him behind some trees of the courtyard, after making sure that nobody was looking.

"Izayoi, what -?" "Shortcut to the greenhouse," she cut him off, letting go of him as she pointed to the structure ahead.
"I thought it was abandoned," more of an affirmation than a question, reinforced by the rather overgrown and disheveled look of the whole place, but Aki answered anyways: "Well, it is to others, but I've asked permission to headmaster Godwin to use it. Says that as long as I don't get into trouble I'm free to do as I please."
The boy merely nodded in acknowledgement, as Aki opened the rusty door of the greenhouse and motioned for him to get in.

Inside, it was quite the contrast.

Everything was perfectly cleaned, and while a part of the place wasn't used yet (but he could already notice earth-filled vases), everything else was covered in plants at various stages of growth. Flowers of various shapes and colors gave a more lively touch to the otherwise calmness of that sea of green, and the morning sun shone down in rays so definite you could almost touch them.
At the very end of the greenhouse was to Placido's surprise, a grand piano.
Behind it there were two cabinets, one with gardening equipment and the other with various bags, bottles and containers, and one last row of various plants and flowers. The area around the piano was free of any plant or item, so that one could move freely around.

His gaze turned to Aki, who was demurely standing with her arms behind her back but looking at him expectantly -and wait, was she blushing too?
"Inside is quite different from what I expected," he admitted, leaning to observe some white lilies.
"That was on purpose," the girl hesitantly walked to her senior and fixed the lilies' petals, focusing her eyes on them as to avoid eye contact with him: "I'd rather have people think this place is still abandoned, than have them swarming here and ruining the peace of my sanctuary."

Realizing what she was admitting, she took distance from Placido and went to fiddle with a cabinet's contents: "You're the first one I've actually brought here."

"Mmh, the first? What about your friends?" he was slightly amused by this.
Aki simply shrugged: "They don't have a reason to know about it."
"Oh? And I do?"

It took her by surprise just how silently he was behind her, but she quickly composed herself and shoved the bottle of oil she had finally found up to his nose: "Yeah, this."

Aki took his moment of confusion to break away from the awkward position and patted the piano's bench: "Here. Sorry, haven't got anything better to sit on, but as you see I wasn't really expecting anyone over."
Placido sat wordlessly, and eyed skeptically the bottle that the girl was now opening.
"So, care to tell me what's the deal all about?"
"You just sit quietly, and let me apply this on you," Aki's reply was nonchalant as she could muster, but she was kinda nervous. It was already a miracle talking to Placido, but touching him? She expected to be smacked then and there.

Still, she poured some oil on her hands, and then proceeded to rub it on Placido's forehead. He stiffened, and squirmed away for a millisecond, but was otherwise surprisingly quiet. Somewhat reassured by that, Aki doubled her rubbing efforts on his forehead and temples...until the older boy actually complained.

"Ow, calm down there! If you keep that up, you're gonna give me an even worse headache!" he tried swatting away Aki's hands, but she stubbornly kept on: "Oh please, Placido, stay still! For this to really get in effect, it needs to be applied like this -the more heat I produce, the better! Feeling some heat?"
"You're setting my fucking forehead on fire," he hissed, and the girl smiled.
"Good, then it means I'm doing it right."
He grumbled something under his breath and crossed his arms dismissively, but went back to being still.

Satisfied, Aki kept the application until she felt the oil fully absorbed, then put the oil away and washed her hands in a sink near the gardening tools.
"...now what?" asked Placido after a few seconds, not really feeling much of a change. Patience wasn't really his virtue.
"Now you try to relax so that the oil's effect can kick in," was her muffled reply as she tried to kept herself busy with some flowers' care. 'And better be quick, we don't have much time,' she thought as she glanced at her phone, reading 7:32am. They had to be in class for first period at 7:50am, the actual lesson starting at 8:00am sharp.

Aki glanced at her senior; he was looking quite uncomfortable. And he had all rights to, she reasoned, Aki herself was feeling kinda awkward with him around and it was her favorite place they were in. He must have felt totally out of place there, with her.

Wondering if it could be of help in making him relax, she silently sat next to him at the piano -trying to keep as much of a comfortable distance between them as possible, and he thankfully scooted away to give her space- and started playing something quiet, soothing.

Placido spared a curious glance her way. "Didn't know you could play piano. Should have imagined it from the piano being here in the first place...but you're not too bad."
"Comes with the senator's daughter starter package," she chuckled: "one of the few things I like of it. But thank you,"
"...it's Canon in D, Pachelbel, right?" he commented after a few moments deep in thought.
Aki looked at him, stupor on her face and almost missing a note: "Well, it's not the same thing without the violins, but yes, it is. Now it's my turn to be surprised, Placido, wouldn't have imagined you knew well classical music…"
He gave her a smug half smile: "Comes with the worldwide corporation's heir starter package,"
"And do you like it?"
Placido looked pensive for a couple seconds: "Let's just say it's been a while."
"If you feel like it…" words came out before she could think them through: "...you're welcome to play this anytime,"

She felt her ears heat up. God, did she really just give him permission to come again anytime?

Placido stared at her as if to make sure he heard right, but just gave a small shrug: "Don't think I'll take you up on that Izayoi, but thanks, I guess,"
Aki simply nodded, and the two allowed themselves to just be carried away by the music, the scent of flowers, and the gentle sunshine. Giving way to just her feelings and senses, Aki truly felt in paradise, and briefly wondered if Placido felt the same peace too.

Around 10 minutes into the musical piece, she heard Placido shifting as he gave a small, almost content sigh: "...I don't know if it's the oil or music, but I do really feel better."
"I'm glad," she replied demurely, focusing even more on finishing the piece as well as she could. He was listening, and he was enjoying it.

She didn't know why it should matter much, but for Placido to finally enjoy something felt like an accomplishment. If she could find some common grounds with him, find something he liked, maybe he would open up...maybe he would gradually shed his current bitter, angry, hurt self, just like she did.

The final minute flew by, and Aki's fingers lingered on the keys, resting, the notes still echoing and permeating the greenhouse.
"Not perfect," commented Placido after the moment of peace drew out: "but not bad either, Izayoi."
Aki huffed, but recognized it as the closest thing to a compliment he was probably able to give out and gave a small smile: "As long as it could help,"
"I can confirm it, I do feel better," he nodded, stood up, and hesitated: "thank you."
Her smile widened, and she nudged him outside the greenhouse beaming: "You're welcome..!"

After that morning, the two found themselves progressively more often in the greenhouse.

Sometimes in the morning, sometimes in the afternoon after lessons; Godwin's highschool was more like a campus since it was aimed to "difficult" youths, so since students lived on school grounds they could stay in the greenhouse as late as they wanted.

It always started with Placido asking for Aki's "miraculous oil", but they ended up staying to chat some, play the piano...Placido showed also some mild interest in how Aki took care of her plants, sometimes joking on it, sometimes listening to her curious random trivia, and once even helping her (and regretting getting dirty). Aki even started to bring tea there, along with a couple more pieces of furniture to make their stay more comfortable, and showed to Placido how she brewed it, asking him input to tailor it even more to his tastes.

Just like it started with the teacups, theirs was a strange relationship of developing routine. Aki wasn't even sure she could consider it a proper friendship, but she liked spending time with him enough and she was happy to see Placido slowly open up to her.

In the greenhouse they mainly did activities suited for her tastes, but he didn't seem to mind that, and the increasingly longer chats they had revealed her more on what he actually liked.

They slowly started getting personal; Aki broke the dam and told him what she went through, including the whole scandal with professor Divine, but also her hopes and dreams, and Placido occasionally told her bits and pieces of his family, childhood, personal experiences.

Soon Placido started playing the piano, and Aki joined him in duets not too long after. He got frustrated over missed and wrong notes more often than not, but she was always there, patient and trying not have him ragequit. Turns out that after shaking off the initial rust, he was even better than her at playing, but she liked that. Listening to him playing while she tended to her private garden was now one of her favorite things.

It didn't take long to start getting also more physical after that; sometimes fingers accidentally touching across the piano keys, but then the cheerful grabbing of an arm to guide him to and from the greenhouse, the carefree yet intimate touch of fingers brushing a strand hair away, the comforting hold of hands during a particular painful moment or memory...they were mostly fleeting touches, not hearty and persistent like she was used with her other friends -namely Crow-, but they carried all the more meaning.

But just as before, neither of them knew the name of their feelings, their relationship; friendship? But Aki had friends, and the feeling was different. Granted, her kind of friendship with Yusei was different than the one with Crow, or Carly, so maybe the one with Placido was yet another kind.
So for the moment, they simply admitted to themselves they cared for each other, and left it at that. Feelings wouldn't change with or without a name, it was easier to just enjoy them without overthinking it.

Some people weren't that simple to please, though.

"Come on Aki, I thought we were friends!"

Aki rolled her eyes, trying to focus on where the heck her math notebook went -her locker was a bit more messy than she'd care to admit- and ignore Carly's pleas.
"I assure you we are, Carly,"
"Then why don't you talk to me? I can understand not wanting to discuss such things with Yusei or Crow, but us girls have to stay united!"
Finally, there was the rascal. Aki quickly put away the notebook and closed the locker, still avoiding eye contact.
"I am talking to you, as a matter of fact. What do we even have to stay united for? You aren't dragging me in another of those feminists protests because of professor Lola, are you?"
Carly puffed her cheeks, indignant: "Don't play dumb with me! You know what I'm talking about!"
"Enlighten me,"
"Aren't you hanging out with Placido a bit too much lately? It's also weeks you two disappear towards the gardens…"

Aki sighed in defeat. She should have expected it would have been about Placido. Carly was a good girl, but what she couldn't stand was just how much gossip-obsessed she could be. The fact Carly was also in charge of the school's newspaper didn't help.
"...and don't you think I don't know you gave him chocolate for Valentine's last week! And not even whatever chocolate, Meltykiss! God, Aki, you seriously can't like that dropout, he's a whole bunch of trouble!"

The redhead this time narrowed her eyes and locked them with her nosy friend; no avoiding anymore: "So what? Got him some strawberry Meltykiss because I know he's not fond of chocolate but loves strawberries. And if I'm not mistaken, I've got Lindor chocolate for Yusei and Crow, which is not only better in my humble opinion, but also way more difficult to get here in Japan. I don't understand what's the fuss all about,"
"It could have been chocolate from the dollar store Aki, the thing here is that we're talking about Placido!" Carly grabbed her friend by the shoulder as if to shake some sense into her: "Me and Yusei are in class with him, we know what we're talking about!"
"Well, maybe you don't?" snapped Aki, stepping hastily back to get out of Carly's grip: "I know you're worried for me, really, but it's fine, he's fine! I know he may be a dick most of the time, but you guys don't even give him a proper chance and-"
"Oh no no no miss, Yusei gave him more than a proper chance, and he spits on it every time! He's a terrible person, and after the whole thing with Divine I just don't want you to latch onto another unhealthy relationship!"
"How dare you-!"

"YOU TWO! What in blazes is this maelstrom all about?!"

The two girls flipped her heads to meet the very angered gaze of professor Atlas, his arms crossed and his foot impatiently tapping on the ground.
"So? Lost all your flare?" he sneered, taking a couple steps towards them.
"We're sorry," meekly muttered both girls. If there was something they knew damn well, was not to anger prof. Atlas.

He may have been the youngest professor they ever had, but he had confidence and a temper to boot, not to mention he was also the headmaster's nephew and a former VIP...not someone you'd like to mess with.

Prof. Atlas nodded, seemingly satisfied, and lightly smacked Carly on the head with a book: "Good, and Nagisa, remember english class starts in 5 and if you're late by a second I'm going to test you, orally, in front of the whole classroom!"
"Y-yes sir..!"

As soon as the professor turned the corner, Carly gave a relieved sigh and looked back at Aki, taking her hands: "I'm so sorry Aki, I didn't want to bring that up. But I'm just so worried for you, we all are! Me and Yusei see Placido in class every day, and it's hard to see him as anything else but the rude jerk he is with us..."
Aki gave her a small smile: "Again, I appreciate your concern. But I can handle Placido, really. Don't you know I actually started trying to calm him down just so he would stop pestering Yusei?" both gave a little giggle: "But really, he's better than he seems. And I'm hoping that, if I get him to open up with me, to befriend me, mainly he'll be able to open up to others too. He's actually great company once you break his shell, and you and the guys should know that better than anyone else, with all the patience and love you gave me,"

She punctuated the last fact by smiling wider and poking Carly's nose, to which the older girl laughed and the two wrapped each other in a tight little hug.

"Can't imagine Placido as 'great company', but as long as you're happy and you know you can handle this, I trust you and have no objections then," smiled Carly letting her go: "Now I better go to class, but we'll have to catch up during lunch on latest gossip! Did you know about that rumor, the one about the abandoned greenhouse being haunted? A couple people swear they heard a piano playing from inside it! And sometimes whatever 'ghost' is playing it just stops and slams the keys as if angry! Isn't that scary~?"

Aki drowned Carly's excited plans for her new article with her internal giggling. For some reason she could really see Placido as a refined, yet easily angered ghost.

"Raindrops for a rainy day, huh?" commented Placido entering the greenhouse.

Aki by now trusted him enough to give him a copy of the keys, so rather than being startled by his sudden appearance she giggled and her fingers stopped bringing to life Chopin's piece so she could face the 'intruder'.

"Thought it was fitting," she smiled, nodding at the raindrops pattering on the glass ceiling, sliding down the greenhouse as if trapping them in a cage of water.
"Fitting for the day as well," he replied sarcastically, letting himself fall onto a chair: "don't they say that rain is the sky crying on particularly awful days or some bullshit like that?"

Aki rolled her eyes and took a place at the tea table as well: "Ok, what's on your nerves today?"

"Luciano."

The girl furrowed her brows in thought at the sudden grave voice of her senior: "Luciano… isn't that your younger brother?"
"Half brother," he quickly corrected her: "we only have an asshole of a father in common. But yes, him."
"Sorry…" ever since she saw the wrong of her past ways, apologies found their way to her lips way too easily: "what happened, anyways?"
Placido sighed, his head diving onto his arms crossed on the tea table: "He's coming."
"Coming? As in, coming here, to our school?"
"Yes. Says he wants to take a tour and see how 'well I'm doing'. Which is his way of saying he wants to make me miserable in case I'm not already."

Aki comfortingly caressed his arm: "Come on, it can't be that bad,"
"You don't know him," he protested back, albeit muffled by his face still being buried in his arms.

"Actually," she started, pensive: "heard enough of him from Leo and Luna. They're in the same class, right? Luna is head over heels for him, says he's much more mature and classy than the other boys. Leo hates him and finds him creepy, but he's probably just jealous of having to share Luna,"
"I side with the Leo boy: Luciano is pretty good at putting on the 'good kid' mask, but he's an absolute little shit inside," huffed Placido, and Aki stood up, grabbing him under his arms in an effort to lift his upper body -now apparently melted to the tea table.
"Moping won't do you any good or change things, you know? Get up!"
"I'm not moping, just thinking,"
The redhead raised a brow skeptically: "Oh yeah? What about?"
"On how to counter his plans and ruin him," Placido slightly turned his face to peek at her: "you got any idea?"

Aki abandoned the effort of trying to lift him up and just fell on him, leaning on his back :"Yes, that you should put more effort into positive action rather negative one -I mean, he's your brother, you're stuck with him for life, so shouldn't you try to make things between you two better, or at least manageable, instead of worse?"
"Easier said that done," he grumbled, but lifted his head to support it with his hand. With the shift in posture Aki too lifted herself from Placido's back, opting to lean with her arms onto his shoulder.
"For starters, don't give him the satisfaction of a reaction. He'll get bored eventually, and leave you alone." she lightly poked his cheek: "You being easy to anger is one of the reason some people still pick on you, you know,"
"They should fear me, that's what my anger's for,"
"No, they should respect you,"
"They should by default."

Aki shook her head, then pressed it against his: "Respect must be earned. I'm not asking you to change for them, because I know you already are much better than you let others see. You don't need to change, just to lower your defenses a bit, let them take a peek at the real you."

Placido was silent for a while, and his voice came out quieter than usual: "That sounds like having to be awfully vulnerable,"
"It's all about trust. If someone misuses it, you give them hell, with reason," she was almost tempted to wink as she said it, to lift up the mood some, but his somber tone gave the discussion such a delicate and serious atmosphere, she just wanted to find the right words to comfort him.

Placido broke her train of thought by wrapping his free arm around her waist, surprising her as he pulled her to sit on his lap. He was staring deadly serious at her, and this was the physically closest they'd ever been.
The beginning of a sunset was starting to peek through the clouds and shine golden on his crimson eye, and Aki couldn't help but stare back without a protest.

"And you," he whispered: "how much of the real me have you seen?"

Aki found herself blushing, and as she tentatively opened her lips, the spell was broken by the bell.
Like a highschool Cinderella, she briefly apologized, said they'd see each other next time, and hurried to the girls' dorms.

All Placido had left was her scent and the lingering feeling of her body in his arms.

Needless to say, the day after Aki was a bit hesitant to meet Placido again.

She had spent the night mulling over that brief last minute together and what he meant with it, what it meant for her, before coming to the conclusion he just needed assurance on their friendship.
Yes, probably that was a little close for a friendship, but it wasn't like she hadn't hugged Yusei and Crow, and Crow himself already snatched her on his lap for surprise tickles or comedic snuggling before.

But no, that was completely different from how yesterday felt.

There was nothing lighthearted in it, and the more Aki tried to wrap her head around it, the more hesitant she was to open the door to the greenhouse.

Once she finally stepped inside, she was greeted by faint music: Placido was already there, playing the piano. His eyes were closed, and he looked almost different, so caught up in the melody it was like he was in his own world.
Aki couldn't place the emotions written on his face, but she started to recognize the piece: it was different, arranged for the piano, but that was Moment, no doubt about it.

She still remembered how flustered she felt when her phone rang and Placido inquired about the ringtone. She was afraid he would have laughed off an anime composition, and how it sent butterflies in her stomach and gave her the exact feeling of how a heart-pounding high school romance should be. But he just shrugged it off.

And here he was now, playing a piano arrangement of it. It gave her such different feelings from the original Moment, romantic sure, but it also sounded more mature and almost...sad?

Despite being mesmerized by the music, she realized it would have been startling for Placido to just have her there, standing and staring, or suddenly coming up to him, so she took a couple steps back and closed the door a bit louder than intended. The music stopped immediately and Placido turned to her as she pretended to fiddle with the keys to close the greenhouse.

"Placido! I wasn't expecting you already here," it wasn't common, but not also the first time he came to the greenhouse before her, so she hoped the lack of surprise could be chalked up to that: "I mean, I didn't hear you from outside, were you playing?"
"Kinda," he replied, almost warily, but then his arrogant smirk came back: "thought I'd need to be more quiet, seeing as rumor goes a ghost plays here"
Aki chuckled: "So you heard it too?"
"Probably thanks to your friend."
"I'm sorry! I've managed to discourage her from writing an article on it -goodness knows I want no curious ghostbusters here-, but keeping her mouth shut is near impossible," she shook her head in disapproval: "What were you playing anyways?"
Placido shrugged, toying a bit with the keys: "Just practicing,"

The redhead briefly wondered why he kept the actual piece from her -she did notice how he put away a music sheet in his bag-, but let it slide.

"My headache is kinda worse than usual, so I was hoping that playing some could help until you came with your magic oil," he continued nonchalantly, and Aki took that as clue to get her bottle out.
"Still thinking of Luciano's visit?"
"Damn yes, it plagues my sleep."
"Alright, you want me to apply it or you prefer self-service?"
"Go ahead, you seem to apply it with more force than me. Works better when you do it."
Aki huffed, stifling a laugh: "Is that a compliment, or are you telling me I'm a brute of a girl?"
"Both."
"Asshole," she chuckled, and applied the oil more forcefully than usual.

"You plan on getting rid of my skin too, other than my headache?" he commented, but didn't seem too bothered: "By the way, I've never asked, but what are you exactly rubbing on me?"
"A few things, but it's mainly aloe vera," she smiled, always happy to talk about her work.
Placido smiled, all confidence but for once not arrogance: "Is that so? With how well it works and how I keep wanting to see you, I was starting to think you really are a witch and this is a love potion of yours,"

The only thing Aki managed to think was how this was the first time she didn't mind being a called a witch.

Her cheeks blossomed as red as her hair.

Quite the contrary, it seemed.

Author's Notes:

Guess I wanted to explain how exactly me and my brother started shipping the crack that Aki/Placido is. Like most of our crackships, we don't think them up, they just happen during roleplays.
In the highschool RP, Aki was the only one who called Placido out on his bullshit in a more polite way, and as the two bonded over similar heartaches and hobbies we realized hey, in an AU setting they could actually work. What sealed the deal though, was the Dishonored AU (which I'll hopefully write soon!), that was the first time we actually tried to ship them; in the highschool AU Aki ends up with Crow ;) (Firebirdshipping is and will always be my OTP)
The whole miracolous anti-headache oil comes from a real bottle of aloe vera oil we have, amongst its many uses there's also getting rid of persistent headaches, so me and my bro incorporated it in RPs xD
(And yes, in this AU Jack is a professor, because I wanted to play a bit with teacher!Jack/student!Yusei xD This oneshot is part of a series, and I do plan on adding more of this AU!)

I'm not too happy on how this oneshot came out, I wanted to cram in too much stuff and ended up being too long and with actual little happenings, but I hope it still was somewhat enjoyable! Thanks to everyone for reading it, it means a lot ^^

Oh! And the "anime soundtrack" mentioned by Aki is "Moment", from Marmalade Boy's OST! It's one of my favorite anime OST, and maybe because I grew up with it, but it's my go-to teen shoujo soundtrack xD The piano version is beautiful too, albeit gives different feelings as explained in the oneshot; give them a listen!