The snow came down hard as Knuckle sipped his hot cocoa on Valentine's Day. He smelled the hot drink as the memories of his fifth grade graduation day flooded into his brain.
5th Grade Knuckle Present Tense POV
This is it! Today is the day I'm going to confess to Gwen!
I was stalling until today because I learned that she was transferring to a different school next year (Totally not because I was semi-stalking her!) and I wanted to tell her I loved her before she left. I actually got a box of her favorite chocolate for her. Gwen is really sweet, she's nice to dogs, and polite to everybody. She's got medium-length jet black hair and the bluest eyes I've ever seen. Even if she doesn't feel the same way about me, which she probably doesn't, I won't care. In fact, I'll try to push these feelings away. She probably has a lot on her plate, so I just want her to feel special. And besides, it's not like I'd want to be in a couple with Gwen right now or anything. Just like a close relationship that's on the brink between very very very very very close friends and a couple, you know? Mainly because of that high school stuff, which is like gross barf disgusting, and the "couples" that are in our grade already. They're obsessed with hugging outside the buses, they plan it out and everything, and also, Chad and Stacey, better known as Chacey. They're the definition of PDA. They've actually made out in front of the entire class before, ew. We're literally eleven years old, we don't need to be doing...that at this age.
There's also a super smart seven-year-old that made it into our class because she was too good for the other grades, and, even though she's extremely mature for her age (even more mature than Chad and Stacey), she still shouldn't be seeing that kind of stuff when she's so young. Unfortunately, she saw it, but she was actually calmer than a few people who weren't the "Chacey shippers". I'm really confused on why the "Chacey shippers" get so mad at the people who don't agree with them. Honestly, I personally think they're right. We're minors, and Brandon (one of the anti-Chaceys) heard them talking about...doing the process to make kids later, ughh! [A/N: Listen, kids, don't be Chad and Stacey. They are not good for the soul]I get the inside scoop from both sides because I'm friends with Brandon and Hanna, she's one of the "Chacey shippers". They don't know that I'm friends with the other, because that would be a mess. Both of them think I'm a spy for the other side, but I personally think that Hanna's got a crush on me. Mainly because she's all like "Oh Knuuuuccklleee this!" and "Oh Knuuuuccklleee that!" It creeps me out, but the only reason I haven't said anything is because she's friends with Gwen (Don't worry, she's not a "Chacey shipper".). I can deal with Hanna if it'll make Gwen happy.
The graduation ceremony isn't all that big, just two short speeches from the directors and a round of applause and a picnic. Nothing special, but it's the thought that counts.
During the picnic, I try to catch Gwen alone, but unfortunately, Chad and Stacey have gathered their army, and they're blocking the way. I go back to Brandon and the other non-Chacey shippers, and they're all eating peacefully. Gwen isn't here, she's over at a tree because she's feeling sick, and, with or without my confession, I want to talk to her. I can't with the Chacey army blocking the way. I take a seat next to Brandon and listen to the conversation. To my surprise, they're not talking about how much they hate Chad and Stacey's "relationship" like always, but how much they'll miss eachother. I get it, they're all really funny and nice, and they've got common sense. Still, it shocks me.
"What about you, Knuckle?"
I lift my head and see everyone staring at me, and Elizabeth, the seven-year-old, passing a bracelet to me. There are a few beads loose, and Brandon grabs the bracelet and beads and places them in my hand.
"What are you going to miss the most about us?" He asks, and I pause. Suddenly, something completely random flies from my mouth.
"How you guys keep me away from Hanna." I answer.
Everyone starts laughing at my response. "It might not be what we expected, but it's truthful." Elizabeth giggles, slipping a blue bead onto the incomplete bracelet and using her hands to make mine pass it to Brandon. He takes it and smiles.
"Now, for sure what I'm going to miss is your common sense." Brandon slips a bead onto the bracelet and gives it to Trevor, and he ties it, taking a needle out of his pocket. Everyone gets up and follows him to a tree, so I do the same. Trevor places the needle in the tree and uses it as a hook to place the bracelet on.
"Now, I just realized, we haven't come up with a name for this group besides 'anti-Chaceys'. I don't want us to just seem like we're obsessed with hating on people who don't have common sense." He announces.
"How about...cool kids?" Brandon proposes.
"Nah," Elizabeth shakes her head, "People who have dignity."
"VIPs?" Sebastian suggests.
"Common sense, guys, gals. Common sense." I chuckle. It's not a suggestion, I just feel like saying it. The other three, Alyssa, Alexander, and Jacob all nod.
"Great idea, Knuckle! The Guys And Gals Of Common Sense!" Brandon lightly slaps me on the back, and Trevor carves the six words into the bark of the tree, along with our names. Gwen's name is first, and I remember my confession. When everyone starts to drift apart, I go looking for her until I hear...
"Ohhh Knuuuuccklleee!!!"
I sigh as I hear Hanna approaching. Out of all the times she chose to annoy me, it was now.
"Hey, how are you?" She giggles like a lovesick girl. Wait, she is.
"I'm fine." I say, half ignoring her.
"Aren't you sad that we won't see eachother for three months? No Chacey for three months, either." She whimpers.
"I'll be okay. I'm excited for the summer." I respond, still looking for Gwen.
"Well, I've something to tell you!" She tugs on my shirt. "Don't you wanna hear it?"
"Go ahead, tell me." I mutter, frustrated from Hanna and not being able to find Gwen.
"I-!"
"KNUCKLE!!"
I whip my head around to see Sebastian coming to my rescue. Inside, I sigh of relief.
"B-Brandon wants to talk to you!" He lies, clearly seeing my distress, "A-And this is, like, you know, really important!"
"Well, Knu-" Hanna is once again interrupted by Sebastian.
"Like, this trumps math! I'm being serious, it does!" Both he and stupid Hanna know I like math, so this was a good excuse.
"Okay, take me with you." I half-beg. He takes me away from Hanna and she pouts. I smirk in my brain, wanting her to act like a crybaby. Sebastian and I walk up the trail as I thank him, and he shrugs.
Out of the corner of my eye, I see Gwen with a boy. He's not her brother, she's an only child, like me. The boy leans in, and kisses her, and she very clearly kisses him back, making my heart drop and my stomach churn.
She was playing with me all along? She's obsessed with all the things that only Chad and Stacey would do? I turn my head away. I want to be happy for Gwen, but this really hurts. Like, hurts hurts. I know I wouldn't want to be a couple with Gwen, but just to hear her say, "I love you too, Knuckle!" would be enough for me. Maybe I should just chill out before I end up like Chad. I could just give all these chocolates to my mom.
I'm walking home, and it's getting pretty dark. I look up at the stars and, strangely enough, I'm not thinking about Gwen, but Hanna. It feels weird. What if Hanna didn't have a weird crush on me, but saying "Oh Knuuuuccklleee!" was just her way of getting my attention. I turn to the left and hear sirens blaring. I see cop cars and... Hanna.
She's in front of a little boy who's holding something, and the cops have guns pointed at her.
"He didn't steal anything!" She yells, protecting the boy from the police force, "You put something in his pocket, admit it!"
"Ma'am, I'm afraid he did steal that plush," The cop snarled, "If you don't move,we'll have no choice but to shoot!"
THWACK!!!
I punch the cop and motion for Hanna to get out of there with the little boy. She nods and leaves as fast as she can. But, she's not the only one who needs escaping.
"Sir, you're under arr-!"
Before the cop can finish the sentence, I'm long gone. I can't let anyone be seen with me. I'm a criminal now. I'll have to get by without my parents, or anyone.
Present Time: 3rd Person POV, Past Tense
Knuckle took another sip of his hot cocoa and sighed. It felt weird, being all alone on a day that celebrated love. He looked at a puppy that lay on the floor an smiled.
"It looks like you guys are my valentines." He picked the dog up and began to pet it. The other dogs ran up to him and started licking him, desprate for attention. He laughed and pet them, letting all his worries melt away.
Just as he began fixing the dogs their food, he heard the doorbell ring.
"Who could that be?" He mumbled. His bisexual self walked to the door and opened to reveal Shoot standing there. He pulled his friend inside, taking off his coat and hanging it up.
"Hey, buddy." He greeted, continuing to serve his dogs. "How are you?"
Shoot was a nervous wreck, he felt so fidgety and out of place. He took a deep breath and answered Knuckle's question, "I'm doing just fine, thank you."
Knuckle didn't respond to his friend, he gave all his dogs water and dusted off his hands. He'd developed a crush on Shoot, and he wanted to keep it quiet for a while. So, he didn't say anything.
Shoot felt the same way about Knuckle, but he wasn't going to tell him. Not in that very moment, at least. The reason he'd come over, despite all the snow was to confess to him. Come on, Shoot. Come on!!
"You okay?" Knuckle asked his friend, snapping him out of his daze. "You seem nervous."
"Oh-Um,y-yeah,I'm fine." Shoot answered. Nice stutter, Mr. Smooth, he mentally criticized himself.
Knuckle shrugged and opened the fridge, "Do you want something to eat? I've got plenty of food."
"Oh-Um no, I actually want to talk to you." The Manipulator told his friend. "It's really important."
"Is it about Morel-san?" The dog owner shut the door of the food container, "If so, I already know."
"N-no, this is just between the two of us."
"Well, spill it."
The shy man blushed and sat on the couch. He tucked a loose braid that appeared out of nowhere behind his ear and took a deep breath, "Well, Knuckle, I l- I- I really lo-" He panicked internally. He had just been overwhelmed with all the panic in the world. He had Knuckle's full attention, so why the hell didn't he take this chance to tell him, that he loved him? He felt the words on the tip of his tongue, and without thinking, the words came out like a vomit.
"I love you, Knuckle."
The Emitter felt his heart flutter. Shoot loved him? Before he could stop himself, he was on top of the other man, pinning him to the couch.
"Shoot, do you-" He cupped his hands around his face, "mean that?"
The man in purple hesitated, feeling sweat trickle down his throat. He knew the answer, so he said it.
"Yes."
Knuckle crashed his lips against Shoot's. Both of them were fully involved in the heated and rough kiss. This made Knuckle happier than he'd ever been. This man, the one that was pinned underneath him, was so much better than Gwen. If he could stay with him forever, that would make him happier than anything in the world.
[A/N: Happy Valentine's Day, and thank you for taking time to read this. You don't need a special someone, FYI, because you are special enough! Have a happy Valentine's Dayᕕ(՞ᗜ՞)ᕗ!]