Chapter Text
When he arrived at school on Friday morning, the last thing Green expected was to see one of his classmates doused in blood.
Well, maybe doused was a bit of an overreaction, but the shirt that Shadow was wearing was definitely stained with the stuff, at least. It didn’t help that Green could see cuts and bruises littering his arms and legs. It looked like Shadow had gotten beaten up.
And for some reason, in response to seeing a teenager looking like they had just survived a murder attempt, Mr. Dorf was in the middle of a very loud lecture about how violence was never the answer.
“You can't be getting into fights right before showing up to school, Mr. Sorcerer! You're going to set a bad example for the rest of the students.”
Shadow blinked, seeming almost confused as he listened to the math teacher give his absurd scolding. “But I didn't get into a fight.”
“As if I would believe that!” Mr. Dorf rolled his eyes, not backing down. “You're completely battered and your clothes are a mess. You should know better than to show up to school like that.” He shook his head in frustration and pulled out a small notebook from his pocket, marking something down.
“I'm giving you detention tomorrow. You can come spend the day at school and think about how you should be more considerate of the school’s dress code.”
When he heard that, Green found the courage to speak up, approaching Shadow and Mr. Dorf with a serious expression. “Wait a minute, sir! You haven't even confirmed that Shadow actually got into a fight! He says he didn't, so why is he getting detention?”
Mr. Dorf seemed surprised to see Green talking back to him, and Green couldn't blame him. He was known as being a perfect student at school, kind and well liked by both his peers and teachers. He wasn't the type of student to talk back to authority unless he truly believed in what he was saying, and because of that, even teachers usually took him seriously.
“Mr. Knight.” The cold glare that Mr. Dorf met Green with almost immediately crushed his hopes that he would successfully be able to convince the teacher of Shadow’s innocence. “I trust that you are able to see that Mr. Sorcerer here is dressed in an outfit that is completely inappropriate for a school environment. If you’re so sure that he didn’t get into a fight, then please explain to me what you think happened?”
Green looked at Shadow, taking in his bloodstained shirt and bruised face, wondering if maybe he really did get into a fight. But still, something about this situation didn’t sit right with him. Shadow didn’t talk much to other students, but Green was pretty sure he wasn’t a troublemaker, and he couldn’t think of any reason Shadow would have to lie about this.
“Well, maybe we should just ask Shadow what happened!”
Mr. Dorf grumbled in response, but didn't argue, looking at Shadow expectantly. “Well, Mr. Sorcerer?” It was obvious that the teacher wasn't especially interested in actually hearing what Shadow had to say, but he was benevolent enough to humour Green's optimism.
Shadow was silent for a long moment, seeming like he had been put on the spot, and he opened his mouth to give an answer before quickly closing it again, his brows furrowing in contemplation. Finally, he sighed and Green swore he saw his shoulders slump just a bit. “It's true. I just got into a fight.”
Mr. Dorf nodded his head solemnly, not seeming surprised at all. “Exactly as I thought. That's a Saturday detention for you, Mr. Sorcerer. Be here by 9:00 at the latest.”
“And you, Mr. Knight…” Mr. Dorf turned to Green with a clear look of displeasure on his face, making another mark in his notebook. “You'll be joining Mr. Sorcerer tomorrow. Perhaps that will teach you not to stick your nose where it doesn't belong.”
Green's eyes widened, but he didn't complain or protest. He knew better than to make a big fuss when he was already in trouble. He nodded his head, releasing a soft sigh. “Understood, sir.”
Mr. Dorf snapped his notebook shut and returned it to his pocket before nodding to the two boys and leaving without another word. Green was left standing next to Shadow in silence, unsure of what would be appropriate to say after the interaction that had just happened.
He still didn't really buy that Shadow had gotten into a fight. The way that Shadow had initially attempted to deny it led Green to believe that he had just caved under the pressure. He wasn’t sure how Shadow had managed to get himself covered in blood, and the more he looked at the red stains on his shirt, the more worried he got. He should probably make sure that Shadow was okay before doing anything else.
“Hey, I can come with you to the nurse’s office, if you want.” Shadow flinched when Green suddenly spoke, and he turned to look at him with a confused expression. Green faltered a bit, not sure how to react to Shadow’s blank stare. “Because... Because of the blood... I just want to make sure you’re alright, I guess.”
Shadow was silent for a moment before nodding, his expression not changing. “Okay.”
Green did his best to smile, nodding his head in return. He was just about to suggest heading out when he saw someone approaching. Red bounded up to them, smiling but also looking a bit worried as his gaze scanned over the blood on Shadow’s shirt. “I overheard what Mr. Dorf was saying. I can’t believe he’s giving you both detention over something so stupid! That’s definitely unfair!”
Red was in the drama club, and like Green, he was pretty popular with students and teachers alike, but sometimes people could find him a bit overwhelming. Green had worked with him on a couple of committees, planning some dances and pep rallies. “Have you ever known Mr. Dorf to be fair?”
Red chuckled, scratching the back of his neck. “Yeah, I guess so.”
Shadow was quiet, looking a bit uncomfortable, and Red quickly looked between him and Green. “I came over to offer to bring Shadow to the nurse’s office. I know that you don’t like being late to class, Green, and I’m a nurse’s aide, so I can make sure that Shadow gets set up alright.”
Green raised his eyebrows as he looked down at his watch, grumbling to himself when he realized how late it was already. “Shit, I didn’t realize that class was so soon. I’d really appreciate that, Red.” He looked up at Shadow with a smile. “Are you alright with that?”
Shadow shrugged, his face still blank. “Yeah, that’s fine.”
“Alright!” Red smiled at Shadow, stepping towards him and taking his hand, causing Shadow’s eyes to widen in surprise for just a moment before his expression shifted back to that same blank look. “Let’s get you to the nurse’s office, then!” Red turned to Green to offer a wave and a grin before dragging Shadow down the hall towards the nurse’s office. “See you later, Green!”
Green smiled and waved back, still feeling a bit concerned despite knowing that Shadow was in good hands with Red. Mr. Dorf might have been convinced it was just a fight, but the sight of that blood on Shadow’s shirt was enough to make Green feel a pang of anxiety. Shadow was always so quiet, never talking to anyone unless he had to, and Green couldn’t help but worry about him sometimes. Maybe it was just because he could tell that Shadow wasn’t a bad guy, despite the reputation he had amongst the students and teachers both.
He was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of the warning bell ringing. Shit . He only had five minutes to get to class or he was going to get in trouble for being late, and the last thing he needed was ruining his perfect record. He picked up his pace as he headed towards his homeroom.