Archive of Our Own

Brought to you by Strength University's Music Enthusiasts.

Sign ups are open until March 13, 2026. All groups must have an original song ready for the main stage on March 27, 2026.

Parker grinned as he walked to the cafeteria holding the flyer. Now, he wasn't really the singer of their make-up band. That spot was reserved for JudeLow. The very man he was looking for because his best friend had a song already written and it was perfect for this occasion. 

"Jude, come on! It's literally the perfect time to sing the song. And he will be there to watch and you know it!" he argued after his aforementioned best friend had declined. He didn't understand why his best friend was being such a fucking imbecile!

"Parker, it's not worth it– what if I just end up embarrassing myself in front of hi– everyone!?" Jude threw his arms up into the air. He was not risking his feelings on a competition. 

"Come on dude! Cow, Shadow, help me here!" he looked to the other two students who were also sat down, watching them as they ate. Shadow looked at him, then at his food, and continued to eat. Cow, bless his heart, nodded along. He said that if Jude just kept it to himself, he'd regret it big time.

Jude chooses to ignore them and stands up. Saying that he had something come up all of a sudden. Parker sighs in defeat while Cow and Shadow bid him good luck.

"We need this. Jude needs this and we are going to make it happen."

☆

Jude sat down in the library, his phone in hand. It was open to his notes app where he had the song Parker was talking about. He looked over the lyrics, his feelings having been poured out into it. How could he risk it all on a coin toss? Sure, he was a good student, but he had his moments of oblivion. He'd never understand that the song Jude wrote would be about him.

About Sharpness, the captain of the school's fencing team and men's volleyball team. The consistent B- to A- student that he not only looked up to, but loved deeply. The very man who was now walking towards him– walking towards him!?

"Judey!! Hii!! Hi bunny!" he looked so… happy to see him. It made his heart flutter and do flips. The man's long blonde hair was styled into a half-up half-down look and he resembled every bit of the angel Jude loved so much.

"What are you doing here?" he asks, sure he loved the man to death, but he had a reputation to maintain. "Sharpness, we don't have a session scheduled today, why are you here?" the other smiles at him and sits down across from him.

"Why? Can't I just want to spend my break with you for no reason at all? I didn't think that was illegal now. That's not illegal right?" oh he was every bit of the smart idiot he adored. Jude shakes his head, scolding him for being so stupid. To which Sharpness retorts by calling him an idiot.

"So, I heard you guys were joining the Battle of the Bands thing." Jude looks up from his book. What was this guy talking about? He didn't sign up for any…thing. Parker. Oh he should have known! "Uhh… Jude? Judey! Earth to JudeLow!! Hey– did you hear what I said?" Sharpness was poking his face now, normally he doesn't care for it but today he slaps the hand away. He stands up abruptly and tells Sharpness he had to talk to Parker, to which the blonde pouted at but waved him off.

☆

Jude marched into the music room, fuming. How could they?! They were supposed to be a team and yet they– they sign up without making sure he was okay with it. Like sure, he was okay with it, kind of, but they didn't know that!

"Jude! Glad you could make it! We only have two weeks to practice you know." Cow waved, preparing his guitar for practice it seemed.

"You signed us up for the BOTB." he points an accusatory finger towards Parker who was by the drums. His best friend just smiled at him, claiming that this was the final push he needed to finally tell Sharpness how he felt, properly this time. "You know it isn't that easy Parker! I– I can't believe you'd do this. And for the two of you to agree too!"

"Listen, if you really don't want to sing for Sharp, at least do it for yourself. It's a good song Jude. You may not see it now, but it is worth it." Shadow spoke, strumming his guitar, checking if anything was out of tune. "It will be worth it, okay?"

Oh fuck Shadow and his stupidly wise words. "Fine. Okay– yeah. It is a good song, I can't lie. But you know what it means to me, right? How important it is to me?"

"I know what it means to you. We all do, and that's why we want you to agree. We know damn well you won't do shit about him unless we push you to it. So, get your ass over here and let's practice, yeah? If not for him, then do it for you." damn them for knowing him too well. JudeLow shakes his head and grabs the mic.

"Okay, let's practice."

☆

Sharpness stood outside the music room, he didn't really mean to listen in. He just happened to pass by and he heard noise, so he followed it. He couldn't hear much from outside, but he could tell Jude was having fun.

It had been some time since he had confessed to Jude. A year since he was rejected. It was a bitter memory, but he had gotten over it. He really had and if his friends say otherwise, they're all stupid. He was perfectly fine being just friends with Jude and he definitely doesn't have that stupid crush on him. 

JudeLow, the star student, lead singer of SU's greatest senior band. The same guy who he had been sitting across from everyday in the library. For two hours because they agreed on helping each other with studies. 

The same guy who laughed at his confession. 

☆

A year ago, it was prom night. And Sharpness had been convinced by his friends to confess to Jude. He really didn't want to at first because obviously Jude didn't like him back. He'd only get hurt more, and maybe he should have listened to himself. He shouldn't have told him, and now he could only stand still as he watched Jude's expression. It changed from confused to amused real quick.

A laugh, the same laugh that made his heart beat faster. Except it was sharp and it was horrible. The feeling he got after Jude finished laughing was more like pain rather than relief. It hurt, it really did and he just laughed along with Jude. 

"Yeah! Yeah– the guys dared me to… you know. It was nice chatting with you, Jude. See you next week, yeah?"

"Yeah, I'll see you then Sharp. Have a great night dude!" 

Sharpness walked away, ignoring his friends distand apologies. Some threatened to punch Jude, solely for being an ass. But he just told them it was fine and he shouldn't have gotten his hopes up. 

That it just wasn't meant to be. 

That there wouldn't ever be a them. 

"It's fine, I'm fine okay? If you need me, I'll be over there with Nezo and Mugm."

"Sharp…"

He couldn't hear them anymore, he didn't care. He was fine and he shouldn't have gotten his hopes up. He was so stupid to even think that they would work.

☆

Sharpness continued to walk, ignoring the pain in his chest. He had his heart broken once, he wasn't risking it all again. He was okay with Jude not knowing everything he said that night was genuine. 

He was okay with knowing he wasn't worthy of being loved by him.

☆

It was the night of the performance and Sharpness anywhere but the school. His biggest regret will always be not telling Jude how he felt.

How what he said that night was real.

How everything that happened was real.

He will never get that chance again. That was why he never bothered telling Jude about leaving. He didn't want him to feel guilty. He only wanted the best for Jude. 

So he pulled up the livestream on his phone. He was about to perform, and he was already damned that he couldn't be there in person. So, the least he could do was watch, even if it were through a screen. 

Even as the distance between only grew with time.

☆

JudeLow searched the crowd for a certain blonde. He had asked Twirps if Sharpness was going to watch and he had said no. He asked why, and he said that Sharpness was on his way to the airport. He had told him that he was moving schools, his parents had him finish filing his shit at SU and got him the next flight out of the country.

He was leaving. Gone, and he didn't even get to tell him. 

He wasn't ready to let go.

"Jude, are you ready?" Cow asked, handing him the microphone. He looked about ready to cry right then and there, but he held it in. He didn't care about embarrassment anymore, about the risks. He was going to declare how he felt even if he wouldn't be there to see him. 

"Yeah, I'm ready. Let's do this."

☆

"Up last but never the least! The last minute sign up, the school's very own, senior band! Please welcome on stage, Trappa Quartet!" the announcer sounded excited as they moved off the stage, and everyone cheered as they entered, taking their places.

"Good evening Strength University! Tonight, we are performing an original song written and composed by our lead singer, JudeLow! So give us some noise and let's hit it!" Parker hit his drumsticks together three times as the lights dimmed and a spotlight was focused on Jude.

Cow began to play his guitar, a soft tune setting the scene as Jude began to sing. 

How could I forget your pretty face?

When you go to places

Do you think of me?

Please think of me

Jude looked into the crowd as he began. His grip on the microphone was still a bit relaxed. He hoped Sharpness was watching. Listening to him. Looking at him with the same look he always had.

He thinks of his smile, the way his eyes lit up whenever he saw him. With the face and voice of an angel he could only dream of holding close.

A year has passed and I thought I moved on

I admit you won, now please come back to me

Won't you come back to me?

People come and go, sometimes

He thinks of Sharp's confession the year before and his realizations just two months after. He thinks about the heart break Sharp went through and his silence because he didn't want his angel to think he was playing with his feelings.

He spent so long yearning for him to come back, even if he never left. Well, now he is leaving him and Jude may never see him again.

Call me your favorite one last time

I'll never get to find no one like you

You were all I wanted, you were all I need

Us is all I'll be

He thinks of when Sharpness sat across from him during one of their sessions, declaring that he was the greatest friend, teacher, whatever. All he knew was that Sharpness was happy and he chose Jude. 

He knew he'd never find another who would choose him again and again, despite many disagreements. 

He would never want anyone because no one could ever live up to who Sharpness was to him.

He wasn't sure if he would be able to find himself now that he was gone.

People come and go, sometimes

Call me your favorite one last time

So I have swallowed all my pride

Accepted the end of you and I

He thinks back to just a few minutes earlier when he pulled Twirps aside to ask where Sharpness was. He thinks of how he didn't act out or ask for more details. 

He stopped his tears from flowing right then and there and maybe, maybe he could learn to accept that they were… never meant to be.

But what if I miss you for the rest of my life?

Where do I go from here?

He was smart, he could figure it out. How to move on, live his life. But, it'd always be empty. A hole the size of a crater would remain in his heart forever because he was too much of a coward to tell Sharpness everything. 

He takes in a deep breath before going on with the bridge of the song. The part where he talks and talks about who and what Sharpness meant to him. And how willing he was to keep waiting for his return.

I HAVE BUILT A HOUSE WHERE I WAIT FOR YOUR RETURN

His voice cracks as he sings at the top of his lungs. It hurts to breathe but he doesn't care. He wasn't here to see him fall apart. He wasn't here to see the tears flow freely, and he was never going to stay to see it.

So, he thinks of the days they spent together at the far table at the back of the library. The spot where there were no windows, where only shelves filled with books surrounded them. A spot that he had built his whole 'relationship' with Sharpness. 

I ONLY WANT YOU TO BE MINE AND NOT A LESSON LEARNED

He thinks of all the memories they had made together. After he watched Sharpness from afar with admiration in his eyes. He looks straight into the camera as he sang the line. He didn't know why he did that. Maybe a part of him still hadn't learnt his lesson and hoped that Sharpness was watching. 

That he was coming to him.

AND I WILL WAIT AND WAIT AND WAIT UNTIL THIS CITY BURNS

I WILL WAIT AND WAIT AND WAIT AND LIVE ON WHAT WE WERE

His voice cracks again, and he doesn't care anymore. He continues to sing his heart out to the man who no one deserved to have. 

Not even him. 

So he would wait and he was going to keep waiting until he was worthy of him. He would wait through the ends of the world just to be with him, to see him at his side with the same smile he always had whenever he made a corny joke. 

To see him at his side, eyes filled with love. He loved him so to a point where he would keep waiting on what they were.

And who they could have become.

How could I forget your pretty face?

When you go to places

Do you think of me?

Please think of me

He repeats the same lines again. He hopes that Sharpness would never forget him. That he would always think of him, even if he was a shitty person. He hoped that he would plague his mind and soul. 

He would miss that pretty face, that beautiful voice. 

He would miss it all. 

His everything.

He lets out a breath and wipes his tears. He smiled as they left the stage. 

Sharpness didn't show, meaning there was a chance he didn't see. But he hoped that he was listening. He hoped that maybe, Sharpness had chosen to stay.

Chose him. As he always did. 

Not this time, and maybe that was what hurt most. 

After being chosen again and again. The one time he chose Sharpness back, he wasn't chosen.

And maybe that was why he ran away and let himself cry. 

He was chosen before, but now he knew, he would never be chosen again.

☆

Sharpness stood at the gate. His phone was deep in his pocket as he boarded the plane. His eyes were red and his hands shook. He listened and watched the whole performance. He knew who it was about. He understood it so clearly that he had to stop watching the livestream. 

Jude did like– no, love. Jude loved him back and he was too far to even tell him he did too. And even if he could, he didn't have the strength left to tell him. Or have anyone tell Jude how he felt. 

And maybe, that would be his biggest regret. 

The menory was still fresh. 

☆

He smiled as he waved goodbye to JudeLow for the last time. The other did not know that would be their last session together before Sharpness was forced to leave everything behind. His friends, his life.

Him.

His heart ached as he walked out of the library that day. And it still continued to hurt. But, he could do nothing except to accept his fate. That day, he still hadn't known about how Jude felt. That was why it made it a little easier to walk away.

Because then, he wouldn't have to go through all that pain again.

It was always easier to leave.

Maybe not this time.

Maybe it never was and he just accepted that there was nothing he could do.

☆

He pulls his phone out as he sits down on his designated spot. Looking out the window, some crazy part of him hoped that Jude would chase after him. Alas, those were scenes you would only see in stories. 

Some other part of him wished he ran back, no matter how far. 

But those were scenarios best left in the past, as he deletes his contacts and closes his eyes. He lets out a breath he's held in for far too long. 

He had chosen to leave, to forget. 

To move on.

And he would do just that, Sharpness would leave, forget and move on. Just like he always did and he hoped that Jude would too. He hoped that he would be okay.

Because that was all he could do now. Hope.

He hoped that he would be okay not being chosen just this once. 

Just as he was never chosen.