“You don’t need to apologize.” He really didn’t want her to feel bad about this. Bead had been a good friend to him so far, and he didn’t want her lingering on this. Friend, huh. There was a thought he hadn’t fully processed. “Look, I’ll talk to the professor in the morning. I have another lecture with her then, and I’m probably in good enough with her that there won’t be any real consequences.”

It was a guess. It may have also been a way to convince himself as much as Bead to not worry about it at the moment. It seemed to sooth the worry on her face a little at least, which made Bird feel a bit better.

“Well, if you’re sure.” she offered a bit more of a smile when Bird nodded, knocking their empty cups together with a giggle between them. “If you run into another wall with chemistry, let me know. I’d be happy to help.”

“I’ll take you up on that.” Bird smiled and shook his head, not believing for a second that he wouldn’t have a problem with chemistry in the future. “It’s a date then.”

The immediacy of Bead’s reaction made Bird jump, not expecting the shift in energy.

“Oh! No, no I didn’t mean-” Bead stammered out more, but the words were too mushed together for even Bird to pick apart. He was left staring at Bead, confused as hell at the color in her cheeks and the energy in her response. Then it clicked.

“It’s an expression, sorry!” He threw it out quickly, hands up. “It’s just a figure of speech. I just meant it’s, well it’s probably a sure thing.” Bird hadn’t spent a lot of time watching interpersonal stuff up here, but given what he had seen in passing it was probably something else that Goldwind was strangely proper about. Or perhaps they were strange about relationships, maybe.

There was a pause where Bead’s face stayed red, for a different reason than before. It seemed the answer calmed her a bit.

“Well now I just feel like an idiot.” She laughed, leaning her face forward into her hands. “Sorry, that just sounded like… well, some people spring stuff on you before you can say no and then make a big deal out of it.”

“Not my style to jump someone with that.” Bird laughed awkwardly, actually noting a similarity between Lowmyre and Goldwind for once. He wasn’t totally sure how to articulate the thought in Goldwind’s parlance, “I like to keep offers like that simple. Makes it easier to be honest.”

“Honest?”

“You might be surprised to learn that despite my roguish good looks and singing voice, I’ve been rejected a few times.” Bird chuckled out the response, remembering a few of those times fairly vividly. “It’s a lot easier to say no or accept a no when you’re not making an ordeal out of offering in the first place.”

Bead smiled at that, a little taken aback in a good way. She shifted her cup forward and clicked it against his as a sort of approval.

“I’d almost tell you to stay out of relationships then. A lot of noble sons and daughters like to play weird games with politics and they rope a lot of people into them. Usually people who don’t know what’s going on, and usually… well, it’s not a great thing sometimes.” She said it with the sort of exasperation you saw from someone who was fully and truly done with something.

“Noted.” Bird thought better of asking if the warning came from experience. If she wanted to tell a story she would have offered. “Well, I should probably start wandering back to my room. Maybe draft a formal apology for the professor. Is that a thing?”

Bead laughed, standing up and collecting her bag after Bird.

“Sometimes. Like I said, it depends on the professor and the lecture.” She slung the bag over her shoulder and quickly checked her pockets. Satisfied that she wasn’t leaving anything, Bead looked back up at Bird. “We can walk together. I need to head back to my room and write up a few order forms for herbs before tomorrow.”

“Together then.” Bird smiled, starting to navigate out of the Tavern. Bead was close behind, using him almost like a plow to clear a path as students started to filter in. She had to be a bit close, but she was small enough to stand in his wake and get outside.

He wasn’t entirely sure that the water had settled. Bird hadn’t meant to stir things up with the turn of phrase, but apparently it was something to watch out for. It probably wasn’t the worst thing that could have happened, but he did feel a bit bad for any torment it caused Bead.

He did value her friendship, as he did Clyde and Grace as well. It was still a little strange to consider having Normals from Goldwind as friends, but the less he worried about that the less it bothered him. They were good people, and Bird didn’t want to leave them uneasy or harried after a conversation. It seemed like his best efforts would still leave a few things lost in translation though.

The small talk as they walked was normal enough, even with that thought. Bead’s worries had faded quickly after Bird made the effort to clarify his words, and in turn Bird felt better after it was clear there wasn’t a lasting wound from a little mishap.

It was actually a little strange to talk to Bead as they walked towards the dorms. He only ever saw her in the Tavern, so the context of the main courtyard was novel. Novel enough in fact that he didn’t see Asha Vedda until she had noticed him.

“Student Barda, I was a little concerned when I didn’t see you in today’s lecture.” Her approach was a little fast for Bird to formulate a decent cover story. “I’m glad to see you well. What kept you away?”

Bird had run through a few stories mentally, but he didn’t think any of them would be overly convincing. Bead’s presence made him a little adverse to lying as well; less because he thought she would call him on it and more because it just didn’t quite feel right around her. He had grown to enjoy the vague honesty that he’d been able to employ around her.

“The Tavern, professor Vedda. I lost track of time between lectures and after a meeting with Rigel Brookstone. It won’t happen again.” He did feel bad about missing the lecture, and he tried to convey that as honestly as he could. The professor’s face didn’t exactly convince him it balanced the scales.

Bird watched as something a little scathing started to build in Asha’s expression. He could hear the annoyance in the inhale, long before a syllable was formed. As much as he didn’t want to get chastised publicly, he also had to accept it.

“Actually, I’m partly to blame professor.” Both Bird and Asha turned to Bead, surprised at the interjection. “Bird and I were talking while we both had some free time, and he expressed some confusion about chemistry. It’s my area of specialty, so I started to talk him through some basics with old notes. I may have gotten a little...enthusiastic, and lost track of time as well.”

“I see.” Asha’s expression softened a little, and she turned back to Bird. “Studying with another student is a different story than losing time in a bar; you should clarify things like that, Student Barda. I’ve seen good students lost to the pageantry of social circles and I would rather not see you fall to the same.”

“Of course. I am sorry about the lecture today, but to be honest I haven’t had chemistry explained in a way that clicked before. Bead actually taught me a lot in a few hours.”

“Peer cooperation is an excellent means of learning.” Asha smiled at the two of them, seeming to commend the effort. “You two seem to have a good sense of timing, today’s lecture was related to chemistry. Likely more historical than Bead’s lesson, but connected enough I can’t fault you overmuch. I might recommend you spend some time reading to catch up, but I doubt that will be a problem for you Barda.”

“Not at all. What books?” Bird shot Bead a smile of thanks, trying to keep his attention respectfully on his professor. His blue-haired friend smiled back, seeming a bit relieved that had been as simple as it had.

“Arguably Grenweld’s Alchemical History covers the basis of the art, but I’ve found it a little too concise personally. I keep a few copies of other historical accounts in my workshop, but it depends on how deeply you wish to pursue potion-craft and chemistry specialties.”

“Are you heading there now? I’d be happy to take a look while Bead’s lesson is fresh.” It wasn’t exactly what he wanted to do, but it seemed like a small sacrifice to try and appear dedicated.

“No, I think you should ruminate on whatever practical knowledge Student Nirio supplied. Getting a personal lesson from a tenured student like her can be worth more than you think.” Asha gave Bead a look, very pointedly paying a compliment before turning her attention to Bird again. “As it stands though, I may have a suggestion if you’re looking for a practical demonstration this evening.”

“Practical demonstration?”

“Well, a form of practicality. A public duel is happening within the hour; I’ve been asked to be one of the witnesses.” She pointed out a building in the distance, across the courtyard. It was a part of the grounds that Bird hadn’t had a reason to explore yet. “It might be a good chance to see Alchemy in use.”

“You think so?”

“It couldn’t hurt. It will be starting soon though, so you’ll have to excuse me. I will keep an eye out for you.” Asha bid her goodbyes briefly and turned to walk to the duel. The slight haste to her step made Bird and Bead both wonder if she had lost track of time as they had, though neither voiced the thought.

“Would you like to come with me? I could use an experienced eye.” Bird offered. He didn’t quite expect Bead’s expression to sour as it did, but it sank back to less extreme distaste quickly.

“No, I don’t want to go. I’m not a fan of duels.”

“Are they just unreasonably violent, or …?” Bird trailed, not fully knowing where to take the question. There were brawls in Lowmyre often enough, but the general rule for boughts down there was no death and no maiming. Most anything else went, and he couldn’t quite figure out how a duel compared to that.

He was also a little concerned he had offended Bead with his offer, but she was quick to wave it off.

“Not typically. It’s well regulated and there are measures to prevent personal injury.” She spoke blandly, like it was an afterthought to whatever had been running through her mind. Bead refocused a little as she tried to articulate something, seeming to fail a few times over a couple of seconds. “I’m just not really a fan of the culture that’s built around it. Duels have their uses, but it’s just not my cup of tea.”

“I’ll stay on my toes then.” Bird replied, half to himself, and continued, “Well, I’m going to at least go see how I feel about it. See you at the Tavern?”

“Yeah, I’ll see you around Bird. Stay out of trouble.” Bead tried to keep her smile hidden at the closing thought, but couldn’t help it when Bird blushed a bit. She was glad that professor Vedda had let him off the hook, but Bird had just struck her as the kind of man who inadvertently wandered into trouble.

He wasn’t quick to pull other people down to claw his way out though, and she appreciated that about him. Bird offered a mix of jibe and farewell as he turned to head to the duel, and it sat well enough with her. Normally it was more of Grace and Clyde’s dynamic in the group, but she had started to enjoy poking at someone and being poked in return.

Bead let the thought pass, shifting instead to the mess on her workstation and how she was supposed to turn it into a batch of healing potions for her latest contract. A problem best tackled after examining her notes and getting some rest, she wagered. Failing that, maybe she could rope Bird into helping her. Even if he wasn’t particularly experienced, extra hands made for less work.

She waved off the thought. Bird surely had enough headspace taken up by his lectures. Perhaps once he’d finished and moved on to his personal pursuits she would see about getting him to help. Bead mused the thought of her lesson with him leading Bird down a chemistry path. It seemed a little uncharacteristic to think of him hunched over reagents, but she chuckled a bit at the chaos he’d likely wreak by accident.

Something for another day, she thought. Something for another day.