Mrs. Phambili pinched the bridge of her nose with such force it could twist steel. It was only the first day of school, and she already had to deal with two imbeciles who showed up late, started fights, and one who didn’t know what scent-patches were.

If there ever was a trifecta more terrifying than Hais, Bestos, and Sirim, it would be the three infractions she just recounted!

“Dhurgan Fjorgan and Homraz Freijord. I don’t expect you two to know all our rules seeing as how one of you skipped the tour, and you’re both new to Malak National.”

Both of them visibly relaxed at that point. Good. It was time to deliver the first blow.

“But I expect you to have some level of decorum and respect for the history of this school!”

Both of them cringed at least three feet back into their body.

“I hope you're aware of the impact of your unruly behavior and how much damage you could’ve caused to this school’s reputation. It isn’t becoming of new students to behave in this manner when they have nothing to argue about!”

At that, the two lost their cowed demeanor and began to protest.

“It wasn’t my fault!”

“You don’t know what happened!”

Mrs. Phambili had heard enough. Grinding her teeth she stood up abruptly.

“Enough!”

The two had enough sense to stop running their mouths for a while. The dean leaned forward. Time for the kill shot.

“I’m ensuring that you two share classes for the entirety of the semester. If you can’t become friends, or at least quit bickering in that time, then I’ll make you share classes your entire tenure here at Malak National!”

The two gulped and side-eyed each other.

She adjusted her glasses, catching the glint of the hanging lamps. They should know she meant business.

“You are dismissed. And do count yourselves grateful you aren’t expelled.”

Both parties nodded. After both had finally left, the smaller one leaving first cursing under his breath, and the bigger one growling in annoyance, Mrs. Phambili smiled.

“Enjoy your year, you two.”

***

Eyeing the one that got her into this mess, Dhurgan couldn’t fathom spending an entire school year with that!

She knew it was a stupid move to keep arguing with the little jerk. They'd be spending an entire semester, semester, together. How much of it became a living palikos depended on the both of them.

Clearing the air was something she was used to, as she was often told she had the temperament of a beta.

But this breed of a grade-a arse?

Sucking in a breath, there was only one way to find out.

“So-”

“Leave it,” came the short, snappish, and dismissive reply.

“But-”

“Nope.”

“Can you just-”

“I can’t.”

‘So far, so good,’ Dhurgan thought icily.

A loud crash brought a fitting end to the tension.

Both parties turned to find the janitor’s closet swung wide open and human along with an equally guilty elf assaulted by an army of mops, brooms, and cleaners’ brushes.

“You two are not cut out for secret service,” chastised Dhurgan, quirking her brow inquisitively.

“Your mentor was quite worried about your removal from the cafeteria,” chimed in the elf, “Although I cannot fault them for spying. The last we saw of you, the dean was about to gut you alive.”

“How dare you defile my precious hall!” mocked Adit, in an award-winning re-enactment of the dean’s intervention from lunch. “Dhurgan, my dude, I still don’t know how you let her drag you like she was your grandma!”

“Very funny, Adit,” growled Dhurgan. “I see you made a new friend.”

She was desperate for a topic change.

"Ah yes, I'm Kulah, that one’s senior guide” she added, nodding in Homraz’s direction. “A pleasure to meet you."

"Don't change the subject, Ganny!" groaned Adit. "You gotta tell me. Did she hit ya with extra classes, a referral? C'mon, what'd she do?"

"Shared classes. The rest of the year." sighed Dhurgan.

All three parties turned to Homraz, who was very busy storming down the hall.

Running to catch up with him, Adit placed a hand on his shoulder.

“Hi, there! I’m Adit, and you are?”

“Get off,” Homraz snarled, angrily eying their hand on his shoulder.

"Nice to meet you, get off!" snickered Adit.

Growling even more irritably, Homraz bared his tusks causing Adit to back off.

"Hooh-kay. Bye!" Adit nervously chuckled as they ran back to Dhurgan and Kulah.

“Per my psych evaluation, your new classmate suffers from Pissed Off Personality Disorder.”

As the four left the administrative building and traveled back to the dorms, they settled into a pattern. Adit and Kulah chatted up a storm, with Dhurgan occasionally joining in. Homraz, however, just walked with a permanent scowl etched on his face.

Should she feel guilty? No, he was the one who started a fight, berated her, and iced out her attempts at diplomacy.

Even still, she knew they weren't going to get anywhere with ill-will as thick as a tree-trunk between them.

"Look, this school year is gonna punish us both if we can’t figure out whatever the heck happened this morning."

Homraz scowled at her sideways.

“So I’m not asking you to apologize, I just wanna know what I did that got you so mad in the first place.”

“I can’t stomach an alpha’s scent.”

Dhurgan blinked in surprise. She opened her mouth to ask why just as Homraz growled out, “No I won’t tell you why, and yes, I’m mad you pretended scent blockers don’t exist!”

“Actually-”

The smaller orc glared at her in disbelief.

“You’re joking.”

Dhurgan shook her head.

“You can’t really blame me. Gristar’s a pretty small town, and a traditional one at that.”

Homraz stopped abruptly.

“Wait, you mean you’re actually a Fjorgan Fjorgan?” asked Homraz.

“Duh! Weren’t you listening during Mrs. Phambili’s rant?”

“Yeah, yeah. I just thought it was some reclamist BS. I read up on your province a lot. I’m surprised you even know how to drive.”

“Hey! At least this village idiot knows how to cross the street.”

Homraz scowled at that but said nothing.

“Still a sore spot,” cringed Dhurgan, rubbing the back of her neck. “Let’s start over.”

“I’m not talking to you more than I have to. Got that?” he growled in anger. His voice sounded like a calm before a storm.

“If that’s how you want it then,” sighed Dhurgan. “But I still think we should give it a try.”

“Just stay out of my way, and I’ll stay out of yours. Plain and simple.”

With that, Homraz stormed off angrily leaving the other three to their thoughts.

“Goodnight!” Dhurgan called after him.

And that night, she decided to make it her personal challenge to befriend the scowling omega with the raven hair.