Tapping her pen against her notebook, Thora waited at the library, her eyes red from tears, and about to burst from tears again, she had failed. 

The assignment she had worked so hard on for weeks, she had gotten a zero, the lowest grade possible! And why?! 

“Because an herb from a folktale can’t be used in a historical essay.”

The professor's voice rang in her head, he was horrible, he had been purposely failing her the entire year, but never this bad, at this rate… she’d be expelled. 

Standing up, she wiped her face as she shook her head, fighting off any tear that dared to fall when she started walking to the door. 

And entering, Irving held onto the wall as he was hunched over, his collar unbuttoned a bit of a ways down as he looked utterly exhausted, yet, his sleepy eyes were searching for something as he clutched onto something in his other hand tightly.

Her eyes widen when he walks it and looking to his side, she stops in place, as if in a trance, he looked exhausted! Was he okay?!

Soon, his gaze settled on her, and he stared at her face for a good few seconds, as if trying to determine something, before a small smile settled on his lips and he slowly pushed himself up into a halfway decent posture, though he still leaned against the wall as he spoke, slowly walking further into the room, his voice sounding rough, and gravely. “G-Greetings, I was hoping to find you here……”

Once he spoke, he gently pushed himself off of the wall and somewhat stumbled over to the table they usually sat at, reaching out with his other hand, and grabbing onto the chair to steady himself in place as he took a deep breath. “Do you have a m-moment….?”

Following him wordlessly, she gazed at his dirty cloak, how his white shirt was singed black, how he smelled of smoke….

Turning to look at her, he seemingly took her continued presence as a yes as he turned his body, and stood up straight, holding tightly onto the chair as he stood beside it, his rough-sounding voice ringing out in the room once again. “N-Now I know we aren’t very close, buuuut, I saw that herb you were studying, and I thought it looked really interesting……”

As he spoke, the hand that held onto something slowly rose, revealing a wooden box with small floral carvings that he shakily extended toward her. “…..So I did some r-research of my own, argued with a book, watched a t-tree burn for a while and……t-tadaaaaa……..”

Taking a step forward, and then another, she passed the herb, wrapping her arms around him as he pressed against the table, she held him as the scent of smoke soaked into her clothes, but she didn’t care, she didn’t care at all, after all. I love you so much, this is why I love you, you’re the same as when I first met you, you’re so cool….

Unknown to him, tears soaked into his shoulder as he felt her press his head against her shoulder, and for a moment, his eyes widened, and his heart felt as if it would stop, yet, the very next, he was made painfully aware of just how…..heavy he felt, especially his eyelids……it took no time at all for her to feel his head slump against her shoulder in return,  his arm that held out the still unopened box fell limply against the table, yet clutched onto the box as if it was his lifeline, and soon his quiet, even breaths were the only sound emanating from him.

Running her hands through his hair, she gazed at the box, flicking the top open as she saw the sweet blissful orange, her tears melting into her skin as she held him closer, whispering. “I love you……”

And after she put him onto her back, and carried him to the nurses' office, for time to pass, and for him to wake up. 

Fidgeting in sheets, Irving’s eyes slowly fluttered as a soft groan left him, and he soon fully opened his eyes, and looked around, trying to remember when it was he’d gotten here, his vision and consciousness still in a haze.

A hand quickly moved his hair aside as he saw someone approach the bed, standing as bright red hair tangled down her shoulders and she looked into his eyes. “How are you feeling…?”

For a good bit, he couldn’t find the right words to say, or, any words to say for that matter, as he only stared at her, his mind nothing but white noise as his ears and cheeks dusted pink, yet soon, he cleared his throat, though his face had no such luck as he looked away, his voice was quiet and soft-spoken. “…F-Fine……a bit tired……..”

“Do you need anything?! Maybe some water, or the nurse?” Worry filled her voice as she began playing with her fingers, staring down at them as she stood beside the bed. 

DID SHE WATCH OVER ME?!? WHEN DID I PASS OUT?! SHE LOOKS WORRIED IS SHE WORRIED ABOUT ME?!? AAAHHHHHH SHE LOOKS SO CUTE WHEN SHE’S WORRIED IM GONNA DIIIIEEEEEEE!!! 

Once again clearing his throat, though it was accompanied by a cough this time, he spoke up once again, soft, and still a bit gravely, as his cheeks darkened even further. “W-Water please……”

Nodding, she scurried over to the counter, grabbing a glass of water and pouring it as the clear almost blue liquid melted into the glass. I'M SO GLAD HE'S OKAY, AND HIS VOICE IS SO DEEP AND HOT!! NGGGGHHHHHHHH stay calm! It’s fine, I just need to not think of the fact that that’s how he sounds probably every morning.

Walking over, she sat on the side of the bed as she felt his legs brush her hips, and she handed him the glass of water. “Here you go.”

Propping himself up with his elbows, he slowly backed up against the wall, now sitting upright as he took the glass, and softly muttered two little words before starting to drink. “Thank you……”

Nodding, she stares at him, watching as a line spills down his chin and to his neck, her ears twitching as she looks away, a slight tint to her cheeks. STOP, HE’S OBVIOUSLY NOT FEELING WELL! DON'T THINK WEIRD THINGS! 

Soon, the glass is completely empty, and Irving lowers it as he takes in a gasp of air, and soon lets out a long, low pleased sound from the back of his significantly less parched throat as he closes his eyes for a moment. OH SWEET SWEET WATER THANK YOU FOR BLESSING ME WITH YOUR REFRESHING BOUNTY DELIVERED BY A GODDESS HERSELF! I PROMISE I'LL NEVER TAKE YOU FOR GRANTED EVER AGAIN.

Opening his eyes again, he cleared his throat properly, and his usual voice was a bit more prevalent, though still tinged by the effects of sleep and exhaustion. “That…..helped a lot…….”

“It was nothing.” Nothing compared to what he did! While he slept she got news that the herb was real and that her assignment was graded as full marks, the highest grade she had ever gotten, how she could kiss him. NOT THAT I WILL!

She screamed in her head as her ears wiggled happily.

On the other hand, Irving could only stare ahead for a bit as his thoughts spun. OH MAN, HOW LONG WAS I OUT!? DID SHE GET MY GIFT? OH NO WHAT IF I LOST IT?!? GET IT TOGETHER AND ASK ALREADY! “Did you happen to see me with a wooden box…..?”

“Yes, I gave it to the botanical scholars.” Looking to the window, a soft smile crossed her face as the sunlight wrapped around her. “Because of you, I won’t be expelled for writing about it…..”

“Thank you, Irving.” With a bright smile, she turned to him and looked him in the eyes.

It was as if time had stopped, the way his eyes widened, his heart stopped in his chest, his ears twitched wildly, and his face bloomed red, he could feel his mouth trying to form words yet nothing was coming out as his brain raced. SHE LIKED IT!!!! I HELPED!!! I DID GOOD!!! DON'T JUST SIT HERE GAWKING LIKE A FISH OUTTA WATER YOU IDIOT! ASK HER OUT!!! SAY SOMETHING! ANYTHING!!! “….….Call me Vie.”

With a sparkle in her eyes, her face began to turn a dark pink, how was she supposed to respond?! VIE?! THAT'S SO CUTE! HOW CAN I SAY HIS NAME LIKE THAT?! ARE WE A COUPLE?! “Then…call me Rose.” 

Wordlessly, he nodded, and quickly averted his face as one of his hands went to his face, which felt hot to the touch as he tried to breathe and calm down, his eyes spiraling as he stared at the bed. ROSE?! I GET TO CALL HER ROSE?!? THAT’S SO PERFECT FOR HER! DOES THIS MEAN I HAVE A CHANCE?! IS THIS REAL!??!

“Well……I hope you liked it…….Rose……” His words were still soft, but they no longer sounded rough, instead they rolled off smoother than water-cut stone, and as shaky as a frostbitten butterfly.

“It was the second most beautiful thing I’ve ever seen….Vie.” She said with a small giggle, as she tucked her hair behind her ear. HE’S SO CUTE! AND SWEET! NGGGHHHHHHH!!!!

Slowly, Irving takes a deep breath as he brings his head back around, and stares into her eyes, his ears wiggling slightly as his face was still a light shade of red. OKAY, IT'S NOW OR NEVER, YOU GOTTA SAY IT! TELL HER! YOU’LL NEVER GET A BETTER CHANCE THAN THIS! TAKE A DEEP BREATH AND SAY IT!!!

“W-Well, I think it’s the prettiest thing I've seen, due to the color……” WHAT THE HECK WAS THAT?!? COME ON MAN. YOU HAD ONE JOOOOOOB!!!

“Yeah, it was a wonderful color.” Nodding, she looks up to hear the bells ringing, and she looks to the door, the day now being over, she takes a deep breath. HE'S SO POETIC, I DIDN'T KNOW HE LIKED THE COLOR! He’s so cool! And even in this bed with his hair all messy and his shirt unbuttoned….DON'T STARE! I can see his collarbone STOP IT! He’s awake you CAN LEAVE! 

“I suppose I should go, I’ll see you in class tomorrow morning.” Slowly standing, she crossed her arms in front of her skirt as her hand covered the other. 

Looking up, he fought to keep a somewhat normal expression on his face as what felt like every neuron in his brain fired at once. WAIT DO YOU HAVE TO?! I REALLY LOVE TO KEEP TALKING AND I THINK YOU'RE REALLY PRETTY AND CUTE AND I WANNA KNOW IF MAYBE YOU WANNA GO OUT SOMETIME TO GET SOME FOOD MAYBE?!? “………Understood, I hope you have a fantastic day.”

Politely Nodding he watches her walk out of view as the curtain surrounding his bed hides her, he looks on for a bit, before slowly raising his hands to his face, and just as slowly laying back down, and taking a deep before- “MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN!!!!!!!!” 

Once he’d finished, he slowly brought his hands away from his face, leaving only an empty-looking expression as he stared up at the ceiling. Who am I kidding…..? She’s way out of my league, at best she might be open to start being friends……eh, that’s a stretch too……let’s face it, she’ll never be interested the way you are…….that's just how it is for us………

Halfway down the hall, Thora could feel her heart race as her mind raced just as quickly. Turn around! I should have thanked him! I just– I'M SO NERVOUS! How should I thank him?! He likes bubbly right?!

Stopping, she turns around and starts walking back to his room, briskly speeding up as she turns the corner into his room. JUST SAY YOU'D LIKE TO REPAY HIM, AND MAYBE DATE HIM! AND TELL HIM HE'S YOUR HERO!

Heading past the curtain, she moves it with her hand as he hears her step into the room, her voice calm as she speaks. “And Vie, get drinks with me again.” 

And with that, she turns around. WHY WOULD I SAY IT LIKE THAT?! I SOUNDED SO MEAN! HE PROBABLY HATES ME NOW! I’m so dumb and stupid and I hate myself and ahhhhhhh!

In contrast, he found himself only able to stare dumbfounded, until the realization that she was about to leave dawned and panic flooded his system. WAIT WAIT WAIT I WASN'T READY FOR THIS!?! SHE'S ABOUT TO LEAVE! HURRY! TELL HER YOU’D LOVE TO, AND YOU WANNA GO FOR SOME FOOD IN THE TOWN SOMETIME TOO, OR JUST WALK AROUND AND HOLD HER HAND AND CALL HER YOUR ROSE!!! 

“…..Very well.” Nodding, he spoke only two words as he watched her back.

Leaving the room, Thora walked down the hallway, walked down the hall, almost in tears. “Go on a date with me, see, it’s not hard at all…..”

Slapping her cheeks, she twitches her ears, hopefully, he doesn’t think she’s some ungrateful jerk! She loved his gift and wished she could keep it, but staying in the same academy as him….was far more important to her….

Meanwhile, in the room, he was ecstatic! She wanted to get drinks with him again! That was a start, right? Does that mean she wants to be friends?! MAYBE THIS COULD BE MY IN! I COULD HAVE FRIENDS!!! AND WITH HER OF ALL PEOPLE! THIS IS THE- huh?

As he flailed his arms a bit in excitement, he noticed something on his hand, from the glimpse he got it was some kind of strange black lines on his hand, upon actually looking at it, she had written the words ‘Feel better soon!’ on his palm.

Irving stared at the writing for a long time, before his face flushed a dark red, she’d taken the liberty of writing on his right hand, and thus, he found himself thinking of her words in a very, very different way than he knew she intended……

“I’m going to feel better than better…..”