“Milo Anani, right?” 

Milo looked up from his equation to see the rather infamous drow he had run up to help a few weeks before. The one who had approached him after his presentation. Wait; half-drow. His ears were shorter than those of the few other drow he had encountered, and his skin was lighter, but that may have been on account of the thousands of white freckles that covered it. “I- yes? Can I help you?” 

He shrugged casually, an easy grin on his face. “I need a homework buddy; all of my friends are at a party, but I have an assignment to finish. Your presentation the other day was, well, quite inspiring, I must say. May I join you?” 

Milo felt heat rise to his cheeks - he usually went to the library to be alone, he enjoyed the silence and the feeling of being invisible. Besides, he wan't used to being smiled at so coyly. “Oh! Thank you. And sure, I mean- yeah, yeah, sit down.” 

The drow- 

No

“May I ask your name?” 

The boy across from him smiled and caught his gaze, piercing blue eyes making Milo feel nervous. “You may.”

“...”

“...”

“Oh! Ah, what's your name, then?” 

“Corym Bloom. Are you ok? You seem nervous. Don’t worry, I don’t bite, cutie, I just need advice on an assignment”.

Cutie? Milo hoped he wasn’t blushing. It had been a long time since he had been flirted with, and those blue eyes were almost too much. It made him want to run away, to hide. Besides, Reyna had grown to dislike Corym especially openly since he broke her cousins heart. And yet... he didn’t know how to refuse. 

“I’m ok, yeah. Just- sit down. What do you need?” 

Corym sat near him and pulled out his notes. "Okay, I get geometry, but algebra is driving me crazy." The two discussed the rather simple assignment back and forth for a while, allowing Corym to get a large part of it done. Little by little, Milo's tention eased as he delved into explaining the math to the boy he was too shy to admit he recognised.

And who was truly horrible at algebra.

Eventually, the librarian had to usher them out. 

"I told you I was hopeless with numbers, 'tis my cross to bear." Corym remarked with a grin, packing his things in a simple bag. Milo noticed the patched holes in it - it was clearly well-loved, but not able to be replaced.

"When you said you're hopeless at maths, I didn't think it would be that bad". Milo found himself teasing. "Why take this course if you study literature?"

Corym shrugged. "During your presentation, I realized I know nothing about maths. I figured it can't be that difficult, so I signed up for a course, much to my regret."

"Sounds torturous."

"Then let me say it's your fault for inspiring me."


The pair continued their light banter while making their way through the hallways, towards the university dorms.

Milo's heart started racing when he noticed Corym seemed to be following him. He was suddenly too aware of his reputation; how he would ask people on outings just to get what he wanted, how he had no issues flirting with anyone who passed by. Milo did not want to be one of his targets. He didn’t want Corym to follow him, especially not where people were sure to notice. Sure, his opinion of him had slowly changed over the hours they worked on the assignment together - maybe they could become friends? But he was afraid of what could have been on Coryms' mind. If it was anything like he heard from others -

Milo stopped in front of his room, turning around. “Why did you follow me? I have a girlfriend. I think.” 

Corym laughed out. “You think?” 

“It’s- I mean... It's quite complicated...” 

“Yikes.”

“Indeed… anyway, again, why did you follow me? I'm not letting you in, if that's...” 

Corym pointed further down the hall. “My room is further that way. It was nothing but a coincidence.”

Milo's stomach dropped in a deep sense of shame. Enough times had he been the subject of false assumptions. “Oh, oh I’m so sorry I-” 

“It’s alright, though I wish that bit of my reputation didn’t precede me.” Corym looked down the hallway, arms crossed.

“I- I’m so sorry for assuming...” Milo managed, his face burning with shame. He swore under his breath. "Sh*t, that was awful of me." 

“It's not your fault. Besides, yes you’re all kinds of cute, but I’m not looking for anyone at the moment. Gonna take a break from all of, well, that.” 

Milo considered the boy in front of him. He didn’t seem to be lying, at least. But all kinds of cute?.. He didn't know how to acknowledge that. “Are you okay? You know, after the other day?” 

“This evening was useful, do you think we can meet again tomorrow so I can finish the assignment and have a chance of passing?” Corym replied, ignoring Milo's question.

Milo exhaled and looked for an excuse, but had no reason to refuse. He wanted to spend time alone, but then again, he couldn't help but find Corym intriguing, in a way he hadn't expected. He had a reputation, that was true, but spending that evening with him… he didn’t see any reason to be wary of him. Even if the rumors were true, it didn't have to mean, well, anything.

Besides, there was no harm in making possible friends. 

“Sure. You don’t have plans on a Friday night?” 

“Was supposed to have a date but after that scene in the dining hall, he called it off.”

“Ah… Sorry.”

Corym broke into a grin. “Stop being sorry for things that aren’t your fault, Milo”.

Milo chuckled. “It’s been a bad habit for years”. He felt a smile creep onto his face, and supressed it.

“That grin there is much more endearing than your apologies, why do you hide it?”

Milo's eyes widened. Never had anyone pointed out his habits so clearly. Still, he felt his cheeks warm, and he couldn't help but start chuckling nervously. “I - just - ugh, do you talk like that to everyone?” 

“'Like that' how?” 

“All the… compliments”.

Corym chuckled. “Only to those who deserve it. Rather be honest about people's positive traits; it’s better than being insulted for things they have no control over”.

Milo knew how much Corym was insulted in the school for being a drow in a city where they were all but illegal. “Yeah. That’s a nice way to put it. I’m-”

“Don’t say sorry.”

Milo held back another grin. “When I tell you it’s a bad habit.”

Corym laughed quietly. “Keep working on that. And try the honesty thing, your maybe-girlfriend might like that. Being honest to yourself will probably help, too.” 

“Well then, honestly, I don’t know how long that’s going to last.” 

... Why did he tell him that? Even Micheal didn’t know about his doubts about his almost-relationship.  

“Maybe it’s not meant to be, then. Stars know none of my experiences ever were. I’m getting tired of it.” 

Milo inhaled quietly, surprised by the quiet admission.

"I ah, also wanted to thank you." Corym said, looking away. "You know, for checking up on me the other day. People usually don't, or just say I deserved whatever happened." 

Milo remembered Micheal's very same reaction. "Of course." He struggled to find more words. "I-... I mean, you're welcome."  

Corym looked up at Milo and took a few steps back. “Well, good luck with your maybe-girlfriend-situation… thing. If you get it solved by tomorrow I swear I’ll hand in my assignment as-is and let the winds determine its fate.” 

“That would be a disaster,” Milo commented, waving goodbye. "... Rest well."

He never expected for that reputation to hide so much kindness.