Snow smiled opening his arms to the sides.
"The one and only."
Victoria's mouth dropped as she stared at him struggling to say anything.
Snow chuckled and came close to her, bringing his arms around her and pulling her into a hug.
"Long time no see." He whispered in her ear playfully
That seemed to snap her out of her reverie as she pushed herself away from him glaring at him with a red face. "Y-You!"
Snow broke into a chortle as he looked at her satisfied with himself that he managed to break the composed mask she liked to wear.
Victoria on the other hand started to look increasingly pissed off as she looked at him laughing at her. Finally deciding she had enough of it she pulled out her rapier and quickly stabbed it at Snow's head once again.
However, Snow seemed to already be expecting this to happen as another hexagonal shield block her attack, prompting her to launch another, and another, turning into a flurry of attacks.
Snow appeared to be satisfied with merely block her attacks however as every attack of hers was swiftly and promptly countered by a shield.
This only appeared to leave Victoria more frustrated. as she intensified her attacks increasing their speed and frequency.
Unnoticed to her, however, Snow had begun leading her in the direction of one of the less used student bars in the school, only continuing to grin as he countered her attacks.
Fortunately, or unfortunately depending on who you asked, Victoria couldn't keep this pace up forever and before long she stopped her attacks, taking deep breaths as she attempted to bring her breathing back under control, pointedly turning her back to Snow.
He didn't appear to mind though, as he approached her and hugged her neck gently laying his head on hers. "Missed you too."
Victoria seemed to freeze for a moment before she let her body leaned back against Snow without saying anything.
They stood like that, in comfortable silence for a few seconds before Victoria pulled away, Snow reluctantly letting her do so with a wry smile that he quickly hid when she turned around.
Victoria looked at Snow with a conflicted look, nostalgia swimming around in her eyes as she looked at him, accompanied by a hint of fondness, that was expertly hidden away. She opened her mouth before closing it right after carefully choosing what to say.
"How...have you been?"
Snow gave her a look before chuckling and walking past her, letting her follow beside him as they walked at a comfortable pace.
"Not bad, can't really say I've been well, after all, the border's not a pretty place."
Victoria seemed to grimace at that before Snow continued.
"But like I said it hasn't been all that bad, got to meet interesting people, learn new things, see new sights."
"I see…"
Victoria glanced at him before asking.
"Why didn't you come to see me the times that you returned? I…" She trailed off.
Snow glanced down finding it uncharacteristic of her, before hesitating to answer for a moment until he opened his mouth, gaze turning reminiscent.
"I was… I thought that it'd be better that away, for all I knew I could have died at any moment while I was at the border."
Victoria's breathing hitched and her hands clenched tightly as she listened to his words, Snow didn't notice, however, lost in his memories he chuckled seeming to find it funny.
"Of course the chances of that happening were low, while Father may not have said it I knew that he had taken countless precautions for my safety when he sent me there, but that didn't mean a fluke couldn't happen. A stray spell, a skilled assassin, or being isolated from my squad, either one of those could have easily caused my death. So I… thought it was better that away."
Snow finished speaking and Victoria's steps stopped prompting Snow to stop as well, looking at her worriedly.
"You…"
Victoria's body seemed to tremble as she looked down with her hands clenched at her sides.
"Vic-"
She looked up at Snow at that moment, a raging tearful expression on her face as she raised her hand-
*SLAP*
And slapped him, leaving Snow stunned.
"Stupid obtuse-" *SLAP*
And slapped him again.
"-Brainless fucking MORON!"
*SLAP*
And again.
"Do you realize how confused I was? I had thought I did something bad! That you had stopped liking being with me! I thought I was part of the reason you went away!"
Her words seemed to snap him out of it as Snow's eyes widened and he quickly brought her into a tight hug, leaving Victoria only able to slam her fist weakly on his chest, crying all the while.
"I thought…"
"I'm sorry…" That was the only thing he could say as he listened to her accusations, repeating the words again and again with every new thing she said, the both of them growing quieter and quieter as time passed until they both fell silent, only Victoria's faint sobs filling the corridor.
Eventually, Victoria's sobs stopped and she pushed Snow away, looking to the side with a small blush on her face.
"I...I forgive you."
Snow smiled in relief at her words until she turned to him and fixed him with a glare that seemed to have some unknown force behind it.
"But if you do something like this, I swear I'll hunt you down to ends of the world."
Snow blinked at her words before chuckling and nodding, feeling happy inside.
"Alright."
"Good."
The tension that had been there seemed to dissipate into nothing at that moment as they both became unsure of how to act now that the heat had dissipated away.
Snow decided to start walking in the bar's direction once more and Victoria followed beside him, both walking silently all the way.
When the two arrived there, they saw a few odd people, but they were all upperclassmen.
One of the corners of Snow's lips raised as he thought about it. It would only be after the first competition that people from their year would find this place.
Snow picked a table and sat down, Victoria sitting opposite to him.
A waiter approached them shortly after, and they ordered after looking at the menu. Snow ordered a Cappuccino and Victoria a cup of hot chocolate. The waiter left as soon as he had their orders, leaving the two alone, falling into silence once again.
Snow let out a sigh after a while.
"You know… I get that we just had a tense moment and all that, but… is this really necessary?"
Victoria turned to look at him a conflicted look for a moment before letting out a sigh herself.
"I suppose not. Is there anything you wanted to talk about?" She asked with an awkward look on her face.
Snow looked at her face for a moment before letting out a short laugh, quickly suppressing it with a cough. However, a smile remained on his lips, to Victoria's annoyance.
"I might as well ask what happened in your class for you to be involved in a fight already, I thought you had cooled down after all this time, but it seems like you're just as hot-tempered as I remember you." He shamelessly rubbed his cheeks, where she had slapped him as if reminding her of it.
Strangely his cheeks weren't red… Maybe he was that thick-skinned?
Victoria blushed lightly. "I'm not hot-tempered! I just… stand my ground."
Snow raised an eyebrow at her. "And why did you see the need to, 'stand your ground', this time?"
Her expression darkened as she remembered what happened and shook her head. "It was something stupid. It's better to forget it."
He blinked his eyes at her words feeling surprised that she'd dodge the subject, but decided to drop it after a moment of thought.
He had a feeling that this matter wasn't too simple, not to mention that it happened in the class opposing his, if he tried to interfere it would probably raise more problems than it solved.
"Alright."
"Thanks."
Snow smiled and decided to ask her the same question she had asked him before.
"So, how have you been."
Victoria raised her gaze to his face for a moment before looking out the window absentmindedly.
"Nothing much, training, studying, social gatherings all of that takes most of my time. Any free time I have is usually spent on the piano."
"Your mom's still as strict as ever, huh?"
Victoria hummed in agreement and Snow smirked.
"I'm surprised you still play the piano though."
Her eyes turned to him, and she gave him the stink-eye.
"I enjoy it. It's… releasing." Her gaze turned teasing as she focused on Snow. "What about you, do you still sing?"
His expression turned a bit awkward. "If the occasion allows it…"
"Heee…" Victoria looked at him with a teasing smirk until Snow let out a sigh.
"There's... something we need to talk about."
Victoria's expression turned serious at his tone of voice, waiting for what he had to say.
"We won't be able to speak to each other while we're in opposing classes, unless the situation allows it, of course, that's why I came to find you, I didn't want to let any misunderstandings between us evolve into a permanent problem due to lack of communication."
Victoria frowned gnawing on the inside of her lips before she let out a sigh herself.
"I suppose it can't be helped. I can only hope chance will be on our side next time…"
Snow nodded in silence.
"Either way, I want us to promise something."
Victoria looked up into Snow's eyes and Snow continued.
"No matter what happens in this competition, we won't let it affect our relationship."
Victoria looked at him with confusion on her face before nodding, as if this was only a matter of course.
Snow on the other hand smiled weakly as memories of her looking at him indifferently flashed past his mind. He lightly shook his head dismissing these memories.
That had been the consequence of his actions. Stupid and thoughtless, but his actions nonetheless. He wouldn't allow himself to follow such a path again this time.
While he was thinking that Victoria spoke, snapping him out of his thoughts.
"And what is our… nevermind."
'Our relationship', Snow finished in his mind.
He hesitated for a moment before deciding to keep silent, as much as he'd like to progress their relationship, now wasn't the right time.
Unfortunately, this caused silence to fall between the two once more.
The waiter brought their requests shortly after and when they finished they got up.
Just when they were about to go each their way Victoria spoke.
"Don't hold back."
Snow smirked but didn't look at her.
"Wouldn't dream of it."