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Lucy darted furtive glances at Orion, hoping he wouldn't catch on to her wandering thoughts.
But of course, he did. Orion, with his signature sharp perception, couldn't help but notice Lucy's growing discomfort. He leaned closer, his voice a teasing whisper, "Something on your mind, Lucy?"
She gulped, her face an even brighter shade of red. "No! Nothing! Just...you know, science," she mumbled, avoiding his gaze.
He chuckled softly, leaning in even closer, his lips nearly brushing her ear. "Oh? Thinking about the flexibility and rigidity of polymers, are we?" he whispered, an evident smirk in his voice.
Lucy bit her lip, flustered. "Orion!" she hissed. Her eyes narrowed slightly, her tone playfully warning. "Don't you dare..."
He leaned back, grinning wickedly. "What? Just discussing the subject at hand. Nothing wrong with that, right?"
Lucy huffed, crossing her arms. "You're impossible," she muttered under her breath.
Orion's smirk grew. "That's what they all say," he replied nonchalantly.
Lucy tried to steer the conversation back to safer grounds. "Anyway," she started, attempting to sound stern, "we should focus on the experiment."
Orion nodded, still chuckling. "Of course, partner," he emphasized the last word, making Lucy blush once more.
"Two can play this game, Orion," Lucy puffed after a while, her challenging gaze meeting his.
"Oh really?" Orion smirked, his cerulean eyes glinting with mischief. "Let's see how you're going to make me blush with polymers. They do resemble some other female organ too, right?"
Lucy blinked, taken aback for a split second. She had always known Orion for his audacity, but to steer the conversation in such a direction was unexpected. A daring smirk stretched across her face. "Ah, Orion. I see you're not one to back down from a challenge."
She leaned in, her voice barely above a whisper, matching his earlier intimate tone. "Ever considered the polymer resembling the female mammary glands, given their elasticity and the way they change in structure over time?"
Lucy's challenging retort left Orion momentarily speechless. He tilted his head, lips twitching in amusement. The playful gleam in his eyes grew even brighter.
"Well," he started, his voice dripping with mischief, "that's an... interesting observation. But while elasticity is an inherent property of certain polymers, it's also true of, say, human skin. And as for structural changes over time, well, doesn't that apply to... many things?"
Lucy blinked, her cheeks heating up further. She was treading on dangerous ground here, and she knew it. "Yes, but... I was talking about how they... adapt to situations. Like how they... um, change with temperature?"
Orion suppressed a grin. "And what temperature are you referring to, Lucy? The temperature in this room, or perhaps... a more intimate setting?"
Lucy's blush deepened, her voice faltering slightly. "I... That's not what I... You're twisting my words, Orion!"
"Am I?" Orion smirked, leaning in closer. The proximity was unnerving, and Lucy had to resist the urge to lean back. "Or perhaps I'm just stringing them together, like monomers into a polymer."
Lucy rolled her eyes, though her grin betrayed her enjoyment of the teasing banter. "That was cheesy."
"Cheesy, but apt," he retorted with a wink.
Suddenly, Momo's voice broke into their banter, her tone feigned innocence. "You know, some polymers can also be incredibly sticky."
Lucy's face burned as she realized their teacher had overheard their suggestive banter. Orion, however, didn't skip a beat. He grinned at Momo, the mention of 'sticky' in their current suggestive banter clearly reminding him of other meanings – like certain intimate fluids. He turned to look at Momo with a glint in his eyes.
"Well, Ms. Yaoyorozu," Orion began, his tone dripping with mischief. "In the realm of chemistry, 'sticky' has many interpretations. Much like... the elasticity of polymers, wouldn't you agree?"
Momo's lips twitched, and her mature face was painted with an amused expression. She held her composure remarkably well, her voice even. "Indeed. And, much like polymers, it's always intriguing to see the different reactions one can achieve by mixing certain elements together."
Lucy groaned internally. Why did they have to be so overtly flirtatious, especially in a classroom setting? Yet, she couldn't help but admire Momo's grace and wit in responding to Orion's provocations. He's really met his match, Lucy mused, her thoughts drifting.
Hinata, who was seated nearby, blinked in confusion. "Did I miss something?" she mumbled to Yuuki, who merely shrugged, equally befuddled.
"I think they're talking about the properties of polymers... mostly," Yuuki whispered back.
Orion leaned against the table, his relaxed posture clearly indicating his confidence. "I've always found chemistry intriguing," he began, his voice low and suggestive. "The way elements come together, the bonds formed... sometimes strong, sometimes fleeting. It's almost poetic."
Momo arched an eyebrow, her posture mirroring Orion's relaxed confidence. "Indeed, Orion. But remember, even the most volatile reactions can produce the most beautiful results. However, they can also be explosive."
"Are they... flirting?" Mizore whispered to Mikasa, her eyes wide with surprise.
Mikasa smirked, leaning closer. "Orion doesn't shy away from anything, remember?"
Morgiana, watching from the side, couldn't help but roll her eyes. "This is supposed to be a Chemistry class," she muttered, slightly annoyed, to Saeko, who chuckled softly.
Meanwhile, Lucy was growing increasingly flustered by the exchange. "Alright, alright, let's just focus on the task at hand!" she interjected, trying to steer the conversation back to the experiment.
Orion shot her a wink, making her cheeks redden further. "Of course, Lucy. I'm always up for some... hands-on learning."
Momo cleared her throat, fighting back a smile. "Very well then. Let's see if your synthesis matches your banter, Orion."
He laughed, the sound echoing around the room. "Challenge accepted, Ms. Yaoyorozu."
As Orion and Lucy delved back into their experiment, the rest of the room resumed their tasks, the atmosphere still tinged with electricity from the playful exchange.
Luna leaned over to Aurora, whispering, "Think he'll ever be able to make our teacher blush?"
Aurora smirked. "Orion lives by doubling back. If she tries to get a rise out of him, he'll return the favor twice as hard."
Levy, working with Vivi, giggled. "This class has more chemistry outside the beakers than in them," she remarked, earning a chuckle from her partner.
The class went on, the sound of bubbling solutions and scribbling pens filling the room. Orion and Lucy, having somewhat settled into their work, occasionally exchanged glances and soft murmurs. Their playful banter might have been doused for now, but the undercurrent of mutual admiration and teasing remained.
Momo, for her part, couldn't help but admire Orion's tenacity. He truly is a force to be reckoned with, she thought, her gaze lingering on the young man who continued to surprise her with his audacity and wit.
As the lesson drew to a close, the students began cleaning up their stations. Momo made her way to Orion and Lucy's table. "I hope today's lesson was... enlightening," she said, her voice betraying a hint of amusement.
Orion grinned, meeting her gaze squarely. "More than you can imagine, Ms. Yaoyorozu."
She smiled back, a hint of mischief in her eyes. "Looking forward to our next lesson then. And remember, chemistry is all about reactions."
With that, she turned away, leaving a trail of whispers and chuckles in her wake. The bell rang, signaling the end of the class, but the conversations and laughter carried on, students exchanging glances and comments about the electrifying lesson they had just witnessed.
Orion, gathering his things, turned to Lucy. "Same time next week?"
She smirked. "Only if you promise to keep the chemistry strictly in the beakers."
He chuckled, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. "No promises," he whispered, leading them out into the hallway. The day had been full of unexpected reactions, but Orion was always ready to embrace the unpredictable nature of life... and chemistry.
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