Fae was a little sad that they were going to be changing partners this week. She had grown accustomed to having Durian around and contrary to what she had expected, he was a great partner to have. She still remembers the moments they had together, especially during their sparring sessions. They were supposed to practice fighting each other with their weapons and on this particular day Fae was having a particularly hard time.
A hint of guilt flickered across his face. Which seemed to confuse him even more. Why was he feeling guilty for hitting her? It's not like he was doing it out of spite. This was required of them, to practice fighting against another person so why did he feel like his actions just now were wrong? Though Durian didn't express his feelings, Fae could guess what he was feeling. Her eyes softened a bit as she looked at him.
What is this oaf feeling guilty about?
She reached out to touch his shoulder, a small smile on her face. "It's my fault for not guarding myself properly. Let's go again." She said as she grabbed her stick going back into a fighting stance. Durian looked at her in awe for a couple seconds before nodding his head and gripping his stick, prepared to engage in another round.
The two continued to fight and Fae had now regained her previous vigor, even having fun fighting with him. Durian was a skilled fighter with great talent and she found herself learning a lot from him. As Durian struck her with his axe, Fae tried to block the strike using the hilt of her sword but found herself being pushed back by the sheer force of his strike. Luckily she had anticipated this, and was able to regain her balance without falling over but because she had focused her attention on not falling over, she didn't notice that Durian was now pointing his own sword at her. He had won the spar and Fae could do nothing but accept defeat. Despite having lost, Fae didn't feel too bad, maybe because Durian hadn't held back.
She gave him a smile as she said, "It's my loss." Bowing her head in a respectful manner.
Durian was once again taken aback by her smile and let out a hesitant reply back. "R-right, it was an honor sparring with you."
Durian then gave some pointers and helped her with her blocking skills and how to parry effectively while Fae gave him some advice on how to improve his flexibility. The two had a good vibe going between the two of them as they felt themselves being more and more comfortable with their presence. Class ended and Fletcher had been eyeing the room trying to find Fae so they could leave together.
Finally seeing her, her eyes widened as she saw the sight before them. They looked really close to each other and Fae had a huge smile on her pretty face and Durian didn't look like he wanted to pummel her to the ground which surprised Fletcher. Though she had some reservations when it came to Durian, she could tell that he treated Fae well, actually better than most. She discreetly approached Fae once Durian left, pulling her to the side.
Looking at the cute cinnamon roll, Fletcher couldn't hide the mischievous glint in her eyes as she poked her plump cheeks saying in a teasing tone, "You like that big oaf don't you?"
She noticed a slight blush creeping up Fae's cheeks as she kept tugging at the hems of her shirt.
"There's no way I do!" She exclaimed.
"Riight~" Fletcher didn't sound too convinced by her words, but she also didn't want to push her either. She herself wasn't sure if Fae had a crush on Durian or not. She was the only girl here who didn't look uncomfortable or scared to be around Durian. There was also the possibility that Fae only liked Durian as a friend too. Guys and girls were able to form platonic relationships after all.
The two girls joined Kenneth as she had just finished packing up and the three decided they'd eat in their dorms today.
"I'm cooking today so you should join us." Fletcher suggested.
Fae agreed and the three girls spent time together, laughing, chatting and listening to pointers about fighting given by Kenneth.
Fae was glad she had the two as friends and was able to learn a lot from them. Taking the advice she had been given by Kenneth when fighting a bigger opponent, she decided to increase her speed and agility in order to block his hits.
She wasn't strong enough to take on Durian's attacks head on so the best she could do was dodge them and get a couple hits of her own.
As two weeks had gone by, Fae was getting better and better and her relationship with Durian improved a lot as well. They were spending their off times together and would often walk and sit next to each other in class as well. It was actually because of Durian that she also ended up getting closer to Nikolai and Wei Chen in turn.
Today was going to be the last day she would have Durian as a partner so she decided to give it her all for their last sparring session.
The two squared off as Fae assumed a fighting stance. Though he didn't verbalize it, the intensity in Durian's eyes made it clear he wanted her to strike first. Fae obliged and lunged forward. While she wasn't the strongest Fera in the class, her agility more than compensated for her lack of brute strength. She was quick on her feet, building momentum as she and Durian exchanged blows. Fae landed a few hits during the spar, but fatigue began to set in, and Durian started to gain the upper hand. Ultimately, he won the match with a decisive move that sent Fae sprawling to the ground. As she lay there, Durian crouched down and extended his hand to help her up. Fae hesitated but eventually reached out, and he effortlessly pulled her to her feet. Her eyes widened when he did something unexpected: he gently brushed the dust from her cheek, remnants from her tumble.
Looking up, she caught the expression on his face—confusion mingled with a flicker of affection in his gaze. His other hand moved to the corner of her lips, tenderly tracing the soft skin with his rough fingertip.
Fae felt her breath catch in her throat as her heart began to race. A sudden jolt of surprise made her lips part slightly. Durian's full attention focused on her lips, eyes filled with a concealed hunger. It seemed he wanted to devour her then and there, but the hesitation in his golden gaze softened her heart. She couldn't quite wrap her head around how sweet this big oaf was being; it was so uncharacteristic of him to show such gentleness. Those same hands that had pummeled his opponents were now comforting her. The intensity of his gaze made her tremble, as if she were the only thing that mattered to him. And in that moment, she found herself doing something equally unexpected.
Fae rose onto her toes and wrapped her arms around him, pulling him into a hug. She felt his body stiffen in shock, but she didn't care. All she felt was the warmth radiating from him, drawing her in even closer. It took a moment for Durian to recover, but slowly he wrapped his arms around her waist, resting his head on hers. They remained like that for what felt like an eternity, enjoying the intimacy of the moment.
Though she wasn't sure why they were embracing, Fae felt no regret. She recalled Fletcher's words from earlier: "You like that big oaf, don't you?"
At the time, she had firmly said no, insisting she didn't feel that way about Durian. But if Fletcher were to ask her the same question now, she wasn't sure she could give the same answer. Confusion swirled in her mind. Was she even allowed to like someone as amazing as Durian? And if he found out, would he feel the same way?
Her heart started to throb as she imagined a scenario where he rejected her. She didn't think she'd be able to take it if he did.
Maybe I shouldn't tell him how I feel. She thought.
The two separated from each other and Durian could notice the look of distress on Fae's face.
"What's wrong?" He asked her. Durian couldn't help but think she didn't like the hug they had just shared.
Fae shook her head as her smile returned to her face. "It's nothing." She reassured him.
Durian nodded his head, clearing his throat."Well, we should get going now."
Fae nodded in agreement as they packed their things and left the training room. Durian held the door open for her, which made her smile.
They walked down the long hallway in comfortable silence. A few students passed by, and Fae noticed the stares Durian received from the girls around them.She couldn't help but look at him with a complicated expression. Durian was tall and well-built, typical for a Fera, but there was something about him that set him apart from the other guys. Maybe it was his shaggy hair, which looked effortlessly tousled, or his piercing golden eyes that held a certain intensity, giving him an almost charming allure. His well-defined features only added to his attractiveness.
Fae wasn't sure why she was only now realizing how handsome he was, but warmth crept into her cheeks as she stared. When Durian noticed her gaze, he turned to her with a puzzled expression.
"What is it?" he asked.
Without thinking, she blurted out, "You're really handsome."
It took a moment for her to register her own words, and she immediately saw the shock on his face. Her brown skin flushed a deep red as embarrassment washed over her. She wanted nothing more than to disappear.
"I-I…" Durian stammered, his ears turning a shade of red as well. Fae couldn't help but swoon at how cute he looked in that moment.
They fell into an awkward silence, unsure of what to say next. Luckily, they were approaching the dorms, and they would soon part ways. As Fae hurriedly said goodbye, eager to escape the awkwardness, she felt a sudden tug from Durian, pulling her back.
Fae was startled by the force with which Durian pulled her back, ready to protest when her words were silenced by something warm pressing against her lips. Fae's mind went blank and it took her a very long time to process what was happening to her at that moment. Durian's warm and musky scent filled her nose and she could feel the skin at the small of her back burning.
I am being kissed right now right? He's kissing me right?! I'm not hallucinating?
The kiss ended just as quickly as it had started. Durian brusquely pulled away from her and Fae stood there frozen in shock.
THAT'S IT?!