Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

Art by @aerequets

The day was so lovely that Yor had to hold herself back from skipping along the path. Instead, she contented herself with humming her favorite lullaby as she strolled to the cafe on campus. 

It was the first day of the spring semester, and the students had finally returned from winter break. Yor’s heart felt warm seeing all the kids out and about again, filling in their seats at the various outdoor tables with their friends. Campus had been far too quiet without them.

This was Yor’s second semester at University of Berlint. As she followed the familiar path to her favorite cafe, she held her shoulders high, waving to some classmates across the road as she went. Her confidence was a far cry from her first semester, back when she was terrified of getting lost on campus everyday.

She knew Yuri was so proud of her—she would have to call him later. Her little brother had gone on his first trip with his college roommates, so he and Yor hadn’t been able to see each other much over winter break. Although she missed him, Yor was so pleased that he was finally making friends. Her baby brother wasn’t a baby anymore.

Hugging her books to her chest, she grinned. Life was looking up for the Briar siblings.

A bluejay swooped in past her, chittering excitedly before taking perch on a nearby branch. Over winter break, the remaining leaves on the trees had all dispersed. There was a solemn beauty to their bare branches, arms extending hungrily towards the sky. In just a few months, new buds would form, and life would return.

Angling her phone upwards, Yor framed the branches against the slightly overcast sky and snapped a picture. She clicked two icons on her phone—her brother, and her best friend, Melinda—to share it with them.

The cafe sat in the center of campus, nestled in a cocoon of trees and greenery. With its large windows, ample seating, and delicious food, it was an oasis for tired students. Yor felt her shoulders relaxing at the sight of the familiar building.

As Yor opened the door, the buzz of chatter surrounded her. Around the cafe, students were catching up about their winter break, working on assignments, or taking a break to enjoy some coffee. Yor smiled gently at the looks on their faces, some eagerly gesturing to their friends, others intently focused on the computer screen in front of them; they all reminded her of Yuri.

The line was a little longer than usual, wrapping around the counter and ending near the front door, but Yor didn’t mind waiting. She took the extra time to peruse their menu, noting some new additions that were made over winter break, and looking over the ready-made food options. After some thought, she decided on their vanilla scone and a lavender latte.

The door opened behind her, and Yor looked to see who it was. She caught a glimpse of a well-dressed man with a briefcase who briskly walked in and got in line behind her. Yor turned back to face the front, looking at the pastries again. Her stomach rumbled a bit. After enrolling in university, she had gone from rarely indulging in baked goods as a treat for her and Yuri on her paydays, to enjoying them whenever she wanted. Her breakfasts nowadays were a far-cry from the protein-packed meals that her highschool shot put coach urged her to consume, and she was perfectly happy with that.

As she moved up in the line, she heard the sound of a shoe quietly tapping on the floor behind her. Gradually, the tapping sound grew louder. Yor glanced behind her again. 

The well-dressed man was looking at the menu with a slight frown. He looked at his watch, then back at the menu. He sighed heavily, crossing his arms.

The man was tall, with tousled blonde hair and broad shoulders. His blue sweater looked expensive, and it reminded her of the sweaters that Melinda’s ex-husband used to wear in their old photos. Maybe he was a grad student, or a young professor? He was extremely handsome. 

Yor flushed. What was she thinking? It was rude to stare at a stranger for this long.

But as she noticed the man’s expression become more and more pinched, she made up her mind.

“Excuse me?” 

The man’s head whipped over. Sharp eyes, and a striking shade of blue. Yor caught her breath, before finding her voice.

“U-um, if you’re in a rush…” Why was she stammering? She swallowed. “You’re welcome to skip ahead of me.”

“Oh!” His eyes widened. Then he rubbed his neck, looking away. Yor winced. She hadn’t meant to embarrass him…

When he looked back, he must have seen the concern on her face. He shot her a reassuring smile. “That’s too kind of you, but really, there’s no need. I’ll make it to my meeting on my time—I’m just used to getting there early. But thank you.” His voice was low and soothing. Was it possible to also have a handsome voice?

Yor nodded, not wanting to bother him any more. She also worried that she was staring at him like an idiot. “No worries at all.” She dipped her head and quickly turned back to the front, hoping that by the time she was at the front of the line, her social skills would return to her.

After some time had passed, she surreptitiously touched her ears. They were still burning, and Yor was thankful they were hidden under her hair. She wondered if the handsome man behind her was looking at her, but she willed herself to remain in place.

Soon, it was her turn in line. After placing her order with her cashier — “a small lavender latte and a vanilla scone, please” —she rummaged in her purse for her wallet. No matter how often she organized its contents, it always became messy again in a matter of days. There was a hole in the corner of the bag…she needed to fix that before it got any bigger…

As she finally located her wallet and pulled it out triumphantly, she overheard the conversation next to her.

“I’m sorry, sir, we don’t have any vanilla scones left.”

“Oh, I see.” It was the handsome man from earlier. He looked down at the menu in front of him, and pointed. “What about the blueberry scone?”

“Sorry, sir, we’re out of that too.”

“Ah. Then, the cranberry muffin?”

“I’m so sorry sir, we don’t have any muffins left either. A lot of students stopped by earlier in the morning, which is why our inventory is running low. Could I offer your our pecan pie pastry?”

The man’s shoulders sagged. “Ah, I’m sorry, that wouldn’t work — I’m allergic to pecans.”

The cashier apologized profusely. The handsome man raised his hands in a placating gesture, smiling genially at the employee. “It’s alright. I understand. It’s not your fault. I’ll just take a black coffee then, no pastry.”

As the cashier thanked the man for his understanding, Yor’s cashier brought her the latte and the scone she had ordered. Before her brain could register what she was doing, Yor’s hand moved and slid her plate with the vanilla scone over to the man.

The handsome stranger looked up at her, tilting his head in confusion.

Yor coughed, clearing her throat, which had suddenly closed up when he looked at her. “You can take mine.” 

His eyes widened. He backed up, shaking his head. “Oh no, I couldn’t possibly. You ordered it first.”

Yor pushed the plate closer to him. “Please, I insist. I also like the pecan pastry.” Frowning, the man opened his mouth to refuse. “It would make me happy to give it to you,” she finished, voice gentle.

After a few moments, he hesitantly took the plate. “I…thank you.” His eyes were a paler shade of blue than she had thought, like the sky in Berlint on a winter day. Then he looked directly at her, voice serious. “But you must let me pay for your food, in return.” 

The solemn look on his face told Yor that she wouldn’t be able to argue her way out of this, and she hid her giggle behind a hand. “That sounds like a deal to me.” His resulting grin made her feel like she was melting into a puddle.

After paying for their food, the handsome man carried all their food to a table, shaking off her efforts to help. She trailed behind him, trying not to stare too much at his strong back.

“Well, thank you so much again…” His comment was interrupted by a soft ping and he glanced at his watch. “Oh. Well, it would have been helpful to know that 10 minutes ago.” He muttered, a crease forming in his brow. 

At Yor’s curious look, he explained, “I just got a message that my meeting got cancelled.” He laughed, rubbing his neck. “I guess I was in a rush for nothing.” He paused for a second, then turned to her, a question in his eyes. “Is it alright if I join you?”

“Oh! Of course!” She jumped up and gestured wildly at the chair next to her, like some sort of animal pantomiming being a human. Great job, Yor. You look totally normal right now.

He smiled and sat down. Clearly, he was kind enough to ignore how much of an inept idiot she was.

“I’m Loid, by the way. It’s nice to meet you.” He extended a hand out, and she took it.

Hoping her hand wasn’t getting sweaty, she managed, “It’s nice to meet you too. I’m Yor.”

His grin grew. “That’s a beautiful name.” He shook her hand firmly, before letting go, taking his warmth with him. Yor was grateful that she was already seated, because her legs were wobbling like jello.

As they ate and talked, Yor learned that Loid was indeed a graduate student. A second-year PhD student, he was studying viral pathology under one of the university’s best professors, with the hopes of applying his research to his current work as a doctor. At her surprised look, he clarified that yes, he worked as a physician at the local Berlint Hospital while pursuing his PhD here at University of Berlint. 

Yor was stunned. Last semester during her finals, she felt like (and most likely resembled) a walking corpse, trudging through her mountains of notes every day and barely managing to respond to Yuri and Melinda’s texts. She couldn’t imagine handling the responsibilities of being a doctor and student at the same time. When she told him this, he waved off her praise with a self-conscious laugh, thanking her.

“Anyways, that’s enough about me. I assume you’re a graduate student too?”

“Oh, I’m actually a freshman.” At her reply, Loid’s eyes widened. 

Quickly, she gave her regular spiel — she had put her school on hold to work and care for her little brother, and at 27-years-old, finally decided to take the leap and fulfill her dream of attending college. As she explained, his shoulders visibly relaxed. Was he…relieved?

He replied, interrupting her thoughts and the staccato patter of her heart. “That’s incredibly impressive. I really admire you — both for caring for your family and not giving up on your dreams.”

She blushed furiously, shaking her head. “Oh no, I mean…my little brother had to pester me for years before I finally got the courage to go back to school.”

“Still, you were the one who made that choice.” His smile was oh-so-very warm and encouraging that her latte, which had long since cooled down, still felt hot in her stomach.

As they chatted about her adjustment to university life, Loid cut into his scone with a fork and knife. There was an elegant strength to how he held himself. His refined way of speaking and table manners reminded her of Melinda; she wondered if their families ran in the same circles. A strand of blonde hair fell in front of his eyes as they talked, and Yor had to force herself to stop staring as he carefully swept it back.

Loid inquired about her brother, to which Yor told him that Yuri was also a student here—a junior, in fact.

“So he’s your senior in school?” At his remark, she nodded. He raised an eyebrow, mouth quirking on one side. “How does he feel about that?”

“Oh, he hated it at first.” Her reply came out more blunt than she expected, but Loid laughed heartily. It was a beautiful, resonant sound that made Yor’s insides feel like they were tumbling around. “But now he loves being able to help me out.”

“It must feel great being able to give back to you, after all you did for him.” He looked warmly at her, and Yor sucked in her breath. “It’s how I feel being with my patients too.” Though it was only for a few moments, the chatter around them seemed to fade away as he held her gaze.

Before Yor could inquire more about his work, his watch pinged again.

Loid glanced at it, frowning slightly. “Shoot. I’ve been called to the hospital.” Maybe it was Yor’s imagination, but he sounded disappointed.

Picking up his empty plate and cup, Loid slowly got up from his seat. After hesitating for a second, Yor jumped up as well, heart pounding in her chest. He looked up at her, eyebrows raised. “I have to head to class as well. I’ll…walk out with you?”

A gentle smile formed on his lips. “That would be wonderful.”

Yor savored every moment as they returned their silverware to the counter, walking side by side as they did so. As they walked towards the door, she caught a few students staring at him and whispering to each other. She couldn’t blame them. When they glanced at her, she wondered if they thought she was his girlfriend. Her cheeks turned pink.

When they stepped outside the cafe, Loid turned to her.

“Thank you for the scone, and a lovely morning. I hope you enjoy your class.” His gaze held hers, eyes soft. 

“Oh! No, th-thank you for paying for everything.” Yor clasped her hands in front of her, eyes darting away from him. “I had fun, too.” She forced herself to look up at him, willing the flush in her cheeks to dissipate.

“I’m glad. I hope to see you around, Yor.” He dipped his head to her, holding her gaze for another moment, before spinning and walking briskly down the path.

It took Yor a few moments before she realized she was standing in the middle of the road, gaping after him. “See you!” she called out after his retreating form. She cringed at how loud her voice echoed in the pavilion; a few students near the library turned around to peer at her curiously.

From the end of the path, Loid turned around. He caught her gaze and grinned, raising a hand to wave at her. Dazed, she waved back, watching again as he turned the corner.

Hardly aware of her surroundings, Yor stumbled off to her class. She vaguely paid attention to the professor as she went over the syllabus, and overheard the chatter of her classmates about their winter break trips, but hardly processed what she heard. Her mind kept replaying moments from her conversation with Loid, a record tape on loop. It felt like she had left her brain back in the cafe.

The bright afternoon sun was beginning to soften by the time that Yor left the classroom. Once she got home and set her bags down, she collapsed on her bed, the nerves of that morning having drained her completely.

Checking her phone, she saw that both Yuri and Melinda had responded to her. 

Wow, sis, that photo is so pretty! You’re so good at taking photos ~ I miss you! Her brother ended the message with a kissing-face emoji, as usual. She could hear his excited voice while reading it, and smiled.

I love the trees this time of year. Excited to catch up tomorrow! Miss you. Melinda’s reply was elegant as always. The two of them had made plans to meet tomorrow and catch up. Melinda had been out of town all winter break visiting her family, and Yor had missed her friend.

Yor hugged her pillow to her chest, willing the fluttering sensations in her belly to go away. Maybe she could mention Loid to Melinda tomorrow…Yor grabbed her face, shaking her head. She had just met the man; they could hardly be considered friends at this point. There was no need to mention him. Besides, with how hectic his schedule was, there was no telling when—or if—she’d see him again.

Her shoulders sagged. That was right. Loid was a busy man, probably with a lot of people already in his life. For all she knew, he probably already had a girlfriend. With how handsome and successful he was, there was surely a long line of women interested in him. If she saw him again, she wondered if she could ask him—no, absolutely not. Loid seemed like a private person, and she had no right to pry, especially when they had only just met.

She pressed her face to the pillow, groaning. Rolling onto her back, she stared up at the ceiling.

Even if Loid did have a girlfriend and there were no hopes to be entertained with him, she was grateful that they had had the chance to talk. One year ago, she could have hardly imagined striking up a conversation with a stranger—a man , and a ridiculously handsome one, no less—and having it go well. She had grown so much since becoming a university student.

She remembered visiting Mr. McMahon back at Berlint High School a few weeks prior—how the normally stoic gentleman looked at her with such warmth, telling her, “You’re different, Yor.” The rare grin on his face told her that this “different” was a good thing. That her beloved teacher, who had seen her at her lowest moments, saw the positive change in her after just one semester at university, meant that she was moving in the right direction. 

An independent younger brother, a reliable best friend, and a kind, handsome stranger. Yor closed her eyes, placing a hand on her chest. Her world was only getting bigger and bigger. She wondered where she would be, one year from now—if Loid would be in her world, too.

She fell asleep quickly that night, dreaming of tousled blonde hair and piercing blue eyes.

Chapter Text

“And then, my parents made us all go on the ferris wheel to take a ‘family photo’—but Aunt Isabelle kept trying to get into the gondola with Aunt Hilda’s husband!”

Yor and Melinda were meeting up at their favorite spot in town, Bondman’s Bar & Grill. Marked by a charming, hand-lettered sign and their mascot of a fluffy white dog donning a black mask, the interior was just as cozy and charming as the outside. Bondman’s was a down-to-earth, no frills restaurant that served great quality food for even better prices—the exact place Melinda’s family would never frequent. It was why she liked it so much.

Over bites of their shared salads and burgers, Melinda filled Yor in on her ridiculous family vacation to Frigis (“the only place as dead and cold as our family’s hearts” her friend had mused with an eye roll), in which the least remarkable event was when an intoxicated relative tried to convince her to get back together with Donovan. Suffice to say, her friend was very relieved to be back on campus. 

Melinda was a first-year graduate student in the psychology department University of Berlint. She and Yor had met in their first semester, when they were assigned as partners in the Introduction to Cooking class. The two had hit it off immediately. However, after their first cooking assignment set off the fire alarm and prompted the entire building to evacuate, both ladies were removed from the class due to a “lack of space” (even though it was already the third week of classes.) 

Though their culinary studies had ended then, their friendship did not.

To Yor, meeting Melinda had been one of the best parts about going back to school. Yor had never truly formed close friendships before, even in her high school days. Though she had spent a lot of time with her track and field classmates, she struggled to bond with them outside of school. All this made her especially grateful for the friendship she found with Melinda.

Stirring her straw in her drink, Melinda updated Yor on how things were going at her lab. Research was going smoothly, but that wasn’t the news she had to share— apparently , the other day, she had met a cute guy in the lab’s coffee shop.

“He’s tall, funny, and so caring!” Melinda gushed, clapping her hands to emphasize each word. “Today, he stopped by my lab and brought me a latte, just the way I like it! I can’t believe he remembered my order.” She fanned herself, eyes dreamy.

Yor smiled. It was so nice to see Melinda get excited about a boy again. At one point, Melinda had confided in Yor that after her disastrous divorce, she didn’t think that she’d ever want to date again. From what Yor had heard about Donovan Desmond—she shuddered, remembering his dead-eyed stare in their wedding photo—she couldn’t blame Melinda at all.

And so it was all the more touching that Melinda, who had once given up any hopes of finding love again, was now sitting there with sparkling eyes, squealing about a boy she had met. Yor’s heart swelled in fond affection for her friend.

“So what about you?” Melinda leaned forward, eyes narrowing in mock suspicion. “Have you met any cuties yet?”

Yor jolted, almost knocking her drink over. Melinda arched an eyebrow, before grabbing Yor’s hand.

“I’ll take that as a yes. Give me all the details!”

Yor told Melinda all the details of her meeting with Loid yesterday—from her noticing him in line and offering her food to him, to him paying for their orders (at this, Melinda interjected with a squeal) and them enjoying a lovely conversation. At the end of Yor’s story, Melinda’s eyes were twinkling..

“Oh, I think he likes you, Yor.” She twirled her straw in her hand, nodding at Yor knowingly.

“Y-you think?” Yor looked down at her lap, where her hands were twisting together. “I don’t know…I mean, we just met…”

“But you like him, don’t you?”

“I—” she couldn’t find the words, heart stuttering in her chest. Melinda grinned and scooted in closer.

“Tell me more about him. What does he look like?”

Yor tried her hardest to describe Loid accurately without sounding like a lovestruck stalker, though the growing smirk on her friend’s face told her that she probably wasn’t doing the best job. “He was very refined, the way he spoke and everything. Like a prince.” Her cheeks flushed at the last part.

“Your prince?” Melinda teased her, wiggling her eyebrows.

“No!” Yor yelped. “I mean, um…” Melinda’s mischievous grin only grew. 

“Well, from what you’ve told me, I think you should definitely go for it.”

“I don’t know.” Yor sighed, shoulders drooping. “He probably has a girlfriend already. Or maybe he’s already married.” Yor wrung her hands in front of her. 

Melinda shrugged. “Maybe. Or maybe he’s single. There’s tons of single academics and doctors out there. My lab building is so full of them, you could probably cast them all the Bachelorette.” Yor giggled. “Besides,” Melinda continued, looking away thoughtfully. “He seems like the type of guy to be married to his work.”

“In any case,” Melinda turned back to face Yor. “This is all just conjecture. I say your first mission is to learn more about this Loid and find out if he is single or not.”

Yor blanched, shaking her head vigorously. “Oh no…I couldn’t possibly…how would I even…” She covered her face in her hands. “If I see him again, I don’t even think I could even act like a normal person. I’d just embarrass myself.” What if she saw him again at the cafe and started panicking? Maybe she could hide in the bushes if they crossed paths again…

When she removed her hands from her face, she saw Melinda smiling at her kindly. Reaching over, she gently took one of Yor’s trembling hands.

“Do you remember what you told me last semester? After I failed that interview.”

Yor immediately recalled. It had been near the end of the fall semester, and her friend had been on the hunt for student research positions. Melinda had been thrilled when she received an invitation to interview with her dream lab. If she got the research position, she would be able to study under one of the university’s best research psychologists. “I have to get it Yor,” she had declared over the phone, voice resolute. “I have to.” 

Yor knew that it wasn’t just about getting a job, or research experience. To Melinda, getting this position meant showing her overbearing family that she was capable of accomplishing great things on her own. Without them—and now, without Donovan.

So when Yor had received a forlorn text from her friend a few days later, she made her way to Melinda’s apartment as quickly as she could. On the couch, her friend sat with arms wrapped around her legs, eyes rimmed with red. 

“It’s not just that I didn’t get into my dream lab…” Melinda managed shakily. “I also got rejected by almost all of the other ones I applied to. There was always another student researcher more experienced than me.” Her voice broke at the end.

“Oh, Melinda.” Yor reached, folding her friend into a tight embrace. 

“Why am I never good enough?” As Melinda sobbed, Yor knew she wasn’t just talking about research positions anymore.

After Melinda’s tears subsided, Yor squeezed her friend’s hand.

“Melinda, you are one of the strongest people I know. You’ve survived everything that life has thrown at you.” Melinda sniffled, looking at her with watery eyes. “All of those awful family reunions, the hardest psychology course on campus—which you got an ‘A’ in!—and a divorce trial with someone I…honestly can’t describe as anything other than an asshole.” Melinda couldn’t hold back a laugh at Yor’s language. “Ugh. I feel gross just thinking about him right now,” Yor giggled. Melinda laughed even harder. 

Then Yor opened her eyes as wide as she could and drew her mouth down in her best impression of the accursed ex-husband, and Melinda nearly fell off the couch laughing.

“My point is, Melinda,” Yor continued, after the two of them had composed themselves. “You’ve gotten through all of that before. All of it. And I’ve seen firsthand how hard-working of a student before. I know,” she grabbed Melinda’s hand again, looking at her friend intently. “Someone—the right lab, and the right person—will see that too. I promise you.” 

“You’ll make it through this, Melinda.” Yor’s voice dropped to a whisper.

After some time, Melinda began to nod, and she squeezed Yor’s hand back.

“Thank you, Yor.” 

It wasn’t long after that painful day that Melinda ended up receiving an offer from one of her favorite professors to work in her lab—the very lab where she had been working before she and Yor met up today. Now, Melinda sat in front of Yor, eyes resolute. 

“Yor, I don’t know how I would’ve made it through that time without you.”

“Oh it was all you—” Yor started, but Melinda put up a hand.

“No, Yor. Seriously. I think I would’ve holed myself up in my apartment for the rest of the semester if you hadn’t talked to me.” She placed Yor’s hands in her own, leaning in close. “Now it’s my turn to help you out.”

“Yor, you are the strongest person I know. You’ve always been willing to try new things—going back to school, taking a new class,” her smile grew soft. “Making new friends.”

Melinda squeezed her hand. “Talking to a guy is that next new thing you’re going to try.” Yor opened her mouth to protest, but Melinda fixed her with a fierce stare. “Yes, you are. You’re beautiful, smart, and kind, Yor. The whole package. The next time you see Loid, you don’t need to be anyone but yourself. And if he doesn’t see how amazing you are, or if he is already taken, well then,” Melinda shrugged. “His loss. On to the next!” She pursed her lips, waving her hand breezily in the air.

“Now,” Melinda clapped a hand to Yor’s shoulder. “The next time you and your prince run into each other, I want you to talk to that man. Do you accept your mission?”

Yor was quiet. Then slowly, she began to nod. “Yes…I think I can do it.”

“I know you can do it.” Melinda’s voice became louder, eyes glinting with resolve. “Do you accept your mission?”

Yor squared her shoulders back, and threw her hand up in a mock-salute. “Aye-aye, captain!” She lowered her hand with a wince, when she saw a waiter from another table shooting them a concerned look.

Melinda blinked. “Wait, are we pirates now?”

More laughter, and cheerful chatter, emanated from their table, as the two friends passed their lunchtime with joy and comfort.

Yor took her time walking up the stairs of the familiar lecture hall. She had previously taken another kinesiology course here, so she was familiar with the building’s layout. Other undergraduate students hustled past her, face drawn in concentration—likely rushing to another building for their next class. Melinda had advised Yor first semester to space her classes out so as to avoid that very issue, and Yor was grateful she had taken her friend’s advice.

Room 3A. Checking the class details on her phone, she confirmed it was the right classroom. Yor smiled. It would be good to see Dr. Blackbell again; it was because of his encouragement last semester that she decided to go forward with declaring her major in kinesiology. 

She usually liked to sit in the middle of the classroom, where she could see the whiteboard clearly without straining her eyes. Humming, Yor scanned the rows of tables, one at a time…until she froze.

Sitting in the center row, near the window, was a familiar head of blonde hair. Presently, said-person was looking down at his notebook, scribbling something down quickly.

Just as Yor realized that she was standing there and staring at him dumbly, he looked up. 

“Yor?” His blue eyes were wide.

“Loid?”

“You’re in Kinesiology 301?”

“Oh, yes, I’m auditing the course. Wait, are you a kinesiology student?” Yor nodded mutely, reeling from seeing him so soon after her conversation with Melinda. He grinned, eyes crinkling as he did so. “That’s wonderful.”

As Yor tried to summon up a reply, she could hear a group of incoming students approaching the door. Hastily, she moved out of the way—and began walking in the direction of Loid. Oh no. Now she only had a few seconds to decide where to sit. In front of him? No, she didn’t want to block his sight. Behind him wouldn’t work either; it would be too hard for her to see the front. That left only one option…she gulped.

Before Yor could talk herself out of it, Loid took his briefcase off the chair next to him. He scooted some of his books on the table over to his side, then looked up at her. Oh.

Her heart leapt up, but Yor squashed it down immediately. Don’t get too excited. He’s just being polite.

But her cheeks flushed as she carefully slid into the seat next to him, heartbeat thrumming in her veins.

While she pulled her notebook out of her bag, Loid turned to her with a smile. “I didn’t expect to be in the same class as you, but I’m glad to see you again.” He was wearing a plum-colored sweater today that complemented his blonde hair. The afternoon light filtering in from the window framed his sharp jawline and strong shoulders, and made his hair look like it was glowing. A prince, indeed.

Yor blinked. Loid was looking at her curiously. Oh no—had he asked something while she was ogling him?

“Sorry! I got lost in thought,” she babbled. She pinched her leg, hoping it would re-open the flow of oxygen that clearly had been cut off from her brain. It did not. “Did you ask me something?”

“I was just wondering what made you decide to study kinesiology.” He rested his chin on his arm, gazing at her with what Yor pretended, for a brief moment, was a warmth reserved only for her. His sleeve slipped down a bit, revealing a silver watch. It looked expensive.

Yor briefly described one of her previous jobs working at the front desk of a physical therapy clinic, which eventually sparked her interest in kinesiology. One of the resident physical therapists had been impressed by her ability to address all the concerns of their many patients with a smile on her face. That, and her physical strength. Once, during a team get-together at the gym, Yor had been challenged to bench-press one of her co-workers. She then proceeded to pick up Larry—an amateur bodybuilder and wrestler—and cleanly perform a handful of reps, before gently setting the man down. Her team had quite the reaction. “I told them that I was too old to be a college athlete now, but that I’d definitely look into kinesiology.” She looked to Loid, nodding with a fond smile as she remembered her days at the clinic.

Loid blinked at her, mouth hanging open. “Yeah…that makes sense…” He seemed a bit dazed, and his eyes darted across her arms. Had she spilled something earlier? She looked down, but didn’t see any stains.

Just then the light glinted off of Loid’s watch and directly into Yor’s face, blinding her. On reflex, she jolted her head away. Loid snatched his hand off the table, hastily covering it with his sleeve. “Ah, I’m so sorry about that. Are you okay?” He leaned in close, peering at her right eye.

“Oh yes I’m f-fine!” The closer his face got, the less she could think clearly. And his concerned face was even more handsome…Quick, she needed to say something. “It’s um, a nice watch.”

“Oh!” His eyes widened. “Thank you.” An awkward silence followed. Should she not have mentioned it? “It was a gift from my late mother.” His voice was soft, but Yor noticed how tense he looked as he spoke.

She didn’t know Loid had lost his mother. Maybe they had more in common than she thought.

Class started soon afterwards, as Dr. Blackbell waltzed in with his booming voice. He nodded approvingly at the underclassmen sitting in the front row, beamed at Yor (“Lovely to see you again, Miss Briar!”), and gasped when he spotted Loid. This sparked a ten-minute refrain where Dr. Blackbell shared stories about Loid—“or should I say now, Dr. Forger!” he had declared with a wink, as Loid winced. 

“Dr. Forger was, dare I say, one of the best students our university has ever seen!”

“A work ethic like no other. The dean had to stop him from maxing out his class credits every semester!”

“He was such a precocious freshman. So popular with the ladies.”

At this point, Loid’s face was red as a tomato. He laughed, waving his hands in front of him. “No, no, professor, you speak too highly of me.” He rubbed his neck. When Yor caught his eye, he quickly looked away, clearing his throat. Yor had been thoroughly enjoying hearing all about Loid in college, but now he looked visibly uncomfortable.

“Um, professor?” Her hand shot up. “I’m really looking forward to learning about uh… the wonders and complexities of human physiology, ” she awkwardly read off of the class syllabus in front of her. “Could you go over some of the primary goals of the class?”

“Oh, absolutely Yor! Let’s see…” As Dr. Blackbell began yammering about the class, Loid mouthed a silent “thank you” at Yor for the save. Her face flushed, and she quickly turned to face the projector, trying to focus on following the syllabus instead of sneaking peeks at the handsome man next to her.

The rest of class went smoothly, with the professor only going off on two more tangents prompted by fond memories of “a young Dr. Forger”—which were quickly interrupted by Loid’s embarrassed, “Just Loid is fine.” At the end of the class, a few of the freshmen in front of them turned and eyed Loid with a curiosity that was too intense to be romantic—no, they were pre-med students. That much was evident from the massive biology textbooks each student lugged around. And their dark circles.

“I think some of the undergraduates are going to try to hound you for information about how to get into med school,” Yor whispered to him as they packed up their things, not noticing that she leaned in as she did so. “They seem very interested in you.” Eek! She hadn’t meant to word it like that .

Loid laughed. “I don’t mind. I’m happy to help them out however I can.” He picked up his briefcase, catching her eye.

“What about you? Are you in the same boat as them?”

Wait. Was he asking if she was interested in him too? She gulped, feeling her face begin to heat up again. Was she that obvious? Oh wait. He was asking if she was interested in graduate school or medical school, like the other students. Of course. 

As she cursed herself out silently, a flicker of something crossed Loid’s eyes—was it amusement? No, surely not.

Clearing her throat, she forced herself to speak like a normal student, talking normally to her normal (abnormally handsome) classmate. “Well, I’m not one-hundred percent sure what I want to do after graduating. If I do want to become a physical therapist I will have to go to a graduate program.”

He nodded. “Definitely. I’m familiar with some of the physical therapy programs in the area. I’m happy to provide you with some recommendations, if you’re ever interested.” While talking, they had gradually walked away from their table and towards the front of the class. Yor had been so distracted by their conversation that she hadn’t even noticed that they had moved—or, that they were the only two left in the room. Looking around at the empty seats, she swallowed.

Then, she remembered her meeting with Melinda earlier that day and the “mission” she had received. Yor straightened up. She could do this.

“Thank you Loid, I really appreciate that.” He nodded again, lips curled up in a soft smile. “And…” she looked down, feeling her heart pound painfully as she looked back up at him. “I’m really glad we’re in this class together. It was nice to see you again.”

The sun was starting to set, and it cast a warm, red-orange glow on everything inside the classroom. With this lighting, it almost looked like Loid was blushing a bit.

“Yeah, I’m glad too.” He smiled at her, and Yor found herself returning it with ease. She exhaled, shoulders relaxing as she did so.

“Erm…” Loid ran his hands through his hair and looked away. Oh no, did he have somewhere to be? Maybe he was only standing here because he felt obligated to play along with her attempts to socialize with him. Yor felt all the blood rushing back to her face. 

“Could I have your number?” Her panicked thoughts were interrupted by Loid’s voice, which sounded a little higher pitched than normal. Yor froze. He cleared his throat. “I mean, I think it would be great for us to exchange numbers so we can talk about assignments and the reading. I haven’t taken kinesiology classes in a while so it’ll be great to pick your brain as a kinesiology major.” He nodded vigorously, crossing his arms in front of him.

“Oh! Of course.” Yes, it was very normal for university students to exchange numbers; Yor had done so a few times for group projects in previous classes. Totally normal, and nothing romantic about it. Never mind that she was only a first-year student, and wouldn’t be able to help him much. Surely, she knew far less about kinesiology than Loid did

Yor pulled her phone out of her purse and flipped to the screen with her caller ID. As she did so, she felt Loid move closer to peer over her shoulder, his chin brushing against her hair. “Here it is!” she squeaked, jerking her phone towards him.

“That’s a nice photo.” With how close he was standing, Yor could feel the low reverberations of his voice. She sucked in a shaky breath. Loid put his phone next to hers, his hand grazing hers as he typed in her information. 

After what felt like hours, Loid stepped back and pressed something on his phone with a satisfied, “There we go.” A ping rang from Yor’s phone, and she looked at the screen.

Hi Yor, this is Loid. I’m looking forward to this class. He ended his message with a thumbs-up emoji. It felt very…boomer? She held back a giggle. His texting reminded her of some of her older professors’ emails from last semester—like that one time Dr. Glooman had messaged their intro kinesiology class, I am violently ill. Class cancelled, with three thumbs-up emojis.

Yor realized that Loid was still looking at her, so she quickly swiped down on his icon and pressed “save.” Then, hesitating a bit, she typed back.

Me too. I’m looking forward to studying with you. Her face was fully red as she clicked send.

When she dared to lift her head up, Loid was fully silhouetted by the setting sun. From this lighting, she could see that he had dimples on both cheeks when he smiled. And he was smiling widely. At her.

“Thank you, Yor. I think it’s going to be a great semester.” They grinned at each other, Loid’s hands stuffed in his pockets, Yor hugging her phone to her chest.

As Yor stared up at Loid in an empty classroom, filled with a soft, golden glow, his words sounded like a promise.

It was sure to be an eventful semester, indeed.

Chapter Text

The sweater dress she had decided to wear today was far too thin for February in Berlint, but Yor barely paid any attention to the goosebumps on her arms. Speeding past the students lounging on the lawn, she hurried down the road to Melinda’s lab building. 

It was Friday, and the two friends had made plans to get dinner together. Melinda had insisted that they sit down for a proper meal, rather than just drinks—after all, as her friend had said with a wink, the two of them had a lot to talk about.

There was only one topic on Yor's mind, of course: a certain blonde graduate student who had been widening his place in her heart since they first met a couple weeks ago. Swerving around a pair of students, she pressed the back of her hand to her cheek, now warm.

After running into Loid in that first Kinesiology 301 class, they had continued sitting next to each other in class. As a result, she now spent the hour before each class pacing in front of her mirror, second-guessing her outfit and make-up, and mentally preparing herself to be as normal as possible . Melinda had teased her that she was putting extra effort into looking good on Tuesdays and Thursdays, and well, at this point Yor couldn’t argue with her.

Sitting next to Loid in class, Yor learned that he was, unsurprisingly, a model student. He didn’t raise his hand particularly often—Yor surmised it was to give the underclassmen a chance to answer—but when he did, it was always a thoughtful question or response that left Dr. Blackbell beaming.

She had also learned that Loid had beautiful handwriting, so tidy it looked as if it were printed by a computer. His notes, written in elegant script, were a stark contrast to her scrawled chicken scratch. Given what she had heard from Yuri about most doctors’ horrendous handwriting, Loid was truly one of a kind.

After class, the two of them would walk together to the parking lot, during which they made small-talk about work and school. While explaining his research to Yor, Loid was ever patient and thoughtful. Even when she asked what she was sure were incredibly dumb questions, he always responded with a keen smile and a “ That’s a wonderful question, Yor.”

Mindlessly, Yor glanced down at her phone. No notifications. She sighed, shoving it back into her bag.

Maybe she shouldn’t have texted him first. Then she wouldn’t be feeling this disappointed.

After she and Loid had exchanged numbers during that first class, she wasn’t able to find a good opportunity (an excuse?) to text him—until she did. One night, after pacing back and forth in her bedroom for 30 minutes, she had finally worked up the courage to share a research article she had found with him. After deleting and re-writing the message a ridiculous number of times, she pressed the send button and promptly flung the phone onto her bed.

To her relief, Loid had responded quickly with a Thanks, this looks right up my alley! I’ll be sure to take a look (and of course, a thumbs up emoji. It seemed to be his trademark, though they hadn’t texted enough yet for her to know). At the time, she was just glad that his message didn’t seem to indicate that he thought she was a total loser. 

But now? She wasn’t sure if he would read the article or not. That had been a couple days ago, and she hadn’t heard back from him since then.

In their interactions so far, Loid was always friendly and cheerful. Conversations with him were pleasant, and Yor enjoyed learning more about his work. But that was all she really knew about him—that he was a doctor and researcher.

Yor wanted to know more about Loid. His hobbies, his interests, his daily life, and more , if he allowed it. But how? She had no idea how to show him that she was interested in him. Especially when it had been days since she last heard from him. 

She hung her shoulders. A few students passed her by as her steps faltered.

The worst part was that she couldn’t tell if Loid genuinely enjoyed her company, or if he was just being polite to her. What if he saw her as an annoying classmate, a nuisance he tolerated only because of his kindness? The thought made her stomach twist in painful knots. 

Looking down, she saw that she was gripping her papers so tightly that they were now crinkled. As she tried to smooth them out, her heart began pounding at the reminder of why she had printed the documents out in the first place.  

Dr. Blackbell, who would be out of town next week to visit his daughter in college (whom he boasted about nearly as much as “Dr. Forger”), had emailed the class about an upcoming group assignment. This would be a long-term project, spanning the course of a few months, until the end of the semester. In his email, he had advised them to start thinking of potential topics and group members. 

Staring at the folded papers in her hand, Yor felt her face flush. A long-term project meant being able to spend more time with Loid— if she was able to work up the nerves to ask him. 

And if he said yes, of course. And if no one else asked him first. She gulped.

It wasn’t like she had to ask him today. Drawing a deep breath, she resumed walking. As the lab building came into view, she relaxed at the thought of seeing her friend again. Maybe she could ask Melinda for a pep talk to help dissipate her nerves.

After heading up the stairs, Yor spotted her friend’s familiar frame. Melinda stood next to a tall, dark-haired man in a black trench coat. Giggling, she leaned slightly into the man’s side. Yor’s eyes widened. Surely this wasn’t…

Just then, the man noticed her. He nudged Melinda slightly, and she spun around.

“Oh! Yor!” Melinda ran up to Yor and grabbed her hands. Her face was bright and flushed. “Thanks so much for meeting me here.”

The tall man was walking towards them, and Melinda looked back at him with a dreamy smile. “Oh, this is Jeeves. I think I’ve mentioned him to you before.” She winked at Yor. “Jeeves, this is my best friend, Yor.”

Yor stifled a laugh. Over the past few weeks, she had been receiving nearly daily updates about Jeeves, from his outfit of the day to whatever gentlemanly thing he did for Melinda during their coffee breaks. At this point, Yor felt like she knew the man almost as well as Melinda did. 

Jeeves walked up to Yor with a warm smile and extended a hand, which she took. “It’s nice to meet you, Yor. Melinda has told me quite a bit about you. I hear you’re a kinesiology student here?”

Yor observed Jeeves as the three of them chatted. He was, as Melinda had gushed, very handsome. Polished and slim, with perfect posture and slicked back hair. His dark clothing, paired with his towering stature, made him look a bit unapproachable. But his gaze was gentle, especially when he looked at Melinda.

Speaking of Melinda, she and Jeeves couldn’t keep their eyes off of each other. Everytime they glanced at each other, a broad smile spread across their faces. As Jeeves dipped his head to listen to her, Melinda looked up at him with a soft gaze. 

Clearly, their feelings were mutual. Yor smiled fondly at her friend.

Just then, Melinda glanced down at Yor’s hands. “What are those papers for, Yor?”

“Oh, it’s nothing…” Hastily, Yor tried to hide the papers behind her back. Melinda raised an eyebrow. “It’s just for my kinesiology class. Some info from our professor about an assignment.”

“But aren’t your classes on Tuesday and Thursday? Where did you get the paper from?”

“I, ah, printed it out myself. It’s for a group assignment, and…”

“And?”

“I wanted to ask Loid to work on it with me,” Yor mumbled the last words, face completely red.

Jeeves cut in, tilting his head. “Wait, did you say Loid?”

Yor jerked her head around. “Yes—do you know him?”

“Oh, do I know —”

A different voice, low and soothing and oh-so-familiar, cut in from behind her. “Wait, Yor?”

Yor’s heart pounded as she turned around. In front of her stood a surprised Loid Forger with a mug and briefcase in hand. He was wearing a white coat, which made him look even more professional. Yor swallowed.

“Oh, hi Loid!” Papers still hidden behind her back, she awkwardly stuck a hand out and waved at him.

“It’s nice to see you.” He flashed her a charming smile. His hair was a little more ruffled than normal, which gave him a boyish look that did something to Yor’s heart. His eyes flitted down her figure, before shooting back up to her face. Self-consciously, Yor smoothed down her dress. This was the first time she was wearing it since purchasing it over winter break—maybe it looked weird? She wasn’t sure yet if red was her color or not.

His face was impassive, but his eyes flickered down her frame once more. He cleared his throat. “I wasn’t expecting to run into you here. Do you work here too?” Loid asked.

“Oh no, I’m here to see Melinda.” Yor swiveled around to look at Melinda, who was now wiggling her eyebrows at her, and Jeeves, who was eyeing her curiously. He walked up to Loid with a grin.

“Is this your third or fourth coffee of the day, Forger?” Jeeves asked, as Loid rolled his eyes good-naturedly. 

The two chatted easily with one another, like old friends. Melinda turned to Yor, eyes wide. 

Jeeves and Loid knew each other? That was news to her.

“So tell me,” Jeeves looked at Yor and Loid, eyes inquisitive. “How do you two know each other?”

“Oh, we’re both in the same kinesiology class,” Loid responded quickly. He didn’t mention how they had met at the cafe, Yor noted with a bit of disappointment. “Dr. Blackbell is the professor—remember him?”

“Dr. Blackbell?” Jeeves’ eyes lit up with a mischievous glint. “Of course I remember him. And I definitely remember how you used to kiss up to him in college. All because you wanted an internship.”

Loid pulled a face. “I did not kiss up to him. I just liked to talk to him about his research.” He paused. “And well, I got the internship at Blackbell Industries in the end, so...” He rubbed his neck sheepishly as Jeeves threw his head back and laughed.

“I’m Melinda, by the way.” Melinda reached her hand out to Loid, who shook it with a polite nod. “Yor is one of my best friends.”

“Ah.” His gaze darted to Yor, pausing on her for a second.

“Were you and Jeeves college classmates?” Melinda asked.

“Yes, we were.” Loid nodded, a small smile forming on his face. “We took a lot of biology classes together in college. We ended up going into slightly different fields, but now that I’m back in graduate school, we’re working in adjacent labs.”

Jeeves clapped him on the back. “That’s right. Loid here is a bleeding heart and wanted to go into medicine—” at Jeeves’ words Loid opened his mouth to protest, before making eye contact with Yor and shutting it. Huh. “And I wanted to do more biomedical research.” Jeeves turned to Yor. “Oh that’s right—I’m a postdoc here at the University of Berlint. I have a few more years in my program.”

Enough time for him and Melinda to grow close. Melinda seemed to be thinking the same thing, as she looked up at Jeeves with a shy smile.

“Anyways, Loid was one of the best people I met back in college.” Jeeves elbowed Loid with a playful smile. “I’m glad we get to work in the same building. It’s great seeing this guy around.”

“Oh, come on now.” Loid shuffled his feet, but a pleased smile spread on his face. 

“Hey, don’t get cocky. I said one of , not the best .” 

As the two men bantered back and forth, Yor observed Jeeves. Based on his dignified appearance, she had assumed he would be a bit more reserved. Instead, he was warm and expressive, quick to share a funny story about Loid in college and to shower him in praise. Jeeves carried himself with ease; there was no pretense to him.

Yor smiled at the sight of Jeeves elbowing Loid lightly in the side with a laugh. Loid seemed more at ease too, a relaxed smile on his face. For a moment, he looked like a regular man having fun with his friend, not some unreachable doctor and graduate student who was miles out of her league. 

“So how do you and Melinda know each other?” Loid looked at Jeeves and then back at Melinda, who turned pink.

When the typically chatty Melinda said nothing, Jeeves responded. “Ah, we met a few weeks ago by chance, at the coffee area in the building.” He nodded, tucking his hair behind his ears. “It’s been great talking with her.” His gaze flitted to Melinda, before looking away quickly.

Yor covered a giggle. It looked like Jeeves liked Melinda as much as she liked him.

“Anyways, it’s so great that we all know each other! We should hang out.” Melinda had recovered from her embarrassment, clasping her hands as she looked at Yor, Loid, and Jeeves. 

“That sounds great to me.” Jeeves nodded with a grin, his eyes glued to Melinda.

“Sure, sounds good.” Loid nodded with a polite smile, but his tone was unenthusiastic. His gaze shifted to the side. Yor paused. Was he not keen on spending more time with them? With her?

Maybe he wouldn’t want to work on the project with her after all. Yor gripped the papers tighter in her hands. When she glanced at Loid again, she jumped. He was staring at her, a question in his eyes.

Melinda looked back and forth between them. “You both look like you want to ask each other something?” 

Yor flinched at the same time that Loid did. There was no way she was going to ask him to be her group partner, especially now. She eyed the exit sign to her left. Maybe she could make a run for it. 

Loid coughed, and Yor looked over to see that his gaze was still boring into her. Breaking eye-contact, he laughed self-consciously. “I guess so. I’ll go first.” Opening his briefcase, he pulled out a manila folder and handed it to Yor.

When Yor opened the folder, her breath caught. Inside was a printed copy of the article she had texted to him a couple days ago. Flipping through the pages, she saw his neat handwriting inscribed on the margins of the paper. It looked like he had written notes and questions on every page; a few of them even mentioned her by name. 

And here she thought he would never read it. With a smile tugging at her lips, she traced her finger over the blue ink of Loid’s script. The sight of her name in his handwriting made her stomach do somersaults.

“Sorry for the delay.” Loid ran his hands through his hair. “I really enjoyed reading the article you sent me. It sparked a lot of questions for me, and I wanted to share my thoughts with you.” He shot Yor a shy smile.

Yor tried to contain her giddiness as she looked at the article that Loid had annotated, just for her. Be cool, Yor. “That is so awesome, Loid. I can’t wait to read what you wrote.” She hoped she didn’t sound over-eager.

Glancing over to Melinda and Jeeves, Yor spotted her friend sporting a knowing smirk. Her gaze slid over to Jeeves, whose eyes were now wide, darting between Yor and Loid.

Oh no. Was she being too obvious? She cringed.

“Was there something you wanted to ask me too?” At Loid’s voice, Yor turned to him with a wince. It looked like there was no choice but to get it over with now. Sucking in a tight breath, she shoved the (now extremely crinkled) paper towards him. 

“I printed out the group assignment instructions that Dr. Blackbell sent.” Her voice came out in a squeak. 

As Loid took the papers from her, his hands brushed hers. Her breath hitched.

“Oh wow. I saw the email notification, but didn’t get a chance to read it yet.” A small smile quirked his lips as he flipped through the papers. “I’m impressed.”

She flushed at his praise, before shaking herself off. Focus. Exhaling, she summoned up the meager courage she had left.

“In the email, he said it would be a good idea to start thinking about group partners.” She gulped. The rest of her words came out in a rush. “I was wondering if you wanted to work with me?”

“Oh!” Loid’s eyes were wide. Yor felt her stomach drop. Had someone already asked him? Or worse, did he not want to work with her? Disappointment stung in her chest.

Then a smile spread across his face, lighting it up. “I’d love to work with you, Yor.” Loid looked at her so warmly that her heartbeat, which was already approaching dangerous rates, sped up even more.

Jeeves’ eyes were nearly bulging out of his head as he stared at his friend. Next to him, Melinda looked over at Yor with a proud smile. You go, girl! She mouthed at Yor.

“Oh, I almost forgot.” Yor looked down at the paper. “According to the assignment we can add another person to the group if we want. Do you want to—”

“Oh, no need.” Loid interrupted her quickly. When she looked up at him, his eyes widened. “I mean, uh, it’s a lot easier to communicate when it’s just two people. It can be such a hassle to make decisions when it’s three people, you know. Don’t even get me started on four.” He chuckled awkwardly.

“That makes sense to me.” Yor nodded, and he looked relieved. He had seemed a bit uncomfortable when she brought up the option to add another group memeber, though she wasn’t sure why. If she was being honest, she hadn’t wanted to add another person either, for reasons that Loid hopefully wasn’t aware of. Yet.

Jeeves cleared his throat, and Yor looked up to see him and Melinda wearing equally amused, exasperated looks on their faces.

“What?” Yor and Loid asked, their eyes meeting each other when they spoke at the same time, then darting away immediately. 

“Nothing. Absolutely nothing,” replied Melinda with a snicker. Jeeves nodded with a poorly suppressed smile. As the two looked at each other, a knowing smile passed between them, though what it was about, Yor couldn’t tell.

If Melinda and Jeeves could already communicate without words, they definitely had great chemistry. Yor smiled to herself. The two of them were nothing short of adorable. 

“Wait.” Jeeves paused, turning to Loid with a frown. “You’re doing the homework assignments for the class?

“Of course.” Loid nodded.

Jeeves’ eyebrows knit together. “But aren’t you auditing the class?”

Loid rolled his eyes. “Your point?”

“The whole point of auditing is to sit in on a class without having to do the extra work,” Jeeves sputtered. He threw his hands up. “Aren’t you already busy enough as it is?”

Loid sighed. “But how can you learn without doing the homework? If I’m going to take a class, I want to do it properly.”

Jeeves crossed his arms. “Okay, fine. But why audit the class? Why not register it normally?”

Loid looked away, muttering something unintelligible. Jeeves leaned in. “I’m sorry, what was that?”

“I said the registrar wouldn’t let me add another full-time class to my course load, so I had to audit it,” Loid mumbled, ears fully red.

“Ah!” Jeeves snorted, clapping slowly in a mock show of applause. “There it is. Loid Forger, cheating the system so he can fulfill his primal need to be overworked.” Jeeves’ tone was light-hearted as he teased his friend. “You don’t know how to rest, Loid.”

“That’s not true!” Loid argued. “I take breaks,” he said sullenly, curving in on himself. He looked like a scolded child, and Yor giggled. “Anyways,” he continued, straightening his back. “I like the class. And I’m sure the group project is going to go well. I’m excited to work with Yor.” Yor flushed, looking down at her feet.

Melinda’s eyebrows were now encroaching her forehead, and Jeeves’ mouth had fallen open. As Loid continued rambling on about potential topics for their project, Jeeves shot Yor an amused smile.

“Anyways, Yor, why don’t you and I plan to meet up and talk about the assignment more next week?” Loid turned to her eagerly. “I have time off next week from the hospital.” 

“Which you are now using to do more work,” Jeeves interjected drily. Melinda snorted.

Loid ignored both of them as he looked at Yor for a response. His eyes were so very blue, even more so when he looked at her like that. So sincere. She swallowed hard.

“That sounds great to me.” Her voice came out hoarse. Loid’s eyes crinkled as he smiled at her, leaving her feeling dizzy.

Oh, she was so screwed.

Shortly afterwards, Jeeves informed their group that he had to leave for a meeting, and the four of them said their goodbyes. Yor noticed Jeeves and Melinda’s eyes lingering on each other as they walked away, and she smiled. When she glanced at Loid, he was gazing at her, and she held back a squeak of surprise. He waved at her with a smile, and she numbly waved back. Something—fondness? amusement?—flickered across his face, but passed before Yor could place it.

After they had turned the corner of the hallway, Melinda finally spoke up. “Girl.” She nudged Yor in the side, her voice giddy. “He is so into you.”

“Do you think so?” Yor kept her voice down, but her heart felt like it was going to jump out of her chest. “I don’t know…I still can’t really tell if he likes spending time with me or not.”

Melinda scoffed. “Are you kidding me? That man was so desperate to work on that project with you. Even Jeeves picked up on it.” She sighed, eyes turning dreamy. “Maybe I’ll ask him for all the details on Loid later.”

Yor told Melinda how much Jeeves seemed to like her too, to which her friend let out a high-pitched squeal—startling some of the researchers scurrying by. The two girls clasped hands, giggling as they talked about what had just transpired.

As they descended the stairs, Yor paused with a frown. Her phone wasn’t in her pocket. She must have left it on one of the tables while the four of them were talking. 

Walking back into the hallway, she only took a few steps before freezing in place.

Standing in the middle of the hall was Loid with a woman. Her hair was icy blonde and pin straight, and she wore a navy blue sheath dress that hugged her figure.

The mystery woman, whose back was facing Yor, seemed to say something to Loid. Gesturing gracefully with her hand, she leaned in close to him. As he responded to her, she moved even closer. Yor sucked in a breath, her chest constricting painfully.

Loid handed the woman what looked like a stack of papers, and she turned slightly. Now Yor could see the side of her face. She was stunning, with sharp features framed by her bangs, and a refined smile on her face that was directed at Loid. As she took the papers from Loid, her hands brushed his and stilled for a bit.

She said something, to which Loid laughed. A bright, warm sound.

Heartbeat thudding painfully, Yor turned on her foot and bolted for the door. She raced down the stairs, nearly running into Melinda.

“Yor!” Melinda grabbed her, helping Yor regain her balance. Her friend’s eyes were wide with concern. “What happened?”

“Um…” Yor wanted to tell Melinda what she had just seen, but the words got caught in her throat. “I, uh, think my phone is actually in my bag.” She rummaged in her backpack, silently pleading that she wouldn’t need to go back in the hallway and see Loid and the beautiful mystery woman again. She sighed in relief when she located the phone at the bottom of her bag. “There it is!” Her voice was shrill.

“Oh, that’s good.” Brow furrowed, Melinda touched her shoulder. “Are you sure you’re okay? You seem a bit off.”

“Oh, yes. I’m fine.” Yor felt guilty for lying to her friend, but all she could focus on right now was getting out of there as soon as possible. “Let’s go.” Melinda looked unconvinced, but nodded.

As they left the lab building, Yor felt like a stone was sitting in the bottom of her stomach.

Later that night, Loid sent Yor a text, asking if she would be free next week to work on the group project. Ordinarily, she would have been thrilled to receive a message from him. After the events of the day, however, her head was spinning too much for her to formulate a response. Exhausted, she set her phone face down and picked up her hairbrush.

Who was that woman to Loid? Yor stared at her reflection in the mirror. She remembered the sound of Loid’s laugh, the sight of the elegant woman inching closer to him, and gripped the brush tighter. Then, she sighed.

What right did she have to be upset? She had only known Loid for a few weeks. They were just classmates—hardly even friends at this point.

Not yet, her heart whispered. 

She hung her shoulders. She hadn’t even confirmed whether he had a girlfriend or not. A girlfriend who could very well have been that beautiful mystery woman. A small part of her wished she had stayed behind to find out, but also was grateful that she hadn’t. If they had started embracing in front of her, her heart wouldn’t be able to take it. Squeezing her eyes shut, she dropped the hairbrush.

In any case, even if the woman wasn’t his girlfriend, Loid had every right to speak to whoever he wished. Who was she to be jealous? Yor looked at her dejected reflection in the mirror, hair still messy from being unbrushed. 

Yes, she was being stupid.

Yor walked over to the couch and plopped down on the cushion with a thud, trying to ignore the hollowness in her chest. 

She closed her eyes. At least she had successfully asked him to work with her on the project. Just earlier today she thought she’d never be brave enough to approach him. Somehow, even without that pep talk from Melinda, she had pulled it off. And, to her surprise, he had said yes.

In spite of her anxieties about Loid’s potential love life, the prospect of seeing him again sent her heart fluttering. Since the project would last until the end of the semester, that would give her plenty of time to learn more about Loid. She played with the edge of the throw blanket, a small smile forming on her face. 

It would be nice to see him outside of the classroom, in a less formal setting. She recalled that laidback smile on Loid’s face earlier today, the way he rolled his eyes when Jeeves teased him. Did he act like that with all his friends? It was a side to him she had never seen before, less polished, more real . She liked it. 

Perhaps by the end of their group project, she’d get to see more sides of Loid. 

Looking over her shoulder, she saw her phone, still face-down, on the counter. Resolved, she got to her feet.

Yor slid her finger across Loid’s icon and began typing. This time, the words came to her quickly—no need for rewriting. After a quick once-over, she pressed send with a satisfied smile.

A few minutes later, she had only flipped through a few pages of her book when her phone pinged with a notification. Loid’s icon flashed on her home screen. 

With bated breath, she scanned his reply: Great! I’m looking forward to it. Have a good night, Yor. Polished as always.

Then a few seconds later, came a thumbs-up emoji.  

A slow smile spread on Yor’s face as she stared at her phone.

Maybe she was already getting to know him better than she thought.

Chapter Text

Yor fumbled with her hands as she stared at the door. The lobby of the museum was lively, with students, families, and couples milling about, but she hardly registered the hubbub above the sound of her pounding heart.

As part of the extracurricular research portion of their group project, Loid had suggested that they visit the local science museum and see the human body exhibit. The two had coordinated their schedules via text and landed on a day to meet up.

Great, it’s a date! See you soon. When Yor saw Loid’s reply, she had almost fallen out of her chair in shock. Of course he didn’t mean an actual date, she scolded herself. 

But her heart insisted otherwise. In the days leading up to their museum not-date, Yor could hardly think about anything else. By the time the day arrived, she was in a complete panic. 

After redoing her lipstick—which Melinda had helped her select—for the tenth time and pacing in her apartment for at least an hour, she decided to head to the museum early to wait for Loid, hoping that it would quell her nerves. Unfortunately, it only exacerbated her anxiety.

Chewing her lip, she glanced down at her outfit. After staring at her closet for an embarrassing amount of time, she had opted for a dark green coat with black tights and black knee boots. Normally, this outfit made her feel ready to tackle any challenge. Now? She was having second thoughts. Was it too formal? Too dreary? 

Yor exhaled, screwing her eyes shut. This would be her first time spending time alone with Loid, outside of a classroom. Her face heated up, and she pressed her hands to her cheeks.

But it wasn’t a date. Not at all. She needed to get her nerves in check before Loid showed up. Standing up, she began stretching her arms, hoping to regain some semblance of confidence.

Just as Yor pulled her right arm over her head in a tricep stretch, Loid burst through the museum door. With a yelp of surprise, Yor threw her hands down by her side.

“I’m so sorry I’m late. It took me longer than expected to get here from the hospital.” Face flushed, he spoke quickly in between breaths. Had he run here from the parking lot?

“Oh, it’s okay, Loid! Don’t worry about it.” Grateful that he hadn’t seemed to notice her impromptu yoga session before his arrival, she glanced at the clock on the wall. She blinked. “And you’re not late at all! It’s only a few minutes after.”

“You’re too kind, Yor.” There he was again, with those blue eyes and that soft smile. She sucked in a breath, nodding numbly.

Despite being slightly winded, Loid looked as put-together as ever. He wore his usual outfit—leather shoes, slacks, and a sweater in…dark green?

Yor giggled, and he tilted his head curiously. “Look, our outfits match.” She gestured at his sweater and her coat.

“Oh wow!” His eyes widened. Was his face a bit pink? “Yeah, this is a new sweater.” He tugged at the neck of it. “I don’t usually wear this color, actually.” He laughed self-consciously.

“I think you look great!” She winced at how loud her voice came out. That was way too enthusiastic.

Mercifully, Loid took the compliment with ease. “Thanks, Yor. You look great too.” His eyes crinkled as he looked at her.

Wearing the same color, the two of them looked so much like a couple. Yor gulped, trying to squash down the giddiness. 

Calm down . They were just classmates on an assignment. There was no need to get excited.

This was not a date.

“Ready to go in?”

Loid’s question interrupted her internal argument. Yes, they were here for academic reasons. She needed to get out of her head and focus if she didn’t want Loid to get a failing grade. He probably had a perfect GPA.

“Yes, let’s go!”

After grabbing their tickets, the two of them made their way into the main area of the museum. As they walked up the stairs, Loid looked around with wide eyes. “They’ve really expanded this place. It looks amazing.” He gestured at the display of a T-Rex, downstairs in the entry. “ That wasn’t there the last time I came here.”

Yor giggled as she took in the sight of Loid squinting, trying to read the exhibit signs across the floor. She’d never seen him this animated before. “Do you come to this museum often?”

“I haven’t been in a while, unfortunately, with how busy I am. But when I was young, this was my favorite place to visit with my mom.” He smiled softly, eyes faraway. “I used to drag her with me to every exhibit, and make her wait while I read every placard.”

Yor could imagine a young Loid Forger, gleefully ambling around the museum for hours. Adorable . “No wonder you’re such a good student now.” 

“Ah.” His ears turned red, but the corners of his mouth turned up slightly. “I appreciate that.”

Walking into the central area of the second floor, they were immediately beset by a crowd of elementary-aged kids, screaming and running around. It looked like it was some sort of interactive exhibit, where stepping on the tiles caused them to emit various colors and images. Clearly, the children were enraptured by the display, as they stomped around the area with loud yells. Off to the side, their teacher looked dazed. 

Ah, that’s why there were so many kids—the local elementary school was probably doing a field trip. Yor smiled fondly as she watched them frolic about, the kids’ eyes all wide glee. They reminded her of Yuri when he was young. 

Next to her, Loid stood stiffly, watching the kids with a wary eye. “Are you okay?” Yor asked softly.

“Oh!” He glanced away, then back at her. “I’m, uh, not great with kids. I don’t see them that much in my line of work, and when I do, they’re not usually this…chipper.” He laughed awkwardly. As they walked past the hoard of kids, a piercing shriek emanated from the group. Loid winced. Yor nodded sympathetically, resisting the urge to reach out and pat him on the shoulder.

The human body exhibit, thankfully, was much quieter, with just a few groups of people quietly milling about. Upon entering, Yor and Loid were surrounded by what appeared to be giant replicas of human organs. There was a stomach, a brain, and a few other organs that Yor couldn’t quite place.

“Wow.” Loid whipped his head around, as if he couldn’t decide where to focus. “This is so impressive.” He stepped up to the intestine replica with an open mouth. His excitement was so endearing, Yor found herself looking at Loid more than she did at the exhibit.

As they walked into the super-sized intestine, Loid leaned in close to Yor. “The accuracy of this intestine is so impressive. Look at the texture of the folds.” He pointed at the roof, his arm brushing against Yor’s as he did so, and she sucked in a breath. Loid was so engrossed in the display however, that he didn’t seem to notice.

A gurgling sound emanated from the walls, and Loid’s eyes widened. “They even have the sounds of the intestine playing? My colleagues would love this.”

Yor loved listening to Loid talk about his passions, and tried to come up with questions to spark more conversation as they walked through the intestine replica. Even in the dim lighting of the organs, his eyes were sparkling with childlike wonder.

“If it’s alright with you, could we take a look at the other organs too?” Loid asked, eyes bright as they exited the intestine.

“I’d be happy to!” Yor looked down at her phone to check the time. “But we may want to check out some of the more kinesiology-related portions of the exhibit first, for our assignment.” 

“Oh!” Loid blinked. “I…completely forgot about that.” He rubbed his neck, sounding stunned by his own admission. 

Yor felt a twinge of guilt for ruining his fun. “Why don’t we walk around the exhibit a bit more, and we can come back to this area after we get some notes?” 

Selfishly, she also wanted to spend as much time with him as she could get.

He looked up with her with a relieved smile. “That sounds good to me, Yor.” 

The two of them explored the rest of the human body exhibit, with Loid spouting out more facts as they paused in front of each placard. Yor was so engrossed in listening to what he had to say—taking in how dashing he looked as he explained scientific concepts she could barely understand—that she had to remind herself to fill out their assignment. To be fair, though, Loid didn’t seem to be writing much either.

Even though they were only here for school, she was glad both of them were enjoying themselves. What would it be like if they were here on a real date? Yor tried not to think about that prospect, but it was hard to suppress her hopes when Loid’s warmth was right by her side.

After walking through more of the exhibit, the pair sat down on a bench to take a break. Yor stretched out her legs, blinking in surprise at the tightness in her calves. Had they walked that much? The time had passed by so quickly with Loid’s easy conversation.

“So, have you been to the Berlint Museum of Science before?” Loid asked, leaning back in his seat. He had taken off his sweater, and his white button-down highlighted his strong frame in a way that made Yor’s head spin. 

“Just a couple times. I took Yuri here a while back, when he was in middle school.”

“What did he think of the place?”

“Well , he sped through all the exhibits in about thirty minutes flat and complained that it was “too boring” because he had already read all the information in books before. And then he tried to ask the museum docent a million questions about biology, which they couldn’t answer.”

Loid tipped his head back and laughed heartily. “What a menace! He seems like he was a great kid.”

“Oh, the best.” Yor smiled softly, another memory flitting to her mind. “I actually came here once with our parents—before Yuri was born.” She felt Loid’s gaze on her as she spoke. “It’s one of my earliest memories with them. I don’t remember most of the details of our visit, but I do remember that we had a lot of fun.”

Pulling out her phone, she swiped through her photos until she found what she was looking for. A family portrait of the Briar family, with a 5-year old Yor holding a newly born Yuri, as their parents beamed in the background. She tilted her phone screen toward Loid, as he leaned in close to her to take a look.

It had been nearly a decade since her parents had died. Over the years, there were times that Yor found herself forgetting what her mom and dad sounded and looked like. Looking at the photo now, however, prompted all her memories to come flooding back.

She wasn’t sure why she was compelled to share all this with Loid, but it felt natural. Needed. 

As she tucked her phone back into her pocket, Loid turned to her. His gaze was soft, with a sense of longing. Slowly, he reached out a hand to her, hovering near her cheek, as Yor’s breath stilled.

“Can you help me?”

The two of them jumped apart. In front of them stood a young child who couldn’t have been older than four. His face was wet with tears, and he sniffled loudly. 

“I don’t know where my Mommy is. Can you help me find her?”

Immediately, Loid leapt to his feet. “When was the last time you saw her? Was she the only person you came with? Can you describe what she is wearing?” As he scanned their surroundings, he peppered the kid with rapid-fire questions.

The child began crying even harder. Poor thing—he was too frightened to think straight. With a sympathetic smile, Yor extended a hand to the child. 

“I’m sure your mom is looking for you right now.” Yor spoke slowly and soothingly, like how she used to comfort Yuri when he had nightmares as a kid. She patted the child on the back as he hiccuped. “We’ll help you find her. You’re going to be okay.”

The child nodded, his sniffles gradually quieting down. Yor took out her pack of tissues and gently dabbed away his tears.

“What is your name, sweetheart?”

“George.” His eyes were wide and sorrowful.

“Well, George, you’re being extremely brave right now. I know your Mom must be very proud of you.”

Loid stood silently a few feet from them. He cleared his throat. “Yes. You’re, uh, being very brave.” He said hesitantly. Awkwardly, he reached an arm out and patted George gingerly on the back.

In spite of his reservations about kids, Loid was trying. Yor couldn’t help her smile, a warm feeling blooming in her chest.

With George in tow, the three of them walked downstairs to the security desk. After Loid explained the situation, the security officer made an announcement on the intercom to locate the mother.

As they sat in the lobby, George swung his feet on the bench. His eyes were still watery, but he wasn’t nearly as upset as he was earlier. 

“Did you like the museum, George?” Yor asked, hoping to distract him until his mom returned.

“Yes, I liked it.”

“What was your favorite part?”

His face lit up. “The big brain! I liked running around it.”

Loid, who was presently standing in front with crossed arms, presumably keeping an eye out for George’s mom, turned to face them with a smile. “I liked the giant brain too. Did you know that the human brain generates electricity? Enough to power a light bulb.” He pointed at the light fixture in the ceiling.

George’s jaw dropped. “Really? That’s so cool!”

Yor smiled brightly as Loid and George chattered away about scientific facts. Loid was able to answer all of George’s questions about the human body with ease. The young boy looked at him with awe, his distress all forgotten.

“George!” A black-haired woman sprinted over to them, eyes wide with panic.

“Mommy!” George leapt up and ran to the woman, who embraced him “Oh honey, I was so scared! I looked away for one moment in the butterfly garden, and you were gone.”

“Sorry, Mommy. I wanted to go back and see the brain again. I should have asked you.”

“It’s okay, baby. I’m just glad you’re alright.” She hugged him tightly.

Turning around, George pointed at Loid and Yor. “They helped me, Mommy.”

Eyes glistening, George’s mother looked up at them and clasped her hands. “Thank you so much for your help. I can’t tell you how grateful I am.” She placed a hand on George’s shoulder. “George, dear, make sure you thank the nice couple!”

Yor and Loid both jumped at the description. Before they could say anything, George walked up to Yor and hugged her. “Thank you for helping me.” Then, he turned to Loid and wrapped his arms around him. Loid’s eyes were wide with surprise, but he patted George on the back, a smile tugging at his lips.

As they watched George and his mom walk away hand in hand, Yor nudged Loid with her shoulder. 

“Hey, I think you’re pretty good with kids.” 

Loid laughed, rubbing his neck. “Yeah…I guess I’m not as bad as I thought.” 

When Yor looked at him a few minutes later, there was still a small smile on his face.

After finishing their tour of the human body exhibit—which included walking through more giant replicas of organs, and Yor savoring all the explanations that Loid gave her—they returned to the main lobby. It was now bustling with even more people than before.

As Yor squeezed past a group of visitors, she bumped into someone. “Oh, I’m sorry.” 

The person, a short young man with dark hair and red glasses, turned to face her. “No problem—wait, Loid ?” He sounded incredulous as he jabbed a finger at Loid. 

“Loid! I never thought I’d see you outside of the hospital.”

Loid rolled his eyes, but chucked. “Me too, honestly. Good to see you, Franky.”

Franky and Loid chatted for a bit, with Yor overhearing them discuss something about research at the hospital. Maybe they were colleagues? Franky looked to be around Loid’s age. He wore a funky printed shirt and spoke in an animated voice, which paired with his head full of curls and thick red glasses, made him look like a cartoon character. He waved his hands around excitedly, a stark contrast to Loid’s refined persona.

“Oh, Yor.” Loid turned to her. “Sorry—I should introduce you both. Yor, this is Franky. We collaborate on research, and he was also my classmate back in undergrad.” Franky shook Yor’s hand enthusiastically. “And Franky, this is Yor. She’s a first-year student at University at Berlint. We’re currently taking a kinesiology class together.”

“Still taking undergraduate courses? You’re such a nerd, Loid.”

“Says you.” Loid snorted. He slipped his hands into his pockets, leaning back as he talked to Franky.

“So—what are you both doing here?” Before either of them could respond, Franky’s jaw dropped. “Wait. Are you here on a date ?!” Loid and Yor both flinched. 

Yor’s voice got caught in her throat. “No, it’s not a date,” Loid replied stiffly. “We’re just here for a school assignment.” 

Franky peered at Loid and Yor suspiciously. “Just the two of you? I don’t buy it.” Yor’s red face probably wasn’t helping.

Loid crossed his arms. “Look, we’re here to do research for a group assignment. We’re working.” His tone was defensive.

Franky eyed the empty page of Yor’s notebook, which she hastily hid behind her. “Doesn’t look like a ton of work is being done.” He lowered his glasses and shot Loid a mischevious grin. 

“You don’t need to hide your love life from me, Loid. You know I’m always rooting for you to get swept off your feet by the right lady!” He winked at Yor, who squeaked.

“Dude, get off my fucking back.” Loid retorted, though there was no bite in his words. His eyes seemed amused.

Yor had never heard Loid curse before. It was a bit of a chip in his prince image. She liked it—being able to see these different parts of him.

Franky turned to Yor with a playful twinkle in his eyes. “You know, Loid and I were actually roommates in college.”

“Wow, really?” Yor wondered what Loid was like in college. Was he as polished as he was now? Or did he have a fun-loving side that she hadn’t seen before.

“Yeah, I’ll have to share some of his college stories with you sometime.” Franky winked at Yor again, as Loid let out a sputtering cough. Now she was intrigued.

“So, you got a boyfriend?” Franky squinted at Yor.

“Oh! No, no I don’t.” Don’t look at Loid, don’t look at Loid.

“Huh.” His gaze shifted over to Loid, then back to Yor, and he flashed her a smirk. “I’m surprised! You’re such a beautiful lady.”

“Oh, thank you.” Blushing, Yor looked down.

“No, I’m being serious.” Franky leaned in closer. “You’re stunning.”

“Okay, okay, that’s enough.” Loid cut in, placing his body between Yor and Franky. His voice was tight as he stared down Franky. “Yor and I have to get back to our assignment now.”

“An assignment?! When you could be wooing this mega-babe? I swear, Loid, you don’t know how lucky you are—” Franky’s words were cut off by Loid grabbing his shirt and hauling him towards the exit. As he was dragged away, Franky continued yelling.

“Fine, fine, hey—OW! Let go of me, you piece of—hey, you didn’t even let me share that new prototype with you yet—”

“Text it to me. I’ll see you on the weekend anyway—you can tell me about it then.”

“Okay fine, can you let go of my shirt? This is one of my nicer ones and you’re ruining it. What am I going to wear on my next date?”

“Can’t you just buy another one? You’ve been making so much money now that Fiona’s brother is selling your tech at his shop.”

“Oh, Fiona.” Franky sighed, eyes dreamy. “That blonde hair and cold attitude? She drives me crazy, man!” Yor froze. Wait, was that the girl that she saw at the lab with Loid the other day?

“Every woman drives you crazy, Franky.” Loid sounded exasperated. He paused. “Also, why worry about date outfits when you don’t even have a date lined up right now?”

“Ouch! You wound me. Do you hear that Yor, this man is heartless! Heartless, I tell you!” As he was dragged out of sight, Franky’s yells became too distant to hear. Yor heard the sound of a door opening and closing with a hard thud. 

Loid returned a minute afterwards, brushing his shirt off like nothing had happened.

“Sorry about that, Yor. I hope Franky didn’t bother you too much.” His eyes traced over her carefully, as if he were worried something had happened to her. Yor’s face felt hot.

“Oh! No, it’s okay. He seems like a fun guy.” In truth, she had thoroughly enjoyed seeing Franky and Loid banter back and forth, especially the new side it brought out of Loid.

“Yeah, Franky is a bit…eccentric.” He rolled his eyes, but a small grin tugged at his lips. “But he’s a good guy. I can vouch for him.”

“I’m sure he is, since he’s got you in his corner.” She had enjoyed getting to see Loid with his friends. Maybe she should tell him? “It’s been nice getting to meet them—your friends, I mean.”

He blinked. “Who?” 

Yor tilted her head. “Um, your friends?” He stared at her blankly. 

“You know, Jeeves and Franky?” she tried.

“Oh!” Loid went quiet for a moment. “Yeah. They’re my…friends?” he sounded uncertain.

Strange. Did he not consider them friends, or was he uncomfortable talking about them? Hesitantly, she went on. “So, were you classmates in college? That must have been fun.”

Yor expected Loid to clam up at her question, but instead he relaxed. “Oh, definitely. Franky and I were roommates, and we hung out a lot with Jeeves. We took a lot of classes together. It was a lot of fun sitting in lectures with those two.”

Yor giggled. “I’m sure Franky got into a lot of trouble back then?”

Loid snorted, a fond grin stretching across his face. “Surprisingly, it was Jeeves who was the troublemaker.”

“No! Tell me more.” 

By the time Loid had finished spilling all the details on Jeeves’ wild undergrad days (Yor definitely had to tell Melinda), they had arrived at the entrance to the museum. That was right. Since they’d already finished going through the human body exhibit, there wasn’t anything else for them to do here. 

Yor found herself standing still in front of the doors, legs refusing to budge. She should probably thank Loid and bid him goodbye, but the words wouldn’t come out. 

It had been such a wonderful day, and she didn’t want it to come to an end. 

“Hey, Yor.”

When she looked over to Loid, he was staring at her with a furrowed brow, as if he were working something out in his head.

He swallowed. “Would you like to explore the rest of the museum with me?” His voice was low, a hesitant but hopeful glint in his eyes.

“If you’re not busy, of course,” he continued quickly. “We could even fill out some more notes as we walk around, since I know we didn’t get as much done as we wanted.” He straightened up, nodding rapidly.

Yor couldn’t contain the smile that bloomed on her face.

“Yes! I’d love to.” This time, she didn’t care how overly enthusiastic she sounded. 

Loid’s grin lit up his whole face, his warm gaze making her feel like she was the only person in the room. Happily, the two of them turned from the doors and walked back into the museum, as more laughter and conversation made the afternoon pass by in a flash. 

Maybe Yor was imagining it, but she could have sworn they were standing closer together than they were before.

Chapter Text

Art by @juuyeah

March in Berlint marked the return of the long-gone sun. Though the air was still chilly, the sunlight added some much needed cheer to the otherwise gray day. Basking in the warmth, Yor strolled leisurely along the path to the cafe.

As usual, she was meeting with Melinda at the campus cafe. The two of them tried to meet up at least once a week, and Yor always looked forward to seeing her friend.

From afar, Yor spotted Melinda. She was sitting at their normal table, as usual. But today, she was joined by a familiar figure in dark clothing. The two of them were seemingly engrossed in a conversation, their eyes glued to one another as they leaned in close. 

A smile breaking across her face, Yor walked up and took a seat in front of Melinda and Jeeves.

"Oh! Yor!" Melinda jumped. "I'm sorry—I didn't notice you." Her ears were pink.

Next to her, Jeeves greeted Yor with an easy smile. "Yor, how's it going?"

As the three of them caught up on how their studies and research was going, Yor watched her friend. Melinda was positively glowing as she looked at Jeeves, a dreamy smile on her face. 

This was her first time seeing Melinda and Jeeves together in person since they officially began dating a bit over a week ago—which Melinda had announced to Yor through an impromptu video call involving lots of screaming and jumping in joy. After she had calmed down, Melinda had insisted that they make time for Yor and Jeeves to properly get to know each other, as her best friend and boyfriend respectively. As a result, the two of them had agreed to invite Jeeves to their coffee break.

Sitting in front of the new couple, Yor took this opportunity to size up Jeeves again. This was her first time seeing him since their meeting at the lab. Though Jeeves wasn't quite as expressive as Melinda, his eyes constantly drifted back to Melinda's face. Pleased, Yor hid a smile.

"Oh yeah!" Looking at Jeeves, Yor snapped her fingers. "When Loid and I were at the museum, he told me a funny story about Jeeves in college."

"Oh?" Melinda leaned in close, a wry smile blooming across her face. "Do tell."

"Which one?" Eyebrows raised, Jeeves paused with his coffee cup in front of his mouth.

"The one involving a beer keg and a unicycle?"

Immediately, Jeeves set his mug down. "Oh no. Absolutely not." As he frantically shook his head, Yor dissolved into giggles. When Melinda turned curiously to Jeeves, he shot her a pleading look. "I'll tell you another time. I feel humiliated just remembering it."

"Alright, alright," Melinda relented with a playful grin. A mischievous glint twinkled in her eye, and she swiveled to face Yor. 

"So, you and Loid at the museum? I know you said it was just for school, but according to Jeeves, a little birdy told him that you two had tons of fun."

Eyes widening, Yor turned to Jeeve. He shot her a rueful grin. "Franky texted me."

Yor nodded, though her heart was pounding at the memory of her not-date with Loid. "So, um, what did Franky say?"

"Well, he said that he saw Loid out in public, which was the first shocker. And that Loid was out with a girl , the second shocker. And that Loid looked genuinely happy, which made for the third shocker." 

Yor sucked in a breath. Was that really how Loid looked when he was with her?

"Oh, he’s in love-love with you." Melinda mock stage-whispered to Yor, audible enough for everyone to hear. She winked.

Jeeves chuckled. "I can't speak for Loid, but…" His face turned thoughtful. "I have to say, this is the first time I've seen him like this before." He smiled warmly at Yor. "I think you're pretty special to him, Yor."

Yor covered her face, which was now fully red, in her hands. Hearing that affirmation from someone who knew Loid so well? Her heart felt like it was going to burst out of her chest.

"Anyways, I think you might get a chance to talk more with him this weekend." At Jeeves’ words, Yor peeked through her hands at him, curious.

"I'm hosting a small get-together at my apartment this weekend. I'm a bit of an amateur bartender, and I like making drinks for people. We'd love to have you there, Yor." Jeeves nodded at her with a welcoming smile.

"He's no amateur—he’s a fantastic bartender," Melinda added, her eyes practically radiating hearts as she gazed at him. Her face lit up. "Oh! And I'll be helping with the decorations. I thought it would be fun to have a theme, so it'll be a 70s-themed party!"

"Well, maybe not a full-on party ," Jeeves interjected with a sheepish laugh. He rubbed the back of his neck, pausing. "At this point in my life, it takes me a week to get over a hangover. But it'll be lots of fun—good drinks and company."

"That sounds wonderful! I'd love to attend,” Yor replied with a smile. “Who will be there?"

"I'm inviting some of my labmates, and Franky said he's going to invite some friends as well."

"And…" Yor's voice trailed off. "Loid will be there too?" Her voice was high-pitched.

Melinda giggled as Jeeves nodded. "Yes, we invited him, but…" He frowned, glancing to the side. "He doesn't usually attend. Loid is always working, even on weekends." He sighed.

"Oh." Yor slumped in her seat. 

Jeeves looked at his phone. "Last he texted me, he said that he 'wasn't sure yet' if he was coming." He glanced back up at Yor with a sympathetic expression. "Which is better than a ‘no,’ honestly. We'll just have to see if he shows up."

Leaning her chin on her hand, Melinda smirked. "Maybe you should just tell him Yor will be here. That'll get him out of his office." Yor squeaked in surprise, as Melinda cackled. 

Jeeves chuckled. "You know, that's not the worst idea…" He eyed his phone.

"No!" Yor yelped, the pair in front of her snickering. "I´ll, um…let's just wait to see what he says!" She exhaled in relief when Jeeves set his phone aside.

As the two returned to making plans for the weekend's get-together, Yor reassured herself. Surely, Loid would be able to make it. It was Jeeves and Franky after all.

Then again, he had seemed taken aback when she referred to them as his "friends" at the museum. Almost as if he had never even considered them to be his friends. Maybe they weren't close? 

No, that didn't make sense. From what she had seen thus far, Loid seemed so at ease with the two of them. Regardless of what he called them, they were important to him. Of course he would make time to see them, even if it were only for a bit. 

Now she just needed to mentally prepare for the possibility of seeing him at a party. Her first college party. She gulped.

After getting off at the train station, Yor walked through the small residential neighborhood where Jeeves’ apartment was located. The area was quiet and peaceful, primarily consisting of modern-looking townhouses that towered over prim lawns. Not quite as lavish as, say, Melinda’s neighborhood, but still a far cry to the modest apartment complex where Yor lived.

Self-consciously, Yor smoothed down her outfit with her free hand. A quick Internet search had revealed that halter tops and bright colors were 70s staples. Yor had done her best to follow the memo, donning a red striped halter top and high-waisted black skirt, with matching red tights and chunky white heels. It was a bold outfit for her, but she wanted to follow the theme for the sake of Melinda.

The last time she had attended a gathering like this was in highschool, when some of her track and field teammates hosted parties after meets. To be honest, she had never truly fit in with her peers. Outside of their practices and meets, Yor found herself on the sidelines of conversations about schoolwork and dating—neither of which she had much to say about. She always surmised that her teammates probably invited her out of a sense of pity.

Today would be her first time attending an event hosted by friends. Real friends. Yor clutched the handles of the paper bag she had brought on the train, glancing inside to make sure the contents hadn’t been disturbed. Thankfully, the container of mixed berries and fruits looked pristine.

After asking Yuri what was a proper gift to bring to a party and receiving the sweet but unhelpful answer of “your beautiful face,” Yor had decided that fruit would be a safe option. Maybe not the most impressive present, but better than nothing. She wanted to make sure she thanked Melinda and Jeeves for hosting everyone.

After checking the directions on her phone and confirming she was in the right place, Yor walked up to the apartment building highlighted on the map. With bated breath, she knocked gently on the door.

Maybe Loid had already arrived. Her heartbeat quickened at the thought of seeing him again. What if he were on the other side of the door, right now?

The door flung open and a familiar face, one with curly dark hair and thick red glasses, popped out. “Yor! Glad you could make it.”

Yor swallowed the flash of disappointment and forced a smile on her face as she greeted Franky.

As she entered the apartment, Yor took in the dark furniture and gilded frames. Dim lighting cast the room in a cozy, elegant glow. In the corner was a small bar counter stocked with various fancy-looking bottles and glasses. Behind that stood Jeeves.

“Yor! Welcome.” Jeeves glanced up at Yor and offered a friendly grin, before returning his focus back to pouring a concoction into a tumbler glass. He was wearing an elegant black suit and a bow tie, with his hair swept back. Had he dressed up as a butler? It suited him.

An arm slung around Yor’s shoulders, and she turned to see Melinda. “Yor, I’m so glad you could make it!” Her friend was dressed impeccably as ever, but with a groovy 70s flare. With bell bottom jeans, a silky flower-printed shirt, and aviator glasses, she looked like a model from a vintage magazine.

After Melinda happily received Yor’s gift and bustled off to find a good place for the fruit, Yor looked around. A few empty plates and utensils were set out on colorful tablecloths, but the seats were empty. “Did I arrive too early?” Yor asked, fidgeting with the edge of her skirt. It was bad etiquette to be overly punctual, right?

“You’re the first to arrive, but it’s all good!” Franky strolled over from a neighboring room, wiping his hands with a towel. Yor could see his full outfit now, a funky, purple striped suit with a denim newsboy cap that barely contained his curls. He looked like a cartoon character, vibrant and animated.

“Yor, do you think that you and Franky could help me put up some decorations?” Melinda called over from the corner, where she was arranging refreshments. Yor quickly agreed, relieved to have something to do in the interim.

Plus, it would help take her mind off of the impending arrival of a certain someone.

Together, Yor and Franky helped string up some of the garlands Melinda had made out of colorful squares of paper. As Yor stepped on a chair to attach the garland to the wall, Franky plopped down on a nearby chair. 

“Man, I really hope Loid shows up,” Franky mused. At the sound of Loid’s name, Yor nearly tumbled over the edge of the chair.

Regaining her balance, she cleared her throat. “Oh, um, yeah! I hope she shows up too,” she said in as normal of a voice as she could manage.

Franky got up and began to attach the garland to the other side of the wall. “You know, Loid was such a shut-in in college,” he said.

“Really?”

“Every weekend, Jeeves and I would have to drag him away from his books and beg him to go out with us.” Franky looked up at the ceiling, a small smile on his face. “Whenever he did hang out with us, it was a great time! It just didn’t happen often.”

He snorted. “Loid was always game for a study session, though. You told him you needed help with an assignment, he was there.” His eyes were fond.

As the two finished putting up the decorations, Yor turned to Franky. “Did Loid have a lot of…friends, outside of you and Jeeves?” She hesitated before using the word “friend.”

Franky didn’t seem to notice. “I don’t think so? He was always so focused on school, he didn’t really have the time to make lots of friends.” Franky paused. “Then again, Loid’s always been a pretty private person. There’s a lot even I don’t know about him.” He looked down at his feet, quiet.

A knock sounded at the door. Immediately, Franky’s face shifted back to his chipper self. “Guests! I’ll let them in!” He bounded over to the entrance.

A large group of people surged into the apartment, excitedly talking amongst themselves. A few of them clapped Franky on the back, then walked up to the bar counter. Soon, a line of people waiting for drinks began to wrap around the edges of the room..

“Franky, how many friends did you invite?” Jeeves hissed, after hastily handing the last guest in line their drink.

“Just a handful!”

Over the next half hour, more and more people showed up, until there had to be about 30 people crammed into the relatively small living room. Yor, Melinda, and Franky did their best to make space for the guests, moving furniture and grabbing stools from the kitchen so that people could have somewhere to sit. In spite of the crowded room, the sound of lively chatter and the clink of glasses, paired with soft music, made for a warm ambiance.

After serving drinks to the newest swarm of people, Jeeves shot Franky an incredulous yet amused look.

“Where did these people even come from? I don’t even know half of them.” 

“I’m sorry, Jeeves.” Franky slumped down on the bar stool. His suit looked rumpled, probably from rearranging the apartment to make room for everyone. “I think the friends that I invited ended up inviting their friends, and then it all just added up…”

Jeeves slid Franky a colorful drink, shooting him a reassuring smile. “Ha, it’s alright. At least I’ve been able to put those mixology lessons to good use. It’s just a bit cramped in here, that’s all.” Jeeves’ face turned thoughtful. “What if we made some space in the kitchen for folks to hang out?”

Franky’s face brightened. “Hey, we could play beer pong!” 

Jeeves began to grin. “Yeah, that would be fun. Although…” His smile faded. “That’d probably be more fun with Loid here.”

“Oh yeah, Loid is the best at beer pong.” Franky sighed.

Yor glanced between Franky and Jeeves. “Is…is Loid still coming?” she asked hesitantly.

Jeeves sighed. “He messaged me not long ago, and said that he probably wouldn’t be able to make it. Too much work, and all that.”

“Boo. Classic Loid.” Shoulders slouched, Franky sipped his drink. Jeeves nodded in agreement, his eyes equally glum. The two of them went quiet.

Excusing herself, Yor stepped away from the bar counter and walked over to the entryway. As she unlocked her phone, her heart began to pound.

Should she? Her fingers stilled on the screen as she hesitated. He already said he wasn’t coming. Maybe she would just be bothering him. 

But Franky and Jeeves seemed so disappointed at the prospect of not being able to see Loid. Their friend. 

And even if Loid didn’t call them that, he seemed to view them as friends too. 

And of course, there was her heart, as always—impelling her to text him, text him .

Yor inhaled deeply. Then, she clicked on a familiar contact, and began to type.

I hope your Friday night is going well!

Before she could continue typing, however, a response appeared. She froze.

Thanks! I’m still at the lab but it’s a quiet evening, which is nice. What are you up to?

Loid was a good texter, but he wasn’t usually this fast. Ignoring the fluttering sensation in her stomach, Yor continued typing.

I’m actually at Jeeves’ party right now. He mentioned that you were busy tonight but… She gulped, pausing for a beat before forcing her now shaky fingers to type. It would be great to see you.

Her face was fully red as she clicked send. Was it too forward? It was too late to take it back.

Loid’s typing bubble popped up. It kept starting and stopping, for what felt like forever. What was he thinking about? How to let her down easy? Yor held her breath, waiting.

When he finally responded, her eyes went wide.

You know what, I’m just about done with work. I’ll swing by Jeeves’ place in 15 minutes or so. See you soon, Yor.

Then he sent a smiley face emoji. Yor’s heart thudded in her chest. Turning, she ran back to Jeeves and Franky, who were now joined by Melinda at the bar counter.

“I, um, just texted Loid,” she managed, breathless. “He said he’s on the way.”

“What?!” Franky yelped, startling some folks near them. “I’ve been trying to get him to come hang out with us for months! How did you convince him?” 

Ears burning behind her hair, Yor stammered out a non-response. In front of her, Melinda and Jeeves exchanged amused looks.

“Well, I’m glad he’s coming. If I’d known that an invitation from Yor was all it would take to get Loid out of the office…” Jeeves said with a twinkle in his eye. Melinda snickered, shooting Yor a wink.

Franky leapt out of his seat. “Time’s a wasting! Let’s set the table, Jeeves.”

Melinda cocked her head. “For eating?”

“No, my dear Melinda. For beer pong.” Franky scampered off to the kitchen. Chuckling, Jeeves pressed a kiss to Melinda’s cheek before following after him. There was a noticeable pep in Jeeves’ step as he walked.

She wasn’t the only one looking forward to Loid’s arrival. Yor smiled to herself.

After the boys left, Melinda sidled up to Yor with a playful smile. She nudged her in the side. “So…you’ve clearly gotten your prince wrapped around your finger.”

Yor jolted in her seat. “Do you think so?”

Melinda raised an eyebrow. “I know so. I’ve seen how Loid works in the lab. I barely even see that man during lunch breaks.” She snorted, rolling her eyes. “The fact that you were able to convince him to have fun, for the first time this semester? He wouldn’t just do that for anyone.” She glanced at Yor’s outfit, a mischievous smile spreading across her face. “And when he sees how stunning you look, he’s going to be so glad he finally crawled out of his office.”

Fifteen minutes crawled by, every sound at the door making Yor surge out of her chair, only to slink back down when she realized no one had arrived yet. 

It was when she had finally accepted a drink from Jeeves and taken a sip when three loud knocks resounded. Jumping out of her seat, Yor spun around.

Franky was the closest to the door. As he opened it, Yor held her breath.

The visitor and Franky exchanged warm greetings. Clapping the visitor on the back, Franky ushered him into the apartment. As the visitor walked in, he locked eyes with Yor. A familiar head of blond hair, with blue eyes and a devastatingly gorgeous smile—currently aimed at her. It was him.

Loid had traded his usual formalwear for a white t-shirt and blue jeans. In one arm, he held what looked like a brown leather jacket. Come to think of it, Yor had never seen him wear casual clothing before, and the sight made her heart clench almost painfully. He looked even more handsome than usual.

His hair was also more ruffled, as if he had rushed here. He always seemed to be in a hurry, Yor noted.

And yet right now, his attention was still entirely focused on Yor. There was an intensity in Loid’s eyes as he walked towards her. Through the haze that took over her mind, she noticed his eyes flitting up and down her outfit.

Surreptitiously, she glanced down, checking to make sure she hadn't spilled anything on her halter top and tights. Was it too bold? 

Meeting her gaze again, Loid coughed. “It’s good to see you, Yor.” The light in the room was too dim to see clearly, but his face looked flushed.

"You too, Loid." Her voice came out in barely a whisper. Yor glanced to the side of his face, then back to him.

Oh, he was so handsome. If she stared at him for too long, she felt like she might get burned.

As they walked over to the bar counter, Yor's face was hot. Carefully, she slid into the seat next to Loid, hyper-aware of his warmth at her side.

"I'm glad you finally took a break for once," Jeeves said to Loid with a warm grin, sliding him a tumbler glass filled with a dark liquid. Whiskey, perhaps? It was an elegant-looking drink that suited Loid well. Jeeves sent Yor a small, knowing smile, as she flushed.

Loid took a sip of the drink, nodding in satisfaction as he set the glass down. The white t-shirt framed his shoulders especially nicely. With the ambient lighting and classic furniture, he looked like an actor in an expensive commercial. Realizing she was staring at him again, Yor forced her gaze onto the countertop.

“Yeah, me too honestly. It’s nice to take a break once in a while.” At Loid's words, Jeeves and Franky both placed a hand over their mouths, feigning shock. 

“Someone record this. Loid Forger has finally admitted that he needs breaks,” Franky mock-whispered to Jeeves.

“Oh, shut up.” Loid rolled his eyes, but a smile tugged at his lips.

Jeeves elbowed Franky in the side with a playful grin. “Maybe now he’ll finally take a lunch break.”

“Baby steps, Jeeves. Let’s start with bathroom breaks, for now.”

As Franky and Jeeves fell over themselves in laughter, Loid waved at the two boys with a lewd hand gesture. Yor’s eyes widened—not because she was offended, but because she was shocked to see that from Loid of all people. All the while, an amused smile tugged at Loid’s lips.

Around her, Loid was always so refined and polite. Did most people see this other side of him? 

As Loid’s gaze snapped to her, she froze. His eyes were blue with curiosity—and something else in his eyes that she couldn't quite place.

Franky marched over and slung his arms around Jeeves and Loid. Looking down at Loid, he scowled. "Hey, you're not on theme!"

Loid blinked. "Theme?"

"Yeah, the 70s!" Franky gestured wildly at his own striped suit, then at Yor. "Look, we're all wearing 70s-themed clothing!"

Loid's gaze rested on Yor, trailing over her again. Yor sucked in a breath, her skin going hot. "Ah, I see. My bad." Loid's voice sounded unfocused. He nodded, seemingly not listening as Franky proceeded to complain even more. All the while, it felt as if Loid’s eyes were piercing into her.

After Franky wandered off to chat with some other guests, Loid turned to Yor with a wry expression. "I guess I missed the memo. I hope I don't look too out of place."

Are you kidding? You make a plain white tee look incredible. Yor quickly shook her head. "Oh no! You look…great," she finished lamely. She did her best to keep her voice calm, like she definitely didn't have a fat crush on the person she was trying to compliment.

He smiled warmly, eyes crinkling. "Thanks, Yor. You too—you look beautiful." His tone was polite, but his choice of wording sent her head spinning. Beautiful? Yor barely managed to stammer out a thanks before lapsing into stunned silence.

Surely, he was just being nice. There was nothing else to it.

As they sat together, Yor wracked her mind for conversation starters. Something, anything—as long as it wasn’t academic-related. Yes, this was her opportunity to talk to Loid without a class or assignment hanging over them. To get to know him not just as a classmate or her group project partner, but as a person.

Five minutes passed, and nothing came to mind. Turns out, it was a lot easier to talk to Loid and distract herself from her anxiety when she could babble on about schoolwork. Feeling pathetic, she wilted in her seat.

“So, are you enjoying the party?” Loid asked.

Yor shot up straight. “Oh! Uh, yes, of course. It’s great! I love the drinks and the food and, uh, the people,” she babbled. There was an awkward pause. As Loid looked at her expectedly, as if waiting for her to say more, Yor’s mind went completely blank again.

Someone on the other side of the room called over to Loid. As he turned around to speak with them, he placed his hand casually on the backside of her chair. Yor stiffened, the heat of his arm only a few inches from her back. 

When he turned back to the counter and removed his hand (Yor noted with both relief and disappointment), Loid sipped his drink quietly. He looked off to the side, seemingly watching some of the guests around them. 

Perhaps he had lost interest in speaking with her, after her dismal attempts to make conversation.

As they sat in silence, Loid’s knee bumped into Yor's. Yor inhaled sharply, gripping her drink tightly. She felt his eyes shift to her for a few beats, before sliding away.

Great. Not only was she unable to speak to him like a regular person, she could hardly manage being normal in his presence. 

Heart still thumping, she took a long sip of her drink. How was she supposed to survive this night? 

Shortly afterwards, Jeeves and Franky returned to the bar, and the three boys began chatting with ease. Melinda approached their group with a large camera in hand and a bright smile. "You boys look adorable. Mind if I take a photo?"

Standing next to Melinda, Yor watched the three guys pose for the camera. Franky with his bold outfit and wacky grin, Jeeves with his elegant suit and polished smile, and Loid with his simple attire and bemused expression. Squeezed into a small space, they looked younger—like a group of college students making memories. 

When Franky rambled on about something, Loid rolled his eyes but shot him an amused grin. To their side, Jeeves punched Franky lightly in the side, who yelped. Melinda laughed.

Loid always seemed to be at ease around Franky and Jeeves. More unfiltered. More real. Like he didn’t need to pretend. A pang of envy stabbed Yor’s heart. 

With how awkward she was, no wonder Loid didn’t feel comfortable being himself around her.

“Say cheese!”

One day, would he ever lower his walls around her?

After Jeeves served enough drinks to the guests, the five of them went to the kitchen to play a long-awaited game of beer pong. (Or more accurately, water pong—Jeeves said his undergraduate days had “ruined beer for him.”) They’d decided to split into two teams, led by Loid and Franky respectively. Melinda had opted to sit out and keep score, while rooting for both Jeeves and Yor. 

When it was his turn to choose teammates, Loid had immediately selected Yor. As she walked over to his side, she heard the sound of suppressed snickers from the other three, which she tried to ignore as her face turned hot.

Jeeves and Franky were right: Loid was really good at beer pong. His aim was impressively precise and he stood at the table with confidence. Maybe it was his casual wear or the slight buzz of alcohol finally hitting her, but he looked especially good-looking while playing. Yor tried not to notice how he frowned a bit while concentrating, or how his arms flexed as he threw the ball.

Loid was also extremely competitive. His eyes never strayed from the table until the ball landed where he wanted. When he missed a shot, he winced, gritting his teeth in disappointment. Even outside of his work and studies, he took things seriously. It was adorable.

At one point, Melinda joined in to take a turn for the other team. The ball landed smoothly in one of Yor and Loid’s cups, which Loid quickly volunteered to drink for them. As Melinda cheered for her own success, Jeeves slipped his arm around her with a warm smile.

Watching Jeeves and Melinda hold each other, Yor glanced to her side, where Loid was standing. He was only a few feet apart from her. Right now, though, the distance felt staggering.

Yor gripped her arm, hoping that the dull ache of longing would subside.

“Yor, it’s your turn.” At Loid’s reminder, Yor jolted out of her thoughts. His face was set with determination. That was right—it was the final few rounds of the game, and the two teams were just about tied. 

Hopeful that she’d land a throw and impress Loid, Yor threw the ball with a bit too much enthusiasm. It bounced off the rim of one of the remaining cups and flew across the room, as Loid hissed in disappointment. 

“Wow, Yor, you’re so strong!” Franky crowed from across the table. “No points for you, though.”

Glumly, Yor turned to Loid.

“That’s alright, Yor.” Loid smiled at her but it didn’t reach his eyes. Silently, he ran his hands through his hair, messing it up, as he surveyed the table grimly.

“No way, are we actually going to beat Loid?!” Franky jumped up and down, grabbing Jeeves. 

Jeeves snorted. “Can’t remember the last time that happened.”

“Loid, if we win, you’ve got to buy dinner for all of us,” Franky yelled, face bright. Snickering, he ducked as Loid lobbed the ball in his direction.

Amid his friends’ taunts, Loid ended up missing the next throw, which caused the other side to only cheer even more. Franky landed his next throw, but Jeeves missed, leaving only one cup on either side. 

Other guests had also come to the kitchen to watch them play. Soon, a small crowd circled the table, only upping the sense of anticipation.

It was now up to Yor. Maybe it was over dramatic—it was just a party game, after all—but she breathed in slowly, quieting her mind.  

As she looked at the table, she thought back to her shotput days. The adrenaline of waiting in the crouched position, the breathlessness of spinning as the wind whirred around her, the euphoria of watching the silver ball soar through the air until she couldn’t see it anymore. Closing her eyes, Yor tried to imagine that she was the only person in the room. 

She knew that Loid’s eyes were currently burning into her back. She didn't dare look back and break her resolve.

Yes, silly party game aside, this was important to Loid. She had to do this for him. Inhaling through her nose, she picked up the ball.

The room was quiet as Yor positioned her arm and prepared her aim. As she exhaled through her mouth, she threw her arm forward and let the ball go.

The ball soared in a clean arc, approaching the last cup on the other end of the table. Yor held her breath.

It landed on the rim, wobbling a bit, as the room gasped in unison. Then, it fell into the cup with a resounding splash.

The crowd around them erupted into cheers. In front of them, Franky pounded the table in frustration, while Jeeves laughed good-naturedly at his friend’s tantrum. Next to them, Melinda shot Yor a proud thumbs up. 

Suddenly, a pair of arms picked her up. With a squeak of surprise, Yor looked down to see who it was

It was Loid—laughing widely, his head tipped back, as he spun Yor around.

"You did it, Yor!" 

Suspended in the air above him, Yor took in how his grin lit up his face. His eyes were closed, giving him a blissful look that she hadn't seen before. It made him look more youthful, more carefree. 

Was this how he looked in his undergraduate days? Having fun, lost in the moment with his friends?

As he set her down gently, Yor admired the strength of his arms. Their faces were so close to each other, she could feel the puff of his breath on her cheek. His eyes opened, blue pools gazing at her with exhilaration. A warm smile curved his lips.

Earlier, he had called her beautiful—but really, he was the beautiful one. 

At the sound of someone clearing their throat, Yor blinked and looked around them. The two of them were still holding onto each other, in the center of the room…as everyone watched. Horrified, she jolted away from Loid. 

Slowly, Loid’s eyes widened, as if he had also just remembered where they were. Awkwardly, he lowered his arms, his face turning pink.

Yor didn't need to look at Melinda and Jeeves to know that there were shit-eating grins on their faces right now. Resolutely, she stared at the ground.

"Hey, I don't know why you're celebrating so much." Off to the side, Franky pouted, staring forlornly at his empty side of the table. "It's not like there's a prize for winning."

"That's where you're wrong, Franky," Loid snorted, crossing his arms. Unlike Yor, he had already recovered from his embarrassment. When he looked over at her, the corners of his lips turned up. His eyes were soft. "The prize is winning."

To Yor, though, they were both wrong.

As Loid laughed loudly with his friends, Yor watched quietly, basking in the glow of a prize only she knew about.

After Yor’s winning throw, the guys decided to play another round of water pong, during which she learned that all of them were unnecessarily competitive. What commenced was a series of laughing, yelling, arguing, and at one point, Franky rolling on the ground while doing all three. Yor was especially startled to see Jeeves standing on the table while waving his fist, before Loid promptly yanked him back to the floor. (It was then she understood that Loid had indeed been correct about Jeeves’ wild side, and she wondered what other stories they had.)

As the boys’ antics ensued, Melinda and Yor sat off to the side, sharing a plate of food.

“You know,” Melinda said, in between bites of cheese and crackers, “I’ve never seen Jeeves this excited before.” She chuckled as she watched Jeeves, who was currently staring daggers at a dancing Franky. “I guess there’s nothing like being with friends.” 

The two girls smiled fondly at each other. Melinda put an arm around Yor’s shoulders and hugged her. “I’m so glad I met you, Yor.”

Yor closed her eyes. There was a point in her life where seeing Yuri flourish was all she needed to be happy. After their parents had died, her focus had been solely on ensuring her little brother’s wellbeing. There was no time to think about what she wanted, let alone entertain the idea of being a full-time college student, when she had the responsibility of raising a child all by herself. 

And so, she had packed her dreams up neatly and placed them in storage to be forgotten. 

There was no resentment or regret in her decision to forgo college. No sense of joy could top what she felt when she finally dropped her no-longer-so-little brother off at college and watched him head off on a new adventure. The memory still made her smile to this day.

And yet, her world had only grown more beautiful and more colorful since she stepped foot onto campus last year. Taking classes, meeting Melinda, and now, attending her first party. She had never imagined that she would experience all these new things. That there would be a time when her life was no longer on pause.

Out of habit, she looked over at the table again, her eyes drawn like a magnet to one blonde, handsome man. He was grinning widely, enjoying himself in the company of people who knew him and cared for him.

Yor smiled. Now she knew what it was like to live for herself. To want something.

Closing her eyes, Yor leaned into her friend’s embrace. “I’m glad I met you too, Melinda.” 

After they finished their food, Melinda left to check on the guests in the other room. Despite it being at least the fifth or sixth game at this point, the guys were still immersed in beer pong. Presently, they were huddled around the far corner of the table, seemingly discussing strategies to beat the opposing team. Imagining how serious Loid’s expression probably looked right now, Yor giggled to herself.

Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a man walking in her direction. His haircut gave her pause—long, gray-blonde hair with harsh bangs, that almost covered his fierce-looking eyes. His eccentric hairstyles and features were overshadowed, however, by his choice of clothing—a bright yellow plaid suit that looked like its fabric had been stolen from an old couch.

Yor looked straight ahead, doing her best to keep her face still. She didn’t like to think negatively of other people’s appearances, but his outfit was absolutely hideous. 

Unfortunately, the strange man only walked closer. As if he could read her mind, he stopped in front of her. “Yor Briar.”

Her eyes widened. “Y-yes, that’s me.” Oh no, had they taken a class together before? She had no idea what his name was. “I’m sorry, do we know each other?”

“You do not. However, I know you.” He enunciated his words in such a sinister way, she could feel her shoulders tense. 

“I was the TA for your biology class,” he went on. 

“Oh!” She remembered now. “Are you Hemlock?” 

While exploring majors last semester, Yor had taken an introductory biology class. The majority of their work was graded by a TA, whom Yor and her classmates knew to be a biology graduate student by the name of Hemlock. Though they had never met him in person before, Hemlock was infamous for leaving blisteringly harsh feedback on assignments. Yor had witnessed several of her classmates receive work with tears in their eyes. 

Thankfully, Yor had never taken his comments personally. His comments, though worded  cruelly at times, were undeniably helpful. In the end, it was his feedback that ultimately helped her get a passing grade in the class.

When Yor informed Hemlock of this and thanked him, he puffed his chest out in a bird-like manner, almost preening over her words. 

“I see you have a keen eye for academic excellence,” he sniffed, trying and failing to mask his pride. His gaze turned sharp again, as he perused her. Uncomfortable, she squirmed.

“Might I interest you in joining the bioengineering club? I am the current president. It’s a wonderful organization if I do say so myself, and I think you would be a good fit for it.”

Shaking her head, Yor declined politely. “I appreciate it, but this is a busy semester for me. Bioengineering also isn’t really in my wheelhouse.”

“Ah yes, that’s right. You are a…kinesiology major, are you not?” Hemlock’s voice became snide.

Yor tensed, gripping her plate. “Yes, I am?”

A sneer tugged at his lips. “What a pity. It is such a drab discipline, reserved for simpletons that don’t have the proper mental faculties for real science.”

Her jaw dropped, but Hemlock kept going. “Your talents are wasted on such a useless major. It’s not too late for you to switch to biology.” 

While Yor was used to elitists turning their noses up at kinesiology, she was stunned by Hemlock’s (unsolicited) recommendation to change majors. He seemed to be severely overestimating her skill in biology. Yor hadn’t been that good in the class. In the end, she’d scraped by with a solid B on the final. A vast improvement from her earlier grades, for sure, but certainly far from the best in the class. 

She thought back to the time that Hemlock offered to help students go over their practice exams, and how she was the only person who taken him upon on his offer. Partially because she wanted to boost her grade, but also out of sympathy, after seeing his online post go unreplied for days. Maybe that was skewing his perception of her?

While she pondered this, Hemlock droned about the superiority of biology. Yor fiddled with her plate, suppressing a sigh. Usually, she didn’t mind listening to people talk for extended periods of time, but his arrogance was wearing on her nerves.

As Hemlock prattled on, he leaned in closer to her. Yor stiffened. To anyone else, it probably looked like they were having an intimate conversation. 

Yor shifted away to get some space—he was now talking into her ear, and, to her chagrin, some spit had gotten on her cheek. While moving, she bumped into someone with a firm chest. 

She looked up, heartbeat speeding up as she did so.

Loid was standing right next to her with a frown on his face—though it wasn’t aimed at her. 

“You okay, Yor?” Brow furrowed, he was staring at Hemlock. His body was angled in front of Yor, blocking her slightly from Hemlock—for which Yor was grateful.

Hemlock jumped, letting out a strange, inhuman squeal. “Dr. Forger? What are you doing in a cesspool like this?”

“A cesspool?” Yor couldn’t hold back the incredulity in her voice.

Hemlock flinched. “I apologize for my wording. I simply wasn’t expecting to see the esteemed Dr. Forger at this humble get-together.” He bowed slightly as he spoke, but Yor didn’t miss the sardonic tone of his voice. Her eyes narrowed.

Recognition dawned in Loid’s eyes. “Oh, are you Hemlock? We met at that networking event at the lab, right?”

“Precisely,” Hemlock sniffed, as if he were affronted that Loid hadn’t realized who he was within seconds. “I’m surprised that this is where I would see you again, of all places.” He scowled as he glared at the students around them, as if he had been forced to attend this party.

“Well, I am also a student, just like everyone else here,” Loid said smoothly. Though his tone was light, he was positively intimidating as he stared Hemlock down.

Hemlock waved his hand dismissively. “Yes, yes you are. But you are exceptional in your field. My professors have lauded your research and work as a physician-scientist. They say you are one of the best.” He sounded bitter.

A nefarious smile grew on Hemlock’s face. “You know, I am planning to enroll in Berlint University’s MD-PhD program.”

Loid nodded, a polite but disinterested smile on his face. “Congratulations.” 

Hemlock went on, jutting out his chin. “Yes, indeed. You see, I’m taking the difficult yet objectively superior route of the joint program, rather than pursuing the two degrees separately and wasting years of my professional career. Impressive, isn’t it?” he sneered at Loid. 

Who did he think he was? Fuming, Yor was ready to snap at Hemlock. When she glanced to her side, however, Loid looked unfazed by his jabs.

“Your work ethic is very impressive, Hemlock. But academics isn't one size fits all. We all have to find the path works best for us,” Loid mused. He shot a disarming smile at Hemlock, who sputtered angrily but was unable to say anything intelligible. “Best wishes on your studies.”

With that, Loid turned to Yor and nodded his head at the door. Oh, was he…inviting her to go with him?

Without hesitating, Yor fell into step with Loid, the two of them leaving behind the now-speechless Hemlock.

After they returned to the living room, Loid patted Yor on the shoulder. She jumped a bit at his touch.

“I’m alright, Yor.” As he said this, Yor realized that she was still frowning from their exchange with Hemlock. Exhaling, she let her face relax.

“I’m sorry Hemlock was so rude to you.” Had she realized he would be such a colossal jerk to Loid, she never would have entertained a conversation with him in the first place.

“Oh, no worries,” Loid replied easily. “I’ve met a lot of academics like him before. Irritating, but harmless.”

“Like a mosquito?”

Loid snorted. “That’s one way to put it.” He turned to Yor, eyes amused.

“Actually, I didn’t even realize that it was Hemlock at first. I thought he was some random guy hitting o—“ he paused, eye widening. “I mean, uh, bothering you.” He coughed, looking away.

“Oh no, I’m okay. But I am glad you stepped in when you did.” Grateful, Yor shot him a shy smile. Sitting on the edge of the room, they watched the other guests at the party continue to socialize.

So it did look like Hemlock was flirting with her. Yor chewed on her lip. Knowing that Loid saw this made her feel especially restless. She froze. Oh no, what if he thought she had been flirting with Hemlock too? 

She shot a nervous glance at Loid, who seemed completely unaware of her mental turmoil. Leaning back in his chair, he tapped his foot on the ground to the rhythm of the music.

It was nice to see Loid relaxed. He was usually so alert, poised with his pen in hand and perfect posture. But right now, he didn’t look like Dr. Forger, the superstar researcher and student that intimidated even Hemlock. He was just Loid. A guy who liked playing beer pong with friends and looking out for others. Yor smiled softly to herself.

By now, some of the guests had left, and the remaining attendees were now picking away at the remaining food and refreshments. The party was beginning to wind down. Had that much time passed already? The night had been a whir to Yor.

Sitting up, Loid put his glass to his lips and tipped back the remaining contents. After setting his empty cup down on the counter, he turned to Yor.

“I think I want to get some fresh air. You want to join me?”

Carefully, Yor closed the door behind her, as she and Loid stepped outside. The patio was peaceful, with only the faint sound of cicadas buzzing.

The two of them sat down on the steps. “Phew, some peace and quiet.” Loid sighed in relief, before shooting Yor a rueful smile. “I don’t really like loud places. The hospital is chaotic enough as it is.”

“I understand. I don’t mind noise, but I do appreciate the quiet. Are you an introvert, Loid?"

"Huh. You know, I've never really thought about it before." He paused, thoughtful. "I guess I am, yeah. What about you, Yor?"

"The last time I took the test, I was an extrovert. But honestly, I like being alone too."

Loid sat back, relaxed. “Yeah, I just feel like I have a hard time thinking when there’s too many sounds and people around me. I definitely prefer being alone, or with just a couple other people.” A comfortable silence stretched between them.

Closing her eyes, Yor took in the night. In the distance, there was a bird chirping, a delicate sound that made the evening feel even more lovely. A breeze fluttered against her cheek. It wasn’t that cold, but the wind brought a bit of a chill. Without thinking, she shifted closer to Loid.

Inhaling deeply, Yor smelled a woody, clean fragrance. Surreptitiously, she glanced at Loid. It was probably his cologne, she surmised. Of course he would smell good too. 

She inhaled again, and noted a familiar, smoky scent. Cigarettes? He didn’t seem like the type to smoke.

On accident, her knee knocked against his. “I’m sorry!” she squeaked. Loid didn’t say anything. He looked at her with that same unreadable expression again, its intensity holding her in place.

Before she could scramble back, Yor paused. What other opportunity would she have to sit with Loid like this?

A rush of courage surged through her. “You know, Franky told me that you don’t usually come to their parties.” Squaring her shoulders, Yor forced herself to look at Loid. “What made you decide to attend tonight?”

Loid was still silent. As Yor held her breath, he reached a hand out slowly. She shut her eyes. Rough fingers ghosted against her cheek, a touch so feather-light she could hardly register it, if not for the immediate heat that rose to her cheeks.

He pulled his hand away after only a heartbeat. When she opened her eyes, their faces were even closer than before.

In the evening light, Loid’s blue eyes looked like dark pools, endless in their depths. His gaze flickered over his face, as if drinking her in.

There were only a few inches between their faces now. As Loid’s breath fanned over Yor’s lips, Yor could finally read the tender look in his eyes. 

It’s you, Yor . Her breath hitched. Yor shut her eyes, waiting for him to close the distance.

Suddenly, a loud crash sounded from inside the apartment. Immediately, the two of them jumped to their feet, whipping their heads around to see what it was.

“Sorry!” A familiar voice yelled from inside. “I’ll clean it up.”

“Oh come on, Franky,” a deeper voice, also familiar, complained.

“I’ll help. Come on, guys,” a very familiar, feminine voice added in. 

Slowly, Yor turned back around, fully expecting Loid’s warmth to still be at her side. Instead, he was now standing a few feet apart from her. 

His posture was completely stiff. His eyes darted from side to side, as he resolutely avoided looking at her.

“Um…” Finally, at the sound of her voice, he looked up. His expression was guarded. “Are you okay, Loid?”

His brow creased. Some conflicted emotion flickered in his eyes, before it cleared. Standing up straight, he flashed Yor a big grin, one that set off alarm bells in her head. His smile was wide and friendly—and didn’t reach his eyes at all.

“Yes, I’m fine. Sorry, I think I’m going to head back inside now,” He said in a detached voice. All the tenderness was gone from his eyes, replaced with a blandly pleasant expression that made her stomach drop. “Hope you have a good night.”

Without sparing a second, he turned on his heel and headed back into the apartment. The door shut behind him with a quiet thud.

Leaving Yor sitting outside alone, face burning and heart all jumbled.

What just happened?

Chapter Text

Art by @aerequets

By the time Yor had come to her senses and went back inside the apartment, Loid was nowhere to be found. Confused, she pulled Franky aside and asked if he had seen him.

“Oh yeah! He told me he had to go home.” Franky’s face was bright—whether it was from the buzz of alcohol or the exertion of beer pong, Yor couldn’t tell.  “Probably gonna work more before he goes to bed,” he chortled, as he glanced back towards the table where another game of beer pong was ongoing. “You should play another round with us, Yor!”

Yor looked over at Melinda and Jeeves. The two of them were gathered around the table, Jeeves’ arm slung casually around Melinda’s shoulder. Melinda leaned against Jeeves, a blissful grin on her face.

For the first time, seeing them together stung. Yor turned back to Franky and gave him the most convincing smile she could muster. “I’m actually feeling quite tired, so I think I’ll head home too.”

“Suit yourself!” Franky clapped her on the back, eyes warm. “Thanks for coming by, Yor. Don’t be a stranger!” 

As he headed back to the table, he winked at Yor. “Loid seemed really happy tonight, by the way.” He whisked away before Yor was able to fumble up a response.

While gathering her things in the living room, Yor chewed on her lip. Happy?

She recalled the warmth of Loid’s breath as they inched closer to each other, the giddiness of anticipation. Then, the panic in his eyes as he backed away from her. The bland, perfunctory smile plastered on his face like a stone wall.

She winced, head suddenly feeling heavy.

As she approached the door, she pulled out her phone. Quickly, she typed a quick message to Melinda and Jeeves, telling them she was heading home and thanking them for hosting everyone. She didn’t want to interrupt their time together by telling them in person. 

They were adorable, and clearly in love. She swallowed hard, pushing back the wave of bitterness that arose. Melinda deserved to be happy. What kind of friend was she, being jealous of her best friend’s happiness?

Swallowing hard, Yor swiped to a familiar profile in her contacts. Her finger hovered in place as she stared at his icon. 

Franky hadn’t mentioned anything about Loid acting strange. Even if he were slightly drunk or distracted, surely he would have noticed his friend behaving oddly. 

Maybe she was overthinking things.

Before she could talk herself out of it, she began typing out a message to Loid.

Hey, I had a great time hanging out with you tonight! Hope you get home safe .

Just a regular, friendly message. Nothing to it. He’d probably thank with his normal cheer and wish her goodnight, like he normally did when they exchanged messages at night. Nodding to herself, she pressed send, and walked out the door.

She was definitely overthinking it. Things were fine with Loid.

Later that night, Yor checked her messages one last time before bed. By instinct, she clicked on Loid’s chat icon. As she scanned the screen, she froze.

Below her last message to him was a “seen” notification, shortly after she had texted him.

That was wholly unlike Loid. Anxiety fluttered in her chest as she stared at the notification. 

Perhaps he was busy with work and had forgotten to reply. Maybe he would respond later, when he was more free on the weekend.

Quickly, she set her phone aside. Burying herself under the covers, Yor closed her eyes and did her best to block out all the events of the day.

The night passed painfully slowly, as did the rest of the weekend.

Loid’s response never came.

While walking to class on Monday—still groggy from her restless weekend—she crossed paths with Franky. He was pleased to see her, and invited her to a game night on the weekend. Melinda and Jeeves would be there, of course, along with some of his colleagues.

“I already told the others that I’d invite you and Melinda. It’ll be fun!” He paused. “Ah, too bad Loid said he can’t make it.” Franky ruffled his hair with a rueful smile. 

“He usually attends, but I guess he’s back to being a hermit again. And here I thought his social streak would last longer!”

While Franky rambled on about board games, Yor was silent. A stinging question lingered on her mind, flitting to the surface no matter how much she tried to squash it.

Was it because of her?

As she wrestled with her thoughts, she realized Franky was still waiting for a response. Hastily, she accepted his invitation. She did her best to look enthusiastic, hoping that the sinking feeling in her gut would dissipate.

Yor’s stomach churned as she walked into class on Tuesday. Immediately, her eyes slid to their usual table on the side of the classroom.

It was empty. Strange. Usually, he arrived early.

Yor slid into her usual chair, leaving the seat on the left vacant for Loid. Exhaling heavily, she tapped her nails on her phone, the restless rhythm filling the classroom.

After the party, Loid never did end up responding to her text message. It was only when she sent him a question about their group project did he reply. Even then, his response was noticeably succinct, with not even a thumbs-up emoji. Nothing about his message was rude, but it was far more distant than his typical messages. 

As the minutes ticked by, more classmates filtered in. Yor’s gaze kept darting back to the door. No sign of him.

She frowned, worrying her lip. Was he sick? Maybe that was why he had been acting strange, and why he had turned down Franky’s invitation.

Just as Dr. Blackbell began reading off announcements, a familiar figure slipped through the door. Yor’s breath caught in her throat.

Loid was wearing a slate gray sweater, his hair swept back. His eyes were sharp and pensive, as if he were walking into a warzone.

Slowly, his gaze slid to hers. She was already staring at the door, and the two of them made eye contact. 

Yor’s heart stuttered. It had been several days since she last saw him, and she couldn’t help the fluttering in her chest as she drank in the sight of him.

His brow creased. Some unreadable emotion rippled across his face. Gripping his briefcase, he looked away stiffly. 

Turning on his heel, he walked to the front of the classroom and slid into an empty seat. Yor’s mouth fell open.

Numbly, she stared at Loid’s back, several tables away from her. Dread coiled like ice in her belly.

At the end of class, the students got to their feet and began filing out the door. Briefcase in hand, Loid followed suit.

Immediately, Yor bolted out of her seat, ready to rush up to the front. 

“Loid!” Her voice rang harshly in her ears. Already in the doorway, he paused. 

Then, he hurried through the door, without looking behind him once.

Slowly, Yor covered her mouth with her hand. She stared at the spot where Loid had been standing.

He had heard her. There was no denying that. Then why…

Yor stood in the classroom, alone, until it was empty.

After Yor finished recounting Loid’s recent behavior, Melinda said nothing. Instead, she stirred her coffee slowly, seemingly collecting her thoughts. Usually at their coffee chats, Melinda chattered nonstop, so it was strange for her to be completely silent.

Yor had told Melinda everything, from the almost-kiss at the party to his now icy demeanor. Unfortunately, his avoidance of her in class hadn’t been a one-time event. During the following classes, Loid had also arrived just as class began and surreptitiously avoided sitting next to Yor. As soon as class ended, he nearly flew out her door, clearly in a rush to get to his next location.

Or, in a rush to get away from her. 

They had only exchanged messages a few times over the past two weeks, and only about their group project. His messages became increasingly terse and brief, to the point where they weren’t much better than one-word answers.

Staring dully at her scone, Yor sat with hands folded in her lap. Melinda had purchased the pastry for her, but she had no appetite. 

Seeing the scone reminded her of her first meeting with Loid, and the memory only made her feel even queasier.

“That idiot .” Finally, Melinda spoke up. Her voice was low and furious. “He’s been mooning over you for months, and now he pulls this crap?”

Next to her, Jeeves sighed. “Melinda, please…”

Melinda crossed her arms as she stared her boyfriend down. “Look, I know he’s your friend. But Yor is my best friend. And I’m not okay with anyone treating her like this.”

Jeeves hung his head. “I get it.” He looked at Yor, face drawn with regret. “I’m sorry you’re dealing with this, Yor.”

“It’s okay.” She knew neither of them believed her. At this point, she didn’t even believe herself.

When Yor had arrived at the coffeeshop earlier and they had seen the look on her face, Jeeves had offered to give Melinda and Yor time to talk alone. Yor had told him that he could stay. 

Maybe he’d have some insight as one of Loid’s friends.

Huffing out a breath, Melinda rubbed her face. “Okay, so he’s sending mixed signals. Now normally , I’d tell you to dump his ass and forget about him.” She scowled, rolling her eyes. “But since he’s Loid…” Her voice trailed off, as she turned and shot her boyfriend a sharp look. “I’m willing to hear him out. Any idea what’s going on with him?”

Running a hand through his hair, Jeeves sighed. “Honestly, I don’t know. It’s hard to tell what’s going on in that guy’s head.”

Melinda leaned forward, eyes sharp. “Is he stringing along a bunch of girls? Is that why he’s acting all hot and cold now?”

Frowning, Jeeves shook his head. “No, I doubt it. He didn’t really date when we were in college. Since we graduated, he’s barely shared anything about his personal life. As far as I know, he’s been single this whole time.”

Melinda rolled her eyes. “Married to his research. I knew it.” She raised an eyebrow. “Does he have commitment issues?”

Jeeves furrowed his brow. “I don’t think so? I mean, maybe? I’m sorry. I really don’t know.” He went quiet. Slumped in his chair, he looked defeated.

He looked over at Yor, his eyes sad. “Loid has always been a very closed-off person. Even though I’ve known him for over ten years, sometimes it still feels like I barely know him.” 

His words reminded Yor of Franky’s story at the party—how Loid would go through periods of time where he was a social butterfly, before closing off again. As she shared this with Jeeves, he nodded. “Yep, that’s Loid alright.”

Melinda wrinkled her face. “So he’s an awful friend to you and Franky, and he’s now doing the same thing to Yor?”

Jeeves winced. “He’s not perfect, for sure.” He stared down at the table. “But he’s also been there for Franky and me through some really difficult times. Even when he didn't need to.” He didn’t say more.

Slowly, he looked back up at Yor. “I do know that this is new territory for him. Getting close to you, Yor. I really do believe you mean something to him.”

Melinda snorted. “Who wouldn’t love Yor? Of course he’d be crazy about her.”

Silently, Yor picked at the scone on her plate. Before the party, Yor would have been happy to hear this confirmation of Loid’s feelings from the two. Now, their words rung hollow.

Melinda seemed to be thinking along the same lines. She banged her fist on the table. “Anyways, how he feels means nothing if he’s treating her like this!” 

Jeeves opened his mouth to respond, then closed it. He looked down again, dejected. Melinda’s eyes softened, and she rubbed her boyfriend’s back.

“I’m sorry. I know that you both care about him. I just can’t stand to see Yor getting hurt.” She reached over and took Yor’s hand. Yor exhaled a breath she didn’t know she had been holding. 

Jeeves was quiet for a few moments. “You know, I have noticed that Loid’s been staying later at the lab this week.” He gazed up, face thoughtful. “He’s always been a workaholic, but I’ve noticed that he tends to work more when he’s stressed or upset.”

As he looked at Yor, there was a small glint of hope in his eyes. “Yor, you don’t owe him anything, especially now, but…I think you should talk to him.”

Yor jolted in her chair. “What?” 

Melinda sighed, looking like she didn’t want to say it. “Yeah. I agree, Yor.”

Yor whirled around to gawk at her friend. Melinda too? And here she thought Melinda was going to personally go up to Loid and dump coffee on him.

Melinda flung a hand in the air. “At this point, all we’re doing right now is guessing. Now while my personal opinion is that he’s acting like a manchild, we don’t know what’s going on in his head. The only way to find out is to ask.” She paused, turning to Yor with a question in her eyes. 

“Have you told him how you feel about him, Yor?”

Yor’s cheeks turned red. “Um…no?”

Melinda grew quiet, stirring her coffee. “You know, some guys are real idiots and don’t know that someone likes them unless there’s a flashing neon sign that says so.” She sighed. “I hate to say it, but this might be a good time to tell Loid about your feelings for him.”

Jeeves nodded. “Yes, I think it’s a good idea to tell him how you feel.” He opened his mouth to speak but hesitated, glancing at Melinda before looking back at Yor. 

He shifted in his chair. “Loid has been through a lot—I know that’s not an excuse, but if you can…be patient with him.” His gaze was pleading. 

Melinda scrunched up her face, but didn’t say anything. She turned to Yor again. 

“Will you talk to him, Yor?”

With the two of them looking at her like that, she felt like she couldn’t say no. 

Yor sighed. “Fine.”

Melinda stabbed food off of Jeeves’ plate with her fork. “Good talk. And if he messes this up, I’m vandalizing his office.” The three of them chuckled, moving on to lighter topics.

As the other two talked, Yor picked at her scone. While she appreciated Melinda and Jeeves’ support, she couldn’t shake the nagging feeling that both of their assessments were wrong. 

Loid’s behavior this week had already sent a clear message. Evidently, he didn’t want to be near her anymore. 

Maybe he had seen enough of her and decided that he didn’t like her anymore. Or maybe he hadn’t ever liked her at all in the first place. It didn’t really matter.

Taking a bite of her scone, she chewed slowly. It was tasteless.

If it was this easy for him to cut her out of his life, she couldn’t be special to him. 

What was the point of talking to him?

Slowly, Yor walked up the staircase, willing the step below her to open up and pull her into a void.

After her meeting with Melinda and Jeeves, Jeeves had sent her Loid’s office number. He told her that he was usually at the lab on Friday afternoons, and that he would be “less” busy—a perfect time for her to talk to him.

At the coffee shop, Melinda had taken her aside, out of earshot of Jeeves. “Tell him how you feel, tell him his behavior has been shit, and see how he responds. If he doesn’t give you a damn good explanation, he doesn’t deserve you.”

As she trudged up the stairs, Yor shrank down, wanting to hide within her sweater. 

It would be a miracle if she could get out full sentences once she was in front of him.

Despite her reluctance, her legs carried her through the hallway. Standing in front of his office door, she paused. Her eyes paused on the sign.

Dr. Loid Forger. PhD Candidate.

Yor blew out a breath. The sooner she talked to him, the sooner she could leave.

She would get this uncomfortable conversation over with, receive his rejection as gracefully as she could manage, and then do her best to forget about him.

Silently, she counted to three. Unfortunately, the floor didn’t collapse underneath her and offer her an escape, so she had no choice but to enter.

The door was slightly ajar, so she carefully pushed it open more. She peeked in.

The office was a small, sparse room, with just a bookshelf and a large desk. Sitting behind the desk was Loid, hunched over a pile of scattered papers. He was wearing his white coat—had he come here straight from the hospital? Despite her nerves, Yor felt her heart do somersaults as she looked at him. 

Pushing the door open fully, Yor stepped into the room, her boots clacking on the tile. At the sound, Loid looked up. His eyes widened.

He had dark circles, and his face was shadowed with stress. Yor felt a pang of sadness upon seeing how exhausted he looked.

As he stared at her, a barrage of emotions—confusion, panic, and something she couldn’t place—flickered across his eyes. Then his face grew impassive. 

“Yor.” His voice was low, and it wavered a bit. “How are you?” 

Her stomach lurched. Even after enduring two weeks of being treated like she didn’t exist, seeing Loid look at her like this—like a stranger—stung freshly. She gripped her arms tightly.

“I’ve been better.” Her voice cracked at the end. She shifted in front of him, glancing awkwardly at the empty chair. Sitting down didn’t feel right, but standing felt awkward too. 

“We…haven’t talked much recently, have we?” Duh. Of course he knew that. She wanted to hit herself in the head.

He sat stiffly in his chair, hands folded in front of him. “Yes, I’ve been busy.” His voice was tight. He fiddled with a pen on his desk, resolutely not looking at Yor.

“Busy?” She echoed his words, shocked.

“Yes, with my work and my research.” Loid forced out the words, speech clipped. He reached across his desk for a folder, still not looking at Yor. 

Frustration surged through Yor. This was how he was going to act?

Walking up to Loid, she slammed her hands on the desk, harder than she intended. A harsh thud echoed around the tiny room.

“I like you.” 

His hand froze halfway across the desk. Slowly, he looked up at her, mouth slightly open.

The words flooded out one after another, unable to remain bottled up any longer. “I’ve liked you for a long time, Loid. I figured you already knew that, since I haven’t exactly been hiding it well.”

She kept going, speaking so fast that she only faintly registered how Loid’s eyes looked like they were popping out of his head. 

“And…I thought that maybe, there was something between us, too.” She hugged her arms around her waist, feeling small. “But maybe I was wrong.”

Looking up, she held his gaze. “Is that why you’ve been avoiding me? Because you don’t feel the same way?”

Loid’s mouth opened and closed, as if he was trying to say something. Nothing came out. His eyes were still wide.

The silence that followed was stifling. Loid still looked taken aback, but aside from that, she couldn’t read what he was thinking. He looked at her, then at the table, without saying anything. 

A minute passed. Then two. Still nothing.

Maybe that was his answer.

Well, she did what she came here to do. Yor forced a smile on her face.

“I understand.” It felt like there were thorns in her throat as she spoke. “It’s okay.” Melinda and Jeeves were wrong. This had been a horrible idea. 

Why would he want her back? He was Loid Forger. He was probably surrounded by other academics and doctors as brilliant as him. Meanwhile, she was an average student, barely managing to fit into university life. Anyone with eyes could see that it wasn’t going to ever work out between them.

She squared her shoulders, determined to draw their (one-sided) conversation to a close.

“I probably want some space for a while, if that’s okay with you. You can take our group project.” As she said this, his eyes widened. “We’ve already made a lot of progress so it should be pretty easy for you to compile the report. I know you’re super busy, so anything I’ve worked on, you’re welcome to use.” 

Her words came out in a rush. “I’ll tell Dr. Blackbell that I changed my mind and want to work on my own project. I’ll make up some excuse.” Even though it was halfway through the semester and it would be a headache for her to throw together a new project at this point.

Loid still silent. Still staring at her like her hair had turned pink in front of him. 

Yor nodded awkwardly. “Well, that’s it. Sorry for bothering you.” She tried, and failed, to keep her voice from wobbling.

Chest constricting painfully, she turned to leave. Yor forced herself to move, ignoring how her legs felt like lead. 

The sooner she got out of here, the sooner she could crawl back to her apartment to cry. 

At least there were leftovers in the fridge. She didn’t think she could bear cooking dinner from scratch tonight, only to eat it alone. 

Maybe she could call Melinda…no. Yor didn’t think she could face her friend now. Not after how hopeful she and Jeeves both had been.

Unlike Melinda and Jeeves, she had expected this. Why then, did it hurt so much?

Shakily, she stepped out the door of the office—and not a moment too soon, as her eyes began to water. 

At least Loid wouldn’t have to see her cry.

Swallowing back her tears, she turned the corner of the hallway. She took only a few steps when the sound of a chair screeching against tile stopped her in her tracks.

Then, some object thudded roughly onto the ground behind her. Warm liquid splashed her ankle.

Startled, she glanced down. There was an overturned mug on the floor. As she stared at the growing puddle of tea, heavy footsteps approached her.

Just as she darted her head up, a hand—callused, warm, and familiar—reached out to grab her wrist.

She let out a gasp. Loid’s face was inches from hers.

“Wait.” His voice was raw, wrecked with despair and longing, as he gripped her wrist. “Don’t go. Please.” 

Yor didn’t move, frozen in place. After a few beats, Loid let her wrist go and stepped back. His eyes, imploring, were still glued to her face.

“I didn’t…I never thought…” he fumbled over his words, seemingly wrestling with himself.  Usually, he was so polished and well-spoken, as if he always knew the exact thing to say to a patient or a classmate.

He sighed, shoulders sagging. “I’m sorry, Yor.” He looked down, quiet for a few moments. Then he looked back up at her. “I’m really sorry,” he mumbled again.

Yor bit her tongue, and waited to hear more. Desperation swirled in his eyes.

“I thought that if I put some space between us, it’d make you forget about me.”

There it was. Though his rejection has been implicit earlier, hearing it spoken aloud stung nonetheless. Dejected, she looked down at her feet.

“And…” Loid tore his fingers through his hair, before looking up at her again. His face was open, vulnerable. 

“I thought that it might make me forget about you, too.”

What?

Yor’s breath hitched. Dazed, she stared at Loid.

His ears were fully red. His eyes darted away, but he looked back at her, as if forcing himself to hold her gaze.

“So you…” she whispered, not daring to hope.

There was urgency in his eyes as he gazed at her, as if drinking her in. “Yes.” He took a step forward again, taking both her hands in his. “Yes.”

“I thought…” Yor’s voice wavered as he brushed his thumbs over the back of her hands. Gentle. Longing. “I thought you didn’t want me.”

He frowned, looking genuinely perplexed. His eyes were full of wonder as he looked at her. “Who wouldn’t want you?” Her breath caught again.

“Then why…” There was still a lump of hurt in her throat. “Why have you been avoiding me?”

He winced. For a moment, Yor was afraid he would back away again.

Loid sighed, looking down at their intertwined hands.

“I don’t normally do things like…this,” he gestured between them with one of his hands, before letting it fall limply at his side. His other hand still held tightly onto hers.

He looked at her, a sad smile tugging at his lips. “You’re incredible, Yor. You deserve someone kind. Someone who can give you everything.” His voice went quiet, and Yor had to strain her ears to hear him. “Not someone who has nothing to offer.”

“Honestly, I thought I was doing you a favor.” Loid paused, as if by saying it, he were realizing it himself for the first time. He nodded, his face shadowed with sorrow. “I thought it was better if I stayed away. No matter how much I wanted you.”

“Oh Loid…”

A wry smile crossed his face. With his free hand, he took her right hand again. He looked at her so much longing, it felt like her heart might burst. “But I guess I’m more selfish than I thought.” 

They were standing even closer now. She could feel his breath against her cheek, just like a few weeks ago at the party. Somehow, it felt more intimate now.

Yor squeezed his hands back. Her voice was soft. “But Loid, you are kind.” His brow creased and he opened his mouth to reply, but she kept going. “And I don’t think it’s selfish to want something for yourself.”

Loid snorted, as if laughing at himself. “Isn’t it?”

Letting his hands go, Yor put her hands on her hips. “Do you think I’m selfish?”

His eyes narrowed, as if offended she’d even suggest it. “Of course not.”

She raised an eyebrow at him, and he sighed. “I don’t…I’ve never allowed myself to truly want anything or anyone. I try not to.”

Yor giggled, and Loid looked at her curiously. “I mean, you do seem like you want to take a million classes and overwork yourself.”

He chuckled. “That’s fair. I guess I mean…I’ve never allowed myself to want anything just for myself.” Yor paused, mulling over his words. 

He looked at her, eyes soft and regretful. “But I just can’t stay away from you.”

A small smile quirked his lips. “Even Franky was saying that I’ve been a jerk these past couple weeks.” He looked at her, face growing serious again. 

“I guess I have been pretty miserable lately. I haven’t been able to focus at all.” He reached out, hand hovering an inch from her cheek, before lowering it.

“I missed you, Yor.” His voice was hoarse, barely a whisper, but she heard it well.

“I missed you too.” When he didn’t move, she slowly reached out and tangled her fingers with his. Loid swallowed, brushing his thumb against the back of her hand. He closed his eyes.

The two of them went quiet.

Stepping back, Loid leaned against the table. A hint of reluctance, and regret, still swam in his eyes.

Yor studied him. There was a faint bit of facial hair on the side of his jaw that he seemed to have missed while shaving. His hair had grown longer, and it was hanging in front of his eyes a bit.

Brow furrowed, he fumbled with his hands. His eyes were trained on Yor’s face, as if he were afraid she would disappear in front of him.

Jeeves had told her that Loid rarely shared any information about his personal life. It couldn’t have been easy for him to bare his heart to her.

Maybe if he could be brave, she could be too.

She sucked in a breath, and stepped up to him. 

“You know, I’ve never really dated anyone either,” she paused, gathering her words. “The past ten years for me have been a blur, trying to take care of Yuri and keep a roof over our heads.” 

Slowly, she reached out and took one of his hands. “What I’m trying to say is, liking you is a new experience for me too.” 

Yor inhaled sharply, then took the leap. 

“Maybe we can figure it out together?”

Her question rang in the air, emphasized by the silence. She held her breath.

Quietly, she took in his blue eyes, torn with sorrow and longing. She wanted to know the stories behind them. She wanted to know him.

His eyes stilled on her face. 

“Okay.” He squeezed her hand back. “Okay.”

Later that evening, Yor returned to her apartment. As she approached her door, she stopped in surprise. 

Sitting on her tattered welcome mat was a vase packed with red flowers. She picked it up, the weight hefty in her hands. 

Red roses—her favorite. Closing her eyes, she inhaled deeply. The sweet aroma reminded her of the rose bush that grew in front of her and Yuri’s childhood home. Memories of her family, of simpler days, flooded back to her.

There was a note nestled in the leaves. As she read the words, written in a familiar script, her eyes widened.

Yor,

Franky likes to say that I’m the smartest idiot he knows. I’m beginning to think he’s right.

Thanks for giving me a chance.

– Loid

P.S. Are you free next weekend?

A silly smile bloomed across her face. As the fragrance of fresh roses permeated the air, Yor basked in the promise of new beginnings.