Secret Santa
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For kagu_chan, prompt 'Yzak and Dearka meet at the academy.' Merry Christmas! ♥
New Bird Stayin'
The first thing Dearka noted about the academy was its size. Few PLANTs had any single facility as large as the one that loomed above him, even discounting the numerous outbuildings, the library of records, and the green-and-white quiltwork of the grounds.
"Inspiring, isn't it? And in less than a month, you'll be seeing it every day." His father had gotten out of the car behind him—Dearka could hear the pride in his voice. It was almost embarrassing, considering that the qualifying tests for the academy hadn't been all that hard. What would happen next, on the other hand...well, he'd make the old man proud of him for a valid reason.
"OW!"
Or not.
The blonde winced and turned, instinctively grabbing for the one who'd smacked into him as they staggered back. He managed to seize an arm before whoever it was decided to decorate the pavement. His help was not appreciated, however; the stranger slapped his hand away, smoothing his uniform and disheveled silver hair back in place one-handed.
"Watch where you're going, will you?" he snapped, and Dearka held both hands up in a warding gesture.
"Cool it, man! I'm sorry. Didn't see you coming."
The stranger glowered at him for a moment, then shrugged. Dearka caught a mutter that might have been apologetic, and then the other boy was stalking away across the grounds.
Tad Elthman broke the silence with a cough. "Well. Why don't we go inside?"
-
Dearka saw him again a week after the orientation, alone at a side table in one of the food halls. He promptly set his tray down there, taking the free seat across from the silver-haired boy.
"Hey."
"What do you want? I'm studying."
Dearka peered over the plates. "The composition of noodles and minestrone soup? I wasn't aware we had a cooking class on the timetable."
He received an irritable blue glare. "Go away."
"Not until you tell me your name! After all, you're technically the first person I met here."
"What does THAT have to do with anything?"
"It's good luck! I'm Dearka. Dearka Elthman. And you?"
The boy moved to a different table.
-
"Oh, come on. Do I look like a creepy stalker?"
"Yes."
"...that was low."
"You set yourself up." And Dearka was ignored for the rest of the lunch hour.
-
"'Hey You Thing' has a nice ring to it."
"
Get lost."
-
"It's Yzak, all right? Yzak Jule! Now will you leave me alone?"
Dearka blinked up at him, cheeks bulging with sandwich, and offered a thumbs-up. Yzak scowled horribly, knuckles whitening on the table, before he took a deep breath and sat back down. The few people who had turned around at his outburst resumed their chatter. The blonde swallowed.
"That's a much nicer name than 'Hey You.' Nice to know you properly, Yzak Jule. Want to join a study group?"
In the end he got a black eye for his efforts, but it was worth it.
