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The gymnasium was warmer than usual, thanks to the crowd of people filling the bleachers. The sound was at a low rumble, everyone speaking among themselves. There was a local martial arts tournament today, and some of the college’s students were among the competitors. Students and staff were among the crowd, as was family and fans, representing their college’s team by wearing their livery.
Phosphophyllite, a second-year student, was covered from head to toe in team colors and emblems. They stood in their seat and yelled whenever someone cheered for the opposing team, hooting between the counter-cheering.
Beside them was Diamond, a third-year who had shared a few courses with them. They became fast friends, and within a matter of weeks were practically connected at the hip. Phos enjoyed Diamond’s warm demeanor and helpfulness, while Diamond adored their rambunctiousness and candid nature. The two became infamous on the campus as partners in crime. They pulled pranks on people who tried to ask them out; one such trick was convincing the person to bend down while the other waited for the opportunity to dump an entire container of baby powder onto the person. Their latest escapade was Phos driving their car into the university’s main entrance; a large iguana had fallen onto their windshield, and in their panic Phos’s car happened to find its way into the gate. After it was fixed, the signs of the damage were still there to this day.
Today, Diamond could only feel embarrassment as they tried to calm Phos down. As much as they liked them for exactly how they were acting now, the way it brought the whole room’s attention squarely onto them was more than they could bear.
“Please, Phos, that’s enough. Everyone’s looking at us,” Diamond said meekly, tugging on Phos’s jersey sleeve.
The young person, short bobbed green hair in a mess from getting riled up, looked down to their friend from their perch. “No way! I can’t let ‘em just talk down to us like that.” Phos grabbed a cone out of someone’s hands nearby. “Kick their friggin’ asses!” they yelled, the sound amplified and echoing.
Diamond winced, covering their ears as Phos screamed. Once they were through, they snatched it from Phos’s hands and returned the cone to its owner. “Seriously, you’re going to get the both of us kicked out if you don’t stop!”
Phos grumbled, taking a seat once they were mostly appeased. “Yeah, you’re right.” One of the people Phos had been particularly agitated about was cheering again, and Diamond practically had to throw themself into their friend to keep them down.
Once the tournament was underway, the cheering was kept to when matches concluded. While the two teams were similar in style, their techniques had small differences, which Phos took every opportunity to explain to Diamond. They were happy to see Phos so excited about something, but all of it went over their head. Stances, foot placement, strikes and throws; if it were any other sport, they could figure things out and follow along, but the most they knew is ‘if the other person falls or exits the ring, they lose’.
The competitors seemed to blur together for Diamond. Some were taller or shorter, thinner or squatter, but they all seemed to have the same look. The yells and grunts from the martial artists as they fought mixing with the sudden applause from the crowd made for an unpleasant soundscape for them. This sort of environment seemed so much more bearable when it was on television.
Diamond’s disinterest got to the point that they were idly thumbing through their smartphone during matches. Phos eventually noticed, sitting back down. “Hey, sorry for draggin’ ya into this. I guess I’m the only one super into this sort of thing,” they apologetically chuckled.
“Oh no, it’s not that, I was just checking my messages!” Diamond insisted. They never had the heart to admit to Phos when they didn’t enjoy it, grinning and bearing it until it was over and hoping Phos realized eventually.
“Well, we’re down to the last match now, if you wanna watch it with me.” Phos pointed to the last two competitors in the ring, taking their ready positions. “I’ll treat you to some burgers after this to make up for it, okay?”
Diamond’s eyes lit up. They couldn’t refuse at the prospect of burgers. “Alright! I’ll watch it closely just for you!”
Even so, Diamond could already feel themself glaze over as they looked at the ring. The rest of the competitors sat to the side, watching their last teammates get ready for this final match. One competitor looked as if they had a twin in their team’s sideline, they looked so alike. It was only when they looked to who their opponent was that Diamond’s eyebrows raised.
They were smaller in stature compared to their opponent, but they still looked imposing. Their eyes didn’t seem to blink, holding an intense gaze focusing on the person in front of them. Their pitch-black hair was tied into a complicated braid to shorten it that still managed to reach their waist. As they rose to meet their challenger, something in the air around them felt energized.
Diamond stared at the raven-haired competitor. “Phos, who’s that?”
“I told you, that’s Bortz,” Phos said, sounding somewhat hurt. “They’re our school’s ace martial artist. A lot of our team got beaten, but Bortz has been cleaning up; now it’s down to their ace as well. Honestly, you probably picked a good time to start watching.”
“Twist the knife, why don’t you,” Diamond teased half-heartedly. “But, the other person looks tough, too. Do you think-”
Before Diamond could finish their sentence, the final match began. The few in the audience who still spoke fell silent as they watched, making even Diamond’s small voice audible.
The two fighters inched towards each other carefully, the distance closing. They circled each other, mindful of every movement the other made. The opponent forced the two to get closer with each pass, stepping an inch closer, as if daring Bortz to make the first move.
They did. When the fighter had come close enough, one quick shuffle from them brought them within striking distance. The opponent tried to retaliate with a kick, but Bortz had dodged under it, using the opening to drive their open palm straight into their opponent’s gut. The maneuver turned out to be a gamble, though, as it left them overextended: weathering the strike, their opponent swept for their forward leg, forcing Bortz on the defensive.
Once this had happened, the match intensified. There wasn’t an idle moment for what felt like minutes as the two traded blows, avoided attacks that forced them into awkward positions. The combatants’ footwork led them to cover the whole area of the ring, trying to force the other into a ring-out. Sweat trickled down their brows.
Diamond scooted further forward in their seat with each passing second, hands closing into fists and tapping at their knees. They watched Bortz keep dodging what they thought would be a sure hit, blocking what looked unstoppable, and sneaking in hits when they thought the defense had no holes in it. The grace and power in Bortz’s performance was something they were quickly becoming enamored with.
“This is bad,” Phos muttered. “They’re turning this into an endurance match. They’re trying to tire Bortz out.”
Diamond sat up straight. “W-what? I thought they were winning, they’re controlling where the fight’s going.”
Phos shook their head. “No, look closer. Whenever Bortz tries to back off, the other guy leans into them and gets them fighting again. Bortz isn’t leading the fight; they’re trying to get some space and can’t get it.”
Diamond watched, and saw Bortz panting, short of breath. It was a constant melee between the two, and it was finally wearing on them. In a moment’s weakness, Bortz’s foot slid out from under them, making them stumble and try to correct their footing. Their opponent seized the opportunity, grabbing Bortz’s gi and attempting to toss them out of the ring.
As they came over their shoulder, Bortz twisted to change their posture, landing on their feet just shy of the edge. Using their opponent’s momentum and surprise, they returned the favor, tucking underneath them and repeating their shoulder toss. As the opponent landed outside of the ring, the crowd roared, Phos putting all their effort into being heard over them all.
Diamond felt exhilaration as they witnessed Bortz’s victory. Before, they were irritated by the crowd; now they were cheering along with Phos. Bortz bowed to their opponent as the referees declared them the winner. While the rest of their team rushed the arena to crowd around their ace, their only reaction was to nod to their teammates. Speeches were made, awards were given. Some of the audience were already leaving once the tournament proper was over.
As Bortz was given the mic, their answers to questions were terse: It was a tough match, I’ll be back to training tomorrow, I’m glad for my team’s support. The announcer quickly moved on to the other members of the team when they were faced with Bortz’s silent stare.
When it was time for the teams to leave the gymnasium, Diamond left their seat and headed to the divider at the end of the bleachers, leaning over them. As the team walked by, Diamond waved, yelling, “You did really good today, Bortz!”
Diamond could see it now. As soon as Bortz heard them, they’d look up and lock eyes. The tired, victorious fighter striding off to their rest, when lo do they see a fair maiden the fighter had caught the eye of. Ever gallant and honorable, they would stop to ask for the maiden’s name, and everything worked out from there. It’s how it always worked in stories.
When Bortz heard their name, they glanced up to Diamond, nodded, and then kept walking.
Diamond could feel themself deflating as their newfound crush exited with as small of a reaction as that, their big smile changing to a frustrated sulk.
“What’s the matter,” Phos asked, catching up to their friend.
Diamond pushed off the divider and started walking towards the exit. “It’s nothing, let’s get going. You owe me a burger, remember?”
Phos winced. “I was hoping you’d forget that.”
In Phos’s beat-up-but-still-kicking car, on the way to their much-desired burgers, Diamond bit their lip as they looked out the window, traffic passing by at a slow pace. They kept thinking back to the fight, how something that barely caught their interest suddenly excited them when they noticed only one of the competitors in the entire tournament. How many of their amazing matches did they miss because they were looking at their phone?
“So, have an idea what kinda burg’ you’ll get this time, Dia?” Phos asked, relaxing in their seat with one hand on the steering wheel.
“Huh? Oh, burger, right. I’m not sure.”
Phos quirked a brow, glancing over. “Not sure? The patty authority doesn’t know what kinda burg’ they want?”
Diamond shrugged, fiddling with the loose door-handle that needed an extra tug to get the door to open. “I guess the patty authority’s just having an off day.”
Phos leaned over the shifter, a suspicious look in their eye. “So what changed between my promising you a burger and us going to get the burger, though?”
Diamond sank into their seat. “Wh-what? Nothing changed. And watch the road!”
Phos huffed, giving Diamond her space back. “Alriiiiiight, fine. I won’t ask about your new crush.”
Diamond’s head spun to face Phos. Their cheeks already had a hint of color to them. “Who said anything about a crush?”
Phos’s voice went to a higher pitch. “Oh, you did a good job today, Bortz!” Phos looked back to their friend with their gremlin smirk. “Thought I wouldn’t hear that over the crowd, huh?”
Diamond let out a long whine, hiding their face in their hands. “Could we not talk about this again?”
“What’s the deal, anyway,” Phos asked over Diamond. “You haven’t cared about this sort of thing before. Or, is it different because you finally saw someone you’re interested in,” they teased.
Diamond slid down the seat, stopped only by the seatbelt. Even behind their hands, it was easy to tell their whole face had gone red. “Aaah, seriously, you can’t tell anyone about that.”
Phos snickered, slowly pressed down the brakes as traffic came to a stop in front of them. “Soooo, whatcha like about ‘em? I always thought they were scary-lookin’.”
Diamond took a deep breath; the cat was already out of the bag, no sense in pretending they had no interest. “Well… They’re really cool.”
“Cool?”
“Super, super cool!” Diamond blurted out as the dam burst. “They looked really strong, and distinguished, and proud, and confident! That eagle-eyed stare they had during the fight made my spine tingle!” As Diamond continued, they were lightly pounding their small fists against their legs, the car door, the ceiling the dashboard, anything to let their pent-up frustration out. “I don’t even care they snubbed me when I tried to get their attention, that just makes them cooler! Everybody that has ever asked me out and dated me don’t hold a candle to them! They’d snuff out that flame with just a look!”
Phos listened as Diamond rambled on, a small smile coming across their face. “I didn’t know you’d be crushing so hard on ‘em. I guess that’s your type, then.”
“I guess?! Probably?!” Diamond hid behind their hands again. “Aaah, Phos! You have to take me to their next practice!”
“Huh?”
Diamond slammed their hands into the dashboard. “You have to! You really, really have to!”
“Okay, I will, just calm down!”
“I won’t take no for an answer!”
“I said I’ll take you already, jeez!”
“And I’m telling you that-” Diamond paused. “Hold on, what?”
“I’ll take you, just stop beating up my poor car! It’s going to be next week!”
“Aaah, thank you, Phos, thank you!”
The chicken-parmesan sandwich Diamond ordered tasted much better than they thought it would.
The week passed, and the two found themselves back in the gymnasium. While the teams were out competing, it was open for others to use, and the martial arts team took this opportunity to make use of its larger space. The mats used during the tournament were set back out, this time with no ring as a boundary. The team went off into sparring pairs as their instructor ran them through drills to unrust them.
Diamond and Phos sat at the front seats of the bleachers, now that there was no crowd. While Diamond wore something casual, Phos had put back on their college jersey, watching from the sidelines excitedly. Whenever they cheered, the instructor told Phos by name to quiet down. Each time, the two would trade glares and return to what they were doing.
As the first set of drills finished, the pairs changed, the next set of the team taking their turn to run through the drill. Among them was Bortz, to Diamond’s glee. They watched intently as Bortz went through the instructor’s directions without mistake, taking it upon themself to correct their sparring partner’s form. They’d point out how they kept their legs just slightly too far or too close, how their hips and shoulders need to square off, how their strikes needed more follow-through. Diamond watched and listened intently; no matter how the sparring partner took it, annoyed or thankful, they always corrected, and it was always the right call. The final straw was the small nod they’d give to their partner. When they looked closely, they could see just a hint of a smile as they witnessed their partner improving.
Diamond couldn’t take it anymore. They took in a deep breath, and then yelled. “Bortz, you’re doing great!!”
The black-haired combatant’s face suddenly went into a deep scowl, and snapped to face where the voice came from, not missing a beat during the drill. “I told you to be quiet, Phos!” But, they saw Phos was sitting, and quiet, even looking annoyed. Beside them was someone standing up, two hands beside their mouth. It was uncommon for the team to have any more spectators than their family, some friends, and Phos; they had no clue who this person was.
Diamond felt self-conscious as they continued to stare, but it was replaced with amazement as they continued through the drill even with the distraction, glancing back and forth between them and their partner.
Phos furrowed their brow. The distraction was slowing Bortz down. They continued the drill without a problem, but they were slowing down. Their partner’s pace kept with the instructor.
It got to the point where Bortz was a step off in the drill. When they were supposed to dodge a spinning kick, they were preparing to block a different kick. Instead of feeling the impact on their forearms, they caught their partner’s heel square in the stomach, unprotected and unprepared. Their partner hadn’t noticed in time that Bortz wasn’t ready to take the hit, and struck them full-force.
Bortz stumbled back and fell over, arms held over their abdomen. They could only quietly groan; the strike had knocked the air out of them. The rest of the team stopped what they were doing to see what had happened, shocked to see their ace laid out on the floor.
“Look at what you did, Phos!” Bortz’s sparring partner yelled, turning around.
Phos stood up, indignant. “That wasn’t me this time!”
Diamond now sat alone, stock-still and silent. Phos was no longer in the gym; enough was finally enough, and the team had kicked them out and told them to not attend their practices again. Outside the door, Phos stood by, too stubborn to leave.
Diamond attended the practice quietly, offering small applause here and there. Thank you, Phos, they thought to themself. Your sacrifice won’t be in vain.
The drills resumed after that, Diamond doing their best to not have another outburst. They couldn’t stop from letting out the odd cheer every once in a while, but did what they could to simply observe.
They were starting to see why Phos enjoyed watching these drills and attending the matches. They could enjoy sports, but it wasn’t something they’d watch or attend on a regular basis. But here, between the drills where all they would watch was Bortz, they could see how moves were strung together, maneuvers were achieved with simple but important footplay. It wasn’t just how hard you could hit, or how fast you could move; being able to judge your distance and keeping track of your surroundings were often more important than that. Intelligence, foresight, and wit were in fact more important than strength or speed in this sport. Diamond only felt more impressed by Bortz.
It continued for two weeks, Diamond diligently attending the practices at every opportunity their schedule allowed. Despite not needing the training, Bortz always attended to assist their teammates. Diamond couldn’t sit still after the first few practices, and started miming the moves alongside the team during their drills. When the team took notice, they began calling Diamond their cheerleader.
They didn’t seem to mind, though. It wasn’t the team that interested them, or the activity itself. Appreciating Bortz from afar was enough for now.
At the end of the second week, as the team completed their drilling, Diamond took their seat and waved as the team left. They had waved back; by now, Diamond had become acquainted with the team, and it helped the mood knowing they were among the spectators.
Bortz was always the last to leave, helping to collect the mats and clean the gymnasium up after themselves. Diamond had always brought their books and work with them to act as an excuse. They’d work a bit in their notebook, and then glance up to Bortz as they strung together the mats, spoke to the instructor, or continued drilling on their own.
While jotting down a long note, Diamond heard someone walk up to them. “Yes, what do you need?” they asked idly, not lifting their head from their work.
“You’ve been here a while. Do you just like to watch, or are you interested in joining?”
Diamond chuckled. “No, no, this isn’t my kind of thing, I just really like watching. My friend Phos got me into it, and now I’m hooked.”
“I see. Still, you have picked up some decent form just from watching us. You need fine-tuning, though. Your elbows and knees are too stiff, you’re ignoring your hips, and your wrist isn’t straight. You’d hurt yourself more than your opponent if you don’t straighten up.”
Diamond gripped their pencil tight, and looked up with an edge of annoyance in their voice. “Now, now, I’m not one of your students, instructor-”
They froze. It was Bortz. That intense gaze was bearing down on them. They had let their dark hair down from its tie, and its length nearly reached their knees. Slung over their shoulder was a plain drawstring bag.
Diamond stood up suddenly, the books and pencil in their lap clattering on the ground. The rest of their body went rigid. They tried to speak, but could only manage a stammer. As they stood, they realized how tall Bortz was up-close: a whole head taller than them and Phos.
“You’re right. But, if you joined, we could help you clean your form up.” Bortz’s voice was flat, expressionless, but under it hid self-confidence. Diamond could feel their face heating up.
“Y-yeah, you’re right. But, uh, I’m fine just watching!” Diamond’s hands desperately moved around to try and find something to busy themselves with.
“Mm. Alright.” Bortz turned on their heel and began to walk off to the exit.
Something in Diamond flipped as they saw Bort walking away. Before they could think about it or weigh their options, they spoke. “Excuse me, Bortz?!”
As the martial artist turned, the long veil of black swished around them, creating a powerful silhouette that made Diamond’s heart skip. “Hmm? Yes?”
“A- aaa- are you going out with anyone?” Diamond stammered. There wasn’t any stopping themself now. As far as they were concerned, it was now or never.
Bortz’s brow quirked. “No, I’m not. Why do you ask?”
Diamond felt their throat tighten, excitement and anxiety locking them up. They had to push the words out as they fought against their own urge to stop and run away. “D-... D-d-...”
Bortz started walking back to them, extending a hand. “Hey, are you alright-”
“Do you want to go out sometime?!” Diamond yelled louder than they wanted, the empty gymnasium echoing the confession.
Bortz stood as Diamond fidgeted, trying not to twist themself into a pretzel. The look of confusion on their face made them look angry. “What?”
Diamond promptly began to collect their things, stuffing them haphazardly into their bag. “It’s okay if you don’t want to, I know you’re busy-”
“No, it’s not that,” Bortz said. “I’m just… why, though?”
Diamond blinked. “Wh-what do you mean, why?”
“By why, I mean why.” Bortz’s confusion only got worse, as did the severity of their expression. “Why would you want to go out? You could just speak to me when you’re here, after practice.”
Diamond sputtered. They weren’t ready to admit they wanted to see Bortz away from practice, see them as they would be out in public, to see who they were when they weren’t fighting.
Bortz sighed. “Besides, you’ve only around for-”
“A few weeks, yes, but all I’ve seen is how incredible you are!” Diamond began stepping forward as they went on, standing toe to toe with them. “And I want to know you better! I know a really good burger place we could go to, or somewhere else if you like! Let’s trade phone numbers!” Before Bortz could protest, they got swept up in the spectator’s energy, fishing through their bag for their phone and swapping phone numbers.
Diamond felt like a steam engine running on full tilt, about to burst. As soon as they finished trading phone numbers, they ran out the door. “Okay thank you, we’ll talk about it another time, okay bye!” The door swung behind them as they ran off. The train continued on its track to the dorm, full speed ahead, engine running hot.
Bortz was left alone in the gymnasium, a blank look on their face. As it dawned on them what had happened, their stomach turned to knots.
“Wh… what just happened?”
On the walk back from the gym, Bortz stared into their phone, at the new contact that found its way onto their list. They were still perplexed by the whole thing hours later, not able to parse what had happened while it was happening.
Bortz had always been a standoffish person. Even as a child, they had always had a fierce expression, constantly misunderstood by others as being angry about something all the time. When they tried to soften up how they looked, it either made it worse or got laughs from their friends. Bortz quickly gave up after that.
It didn’t help when they grew up and sprouted like a weed, quickly towering over their classmates. At first they didn’t like how it made everyone scared by them, but they soon took it as a blessing in disguise; it meant that everyone was too scared to bother them, at least directly, and they picked up sports easily.
As much as they enjoyed some activities, they didn’t speak to them like martial arts did. Growing up, they enjoyed many movies where a scary-looking person was in fact kind-hearted and good, and they so happened to also be skilled swordsmen or fighters. They’d never admitted that was the reason they picked up martial arts, but that was all the motivation they needed.
However, going into college, their intensity seemed to work counter to what they wanted. While it let them go through high school without being bothered by others, it also meant they didn’t make many friends. Even the friends they made on the college team treated Bortz differently. They understood how friendship works, and observed it plenty of times, but the team seemed to always put them on a pedestal, someone whose time isn’t to be wasted and whose achievements should be praised, a source of ambition for the rest of them.
The pedestal kept a distance between them. High up where they had been placed, it didn’t feel like appreciation. It just felt cold.
Bortz had noticed Phosphophyllite during several training sessions. It was hard not to; they were loud, brash, and always said what was on their mind, despite the consequences. They had enjoyed having them attending, it kept things from feeling too serious and stifling for the others.
They had tried approaching them, once. But, when they had tried to start a conversation after training, they couldn’t think of anything to talk about, or what to ask. They understood the idea of smalltalk and conversations, but the only thing they knew anything about was martial arts. They didn’t know how to go about befriending someone, so they offered to invite Phos into the team. They talked about various points in how they carried themself that martial arts could correct.
While Phos was energetic during sessions and exhibitions, they froze up like everyone else did when Bortz approached, casting a shadow over them. They refused the offer to join the team. While they politely took their advice, they didn’t seem to appreciate the gesture, or act on it later on.
The isolation they enjoyed during their younger years became an insurmountable burden; they had no idea how to socialize with others, and the intimidating disposition they had nurtured was now a wall between them and others. The cold only got worse.
So when someone they had never seen before started paying close attention to them, and eventually got so excited being around them that they had suddenly traded contact info, they had no idea how to react. Was this supposed to be a bad thing or a good thing? Is this how it’s supposed to work? Shouldn’t they be more cautious and wary of people like that? What if that was a stalker? What red flags should they look out for? How would they even know what those red flags are? Should they have just given up their phone number that easily? Maybe they should’ve given an email address first, or at least ask what chat program they use?
In their dorm, Bortz paced around, continuously flopping into their bed and beating up the pillows before getting up to pace around again. Even after how tiring practice was, they were too wound-up from thinking to calm down. They knew something like this was what they wanted, but now they had no idea how to handle it, or how to proceed, or if they should proceed at all. They had no-one to turn to for advice, no close friends who they wouldn’t feel embarrassed talking about it with. They couldn’t ask the team, they only thought of them as their ace, and the instructor wasn’t an option either.
Just as Bortz had changed their clothes for an impromptu night run to clear their head, the phone in their pocket buzzed. A teammate was probably asking a question, or their family were dropping their usual message telling them they love them and hope they have a good week. As they pulled it out and unlocked the screen, the message was from a number they didn’t recognize.
Hey, it’s me. I’m sorry for freaking out on you like that. I’m not usually like that, but I got so nervous I didn’t know what to do. I understand if you don’t want to talk again, it was a bit much of me. Sorry again.
Bortz stared at the message for a moment before remembering who it must’ve been: Phos’s friend who’s been at the practices after Phos got kicked out. Bortz paced nervously around their room again. What sort of message should they send? They only ever got them from their family, and they knew you don’t talk to other people like you talk to your family. But how should they respond, then?
They couldn’t think of anything after several minutes. After that, they decided to send a generic message.
It’s fine. I’m not much of a burger person, but I know some good tea places. Maybe we could do that instead.
Bortz reread the message several times after they sent it, wondering if they should add something. Just as they were putting the phone back in their pocket, it vibrated again, startling them. A quick reply.
aaaaahhhhh thank you!! tea sounds perfect!!! is there a good day for you? I have the next weekend free!
Bortz flinched at how different this message was. Were they scared to write like this and tried to be formal? Despite that, they typed their reply.
Sorry, I’m busy for the next few weeks. But, if you want, we could plan something for later. There’s a tea parlor I frequent we could try, if you like.
Right after Bortz had sent the message, a reply came back. They felt their nerves working up. Are people really this quick to send messages back? Was their family the weird ones for taking hours to send something back, or leaving it for days?
that sounds great!!!! I’m looking forward to it!!
They stared at their phone. Was it really that easy? Had they been stressing about nothing? Just ask, and that’s it? As they were putting down their reply, a question came to them.
Okay, good. There’s something I’ve been meaning to ask, though. What name should I put down for your number?
Bortz waited for a while after sending the message. Phos’s friend had been so quick to reply before, but now they were taking their time. Maybe they got distracted or remembered something they needed to do?
Figuring it’d be better to start their run instead of waiting for a reply in their room, they left and started walking down the stairs when the phone buzzed again.
Oh gosh I’m so sorry, I completely forgot to introduce myself, I didn’t think I was that rude. My name’s Diamond. It’s nice to meet you, Bortz.
Bortz’s brow quirked. The style changed again.
Nice to meet you, Diamond. If you’ll excuse me, I’m on a run and won’t respond for a bit. We’ll talk some more when I’m done and figure out the details.
That sounds good. Looking forward to hearing back, Bortz!
Phos sighed and set down Diamond’s phone, slouching in their seat. Next to them, Diamond sat on their bed, staring at the floor, their face beet-red. Diamond had asked them over to help them out of a bind. They were too anxious to start sending messages to Bortz, so Phos had taken things into their own hands. After that, they swapped phones back and forth.
When it was all over, Phos felt spent. Even then, they couldn’t help but start laughing. “I can’t believe you forgot to tell them your name!”
Diamond’s face somehow got redder. All they could do was let out a quiet, shrill whine, an overworked steam engine’s whistle.
A few more weeks pass. Scheduling a meet-up had become difficult at this part of the semester; there were more exhibitions and tournaments for Bortz to attend, and Diamond had exams to study for. The season turned, giving way to autumn. The leaves of the trees changed color, gold and red mixing with the remaining green. The weather quickly cooled, the odd storm shaking the trees and loosening leaves from them. The campus grounds were cleaned daily to keep the leaves under control.
Diamond continued to visit the practices when they could, but their schedule became more restrictive thanks to the exams. The few they could go to, their attention was pulled between their studies and their infatuation. The longer time went by, the more academia dominated their attention. It got to the point that Diamond had missed several practices in a row. Bortz noticed how quiet it had gotten, even with all the yelling and grunts during drills.
When the time finally came for exams and practice to slow down, the two found time in their schedule. The two agreed to meet at the tea parlor Bortz had mentioned a while back. Bortz felt excited; they hadn’t had the chance to go in a while, and they always looked forward to the autumn selection they had.
Their excitement waned when they realized how little selection they had in clothing as they prepared for the meet-up. Their whole life, they had kept to themself and never had to go out with friends. As such, their wardrobe was always made up of a mix of athletic, casual, and comfortable clothing. Anything that they had that was nice, it was worn only a few times for events and then forgotten. So much of what they were was either black, white, or shades of grey. Anything that had color to it, it was something so worn out they didn’t feel comfortable wearing in public.
Eventually, they settled on what they thought were the nicest things they owned: black leggings, white sleeved compression shirt, a grey jacket for the weather, and white running sneakers. It still didn’t feel like they were going out to meet a friend, though; no matter how much they looked at themself in the mirror, it looked like they were getting ready to start a run or work out. But, this was the best they could manage.
It was a bit of a walk to the tea parlor off the campus grounds, but Bortz didn’t mind; they were at least dressed for that. They left early enough to make it even if they were a huge delay. They wanted to make sure to get to the parlor early, to try and get an idea of what was on offer. Hands in their jacket pockets, they were tall enough to be easily spotted even in the crowds they walked through. A few people recognized them, but they quickly gave some pleasant greeting and went on their way. It was something they had gotten used to; even in regular clothes, they were an imposing figure.
Rounding the street corner the tea parlor was on, they noticed a small crowd taking up the outside seating. Looks like there wouldn’t be any chance for a quiet tea time today. But, at the very least, the tea was guaranteed to be worth trying if this many people were here to have some. Maybe they could even find a good seat while they waited for Diamond.
“Oh, hi there, Bortz!”
They sighed, lazily turning to meet the voice. They had already talked to a good share of acquaintances and the one fan on the way here, and they were feeling tired from it already. “Yes, nice you meet y-ghh?!”
Bortz flinched as they saw Diamond running up to them, waving their arms to catch their attention in the crowd. As they weaved between people to reach Bortz, they stopped to apologize to whoever they bumped into. They were wearing a pastel pink sweater and black skirt, long white socks and sneakers. Even with their waving arms, it wouldn’t have been hard to spot them.
“You’re already here?”
“Mmhmm! I wanted to be extra early so I wouldn’t keep you waiting. Glad I did too, I didn’t know this little shop got so busy.” Diamond was beaming as they spoke. There was a radiance to them as they smiled. Most people who looked at Bortz were either scared or nervous. It was something they weren’t expecting, or used to.
Bortz cleared their throat, feeling something tense there. “I, uh. I’m sorry to keep you waiting, then-”
Diamond leaned forward. The tension extended to Bortz’s back. “Oh no, it’s no problem at all! I should’ve let you know I was gonna do that. Anyway, we should get seated before it gets any more crowded.” They reached forward and took hold of Bortz’s hand, pulling them along. “C’mon, c’mon!”
Bortz, caught by surprise, simply followed.
It took some time for the two for the two of them to be seated. As busy as the tea parlor was, it only had so many tables. Whenever a change or addition to the menu was advertised, or the scheduled switch to the next season’s blends came, the business became flooded with customers. It wasn’t uncommon for a line to form down the sidewalk. The parlor was in a sweet spot between being close enough to the college for students to drop in to study, and close enough to people on work breaks to grab something for their lunch. Thanks to this, the variety of clientele was wide, and the menu had something for everyone.
The outdoor seating was what one expected: sturdy, circular wooden tables, with seats arranged around them and a parasol above to keep away the sun and weather. On some days, a cloth was draped over the tables, but on windy days such as today, the tables were left bare. The front of the parlor had a rustic look, brick and mortar with wooden signage, predominantly warm and earthy colors.
That rustic design extended to the interior design. While many think of pure whites, lace, and high Victorian living when one thought of tea parlors, the owners had gone for a different approach. Tea wasn’t something just for the rich or well-off; it was something anyone could enjoy. The same welcoming warmth that one could feel from the exterior became stronger as one entered. Almost everything was made of stained wood: the tables, the chairs, the floor, and the wall-siding. Artwork of landscapes, villages, and farmland covered the walls, as well as racks of cooking utensils and wall-mounted flowers and herbs. Above them were rafters, the parlor using an open ceiling to broaden the space. Hung from the rafters were lanterns and simple chandeliers, fitted with antique filament bulbs. The bright yellow glow lit the room, and gave the parlor a cozy atmosphere.
Bortz and Diamond were seated a small table for two, near the center of the room. The other patrons around them spoke among themselves, the parlor’s light music accompanied by their low clamor. Diamond flipped through the menu excitedly while Bortz perused.
“I had no idea there were so many different teas!” Diamond exclaimed. “And all these snacks and sweets, too. They even have sandwiches and soups? I thought it was just a tea place, but it feels like a restaurant.”
Bortz nodded, idly thumbing through. “It was just a tea place, when they first opened. But they got a lot of business, hired more people, added more to their menu. They even had to relocate to find someplace larger, got lucky and managed to get this place.”
Diamond smiled again. “Really? That sounds like they had wonderful timing.”
Bortz glanced up, then back to their menu. “Y-yeah, it was good timing.”
The two settled on a seasonal sampler, a platter with several small teapots and teacups. Each pot had a different flavor of tea, so that patrons could easily try out each one in one visit. Alongside the pots were treats to go with the tea: biscuits, assorted pastries, fruit, and soft baked buns. The tea set itself was white with red and orange designs with accents of green, in the shape of leaves and vines that sprouted from pumpkins
Diamond clapped their hands together, swaying excitedly in their seat. “Oh, this looks wonderful! I can’t wait to try some.” They collected one of the cups and saucers and picked up a pot at random. They poured some of the pot’s contents into their cup. Out from it came a white, opaque liquid.
They blinked. “Huh? What’s this tea?” Sipping from the cup, they only looked more confused. “This tastes like milk?”
“That’s because it is milk,” Bortz said as they poured an amber-colored tea into their cup. “You add it to your tea if you want to. It was next to the sugar.” Grabbing a small spoon and uncovering the top off a small bowl, Bortz added some sugar to their cup, stirring patiently.
“O-oh,” Diamond muttered.
Diamond followed Bortz’s lead when it came to preparing their tea. They didn’t add milk and only used a bit of sugar to sweeten it. They watched Bortz silently; they looked distinguished, even when they were doing something as simple as making their tea how they like it. Diamond mimicked Bortz’s motions as they brought the tea cup up their nose, closing their eyes as they took in the tea’s aroma. They felt their nose tingle; it smelled strongly of cinnamon, with hints of other flavors they couldn’t quite put their finger on.
As Diamond , their shoulders flinched as they heard slurping. They watched as the serious martial artist drank their tea noisily, acting as if nothing was amiss.
“Uh, um-”
Before Diamond could continue, Bortz stopped drinking to speak. “It brings out the flavor and cools the tea. It’s nothing to be ashamed of.”
“Ohh, I see!” Diamond said enthusiastically, happy for the nugget of wisdom. They raised up the cup to their lips, but could only bring themself to politely sip at their tea. They weren’t on Bortz’s level yet.
The cinnamon tea overwhelmed their tastebuds for a brief second, making their face scrunch up. They had tried teas before, but it was always flavored they had picked up from supermarkets. A blend like this was a new frontier. “It’s a little strong, huh?” Diamond remarked, trying to keep their tone light.
“If it’s too much, you can add more sugar and milk,” Bortz cut back, eyes closed as they drank. As they took more of the cinnamon tea, their expression progressively softened: eyebrows loosened and jaw unclenched. With a deep sigh they reclined into their seat, .
Diamond’s eyes moved between the platter and Bortz as they added the sugar and milk, fascinated. “Wow, I didn’t know you liked tea so much.”
Bortz shook their head before taking another sip. “It helps me relax,” they said simply.
“I see, I see.” Diamond fidgeted with the handle of their teacup. Bortz liked to keep to themself, they knew that much. But, seeing them enjoy their tea, they couldn’t help but feel they were imposing on their personal time. Diamond had their own hobbies they liked to indulge in when they were alone, to unwind after a long day. They loved Phos’s company, but sometimes they just wanted to be on their own.
As Diamond took a sip of their now sweetened cinnamon milk-tea, the rush of flavor caught them by surprise. The cinnamon was overpowering before, but now it was a dessert, mild and welcoming instead of powerful and sharp. It cooled enough for Diamond’s palate to handle, and they drank it happily. “Aahh, this is really good!” Diamond exclaimed. Bortz reached forward to refill their cup. They watched as Diamond’s shining smile grew wider.
“I had no idea cinnamon could be so good as a tea!” Diamond poured some more into their cup, helping themself to the milk and sugar as well. “It smelled nice, but it tasted really strong at first. The milk and sugar took enough bite out of it for me, and it tastes wonderful. It’s like a cinnamon roll, but you drink it!”
Bortz nodded, now sipping quietly at their cup. “It’s a little much for a lot of people if you try it on its own, but I’ve gotten to liking it. I still need a little sugar, though.”
Diamond giggled. “Ohh, I suppose even someone as tough as you still puts sugar in their tea, hmm?”
Bortz straightened up in their seat, face looking quizzical and hesitant, not sure how to take that remark. They gingerly added one more spoonful of sugar before drinking again.
The next pot they tried after finishing the cinnamon blend was a pumpkin blend, to Diamond’s delight. They were familiar with pumpkin spice coffee, but didn’t know it worked as a tea as well. The flavor wasn’t a punch to the senses like the cinnamon was, and they didn’t need to add near as much sugar or milk to enjoy it. Bortz drank it as-is, sinking further into their seat.
“This tastes more pumpkin-y than coffee,” said Diamond, both hands on their cheeks as they relished the flavor left behind by the tea.
“It’s why I drink tea rather than coffee,” Bortz said. “The flavors really come out when they don’t have something to fight against.”
Diamond nodded. “Mmhmm, I can taste it! It doesn’t upset my stomach, either, and I won’t get jittery from it. I love pumpkin coffee, but I can never drink it that often.”
Bortz cleared their throat. So it was like that with coffee for them, too, they thought.
After this was something new for the both of them. After taking a whiff from their cups to test the aroma, Diamond let out a cheer.
“Caramel! That’s caramel!” They continued sniffing away at the rising mist from their cup, their excitement uncontainable. “I had no idea caramel tea was a thing! I need to pick up some when we’re done, Phos won’t believe me and they’ll love this!”
Bortz looked down at their cup. They enjoyed bold flavors in their selection of tea, something that would bust into the scene and announce itself to everyone around. This was sweet, homely, unassuming. It didn’t want to be showy; it wanted to welcome you into its space, and hope you have a good time.
They took a small drink as a test. The caramel tea only needed a bit of sweetening to be perfect. After adding the sugar, Bortz stared down into the cup wide-eyed.
“I’ve never had anything like this before,” they said.
“Hmm?! This is a new tea for the tea expert, too?!” Diamond extended their cup towards their tea partner, as a toast. “I’m glad this was an experience we could share, then.”
Bortz’s eyes became harsh, for a moment. “You shouldn’t clink teacups together, especially if they aren’t your own. They’re very fragile and chip easily.”
Diamond’s arm stiffened. “A-ah, sorry.”
The two walked out from the parlor as they finished their platter, also ordering some bags of the blends they tried to take home. Bortz had bought one bag each of the cinnamon and caramel blends, while Diamond bought three bags of the caramel.
“Be sure to store it somewhere dry, away from the sun, and where it won’t air out,” Bortz said as they pointed to the bags in Diamond’s hands. “They won’t last forever like teas you’ll get from a supermarket; you’ll have to finish them within a few weeks, or they’ll start going stale and lose their flavor.”
Diamond nodded to them, closing one bag after indulging in a whiff of the caramel. “I’ll do that; thanks for the advice, Bortz!”
They tucked their hands into the jacket pockets, a light grimace on their face. “It isn’t overbearing, is it?”
Diamond blinked. “Hmm? Why would it be overbearing?”
Bortz looked away. “Nevermind. It’s nothing.”
Diamond pouted. “Well, it’s not overbearing. You’re just trying to be helpful, right?”
Bortz’s fingers fidgeted with the drawstring of the bags in their pocket. “Right.”
“And I’m thanking you for being helpful. I know you think you’re being pushy, but I know you mean well.”
“...Right.” Bortz felt a tingle along their face.
Diamond leaped forward without warning, wrapping their arms around Bortz’s in a hug. They flinched, but didn’t seem to move from their spot from the impact. “Thanks a bunch for showing me this tea place, Bortz. I never would have found out about it on my own, and I never would’ve discovered caramel tea. I owe you a lot! We should have another date here sometime.”
Bortz slipped out their hands, returning the hug, if a bit awkwardly. “Sure, I’d like that.”
“I have tests soon, but after that, let’s do this again! We can do burgers some other time.” Diamond bounced away from Bortz, feeling light in their feet. “Just send me a message or let me know at practice whenever you’ve got time, okay? See you later, Bortz!”
They waved as the energetic student practically skipped away. Bortz couldn’t imagine someone being so happy from having tea, but they were glad to find someone who liked tea as much as them, especially for their first time. As Bortz turned to start walking back, a realization began to hit them.
Date. Diamond called their meetup a date.
Bortz felt every fiber in their body slowly twist and turn themselves into knots. They had gone into this thinking it’d be nice to have someone to have tea with, and Diamond always seemed to enjoy being around them. In fact, Diamond was the only person they had ever met who was so happy to be around them.
Diamond, throughout the entire time at the tea parlor, never stopped looking at them, or took their attention away from them. Every time they went out with others for anything, Bortz was used to people avoiding looking them in the eye and only holding a gaze for as long as they needed, and letting conversations hang or end. But, Diamond was always receptive and interested.
The tingling they felt on their face sparked into a fire. Their usual stoicism turned into embarrassment. Passersby as Bortz went home notied Bortz’s fierce face and tried to keep their distance.
It was a date , and they never realized.
That night, Bortz took out their frustration at themself on their poor pillows, often on the receiving end of their outbursts. If they had known this was supposed to be a date, they would’ve made the effort to treat Diamond better. But, if they knew it was a date, would they have been able to get through it as calmly as they did? This was how they felt when it was already over; how nervous would they have been if they thought of it as a date at the start?
Diamond hugged a pillow to their chest as they lay in bed, the smile never leaving their face hours after the time at the tea parlor. Bortz’s cool confidence was something they couldn’t get enough of. They were a sight to behold when they were fighting, and they were an experience up close. They got to have personal time with Bortz, and got to learn a little bit more about them, come a little bit closer. After the weeks of watching them and today’s date, they knew Bortz was someone that one could depend on. Whatever troubles would come, they knew Bortz would be able to handle it.
They don’t remember feeling so radiant in all their life.