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“Dorothea, I need your help.” Caspar stood next to where his friend was sitting at the dining hall, wringing his wrist with his left hand.
“Well of course, little bro!” she smiled playfully. “Have a seat.”
The short boy took the seat across from her, and almost slammed his plate on the table as he set it down.
The former songstress raised an eyebrow. “Is there something bothering you?”
Caspar shook his head and then stared down at his plate. “No-- I mean, maybe, but it’s probably really stupid.”
“Oh, don’t say that,” Dorothea said. “Don’t be shy. Tell me what you need.”
“Well, uhhh, I kinda-- augh! Why is this so difficult?” the frustrated boy scratched his fingers through his shock of blue hair, causing it to stick up in awkward directions. Dorothea giggled.
“You know, I won’t judge you, whatever it is.” She curled a strand of thick brown hair around her finger. “You don’t have to be nervous.”
“It’s-- it’s about Linhardt. I don’t really know when it started, but lately my stomach has been fluttering when I’m around him, like I’m nervous or something. That doesn’t even make sense, right?” he threw his hands in the air as he looks up at his friend.
“Go on,” she said, leaning over the table and resting her chin on her hand.
“But whenever he leaves I feel kinda sad, even though I see him every day. And when I see him talking to someone else, I suddenly wish he was talking to me. Which is ridiculous, right? Like, I like having other friends, it’s not like he’s doing anything wrong! I just don’t know what’s wrong with me.”
Dorothea’s laugh rang through the dining hall. “Oh, Cas, don’t tell me this is the first time you’ve felt this way.”
“Felt what way?”
“You know, the way you feel when you like someone.”
“Well of course I like Linhardt! He’s my best friend!”
“No, Cas, you’re in love with him.”
The boy’s face turned crimson almost instantly. “Th-- Thea, where’d you get that idea? In love? With Linhardt? That’s not-- it’s not like I want to kiss him or any…” he trailed off, letting the words hang in the air.
“Have you ever thought about kissing him?” Dorothea asked.
“Well, no… I mean, maybe a few times, but... you’re saying that it’s not normal to imagine kissing your best friend because they’re pretty?”
“Not unless you like them.”
The short boy slumped over the table. “Well, even if I do like him, there’s no way he likes me back! He’s totally outta my league! I’ll bet he likes tall guys who are cool and not annoy--”
“I’m going to stop you right there, Caspar.” Dorothea frowned. “You’re the only person who can get Linhardt to be engaged in a conversation that isn’t about Crests or books or whatever he’s going on about at the moment. You make him laugh more than anyone else, and I’ve seen the way he smiles when you come into the classroom. You have a better chance with him than you think. In fact, I have a good feeling that he might like you back.” she smiled as she said the last part, looking Caspar straight in the eye to watch his reaction.
He smiled even wider than normal. “Really? You think so?”
“I know so,” she smiled. “Trust me.”
“Awww, thanks, Thea!” he said, finally digging into the meat on his plate in a manner that Linhardt certainly wouldn’t appreciate.
“I’m glad I could help, but… aren’t you going to confess to him soon?”
Caspar let his fork fall onto the table, clinging against his plate.
“Oh, yeah, that part. Ummm, I think I’ll wait a little. I can’t just… rush into things you know? It’s not like I can say, ‘Hey Linhardt, I know you’ve been my best friend for 10 years, but now wanna kiss and cuddle with you and stuff.’ Gotta wait for the right moment, y’know?”
Dorothea sighed, rolling her eyes but smiling all the same. “Not rushing into things… well that’s out of character. Regardless, I wish you the best. And be sure to tell me how it goes.”
“Of course I will, Thea! I promise.”