Chapter Text
Trey prides himself on being more conscious of others' indistinct gestures than most people.
A great example of it is his fellow third-year student and dormmate, Cater. Cater is someone who unfailingly puts on a persona, masking even trivial things such as his likes and dislikes. While Trey still can't put a finger on why Cater decided to tirelessly put on a façade, he's proud he could at least notice the little hints of Cater stretching the truth, which isn't something everyone can do.
Cater's habit to bring up Trey's signature spell whenever they're taste-testing his homemade pastries, which points toward his secret hate for sweets. The change in Cater's gaze whenever he's suppressing his annoyance, though the smile plastered on his face doesn't even twitch. Cater's specific way of waving his hand whenever he's coming up with an excuse on the spot.
Another example is about the one and only magic-less Night Raven College student who came from who-knows-where, [Y/N]. Despite being the only girl in the supposedly all-boys school, [Y/N] surprisingly blends in well, especially with the Heartslabyul duo Cater calls 'Adeuce'. Perhaps it's because they've been together since the first day of school, Ace and Deuce appear to be unable to see [Y/N] as a woman. The boys would do physical contact with her casually without a second thought. But, [Y/N], while not showing it openly, detests physical contact.
Whenever Deuce taps on her shoulder as a greeting, [Y/N] will instinctively pull her shoulder forward and away from him. Whenever Ace puts his arm around her shoulders, [Y/N] will drop her shoulders and let Ace's arm slides off. When Deuce pulled on her wrist to run away from the trouble they caused, [Y/N] ran while swinging her arms more violently than usual and broke free from Deuce's hold. When Ace was about to pick a fallen leaf on her head, [Y/N] ducked and shook her head rapidly to drop the leaf herself.
The only affection Adeuce ever got from [Y/N] was when she hugged them after their near-death experience of defeating an overblotted dorm leader. Even so, the hug only lasted for up to three seconds.
But, it's not because Ace and Deuce are too much for [Y/N]. She's avoidant to every single student and staff in Night Raven College. Even when she's caught up in a fight, [Y/N] would go out of her way to fight without touching her opponents. She would pick up any object lying around as a weapon or she would take off her shoe and throw it. When someone sits next to her in class or cafeteria, [Y/N] would scoot away almost immediately. That happened to Trey as well.
When Trey and Cater first approached [Y/N], Grim, and Adeuce to introduce the seven dorms, Trey thoughtlessly sat next to [Y/N]. Maybe he accidentally sat closer to her than she would like it to be. But, [Y/N] didn't say anything. Instead, she put a hand between their thighs and slid farther from him. To be completely honest, it cracked a little bit of Trey's heart. But, as time passed, Trey realized that [Y/N] does that to everyone.
Perhaps the only one [Y/N] is willing to make physical contact with is the cat-like monster, Grim. [Y/N] lets Grim cling to her leg when he's scared and carries him whenever he's tired. The difference in treatment is most likely because Grim isn't a fellow human. But, the bit of affection [Y/N] shows Grim is enough for those who fancy her to be envious of the monster.
Even right now at lunch, Grim is sitting on [Y/N]'s shoulders as she lines up for Grim's chosen food. However, though they might seem really close right now, they're actually bickering with each other.
"This is all because you got called on by Crewel!" Grim accuses, holding onto [Y/N]'s hair tighter than necessary, "We got here late and now we have to wait in a freaking long line and we might not get my grilled cheese!"
[Y/N]'s eye twitches in irritation when she feels a hair being pulled out by Grim's grip. "It was only, like, five minutes, Grim," she sighs while hugging herself to make herself smaller and avoid accidental bumps with other students.
"But, it wouldn't have happened if! You! Hadn't! Failed! Your! Alchemy exam!" Grim slaps [Y/N]'s head in beat with the emphases on his words.
"Ow! Bastard!" [Y/N] snaps as she grabs the ribbon encircling Grim's neck and pulls him off her shoulders. "It wouldn't have happened if we hadn't failed our alchemy exam," she corrects him, holding the monster before her scowling face.
"You're a human! You should get a better mark than me!"
"I'm not from! This! Universe!" [Y/N] takes Grim's paw with her free hand and uses it to hit his face in beat with the emphases on her words, just like what Grim did to her.
"Unhand me, human!" Grim screams and struggles to free his little paw, his tail slapping [Y/N]'s arm as if to threaten her.
"Make me." [Y/N] sticks out her tongue.
"I'll burn your face—" Grim is about to unleash his fire magic when a large hand envelops his face completely.
"Whoa, there. No fighting with magic, remember?" A chuckle can be heard from beside [Y/N].
[Y/N] whips her head around and finds the upperclassman holding Grim's face, Trey. No words manage to come out of her mouth. Her mind turns almost completely blank, the only coherent thought she has is the little voice in her mind shaming her for having such a childish fight in public.
Trey lets go of Grim's face and turns to [Y/N]. "You two were so busy with yourselves, you didn't even realize you got cut in line, huh?" he teases with a smirk.
"What!?" Grim shrieks in disbelief, turning his head as far as he could to see the culprit's face, "This is the worst!"
[Y/N] exhales a long sigh.
"Here, I'll line up with Grim," Trey offers, holding out his palm to take Grim off [Y/N]'s hand, "You go line up for what you want." His smirk turns into a friendly smile.
[Y/N] tenses up in surprise, instinctively pulling Grim closer to herself when Trey's hand comes near. "I haven't decided what I want to eat, so... Is there anything you want? I'll line up for that," she offers back.
"No need, I already got my lunch," Trey answers, pointing at his seat which already has a plate of food in front of it. "I'll just have a bite of whatever you're having in return for babysitting Grim," he adds as a joke.
But, [Y/N], who has a reputation for taking people's words seriously, nods eagerly. "Thank you. You're a saviour," she giggles, dropping Grim safely into Trey's arms. "I was dying for some time away from Grim!" she adds before quickly skipping away, ignoring Grim's retorts.
"That human! Treating me like some... some pet!" Grim curses at [Y/N]'s back.
"Now, now. In my eyes, she's treating you like she loves you," Trey scolds with an exasperated smile as he places Grim on the floor next to him, "What did she do to make you this angry?"
That question is enough to make Grim rant at length about how [Y/N] failed her alchemy exam and got called on by Crewel because of it, about why it annoys him, and about why she shouldn't fail, but it's okay if he fails.
Just lining up with Grim somehow drains all of Trey's energy.
"What's with that face?" Cater laughs when Trey comes back from getting Grim's beloved grilled cheese. Trey looks absolutely worn out, far different from how bright-eyed he was five minutes ago.
"...Is there something wrong?" [Y/N] asks in worry, though she's laughing together with Cater. As she got her food faster than Trey and Grim, [Y/N] decided to wait for them at Trey's table, along with Cater and Adeuce.
"No one can stay sane after having to take care of Grim by themselves," Ace sneers, making sure to make eye contact with Grim as Trey picks the monster up and puts him on the table.
"The only one who can do that is [Y/N], probably," Deuce adds, turning to look at [Y/N] who's sitting next to Trey's seat.
[Y/N] shrugs and lets out a breathy chuckle. "It's because he looks like a cat. I like cats," she gives a simple explanation as she watches Grim munching on his grilled cheese. The best Grims are Grim that's eating and Grim that's sleeping because those Grims don't cause trouble.
Without agreeing with Adeuce's opinions nor answering Cater and [Y/N]'s questions, Trey takes a seat between Cater and [Y/N].
[Y/N] scoots away slightly, eyeing Trey in suspicion.
But, before she can ask, Trey tells her the reason for his exhaustion in whispers. "Grim ranted to me about your alchemy exam," he says in hushed tones, figuring [Y/N] would probably hate if the whole table found out about her failure. From how Adeuce aren't making fun of her exam, clearly, they don't know about it (yet?). Trey isn't sure how she hid it though, since she and Adeuce are in the same class.
[Y/N] inhales sharply, her shoulders hunched in shock. After a few seconds, she sighs dramatically while rubbing her temple. "...Damn it." That's all she says in response.
Trey laughs softly at the expected reaction. "Maybe I can help," he proposes, still in a whisper, "I'm pretty good at alchemy."
[Y/N] blinks a few times in surprise before finally giving him a cheeky grin. "You're hoping for something in return, aren't you?"
"Maybe. But, I haven't thought about what to ask."
"How about I just bake you something?"
"We bake for each other all the time."
"Then—"
"Heyyy, what are you two whispering about?" Cater's voice startles the two. Trey freezes as still as a statue, meanwhile [Y/N] jumps in her seat.
As Trey tries to come up with an excuse, [Y/N] beats him to it. "About, like, baking stuff," she lies through her teeth, "Trey told me he saw on Magicam people using... unusual stuff as their secret ingredient and... Ugh." She shudders for a more dramatic effect.
That made-up story is unexpectedly accepted easily. Cater continues their conversation smoothly, telling them what he found about that matter on Magicam as well.
[Y/N] glances at Trey beside her with a proud smile. "You told me about that some time ago," she whispers, telling him the secret to her believable excuse.
"You remembered? That was quite long ago," Trey whispers back, amusement clear in his voice.
"I mean, you're the only one I can talk about baking with, that's one reason..." [Y/N]'s eyes dart away suddenly. "Oh, right. Here, take some," she abruptly changes the topic and pushes her plate toward Trey.
You claim I'm not your type
But, I can see there's affection
Tiny beads of sweat drip down from [Y/N]'s hair to her neck. Her shirt sticks uncomfortably to her sweaty skin. Maybe she's using too much force in mixing all these cake ingredients? She looks down to the large bowl on the table, her dominant hand whisking the raw materials into one. No, she's too used to these labours to get sweaty just from stirring.
[Y/N] takes a deep, shaky breath as she glances over her shoulder towards Trey who's standing behind her. Seeing Trey holding his head in bewilderment while staring at her marked exam sheet, [Y/N] quickly looks away and goes back to stirring. Now, that's the source of her dripping sweat.
Trey had told [Y/N] to bring her alchemy exam sheet when she came to his dorm to help with preparations for Heartslabyul's tea party. While Grim helps Adeuce and Cater paint the roses, [Y/N] helps Trey in the kitchen. Trey said he wanted to know how much she doesn't understand about the subject. He probably expected her to be just a little bit below passing grade. But, no, when it comes to alchemy, [Y/N]'s brain goes completely blank.
After a good while, Trey finally opens his mouth. "Did Professor Crewel tell you something? Maybe about which parts you should be studying more?" he asks carefully, clearly taken aback by how far behind [Y/N] is.
[Y/N] purses her lips. "...He told me to review the basics," she answers truthfully.
In contrast with how baffled he had been, Trey bursts into a guffaw.
"Trey!" [Y/N] whines in protest as she whisks the batter with too much strength, making it splatter on her apron.
"Sorry, I just—" Trey chuckles as he stands next to [Y/N] and puts her exam sheet on the counter, far away from where they're working. "I'm surprised Professor Crewel doesn't just give you supplementary lessons or something."
[Y/N] shrugs. "Maybe I'm not that bad?" she says before scoffing at how dumb her proposition sounds.
"Maybe he knows that if you can grasp the basics, you'll get so much better," Trey agrees, which catches [Y/N] off guard. Before she can find the words to say, Trey continues, "Well, you have a lot on your plate – living in a universe that's not yours, taking care of Grim, learning at a magic school without magic nor knowledge of magic, the Headmage overworking you. It's not hard to imagine you struggling with your studies."
[Y/N] stays silent. It feels like her breath is taken away. She dares not to even look Trey in the eyes, not when she's being overwhelmed by incoherent thoughts and unintelligible emotions.
"So, don't hesitate to ask for help." Trey leans back against the kitchen counter and folds his arms, observing [Y/N]'s expression as she stares absentmindedly at his shirt collar. "Not just for alchemy, but other subjects too. I'll help you find someone that's great at the subject you're struggling with if you don't know who to ask."
[Y/N] breathes in deeply and leans towards Trey. "...Can I just rely on you, no matter what the subject is?" she asks softly.
This is the first time [Y/N] ever comes closer to him, it makes Trey take a step away on impulse.
"Well, I'm not failing any subjects, so I guess I can try teaching you other subjects as well," Trey replies, uncertainty and a hint of bashfulness can be heard in his tone.
But, [Y/N] doesn't seem to notice... Or maybe she does, but she pays it no mind at all. She gives Trey a satisfied and genuine smile, her eyes narrowing into crescents. "Thank you! I'm looking forward to it!" she chirps before turning away and adding the next ingredients to the batter.
Trey quietly exhales the breath that got stuck in his throat. Unknown why to him, he feels a tingle of anticipation as he pictures himself tutoring the girl that came from another universe.
Let's go with the flow
So, don't look away
Until the sun comes up
The cold wind tickles his face as Trey knocks on the Ramshackle Dorm's door, careful not to cause more damage to the fragile door. He has specifically asked Riddle to allow him to spend the evening in the Ramshackle Dorm. Riddle permitted him without objection after hearing Trey's promise to tutor [Y/N]. Riddle, however, also gave him a rather early curfew.
As he waits for [Y/N] to open the door, Trey shifts his position to shield the plate he's holding from the wind. He has placed a bowl upside down on the plate to cover the sweet treats on it and make sure it doesn't get dirty. But, there's no such thing as being too careful.
After a few sounds of someone stumbling inside the house, the door finally gets opened by a disheveled [Y/N].
"Hey," Trey greets, the messy state [Y/N] is in taking him by surprise, "Is... this a bad time?"
[Y/N] furrows her eyebrows and tilts her head in confusion. She seems to have forgotten about their umpteenth study session that evening. "Oh, shit—Right, alchemy!" [Y/N] exclaims, slapping her forehead with a loud sigh. "Uh—Just—" she stutters as she steps aside to let Trey inside the house, "L-let me take care of Grim real quick!"
Without giving Trey any time to answer, [Y/N] stomps away while yelling out Grim's name. Grim responds with a shrill hiss from behind the sofa in the lounge. Trey closes the door [Y/N] left open as he watches her crouches down behind the sofa and talks indistinctly to the cat-like monster.
Just as Trey takes a step forward, the discussion between the Ramshackle duo ends. Grim jumps out from behind the sofa, now all smiles and even humming a tune. Trey quietly hides the plate in his hands behind his back, worried Grim would ask for the treats he made specifically for his student.
"Hey, Trey! Bye, Trey!" Grim spares Trey precisely one glance before leaping up the stairs to the second floor. "Tu~na~ Tu~na~" he chants with every step he takes.
Following Grim's departure, [Y/N] stands up at the back of the sofa while fixing her hair and shirt. "Turned out it takes one can of the most expensive tuna to make Grim do his homework and one more to make him do it in our room," she chuckles as she walks around the sofa, "Now the Headmage's gonna make me work even harder to cover those expenses."
"You need to bribe him to make him do his work?" Trey questions with a laugh, walking over to the sofa as [Y/N] beckons him to.
"We usually do our homework together. But, I have this study session with you today, so I finished my homework in class earlier." [Y/N] plops down next to the short pile of textbook and notes she put on the sofa. "Grim is really against the idea of doing his homework alone. We were fighting because of that," she continues with a tired smile, "He even asked to trade places with me! Apparently, he'd rather study alchemy than do his homework."
Trey pulls out the plate from behind his back and sits down beside her. "But, you didn't let him trade?"
"Of course not!" [Y/N] snorts. "Because you're the type to do something like this for your student!" she points out, both of her hands palming the upside-down bowl on the plate Trey is holding. She knows there is some kind of pastry in there from the sweet smell coming from it and is fully aware that it's for her.
Trey gives a hearty laugh as [Y/N] lifts the bowl and places it on her lap. "Well, I want to reward my student for working hard," he says, smiling wider when [Y/N]'s eyes sparkle at the sight of the freshly baked sweets.
"Custard buns!?" [Y/N] gasps dramatically. "Thank goodness I didn't trade places with Grim!" she adds, her hand already hovering above one of them, "I was dying for some custard buns!"
"I know. I overheard you complaining to Ace and Deuce about how there are no custard buns in our cafeteria."
"No way! Was I that loud?"
"You—" Trey's sentence is cut short by his own scoff. "I was planning to give you these custard buns one by one throughout our session. But, you don't look like you can control yourself any longer." He brings the plate closer to [Y/N], allowing her to take one of the buns. He shakes his head with an amused smile when [Y/N]'s hand bolts in the speed of light towards the bun she's been targeting.
"Oh, you're the best," [Y/N] praises through a stuffed mouth, the warmth of the custard bun on her fingers fills her with joy. "Maybe Grim should..." she trails off before stopping in the middle of her sentence, "Nah, no need." She resumes her happy munching.
"Grim should what?" Trey asks, even though [Y/N] has waved off the matter.
"I was thinking that maybe even Grim would be happy to be taught by you. But—" [Y/N] scoffs, wiping the crumbs that stuck to the corner of her mouth. "Grim doesn't really mind failing exams."
Trey chuckles as he watches [Y/N] wolves down the remaining of her custard bun. "I can see that," he agrees.
"And you're my tutor already," [Y/N] adds, leaning towards Trey, "Grim has to find someone else." She beams at him as she dusts off her hands.
Trey blinks in surprise, meanwhile [Y/N] puts the bowl back on the plate and takes one of her notebooks from her side. Trey's eyes glance down at the gap between them. She feels significantly closer than usual.
...
Oh.
Come to think of it,
She didn't scoot away.
There's just no way that I can say,
"Only look at me."
Of course, I can't say that
How can I...
Slow irregular footsteps can be heard in the almost empty main entrance of Night Raven College. The sun has just risen and most of the students are still in their dorms doing their morning routine. However, it's not the same for the two students walking side by side unsteadily towards the campus. It's hard for Trey and [Y/N] to keep their paces stable when one of them is furiously flipping through her flashcards while cradling a snoozing Grim in one arm and the other is reading aloud the list of questions he prepared to test his tutoring student.
That day is the day they have been waiting for, the day that will prove whether Trey's tutoring is helpful or not. Trey has specifically left his dorm earlier that morning to help his one and only student review her studies for the final time on their way to class. Their morning session led to [Y/N] having to carry a sound asleep Grim to class because she doesn't have the heart to wake him up that early.
Trey glances down at [Y/N] holding her flashcards with trembling fingers. The [Y/N] today is awfully all over the place. She has dropped her flashcards a few times and almost tripped on her own feet twice. Trey has tried to reassure her many, many times. But, it just doesn't seem to have any effects.
It appears that his tutoring has made the pressure much bigger for [Y/N].
"Don't regret teaching me even if I still fail, okay?" [Y/N] looks up at Trey with pleading eyes.
"I'm already really happy with how dedicated you are to our study sessions. No bad mark can change that," Trey answers honestly as he gives [Y/N] a comforting smile, "I've seen how diligent you are at first hand. Can you even count how many times we've met up to study?"
[Y/N] raises an eyebrow as she racks her brain, her index finger tapping on her flashcards in thought. "I stopped counting at, like, fifteen," she chuckles.
"See?" Trey laughs at [Y/N]'s reluctant confession. "I doubt those efforts would end up in vain."
[Y/N] takes a deep breath before turning back to her flashcards with a grin. "Well, I'll do my best!"
It's been about a month since Trey and [Y/N] started their study sessions. Trey knows that [Y/N] is a naturally hard-working person. But, even so, he didn't expect her to squeeze in innumerable study sessions into one month.
However, Trey has to admit, sometimes they didn't only use their meet-ups for alchemy study. Sometimes their study session in Heartslabyul turned into them trying out a new baking recipe. Sometimes their study session in Ramshackle Dorm turned into them gossiping about their schoolmates and teachers (especially Crowley). Sometimes their study session in the library turned into them comparing popular works of literature and movies from their respective universes.
Their study sessions, no matter whether they're actually studying or not, makes one month feels incredibly short. Time passed by so fast, it's such a shame.
As they near [Y/N]'s classroom and reach the end of Trey's questions, the two of them awkwardly slow down their steps to a full stop. [Y/N] shakes Grim awake while her eyes are still glued to her flashcards.
"Huh!?" Grim cries out in surprise as he wakes in [Y/N]'s arm, "Why are we already at school!?"
"I had to leave early. But, I didn't want to wake you up," [Y/N] explains briefly before turning to Trey next to her, "I—I better go, gotta... calm myself first and stuff." She points at her classroom with a nervous laugh, shifting from one foot to the other.
The movement causes the lightest bump of her shoulder against his arm.
Trey knows how anti [Y/N] is towards physical contact. He's completely aware that he shouldn't do this. But, he chooses not to move away or even say anything about the accidental touch. A little attempt in hopes of extending their featherlight touch against each other.
"Okay." Trey nods encouragingly. "Do your best!"
"I will! Thank you!" [Y/N] gives him a grin. "Oh, and—You gotta think of what you want as a payment for those tutoring!" she says in the last seconds of their conversation before running off to her classroom. Her flashcards clack together as she waves Trey goodbye, which Trey immediately returns.
"Hench-human, I haven't even had breakfast!" Grim complains, all while letting his hench-human carry him like a baby.
"Don't worry, I have a sandwich in my pocket," [Y/N] replies, patting her back pocket with a proud smile.
"Why would you put it there out of all places!?"
Trey snorts as he overhears the strange talk between the Ramshackle duo. As [Y/N] disappears into her classroom, Trey spins on his heels and walks away toward his classroom. Come to think of it, [Y/N] didn't move away from the touch. Indeed, it was an extremely light bump, but it wasn't exactly unnoticeable either.
Trey strokes his arm where [Y/N]'s shoulder bumped into.
It feels warm.
I do care for you
But, there's no way I can say that
The wind whips her hair from her face as [Y/N] quickens her pace until her steps turn into leaps. She darts past students racing towards the cafeteria, hugging her alchemy exam sheet close to her chest. All the yells from Grim and Adeuce telling her to slow down fall on deaf ears.
[Y/N] abruptly pauses when she arrives at the cafeteria doors, her eyes scanning the cafeteria for her favorite upperclassman. As a dark-green-haired boy lining up for his food enters her vision, [Y/N] wastes no time sprinting towards him.
"Trey!" [Y/N] calls as loud as she can, struggling to reach Trey in the rowdy cafeteria, "Trey, Trey!"
Hearing the striking girl's voice in the cafeteria full of boys, Trey whips his head around searching for her. He turns around at the same time [Y/N] makes it to his side. She lifts her exam sheet right before Trey's eyes, the paper lightly brushing the tip of his nose.
"Trey, alchemy!" [Y/N] says as Trey pushes his glasses up his nose and takes a step back to look at the exam score.
Trey catches his breath when he sees the letter 'E' on the exam sheet. "You—"
"I passed!" [Y/N] squeals as she jumps in her place. "Barely passed. But—"
"That's amazing!" Trey accidentally cuts [Y/N] off because of the overwhelming joy.
"It's all thanks to you!" [Y/N] gushes as she holds the exam sheet close to her, "I should've asked for your help so much sooner!" Her cheeks are tinted in pink as she stands next to Trey, stepping forward at the same time as him when the line advances.
"Oh, bull. It's all thanks to your own hard work." Trey chuckles as he waves [Y/N]'s praise off, which earns a sheepish laugh from her.
Trey's eyes unconsciously sneak a look at the girl beside him. As he catches her looking at him as well, the two quickly avert their gazes away from each other. No words are exchanged, none of them manages to find the courage to break the silence. Trey's arm that's almost touching [Y/N]'s shoulder feels burning.
...What is this awkward atmosphere?
Trey furrows his eyebrows. He needs to compliment her more. He had no problem going on and on with comforting and encouraging words when [Y/N] needed it before her exam. But, now, his mind is in disarray, compliments and invitations to still continue their study sessions jumbling together.
"Hey, hench-human!" A voice calling out for [Y/N] startles the two. Trey and [Y/N] look down and find the owner of the voice, Grim, standing by [Y/N]'s leg.
"Oh, shit—I forgot about Grim," [Y/N] mumbles to herself as she folds her exam sheet neatly and puts it in her back pocket.
"How dare you leave me behind!?" Grim snaps, pulling on [Y/N]'s blazer sleeve as she bends down in front of him.
"I just couldn't wait to brag about my exam!" [Y/N] giggles as she picks Grim up and puts him on her shoulders, "I'm sorry, okay? Let's go line up for your meal." She looks over at Trey and flashes him a grin. "See you at the table?"
"Yeah, see you," Trey replies with a soft smile as he steps forward with the line. "You want me to get a plate for you?" he quickly adds a question just before [Y/N] leaves, pointing at the cafeteria counter he's lining up for, "I'm getting pasta."
"I'd like that! Thank you!" [Y/N] skips away with a wave.
Trey waves back until [Y/N] looks away from him and jogs towards the direction Grim is pointing at. Trey breathes out a long sigh as he strokes his arm that almost touched [Y/N]'s shoulder. He finds himself sighing over [Y/N]'s grade that might mark the end of their study sessions. The absence of their study sessions these few days had represented how their situation would be now that [Y/N] had successfully passed her alchemy exam. And Trey, though very much reluctant to admit it, doesn't like how empty his schedule is now.
He knows, it's not like they can't meet each other anymore. They can still spend lunch together, bake together from time to time, and maybe she would still ask for his help when there's an alchemy exam coming up. But, it's not enough for him anymore, he's getting greedy. He liked having an excuse to spend almost all of his free time with her.
"Here you go." Trey puts down a plate of pasta on the table in front of [Y/N].
"Thank you!" [Y/N] chirps, her hand playing with Grim's tail as he wolves down his lunch on the table.
Trey takes a seat next to [Y/N], paying extra attention to how she would respond. As he expected and hoped for, [Y/N] doesn't move an inch from her spot. She pays him no mind while she continues her conversation with Adeuce and Cater.
"Really? You scolded us for making a contract with Azul and now you did it too?" Ace sighs dramatically, resting his chin on his palm.
"I did not!" [Y/N] retorts with a laugh as she slams the table halfheartedly with both hands, "You think I'd only ask for an E if I really made a contract with Azul?"
"She's right, Ace," Deuce agrees, "Even I got an A from making a contract with Azul. There's no way she made a contract too and only got an E."
"What is this about?" Trey asks, looking at his underclassmen one by one while twirling the pasta with his fork, "[Y/N]'s alchemy exam?"
"Yeah! Apparently [Y/N] did such a better job compared to her last exam that Professor Crewel praised her in front of the class," Cater explains from [Y/N]'s side, head tilted so that he can look at Trey with [Y/N] between them, "That's why Ace and Deuce think she made a contract with Azul."
"Professor Crewel even called me a good dog in front of the class." [Y/N] smiles proudly. Though it might sound strange, 'good dog' is the highest compliment Crewel has ever given her.
"Wait, Trey, you know about [Y/N] failing her previous exam?" Deuce suddenly asks with his eyebrows furrowed.
Ace's eyes widen slightly at the realization he gets from Deuce's statement. "Oh, yeah! Didn't she hide it? She kept it a secret for so long, I only found out about it when Professor Crewel just... casually mentioned it while praising her."
"I—" [Y/N] is about to explain herself when Grim joins in the conversation out of the blue.
"Hench-human told Trey about it and asked him to teach her alchemy!" Grim nonchalantly reveals before going back to mumbling full-blown food reviews to himself. He ignores the fact that it was actually him who told Trey about [Y/N]'s failed exam.
Cater's jaw drops at the news, inhaling as much air as he can. "What!?" he shouts as he points at [Y/N]'s face, "I had my suspicions when Trey suddenly started to keep going to the library and coming back to the dorm late. But, I was right!? You two were getting chummy with each other!"
"Uh—" [Y/N]'s eyes dart back and forth in panic. "What does 'chummy' mean—"
Trey exhales a suppressed sigh as he thinks about how Cater would definitely nag him about this later. "I'm not sure either," he answers [Y/N]'s question, running a hand through his hair in discomposure while still putting on a smile.
"Well, I was—I was keeping it a secret because you two wouldn't have shut up if you had known about it!" [Y/N] finally gets to explain her reason, pointing at Adeuce's faces when she said the words 'you two', "I had to bribe Grim to shut up by buying him expensive foods, I can't afford to bribe you two as well!" She throws up her arms.
"How rude!" Ace retorts with a smirk, "We would've helped you if we had known you were failing."
"Yeah, how rude of you to think we'd only make fun of you," Deuce joins in the banter.
"Jealous you two didn't get bribed, huh?" Grim laughs mockingly at the two Heartslabyul freshmen.
"I don't wanna be taught by you guys!" [Y/N] scoffs. "Why would I choose you two instead of Trey? This man is the best tutor I could have asked for!" She gestures at Trey next to her.
The movement causes her knee to bump against his.
"I'm actually even considering being Trey's loyal customer," [Y/N] jokes as she turns to Trey, tilting her head with a bright smile. "Even though... I don't think it'll only be about alchemy anymore." She chuckles while tapping her fork on her plate.
Trey glances down at their knees. The touch isn't as light as when her shoulder brushed against his arm. Then, does this mean [Y/N] is aware that they're touching and intentionally keeps it that way?
"Sure!" Trey answers, returning [Y/N]'s smile with a smile as bright as hers, "Like I told you, I don't mind whatever the subject is." Or whether we're really studying or not...
Trey, though reluctant to admit it, is happier than he thought he would be now that he knows their study sessions are going to continue.
There's just no way there's anyone else
Reflected in your eyes
With love that outshines seasons
Trey prides himself on being one of the people [Y/N] is most comfortable with, only next to her beloved Grim.
While it might seem trivial to others, Trey is thrilled by the fact that [Y/N] responds more kindly to their accidental touches than when it's her with another. Trey himself isn't quite sure how [Y/N] managed to make him feel that way. But, when physical contact comes from the usually avoidant [Y/N], Trey just can't hold himself from celebrating.
Hell, he even struggled not to cheer when [Y/N] asked him to come to the library for another afterschool study session, even though it has only been a day since they got the news of her getting an E on her alchemy exam.
Trey closes the library doors behind him quietly, eyes scanning the room to find his tutoring student. The corners of his mouth lift into a smile when he finds [Y/N] sitting at a table by the corner. She has her textbook and notes piled at her elbow while she reads the novel Trey recommended as one of the most popular books in Twisted Wonderland.
"Hey," Trey greets in hushed tones as he arrives at the table [Y/N] is sitting at, "Grim isn't with you?" He sits on the chair across from [Y/N].
[Y/N] closes the book she's reading after memorizing the page number. "I told him I'm going to the library to study and he was all, 'Yeesh! Why do you keep studying outside school time!? I ain't going with you!'" she imitates Grim, folding her arms to mimic Grim's pose, "Then, he ran off with Ace and Deuce." She chuckles at the memory.
"Is it okay to just leave him with them?"
"I told Deuce he's in charge of Grim while I'm gone, so I guess... it's fine..?"
Trey looks at [Y/N] with astonishment written all over his face. As her eyes meet his, they unconsciously dart away.
"I—I know it's a bad idea," [Y/N] admits, which earns an uncontrollable cackle from Trey, "But, Deuce will manage. I—I mean, he's the most reliable one of the three."
"Well, he's probably the only one who would actually try to stay out of trouble," Trey comments, still chuckling at [Y/N]'s worst plan yet.
"I'll just... treat him to something if he manages to get by today without causing any troubles." [Y/N] snorts with laughter as she pulls her textbook and one of her notes from the pile beside her.
"Yeah, he'll definitely ask for compensation." Trey peeks at [Y/N]'s textbook and reads the cover, its letters upside down to him. "Mathematics? You're great at mathematics," he questions as [Y/N] opens the textbook and places it sideways for both of them to read.
"I'm only average." [Y/N] looks away and opens her notebook. "And there are some problems in my homework I couldn't solve... like this one." She points at one of the numbers she circled as a mark of it being undone.
"Okay, let's see." Trey leans forward to read the problem.
[Y/N]'s hand fumbles with her pencil, startled by the sudden closeness.
In the silent and almost empty library, the only sounds that can be heard clearly are Trey's low and gentle voice as he explains his way of solving the problem and the occasional scratches from [Y/N]'s pencil. When [Y/N] shifts in her seat, it creaks much louder than she wants it to be.
"Sorry," [Y/N] mumbles as she crosses her ankles under the table.
The movement causes the tip of her shoe to bump against his.
"Don't worry about it." Trey tries not to show any reaction towards the accidental physical contact.
After [Y/N] responds with a hum, Trey resumes his explanation while keeping his leg as still as possible. A little attempt to keep the touch between the tip of their shoes last longer.
Tap.
Trey pauses in his sentence when he feels the tip of [Y/N]'s shoe tap on his. But, as [Y/N] doesn't say a word about it, Trey decides to brush it off as something unintentional. He stumbles on his words a little as he continues to the next number [Y/N] circled.
...
Tap.
...
Tap.
...
Tap, tap.
...
Now, this can't be unintentional.
Trey pauses yet again when he notices the lack of scribbling sounds from [Y/N]'s pencil. In the corner of his eyes, he catches a glimpse of [Y/N] looking at him through her lashes. But, when Trey turns to look at her, [Y/N] instantly takes her eyes off him and directs her gaze downwards to her book.
"Is there something wrong?" Trey asks as he observes [Y/N]'s expression, trying to make out the emotions she's feeling at the moment.
"No, I was just thinking about your payment," [Y/N] answers as she watches her hands fiddle with her pencil, "I haven't paid you with anything, yet I already asked for another study session."
"You don't need to pay me. I enjoy teaching you, it doesn't feel like work," Trey says genuinely, which earns a snort from [Y/N].
"Liar." [Y/N] gives a sheepish laugh.
"Yeah? What should I do to make you believe me?"
[Y/N] slowly lifts her head and stares back at Trey. "Then, does that mean today's study session is free as well? Even though it's not about your best subject anymore?" she asks, pretending not to take notice of Trey's question.
"Yeah. But..." Trey lowers his voice into a whisper as he pulls away the leg [Y/N]'s shoe is touching, "You didn't call me here today to study, did you?"
As Trey puts his right leg on top of his left, the tip of his right shoe nudges [Y/N]'s ankle and trails up slightly, faintly lifting the hem of her pants. [Y/N] grips her pencil as she shivers involuntarily. She forces herself to keep their eye contact, even as a blush is creeping to her cheeks and ears, even as the pounding of her heart causes indescribable pain to her chest, even as her throat hurts from her swallowing thickly.
"...Maybe."
"Why did you call me, then?"
"I missed you."
"Even though we just met at lunch?"
"That's different... I missed being alone with you."
Trey stays silent for a second, surprised by [Y/N]'s honesty. He then breathes out a relieved chuckle after processing what [Y/N] just told him.
"I'm glad I'm not the only one who feels that way."
I want to stop by your place
Then, kiss you accidentally