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"Hey, where are you rushing off to?" Koala asked.
"Club activities after classes? You don’t have any?"
"I do, but you’re in a huge rush all of a sudden. What club did you get into?"
"Games. Wanna come?"
Koala blinked. "Games? You have the energy for that after studying?"
"Well I mean, sort of. It’s mostly a bunch of us hanging around chatting and playing some low key board or card game, it’s not big tournaments or anything." Sabo shrugged. "Just a thought."
Koala hesitated, but she’d been missing the time they used to spend together before their classes split. "Okay, I’ll come check it out."
He grinned. "I thought you might say that."
______________
"Hey, Sabo, who’s the new girl? New gamer?"
"This is my…" Sabo cleared his throat. "This is my friend, Koala, she’s just checking it out today, be nice."
Koala looked up at him. "You don’t need to protect me from a bunch of dudes who play games, Sabo."
"I know, but they can get a little competitive sometimes, and so can you." He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, steering her towards the table. "Find something you want to play. Your pick."
"Okay well…" Koala scanned the shelf of games and chose one, pointing up at it and pouting. "Sabo…"
Sabo smirked. "Need some help, shortstack?"
Koala smacked his arm. "Don’t insult me! I’ll get it."
"Whoa, hey, don’t, you’re going to-"
She pushed him aside regardless and clambered up on a chair to get it, reaching, grabbing it, and falling backwards off the chair. Game pieces and board went flying. Sabo didn’t worry too much about that. Koala fell to the floor. Sabo dove to catch her before she could hit the ground. Koala's face flushed as she hurriedly collected the game pieces.
"I…got the game…"
"Hey Sabo, you sure this is a good idea?" Ace asked, chuckling.
"Now now. Don’t make fun," Sabo scolded, despite having made fun himself only moments prior. He waved the other boy over. "Come join us."
Ace slid into a seat at the table and picked up the rules. "Oh, yeah, it’s been a bit since I played this one. Hey, Koala, right? You ever played before?"
Koala shook her head. "I’m just dropping in today."
Sabo took a seat next to her while Ace went over the rules. In all honesty, Sabo didn’t really care for the game himself, but she’d chosen it, and he had promised to play. So they played a few rounds. Koala didn’t win any. But she was smiling, and her face was all scrunched up on her turn as she attempted to strategize. Sabo wasn’t paying attention to the game at all, just to her. Seeing her enjoying herself, seeing how damn cute she was.
"They’re gonna lock up here soon," Ace finally said, breaking into his thoughts.
"Do we have to leave?" Koala whined.
"Unfortunately," Sabo agreed, collecting game pieces to put them into their bags.
Koala pouted. "But I don’t want to go home yet…"
Sabo hesitated, then reached over for her hand. "Then why not stay out a little longer?"
"What do you mean? I don’t have any excuse."
Ace chuckled. "Koala, read the room." He caught Sabo's eye and winked. "I'll head off now. See you later?"
Sabo nodded, offering a small smile. "Later." He stood and helped Koala up. "So. Dinner, yeah?"
"Wait. Are you asking me out?"
"Maybe I am. It’s up to you of course, but consider it? You want to be out, I want to be with you. It’s a win-win situation."
She squeezed his hand. "You don’t need to come up with excuses, you know. I’d love to."