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I’m ready.
Val beamed at her phone before rushing to pull on her coat. Outside, night was just beginning to fall. Snow danced lazily, coating the world in a powdery coat of white that left everything looking frosted like the donuts at Zayne’s favorite cafe.
Her breath created a soft mist as Val jogged through the snow, her footsteps quickly disappearing in her wake. Bundled in winter clothing and warmed by her excitement, the cold hardly seemed to touch her. Only her cheeks and nose seemed to react.
When she finally reached the research lab’s front doors, Zayne’s familiar figure was already waiting for her. Snow lay in a thin layer on his shoulders and warm hat. He smiled faintly as Val approached.
“How long do you have?” she asked as she approached, beaming at her friend.
“A few hours,” Zayne responded as he fell in step beside her. The lamps flickered on in the growing darkness. “I will need to return later to gather the data.”
“Another long night, huh?” Val asked as she looped one of her arms with his.
Zayne only nodded in response.
The pair walked with no particular direction in mind, satisfied with the simple joy of being together. Night had fully fallen when the girl finally broke the silence.
“Have you eaten today?” she asked, cursing herself silently for forgetting to ask earlier.
“Not since lunchtime,” Zayne answered, just as his stomach let out a growl.
Val laughed as she pulled on his arm, a destination already in her mind. “Let’s use your free time to eat then!”
“I thought you-” Zayne began to say, raising an eyebrow.
“Nope,” Val interrupted, shaking her head as she dragged him towards one of the university’s late night cafes. “You need to eat.”
“I’m sure we could eat something at my dorm. Or, perhaps yours.”
“No,” Val responded, shaking her head. “You’re not leaving cake crumbs in our room. I don’t want bugs.”
Zayne chuckled, relenting and letting her direct him. A soft smile lingered at the corners of his lips, as though he could hardly contain the expression.
“Oh you have to try the new seasonal eclair!” Val exclaimed as they approached the cafe. The building itself was old, but the displays inside had been refreshed mere days ago. With semester exams and the winter holidays coming soon, they had redecorated to embrace the spirit. Once again, the seasonal items had returned. “I had one yesterday and it was so tasty!”
Inside, the warm atmosphere was a balm after the cold darkness outdoors. Val let out a little sigh of contentment, letting the warm scent of sugar and coffee envelope her. While Zayne was working on his research, she had spent hours preparing for her exams. The chance to catch up with him was what kept her focused, even though she hated every minute of it. His drive only motivated her to work harder in her own studies. Sometimes, she wondered what her life might have been like if she had attended another university, only to come to the conclusion that it would be a far less enjoyable time.
Val watched Zayne order their food and drinks with a smile. After spending so much time together, they could easily predict each others’ orders, and tonight was no different. Yet, even after all this time, her heart still skipped a beat when he picked exactly what she had been craving. The seasonal eggnog latte with an extra shot, a wintermelon mooncake, and one of the cafe’s signature beef buns.
“Have you eaten anything green today?” Zayne asked Val as they made their way to a table near the windows.
“Does green tea count?” Val asked, wrinkling her nose.
“Exams are not an excuse to skip eating well,” Zayne said, his expression oddly serious. “With your cond-”
“I know,” Val interrupted, leveling Zayne with a look. “At least I ate three square meals already, Mister Doctor-to-be.”
“Dessert is good for the soul,” he responded matter-of-factly, holding her gaze. “Though I suppose the same could be said for you.”
“Precisely,” Val grinned. “But thank you for worrying.”
Zayne gave her an amused look.
Moments later, their order number was called. Val jumped to her feet before Zayne could so much as twitch, eager to try her pastries. The tray was laden with her items, and the assortment of desserts Zayne had ordered.
Val set it down carefully on their little table before re-arranging everything so each person’s food was closest to them.
“Thank you,” Zayne said softly as he caught Val’s hand as she set his cup of coffee before him. His gaze was unusually warm when she caught his eyes. .
“I, uh-,” Val stuttered, a flush creeping across her cheeks. “You’re welcome,” she answered shyly before withdrawing her hand. The coolness of Zayne’s skin lingered, leaving a trail of goosebumps where he had touched her.
Moments like this were happening more and more often lately. The shortest of touches that left her catching her breath. Prolonged glances that had her cheeks heating like never before. Yet Zayne had always been so aloof, so distant, even as they grew closer since matriculating at the same university. Val tried her best to remind herself how focused he was on his studies, yet she also couldn’t shake the thought that he always managed to find time to see her. And to nag her about her heart. Nevertheless, he had always seemed disinterested in what moved that very same heart. None of her tumultuous thoughts could distract Val from stealing the occasional glance at his lips, wondering if they would feel as soft as they looked.
Val forced herself to settle into her seat and dig into her second dinner. Despite having eaten dinner, she was still hungry all over again. Alongside her studies, she was training in preparation for the Hunter Academy. Though she still had several years left in her studies, she wanted to make sure she was prepared. Her heart, after all, had always made strenuous activity a little risky. She didn’t have the luxury that many of her peers without heart conditions did.
“You were right,” Zayne sighed softly after he took his first bite of the frosted eclair after finishing the other desserts. “This is indeed delicious.”
Val could feel his gaze on her before she even looked up from the last bite of her food. “I’m glad you like it!” she answered with a wide smile, warmth blossoming in her heart despite all her attempts to remain nonchalant.
Zayne reflected her smile. Though it might have been just a trick of the light, his eyes seemed to glow as he looked at her.
“You… you have some crumbs,” he said softly, amusement apparent in his gentle voice.
Val let out a nervous laugh, reaching for a napkin, when cool fingers made contact with the corner of her mouth.
“Let me,” Zayne said softly, only the slightest tremor in his fingertips revealing his nervousness.
Val froze as if he had used his Evol, eyes wide as she watched Zayne’s face. His gaze was on her lips as he gently brushed the crumbs away. His fingertips lingered on her skin just a moment too long.
“Zayne…?” she said softly, wanting to ask a question she couldn’t quite bring herself to formulate.
In the blink of an eye, his hand was gone. His cheeks had turned red, and he was stubbornly looking down at his coffee cup, as though searching for answers in the warm swirls of steamed milk. An awkward silence extended.
Even after it broke, the awkwardness between them remained until Zayne had to return to his lab. Yet the coolness of his touch lingered, and Val found herself touching the corner of her mouth, where his fingers had lingered for the span of a heartbeat. She couldn’t help smiling as her heart fluttered. Even hours later, she couldn’t stop thinking about the warmth in his gaze, and how soft his skin had been.