#ashace

In the midst of an emptied school during spring break, the last break before your final exams, you found yourself ensnared in a solitary routine of ceaseless studying and revision. Everyone's departure for the holiday break had left the school desolate, amplifying the silence that hung heavy in the air.

Knowing Grim's lack of patience with any theoretical magic, you had to put in extra effort to pull his weight as half of a student.

Days blurred into nights as you diligently pored over textbooks and scribbled notes, determined to grasp every morsel of knowledge that would be tested. It didn't help that so many of the topics alluded you completely. How could you understand magical energy and this world's history when you'd barely lived there for a year?

Just when the solitude threatened to suffocate your spirit, your phone buzzed with a message from Ace. The screen illuminated with his name, and a flicker of warmth ignited within you at the familiarity of his request.

"Can we call? I can't focus."

The familiarity of this request brought a smile to your face, reminiscent of the times you had spent together, studying late into the night during your many sleepovers ever since the sea anemone situation.

"Sure, give me a sec and I'll be in the call,"

The anticipation of hearing his voice, the joyful banter that always accompanied your study sessions, ignited a sense of exhilaration within you. Though Ace could be distracting and prone to bouts of foolishness, there was an undeniable connection that drew you towards him. And you couldn't deny that studying with him was always more enjoyable than studying alone.

With a renewed spirit, you prepared for the call, arranging your study materials and finding a comfortable spot amidst the sea of textbooks and scattered papers. Your fingers danced across the keyboard of the laptop gifted to you by Ortho and Idia, and the call connected, the familiar voice of Ace filling the void with warmth and familiarity.

"Heh, took you long enough. Are you still not used to the new computer?" His words carried a light-hearted tone, filled with gentle mockery.

Rolling your eyes in response, you retorted, "No dummy, I was just tidying my desk." Your voice held a touch of playful annoyance, the familiar banter between you and Ace flowing effortlessly. "So? Whatcha working on right now?"

A tired groan escaped from Ace's end of the line. "History... I hate it, it's so boring and it feels like I haven't learnt anything," he complained.

You chuckled at his groan. "Course it feels like that, you keep falling asleep in Trein's classes!" The image of Ace, Deuce, and Grim succumbing to the temptation of slumber and nodding off danced in your mind.

In a feeble attempt to defend himself, Ace retorted, "Hey, it's not my fault his voice is a lullaby! And it's not just me either, Deucey and Grim also doze off!"

An exasperated sigh escaped your lips as you couldn't help but reply, "Comparing yourselves to them just reinforces you three dumbasses are on the same level."

"Wha- Hey! You know for a fact I'm not as stupid as Juice is!"

A faint smile tugged at the corners of your mouth, "You sure don't act like it sometimes." Swiftly cutting off any potential protest, you pressed on, "Anyways, let's start with History. I mean, considering you come from the Queendom of Roses, I assumed you'd know more about its history."

"Nah, every time I heard about the infamous Queen of Hearts and all that blah blah blah, it all seemed so boring to me."

You let out yet another sigh. "And knowing you, anything boring just isn't worth your time huh?"

"Bingo!" His laughter danced through the call.

"That's not something to be proud of, you idiot," you chided gently, a hint of exasperation lingering in your voice. "Well, true or false, the Queen of Hearts had rules where contradictions were the norm?"

"Huh? Uhhhh, false? I dunno," he replied, his uncertainty seeping through.

"Wha- no! She had to change rules occasionally to manage the madness of the kingdom," you explained. "Oh my god, why did I think studying with you would be a good idea?" you grumbled, frustration lacing your voice.

Ace, never one to lack confidence, responded with a playful tone, "Because I'm a genius, and you love me, duh."

Rolling your eyes at his audacity, you retorted, "Yeah, yeah, whatever you say. Sure..." and maybe there was more truth to that sentence than you liked to admit.

The two of you started quizzing each other on different facts, reviewing questions from your homework and comparing each other's answers. The room was filled with an atmosphere of focused determination, punctuated by occasional bursts of laughter from ridiculous answers.

A comfortable silence fell over you two as you waited for him to finish answering the current question. Your eyes wandered to the window, starting at the dark front yard of Ramshackle dorm. The darkness outside seemed to wash a wave of uncertainty over you, and you pondered aloud, "I wonder what will happen to me if I can't go home."

The subtle scratching sound of pen and paper ceased from the call. Confused, Ace inquired, "What do you mean, what'll happen?"

You sighed, the weight of uncertainty settling upon you. "Well, let's say Crowley can't find a way back, yeah? I can't stay in NRC forever, right? I'll need to get a job and find somewhere to stay."

A brief pause hung in the air before Ace's voice pierced through, offering an unexpected solution, "Well, if it comes to that, why not just stay with me?"

Your eyebrows shot up in disbelief, searching for words to respond to such a proposition. "Huh??" escaped your lips, a sound of surprise and confusion, while a delicate blush tinged your cheeks at the implications his words carried.

"You can just live with me! I wouldn't mind having someone to do the chores," Ace continued, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

You couldn't help but scoff at the idea, a teasing remark escaping your lips, "Wow, what an incredibly generous offer. Though I'm not sure I can stand living with you."

Ace's voice carried a hint of mock offence as he playfully countered, "Hey, what's that supposed to mean?" You could almost imagine him pouting at his end.

Attempting to defuse his offence, you replied innocently, "Nothing, nothing. Just kidding," you giggled. After a brief pause, your voice softened, barely above a murmur, "Thank you, I appreciate it."

Ace, ever the caring friend, responded with a hint of reassurance, "Heh, don't worry about it. I got your back, okay?"

A tender smile tugged at the corners of your lips as you replied sincerely, your voice infused with gratitude, "Thanks, Ace."

Realizing that the conversation had veered off course from its intended purpose, you swiftly refocused, "Okay, we've gotten too distracted. We need to get back to studying!"

Ace let out a playful scoff, "Pshh, party pooper. Alright, alright."

Despite your words, the prospect of a future with him continued to linger in your mind—a life of living together, splitting chores, and supporting each other. It seemed like an enticing idea, a sleepover that would never end, a path you could envision yourself contentedly walking.

Needless to say, even long after the conversation had shifted back to academics, your smile lingered at your future prospects, a budding affection for the ginger that never failed to make you feel appreciated.

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