Author's notes: special thanks to Morantis for beta reading this for me.
…...
Apple and Humphrey were in the Che-Myth-Stry lab by themselves working on a project. They had just finished up their work for that day and put all their lab supplies away.
"Thanks for all your help, Humphrey," Apple said.
"No problem," Humphrey said. "But I have to ask: why did you pick me as your lab partner? Why not someone else like, I don't know… Daring?"
"Are you familiar with the expression 'more than just a pretty face?'" Apple asked and Humphrey nodded yes. "The more I know Daring, the more sure I am that that doesn't apply to him."
Humphrey chuckled at this. "Then why not Maddie?" he asked. "She's really good at this class."
"Honestly," Apple began, "I like Maddie but I'm only capable of dealing with her in small doses. Also, I was worried that trying to rein in Maddie's…. eccentricity would detract from the project."
Humphrey chuckled at this. In addition to being amused at Apple's description of possibly working with Maddie, he was also strangely aroused at Apple displaying her intelligence by using the word 'eccentricty'. Like every guy in EA High (and statistically speaking, propably a few girls) he was in love with Apple. Unlike most of those people, he was attracted to Apple for more than her physical beauty.
"And I choose you," Apple continued, "because I need a really good grade on this project and for that, I needed a capable partner. And I really need a good grade because I want to show people that unlike Daring, I am more than just a pretty face. But that presents other problems because of how important the Snow White story is. If I stumble with trying to be more it could reflect badly on not just me, but the legacy of Snow White itself and….."
At this point, Apple started very quick and shallow breaths. Humphrey then grabbed Apple's wrists.
"Apple, listen to me and focus on the sound of my voice," Humphrey said, getting Apple's attention. "Take a deep breath in," Humphrey did so, "and a deep breath out."
Humphrey instructed her to do so two more times.
"Thanks Humphrey," Apple said, regaining her calm. "I needed that."
"I wish you hadn't told me that," Humphrey said worryingly. "I was hoping you were short of from breath from saying so much so quickly, but now I know that you were hyperventilating."
"Sorry," Apple apologized and then there was an awkward pause between them. "This is awkward, but I'm going to need you to keep what you just heard to yourself."
"Of course," Humphrey agreed. "But I think you shouldn't be so worried about…. all that stuff you said earlier. If you tried to be more than a pretty face and it didn't go perfectly, I seriously doubt anyone would hold it against you the way you think they would."
"Some might," Apple said.
"Some, like Duchess," Humphrey continued, "but the people who really care about you won't. Besides, I'm sure that you would prove yourself after any stumbling and prove your haters wrong, especially with how smart you are."
"I never thought about that," Apple said. She had always assumed that any hypothetical shortcomings would leave permanent black mark against her and the Snow White legacy. But she knew that Humphrey was right about how she could overcome any adversity. While she was thinking about all this, she blushed due to Humphrey complementing her on her intelligence rather than her beauty.
"Thanks Humphrey," Apple said. "One other thing I want your opinion on. I sometimes worry that people don't actually like me, they only like who I think I am."
"Is there a big difference between those things?" Humphrey asked.
"A few, minor things," Apple said as she reached for her purse and felt inside to find her glasses case. She paused for a few seconds as she doubted what she thought about doing. She put those aside as she took the glasses out of the case and put them on. "Like this," Apple said. Her glasses had circular lenses with thin, red frames.
'They look good on you," Humphrey said. He was tempted to say that she would look good in anything but decided not to on the grounds that that wasn't the kind of reassurance she needed right now. "How are you able to walk around while choosing to not wear glasses?"
"I only need them to clearly see distances over thirty feet," Apple explained. "Which is great because that means I can get away with not wearing them so they won't interfere with the specific image that means so much to me."
"Apple," Humphrey began," I understand that with as much as you have going for you also means that you have much to lose but…. oh crap, I started that sentence without any idea of how I'd end it."
"That's all right," Apple said. "Most people don't understand that my reputation could be hurt at all. It's enough to know that you understand what that means to me."
"You're welcome," Humphrey said. "If you ever want to talk to me about anymore about all this or anything else, you can."
"I'll keep that in mind," Apple said as she took off her glasses, put them back in the case and put the case in her purse. "Thank you so much for this."
Apple then left the room, not noticing that Humphrey was blushing. He was fairy happy with himself for being able to help Apple as well as the prospect of being able to help her more in the future. So pleased that he didn't care if he remained only friends with Apple. He decided that he would keep things with Apple platonic because that's what she needed.