A/N: The timing of me posting this is interesting because it was written for a friend's finals, and now it's approaching my finals. Anyway, originally posted on tumblr, and also found on AO3.


The flickering of one of the candles illuminating the library captured her gaze and Neria blinked at it blearily for several long moments before turning her attention to the book propped open in front of her, to the page of words she was certain she had read at least three times, and which still felt impossible to decipher. Hadn't Senior Enchanter Torrin lectured on this before? Hadn't she been able answer his questions?

A glance around the room showed that the place was deserted, empty aside from the workspace she had created for herself. She vaguely remembered Jowan mentioning that the tenth bell had sounded and that he was returning to his chamber. How long ago had that been? How long had she spent poring over her copy of Mastyrie of the Arcane, desperate to find all she could on the Fade?

She sighed, resting her head in her hands. Perhaps she was trying too hard, but she couldn't fight back the feeling that something, something big, was coming. Maybe it was the curious silence from First Enchanter Irving, her mentor, who always seemed to have time for a kind word and updates on her studies but who had distanced himself as of late. Maybe it was the equal distancing of templars who, while not necessarily friendly, had never studiously ignored her before. Maybe it was the simple lack of recent Harrowings that had set her on edge. Regardless, she knew that something was building. And she responded the only way she knew: learn as much as you can. Be prepared.

Yet… Maker, she was so tired. Perhaps she ought to rest her eyes, just for a few moments…

The next thing she knew, she was being roused by a quiet voice with a familiar stutter. "A-Apprentice Surana?" She groaned and straightened, nearly smacking the back of her head into the gauntleted hand that hovered above her, which jerked away quickly.

"Ser Cullen," she murmured, blinking the sleep out of her eyes. "What are you-?" She broke off with a yawn.

He seemed to understand her nonetheless. "Ah, Garis noticed you were still in here so he, ah, asked me to- well…" Was it her imagination, or did the candlelight make his face look redder than usual?

"Oh, thank you." Neria smiled at him, gratitude clear on her face and cutting off his stammering. He ducked his head at her words, dropping his gaze to the floor and she frowned thoughtfully as she gathered her books. "Well, if that's all…?"

For a moment, he seemed to fidget, shifting his weight from foot to foot as if nervous. "I- ah, I hear you've been busy studying." He paused, as if steeling himself, and then his next words were released in a rush, "Just d-don't forget to take care of yourself as well." She looked at him in surprise. Was he… blushing?

Her smile widened at the unexpectedly sweet gesture, the concern doing more to calm herself down any of her frantic studying the past few nights. "Thank you, Cullen," she told him sincerely, before turning to walk back to her room, not noticing his eyes following her until she disappeared from view.