No one enjoyed attending his class. At least Auron believed so. Those who signed up for Intro to Medieval Warfare were doing so to satisfy the history portion in the graduation requirements. A select few signed up simply for a love of history, a rare sight as of lately. But he grew used to the class size cutting in half by the time the deadline for pass/fail options rolled around.
He dismissed the lack of popularity as not his own doing, even though student forums on the network said otherwise. They spoke of the HIS 108 professor as a firm, ruthless instructor with no wiggle room for anything outside of the syllabus. Auron couldn't help it. Sometimes old habits died hard. He blamed the military on that.
But one person showed interest at one point. Always quiet, always sitting in the back. Black hair fell over her face as oversized sleeves covered pale, manicured hands. Auron wrote her off as some freshman goth, who signed up for the class just to fulfil a requirement. Just like everyone else.
And he had never been so damn wrong before.
She was a history major and the constant thirst for knowledge had her face in a book at all times. When she spoke, what little she did, she did so with a wisdom that surpassed her peers. Auron spotted her in more than the first class; she attended all of them. Over time, she blossomed, both mentally and physically. Her papers matured, just as her fashions did. She traded jeans and oversized tshirts for pencil skirts and tight sweaters, yet still maintaining that dark aesthetic.
All of it was enough to drive a man crazy, even one with superb self-control.
In a blink, four years flew by and the studious girl was bound to graduate. Come the new fall semester, Auron nearly choked on his water after receiving an email about the teaching assistant he inquired for.
"Lulu will be your TA for the year," it read. "She's in the ancient history graduate program, though she should be of use to you."
She was. In more ways than he cared to explained.
More students stayed in HIS 108 that year and he imagined it had something to do with the voluptuous woman wearing fishnets, heels, and red lipstick than Auron's actual teaching capacities. He didn't fault them, either; she had a similar spell on him without even knowing she had cast it.
But unlike the young boys, foolish in their thoughts and stupid in their actions, Auron knew what to do with a lady such as Lulu. She was a lady, one who deserved chivalry and courtship. Such noble acts would win her approval, if not her heart. Auron sought out to impress her with words and benevolent gestures before impressing her behind closed doors and sprawled out in bed. Or his desk. He couldn't decide.
Though he did nothing. Such implications were inappropriate, considering their professional relationship.
However, that didn't stop him from purchasing a red carnation from the campus center come Valentine's Day and leaving it on the desk for her before class.
"What's this?" She picked up the flower and raised an eyebrow.
"A carnation?"
She chuckled lightly. "I know that. Who put it here?" After a pause, she looked to him. "One of the students maybe?"
And he only smiled, a sight he saved for those he cared for the most. "Maybe."
This was a Vday prompt for wingsyouburn on tumblr