Words Never Learned
Disclaimer: I don't own Blood Plus. I wonder who's spreading rumors like that? It'd be nice if I did, though.
x-X-x
It was mid-June and Saya was sitting at her big oak desk, looking over the assignment her tutor had given her. She mentally cursed Joel for hiring the man as she read over the paper she was given:
In as many words as you wish, describe your most desirable partner.
What was that supposed to mean? How was she supposed to describe something she had no clue about? She was too young to be thinking of such things! Besides, it wasn't like she was going to meet anyone if Joel kept her cramped up in the Zoo like some bird.
She sighed and reached across the table for her quill and ink. Being careful not to make blotches with the pen, she began,
"My perfect partner would be…"
Her brow furrowed as she stared down at her impeccable handwriting. Just what would her ideal partner be? Her mind sifted through images of every single man she had ever laid her eyes on. She cocked her eyebrow as blonde, pretty-boy after blonde, pretty-boy passed through her mind.
"...dark-haired…"
She grinned as she made up her fantasy man in her mind.
"…with deep chocolate eyes to match…oh, and mysterious, but not dangerous. He would make me feel safe around him, and always make me smile and laugh."
She thought about her life at the Zoo and how everyone seemed to put her on a pedestal.
"…he should always speak to me like we're equals, and be taller than me, too, so I'll have someone to look up to. He should be quiet, though, so I can read my books in peace. Oh, and he should like to read, too, so we can have deep literary conversations together by the fireplace…"
Saya leaned closer over the paper as her writing became furious with all the ideas she was trying to cram onto the page before she forgot. Her face was tinged red as other thoughts that she excluded—it just wouldn't be proper to share such thoughts with a teacher, after all—passed through her mind.
"My partner should definitely be able to take a joke better than anyone here at home can. Really, everyone here is so boring; I need someone that can stimulate my sense of humor."
Her brow furrowed as she neared the bottom of the half-sheet of parchment. The writing became smaller and harder to read as she had to use less and less ink to avoid a big black splotch. Nevertheless, she continued on.
"I want him to be able to protect me when we leave this place. (Yes, I know, Joel will never allow it, but this is supposed to be what I desire, right?) And he should be a good singer, so when I play cello, I'll have someone else to be with. Actually, he should be a musician, too. That way we could play our cellos together!
That is what I would want my most desirable partner to be like."
Saya returned her quill to its well and placed the parchment on the edge of her desk where her tutor would be sure to find it and went off in search of her fencing instructor. She was late for that lesson after becoming so absorbed in her creative writing. She found him sitting in a sun-chair on the front porch, waiting for her.
"Forgive me. I'm late."
The man nodded in acknowledgement and told her to quickly don her suit. As soon as she was dressed appropriately and back on the stairs, her instructor lead her down the porch and to the open training plaza below it.
Taking her starting defense position, she waited for her instructor to begin the lesson. He caught her arm on the first move.
She was still distracted by her earlier assignment. What would my ideal partner be? My ideal partner…?
This time, as she began the routine, she thrust just as her teacher straightened himself into a stiff bow. She pulled out of it just in time to see Joel and his colleague, Amshel, walk up to her.
My perfect partner is…
"Ah, Saya! Marvelous! Your training is coming along splendidly, I see. Wonderful."
"Saya," Amshel began with a low bow, "Joel and I have someone here to meet you." He stepped aside to reveal a young boy staring up at her.
"Saya, this is Haji. He will be your friend from now on," Joel kindly explained.
Her eyes widened as she recalled was she had just been thinking. "…you…" she breathed.
End
A/N: Well, my computer crashed and I lost all of the last chapter of memories, so that will take me a bit to remember and write down again. This is what I used to console myself. The title doesn't really fit, but, eh, who cares? I like it.