Nova stared out the window of the Arcana Mansion, his eyes precisely following the exact movements of the red-haired girl as she led the way out on another run of the town. He walked over to his desk and pulled out a sheet of paper from one of the drawers with a list of shop names and numbers next to them. "Should I accompany them?" he wondered out loud, tapping his pencil on the desk in a study rhythm of some song that was stuck in the back of his mind.

"Accompany the little lady?" Liberta leaned against the desk, his body half turned toward the other boy. His hands fiddled with the stack of paper that was neatly placed near the edge of the surface. "For what?" Impatience rang in his voice. It always did when it concerned the well-being of the girl who was so like him.

"It's none of your business what's between me and Fel." Nova opened one of the drawers in his desk and stuck the paper on top of other papers that had a large, red stamp print on them.

"So, it is something to do with the little lady?"

"No."

"You liar!" Liberta's eyes twitched.

"I said it wasn't!" Nova slammed his hands on the desk. "Do you want to fight or something?"

"Bring it, shortie." Liberta pulled his cutlass from its sheath. Quicker than him, Nova was already inches away from Liberta before he was able to pull his cutlass in front of him. He pushed forward, one hand on the grip with the other hand on the blade. Their faces were only inches away from each other as they spewed insults faster than a ticking clock.

"What are you doing?"

Felicita stood in the doorway with a confused look (or something along those lines mixed in with something like annoyance or anger). Luca stood behind, gripping her shoulders and shaking.

"Fel."

"Little Lady!" Liberta, forgetting about the sword fight he picked, rushed over to Felicita's side. "What're you doing here? I thought you went somewhere because Nova was—"

"Liberta!" Nova growled.

"What?" Liberta shrugged his shoulders at the boy, wondering what he was getting so hot-headed for.

Felicita cleared her throat. "I was about to go out on the regular patrol when I realized that Nova wasn't there. I was just wondering if you were keeping track of Pace for me."

"Of course." His face meant business and his voice was cold. "It's right here." Nova walked back to his desk and pulled out the paper he had just put back in the drawer only minutes before. He walked back to Felicita and held the paper out in front of her. "Here. This is an up-to-date list of all the shops and the exact amount of debt he owes at present."

"Thank you." As Felicita took the paper, Nova could have sworn he had seen a small blush flutter across her face for an instant when her fingers touched his.

Liberta lifted his hands over his head and brought them to the back. He let a smirk race across his face. "You're blushing."

Nova shot a death glare at Liberta and growled, "Shut up!"

The boy laughed as he grabbed Luca by the arm and ran off with the crying and screaming man. Just before he left, he winked at Nova. A little alone time between the two of them wouldn't hurt.

"Fel." Nova's voice was soft and low. "I—"

"Umm." Felicita looked to the ground. "Are you coming with us today? You're much better at this than me." She wiggled the paper in her hand. "With Pace, I mean."

"Fel, listen." The redhead glanced up to the boy, her cheeks a light shade of crimson. "I..." He let the word die out of his mouth; his eyes were too fixated on Felicita to pay attention to what he or anything else in the room was doing. The back of his hands brushed against her cheek until both his hands rested on her shoulders. "I—can't stop."

"Nova." His name came out as one long breath from the girl's mouth.

Nova's lips worked their way through the stifling air, that seemed like it could cut through paper with one quick slice with ease, to the bubbly, pink lips of the redhead in front of him. He pressed his lips down as hard as he could against hers. Her lips tasted like the sweet flavor of lemon. As their lips parted with the bitter taste of goodbye, Nova wrapped his hands around Felicita's cheeks and gently knocked his forehead on hers. "I love you, Fel. I love you so much."

- The End -