Disclaimer: Not mine
Notes: Written for prfic100. Theme: #19, At first glance
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At first glance, it didn't seem like something Katie should worry about. Just another fellow Cadet leaning against the wall, most likely exhausted from cramming for exams. It wasn't until he slipped, nearly falling to the floor-- and he didn't get up-- that she realized that it was more than it appeared to be."Hey." She ran down the hallway and caught him before he really did fall. "Hey. Are you all right?"
When he looked up at her, two things made her gasp out loud: first, his eyes (how could someone so young looking have eyes that old?), and second, the eerie light that seemed to be coming from what looked like a rock in in the middle of his forehead...
Then, suddenly, the light was gone-- and judging from the way he was blinking at her, he was seeing her for the first time. "Um, I'm sorry," he stammered, averting his gaze. "I-I didn't mean to bump into you."
"You didn't bump into me. I caught you."
"Oh." Despite what had just happened, Katie felt herself smile at his look of honest surprise. "Well, um, thank you, but I really need to get--"
"Hold on." She grabbed his arm before he could get away. "What was that?"
The look he gave her this time made her heart sink. "That... is part of being a Xybrian."
"That's it?"
He leaned towards her experimentally, as if he was trying to come to some theory about her. "It didn't bother you?"
"Aside from the fact that you nearly fainted, no. In fact, you don't have to tell me anything else if you don't want to." She smiled and offered her hand. "But how about we get something to eat? Oh-- by the way, I'm Katie." In all the excitement, she'd forgotten to introduce herself.
"I'm Cadet... I'm Trip." It wasn't much of a smile, but it gave her hope. "And that sounds like a good idea," he said as he took her hand.
Katie slung an arm around his shoulders as they walked away together. She still wasn't sure what had happened to Trip earlier, but if he needed her to know, she had no doubt he would tell her.
And she was pretty certain what he needed right now was a friend.