Disclaimer: Credit for the characters goes to Tamora Pierce

HAPPY VALENTINE'S DAY!

"You'll never guess what happened to me today Miri," he said, settling his tray across from mine. It was piled high with food - more than I could eat all day, let alone at one meal. But that was the way he was, and I'd long given up competing with him. In that aspect, at least.

When I didn't answer he tried again.

"Guess what happened to me today," he prompted.

I shrugged, simultaneously trying to keep a straight face and looking up innocently at Evin Larse. I daresay I failed on both accounts, and ended up looking as though I were choking on something.

"Are you okay?" he asked, concern coloring his voice.

But that was the way he was – infuriatingly shallow one moment, and concerned and gentle the next.

"Are you sure you've got enough food?" I asked. He seemed to take that as a sign that I wasn't choking and returned to his original topic.

"Something dreadful has happened to me today," he moaned, affecting an air of self-pity.

"What happened to you today Evin?" I asked, just to humor him. I did a lot of things just to humor Evin. I already knew the answer to his question, and he knew it, but he was going to make me play along for the time being.

"I told you to guess," he said.

He was going to keep me guessing until I told him what he wanted to hear - that I was guilty. I rolled my eyes. Guessing games are not my thing, even when I knew what I was supposed to guess.

"I don't know...The trainees rigged another bucket of honey over the door to our office?" I asked. Actually, I'd overheard their plans to do this again - it had worked quite effectively the first time. His hair had smelled like honey for weeks afterwards, which wasn't an altogether bad thing.

He shook his head.

"Not today...why?" he asked suspiciously.

I decided to try to appear innocent again.

"No reason," I said, which came out far less innocent than I'd intended. I should have picked a different emotion to go for, since innocent hadn't worked out yet.

He smiled slightly.

"Thanks for the heads up Mir. I'll keep an eye out for that."

I swore under my breath. Was I that easy to read? Mithros I hoped not. Evin took a bit of bread, then washed it down with a swig of ale(an action that was necessary if you wanted to unglue your teeth. The bread was notorious for its adhesive qualities) before continuing.

"Actually, it's surprisingly less disgusting and sticky than that, but mayhap it's more irritating."

"Well I'm all out of ideas. You've fooled me Evin. What happened?"

He sat up straighter, eyes widening in mock surprise.

"You mean you don't know?" he asked in sarcastic disbelief. I shook my head, a picture of innocence, fighting back a grin.

I needed to work on my facial expressions.

He sighed. "Alright, you want me to tell you?"

I couldn't help the small grin that broke through this time. He leaned forward and narrowed his eyes.

"Miri," he said.

I smiled meekly.

"For some absurd reason, the trainees have taken it into their heads that I find it...amusing if they ransack my office under the pretense of searching for papers under your orders. Papers I returned to you two weeks ago."

I grinned.

"My orders? Wherever did you hear such a thing? Why would I ask them to get them for me if I already have them?"

He frowned, and I smiled to myself. He hadn't thought of that.

"Besides"- I continued, a mischievous grin breaking out across my face. "I thought your office always looked as though it had been ransacked. How do you know you weren't the one who did it? Did you actually catch them at it?"

He scowled, crossing his arms.

"There's no need for you to make my job difficult Miri," he chided, even as I leaned back in my chair and folded my arms behind my head. "I know it was you."

I laughed, unable to help myself. He rolled his eyes.

"Just because there's no need, doesn't mean that it's not splendid fun," I said, laughing again.

In the end, he laughed with me. Because that was the way he was.