Chapter 39
I owe you way more than just one date
"Professor Darkell, I could not help but notice how close you and Miss Flora have become."
Dimitri should have known that this conversation would eventually take place between him and his boss. They had been incredibly lucky when they had found out that no one apparently had seen them kissing on the battlefield last week since everyone had been busy treating the wounded and catching up with everyone's side of the story. But he should have known that their luck would not last. Someone was bound to notice the amount of time the flower fairy and he spent together outside of classes.
"Ah. Yes, I enjoy Miss Flora's company. I would even consider her as a friend. Maybe even a potential apprentice. She has shown a lot of interest and talent in my class of incantation magic. I took it upon myself to help her research the topic more thoroughly."
The older woman leaned forward to place her elbows on the desk in front of her while raising an eyebrow in suspicion.
"Only friends?" She enquired.
"Of course, Madam. It is strictly a friendship centered around our common love for books and knowledge. I am happy to have finally found a student that shares my interest in learning and creating new incantation spells. I understand my place in this institution and the rules I need to follow. And honestly, I respect you too much Madam, as someone who has always given me the opportunity to prove myself, to go against the rules of your institution."
He finished his little speech with one of his most convincingly innocent smiles that he only reserved for emergencies. He could already imagine the disapproval on Flora's pretty face when he would recount to her later the amount of lies, he had just spit out to her dear headmistress.
It appeared that his little act had been good enough for her to finally dismiss him and send him back to the party preparations happening in the courtyard. However, he did notice that she still seemed skeptical. Flora and he will need to be more discreet in the future.
It did not take long for him to find his favorite fairy in the middle of the partying crowd. She was dancing with Musa and Layla. She looked gorgeous in her flowy green dress and a beautiful exotic blue flower tucked behind her left ear. The dress made her eyes of the same color stand out even more than usual. Her and her friends did not seem to see him approach until he was right next to her and whispering in her ear so she could hear him over the music.
"Having fun?" She jumped in surprise, but her startled expression was instantly replaced by a beautiful smile when she saw who was standing next to her.
"Dima! You're back! So how did it go? What did Faragonda need to tell you so urgently?" It was her turn to lean towards him and speak in his ear. He could feel her soft hair brush against his cheek and smell her familiar strawberry perfume.
"Not here." He whispered back. He motioned towards the less crowded part of the courtyard. She quickly understood. She watched him walk away weaving his way through the crowd and disappear behind a pillar standing in one of the corners of the garden. Then she went to tell the girls that she was going to the bathroom, before following the path he had taken a few minutes later.
He was waiting for her leaning his back against the wall and arms crossed in front of his chest. She took a few seconds to admire the man's handsome profile. The moonlight lit his pale skin beautifully. And he looked casually handsome in a pair of skinny jeans and a black long-sleeved shirt. He looked so young, she thought. She decided to stand next to him letting their shoulders brush against each other. She waited patiently for him to start talking. It was not a long wait.
He recounted his conversation with the headmistress in detail to the fairy. When he was finished, he turned his head in her direction to be met with her worried expression.
"Stop worrying Flora. Everything is fine. She has no proof. And she is a fair person she will not do anything until she has clear evidence. We just need to be more discreet from on."
"You mean we should lie and hide it from her?"
"Lie and hide it from everyone. I know the goody fairy in you does not like the idea. But it is our only option. And I think its worth it. Don't you?" He watched her blush shyly at his words. He was trying to be as honest as possible about his feelings for her. And he quite liked the reaction he was getting.
He watched her answer him with a timid nod while playing nervously with the hem of her dress. He suddenly wanted to see her more relaxed and smiling at him, but he was not sure how. He had never wanted to make someone feel better before. He had no idea what to do in this sort of situation. He watched her hands fidget a few seconds more before finally making the decision of grabbing one of them and pulling her towards him. She exhaled a small gasp in surprise but that was quickly replaced by a chuckle when she felt him pull her against his chest in an awkward and uncertain hug.
He was not sure where to put his hands or where to look and Flora quickly noticed his awkwardness and decided to help him. She placed his arms around her waist before circling her own arms around his neck. They stayed a few minutes his chin resting on top of her head and her face buried in his neck. He could feel her smile and giggle happily against his skin. They were in their own small peaceful world where the crowd and the music a few feet away from them did not exist anymore. At that moment, the only music they cared about was the beating of their hearts and the sound of their breathing. Dimitri had to admit that her body against his and the peacefulness surrounding them felt nice. He had never acted this sort of way with a person, but he was happy to make an exception for this fairy.
Flora was the first one to pick the conversation back but chose to do it while remaining in their position. She seemed to be enjoying it as much as he did.
"Will you be staying in Alfea the whole summer?"
He hummed in confirmation.
"Is Faragonda not letting you travel this summer?"
"I think she is still worried about what happened the last time I was travelling. She is just paranoid. She thinks that as soon as I leave this planet I'll fall in the hands of another Dark Lord." He felt her giggle in his arms. "However, she did give me the privilege of leaving Alfea to visit Magix as long as I notify her whenever I'm leaving and coming back." Flora could already picture the man rolling his eyes and hear the sarcasm dripping from his voice at the word privilege. What she did not know was that the man's smile had widened a fraction more as soon as he had heard her burst into giggles a second time. Her green aura looked so bright and beautiful when she was laughing.
"Oh wait, I forgot to tell you something!" Flora suddenly exclaimed. She kept her hands on his shoulders but leaned back a bit so that their eyes could properly meet.
"Griselda was looking for student volunteers to help prepare the school for the next school year. I signed up for the first two weeks of summer break to help organize the library." As she watched his left eyebrow raise at her words, she suddenly started to lose a bit of her confidence.
"I…I mean Musa and Layla told me that they were staying here for most of the summer break… and...and I thought I would keep them company…and …well I thought that maybe…you know… if you're not to busy … we could maybe… spend time together…but… but of course if you don't want me to bother you I can always…" She stumbled and panicked trying to take back her words. She was scared that she sounded too clingy. She still did not know what they were exactly maybe they were not close enough to spend the break together. Maybe he found her annoying already?
But all these negative thoughts and panicked words were quickly silenced by the feeling of the man's lips against the shell of her ear. And all those worries completely vanished when she heard him speak his next words.
"That's perfect Flora. I still owe you that date. I owe you way more than just one date after all the trouble you went through to save me."
If he had told his younger self five hundred years ago that one day, he would ask a flower fairy out on multiple dates he would have burst out laughing in disbelief. But right now, he was unexpectedly happy with how things were. He had a beautiful young smart lady in his arms looking up to him with a brilliant smile.
However, he had found out the hard way that good things could never last because just a few minutes later he spotted in the distance the familiar small silhouette of two pixies floating in the air. One had two very recognizable pig tails and the other a pink baby bonnet and pajamas. But what really caught his attention was the huge cup of coffee the blond pixie was holding in the air and offering to the smaller one.
Without taking his eyes off the disaster about to happen he gently tapped the fairy on her shoulders.
"Flora, should baby pixies drink coffee?" She looked at him in confusion until he made her turn around so that she could have a better view of what was happening.
"Oh no. Chatta! Stop! Don't give Piff coffee! Chatta!" He watched her sprint away to scold her little irritating pixie (in his opinion more like she-devil) and grab the coffee before the baby pixie could have a taste. It seemed that as long as he was in the company of Flora he would never get bored.
