The thorns sting her hands. She should have had them dethorned, yet she'd been running late as it was to get them bought, to get them nicely made into a beautiful bouquet, and she'd nearly been late to class, even as she sat at her desk and twirled them around and around in her fingers. Nerves held them close to her chest.

How could she even begin to tell him how she felt? It should be easy, hand him flowers, say something, anything, smile, and listen closely to however he would respond. Alix wasn't particularly known for being romantic, and she had absolutely no idea how to do this. It seemed like an easy, step by step process to follow. She'd just talk, listen, answer, and give. It was easy to break into little sections that followed these steps, but it was so much harder to quell the nerves that picked at her chest and coincidentally her heart.

Somehow, it made her doubt whether giving him purple flowers was a good idea. Purple was not the overwhelmingly romantic color of red, nor was it the friendship centered white or yellow. She happened to like the color, purple, and was still debating and working out whether that was romantic or not, or whether he knew the meanings of flowers and if he did, did she pick the right kind? Her mind fluttered off at break neck speeds.

So, should she whisper it? Shout it? Speak like she normally would? Would the words be best said, dancing off her tongue or would they be better in a messy ramble of a waltz? Were they to be sophisticated or just messy? Should she practice or say what comes naturally? She hadn't practiced this morning or ever, and the thought seemed to separate her from what others probably would have done in her skates.

Alix isn't sure what to make of this crazy feeling, of these crazy hints and tides of love. It was hard to name, let alone articulate. Would Max like the flowers? Was purple too much of a girly color? Would she be able to breathe past her confession? Alix was not a nervous wreck, just a bit jumpy today. That's how she'll think of it; jumpy is much more energetic after all.

She's not nervous, but she has absolutely no idea what he'll say.

Alix catches him during lunch break. She already isn't sure how to give anyone flowers, as these are the first ones that she's ever bought, not to mention the first time that she's contemplated during this for someone. She never even receives flowers.

It's a matter of days until Valentine's, but she doesn't want to leave this to wait until the 'ideal' day, as today seems as good as any. It allowed her to beat the crowds at the flower shop on the way to school, anyway.

"Max?" It's awkward as she suddenly wants to fidget, but she holds herself still, "These are for you."

Her soft words catch him by surprise, and there's something a lot like pleasantly startled surprise that flickers across his face. Something in her sifts down into her stomach and warms her whole body up at the look.

"For me?" He stands, looking as awkward as she feels for a moment, "Thank you." He accepts the purple roses from her, and Alix feels relief course through her.

"I like you a lot." It comes out easily enough, though it's not at all flowery. She hopes that he is also not a romantic, because surely these words weren't enough for a romantic.

He blinks at her past his glasses and finally his surprise melts away into a gentle look of such tenderness and joy, that Alix almost pegs herself as a romantic.

"I like you too." It's easy with how it rolls off of his tongue, and Alix can't help smiling as she meets his smile with a glance upward and a widening smile across her own face. Something seems to cheerfully lighten the moment, and Alix wonders vaguely if this were a little Valentine's Day magic, even though no one ever seems to wonder about that, ever.

Alix already feels the shift in the air that tells them both that something amazing shall happen between them here on out. It's a delicate feeling that overwhelms the two that had never considered themselves romantics, until they fell for one another.