"Here's your coffee, sir."

Invel pointedly ignored the bitterness in Ajeel's voice, not even looking up from his work. "Thank you, Ajeel." One hand reached up to receive the mug of coffee.

This reaction was unsatisfactory. Ajeel frowned, holding the mug out of Invel's reach.

Invel finally looked up from his work, glaring at him. "Ajeel."

"What? If you're gonna make me do stuff for you, at least let me have some fun."

"Do you want to be in more trouble than you're already in?"

"Why am I in trouble anyway? His Majesty encourages us to practice our magic as often as possible."

Invel's raised arm fell limply onto the desk. "You flooded my room with sand! Don't you dare try to tell me that was just an accident while you were practicing!"

Ajeel glared down at him. "Okay, so I did that on purpose. I wanted you to come after me, okay?"

For several long moments, the room fell silent.

"I wanted you to chase me," Ajeel said bluntly. "But you used your magic to catch me instead. Which was totally unfair, by the way."

"Alright, but explain yourself." Invel narrowed his eyes at him. "Why did you want me to chase you?"

"'Cause you're always in your office!" Ajeel gestured to the room around them, the jerking of his arm spilling coffee everywhere. "I was trying to get you out of here! It's summer - can't you just do something other than your work for once?!"

"My work habits are not affecting you."

"No, but they're affecting you! It's not healthy for you to be in here all the time!" More coffee dripped onto the carpet.

Invel shot a disapproving glance at the dark spots staining the floor. "At least I'm getting my work done."

Ajeel leaned over the desk, his face inches from Invel's. "The rest of us take vacations and still get our work done. Why can't you?"

Invel snorted. "You barely get your work done. Sometimes not at all."

Ajeel stepped back, pulling over a chair and slumping into it. "Okay, fine. But you work harder than us. Would it kill you to take a break?" Invel remained silent. Ajeel continued. "How about this? I'll take you to, I dunno, just walk around the capital city or something… tomorrow afternoon." He gradually realized what he had just said. "Not as a date. Just an excuse to get you out of this stuffy room." Silence. "C'mon, it'll be fun."

"…Alright. I'll go." A small smile tugged at the corners of Invel's lips. "Just don't expect me to do this again."

Ajeel grinned. "Have I entered an alternate univerese, or did you just crack a smile for me?"

"Shut up."

"Alright, alright. Leaving now." In the doorway, he glanced over his shoulder. Invel was working again. Typical. "…Well. See you tomorrow afternoon."

Feeling strangely light, he left.