A/N: Okies, I'm really sorry for the delay, my beta took forever and ended up beta-ing the next chapter instead of this one and then I had to like, harass her to get this done. SO! Heres my plan of what's going on.

Post this chapter

Post next chapter either on the weekend or on Monday, depends.

Type up other chapters

Get them beta'd (LUNA!)

Post.

I'll try to stick by this, but I can't guarantee anything, I'm not the best at deadlines.

The pair starred at each other – Krayonder in disbelief, Julia in horror.

This went unnoticed by the old librarian, who kept on talking,

"Daniel is in the same grade as you, but is in the lower mechanics class. Now – I've got some books here," she placed a few books on the table, "on the topics they've been covering, and Daniel can tell you where he's having the most trouble."

Mrs Bently clasped her hands together,

"I think that's it. I'll leave you two to it then."

And she walked off.

Julia was the first person to snap out of it,

"You gonna sit down?" She asked, opening one of the books that had been placed on the table, refusing to look up.

Krayonder nodded, still slightly dazed, and sank into the chair opposite, then stuck out his hand and said,

"I'm Kray- "

"Daniel – I know. Mrs Bently said," Julia cut him off, still not looking up from her book.

"I prefer Krayonder," He told her stubbornly. She glanced up, one eyebrow raised.

"Its cause my last name – never mind," He said, his face reddening at his stupidity.

"You can call me Daniel… If you want," Krayonder muttered sheepishly. Dead god! He thought to himself, what was he doing? Intimidated by a nerd? Get a grip on yourself Krayonder!

Luckily, the girl didn't notice his discomfort – she was too busy staring – no, no reading – the books the old lady had left with them.

Clearing his throat, he said,

"So are we going to study or not?" The girl didn't respond. She didn't even look like she heard.

Krayonder leaned forward and snapped his fingers under her nose,

"Hello? Earth to Specs?"

Julia looked up sharply,

"Sorry, sorry, let's go on with – wait," She put the book down and turned her full attention to the boy in front of her, "What did you call me?"

Krayonder blushed slightly,

"Specs – 'cause of your glasses."

Julia blushed and looked down at her lap. No one had ever called her 'Specs' or even bothered to give her a nickname – she had never meant enough to anyone for them too.

She liked it.

"Look – how's about you call me Krayonder, and I'll call you Specs?" Krayonder offered.

"Bit of a one-sided deal, don't you think?" Julia said half-heartedly, but she looked up and smiled.

Now Fate, who was beginning to feel left out in this story, decided it was time to intervene. For his plan to work perfectly, he needed the pair to get along, to become friends. Quickly, he jabbed a dark blue button.

Julia turned around and clasped her hands on the table in front of her,

"So – what were you having trouble with?"

Over the next sixth months, the pair became inseparable. They ate together, studied together, worked together and were just generally there for each other. Julia became known as Specs to not just Krayonder, but to the whole academy. At first she hated the fact that the others knew her nickname – but in the end she came to like it better than Julia.

Krayonder – in turn – became more appreciative of what he had called "The Dark Side". The side where people studied for exams and tried hard in class; the side where they didn't only just care about passing and becoming a ranger – but a place where they cared about what mark they got.

And to tell you the truth – Krayonder liked it there.

Krayonder learnt quite a bit about Specs during those six months as well. He learnt that she had joined the Rangers initially to spite her mother – who had wanted her to stay on Earth and become a good housewife. What Specs hadn't anticipated was that she would find a field she loved.

Her dream now was to become the head of a technical team of a starship. Not to find the perfect man like in some cheesy romantic comedy. No – love was way down on Specs' list of dreams.

Krayonder found himself telling Specs all his secrets, gaining her trust as she gained his. He told her about how the only reason he had joined was because everybody was. It was seen as 'cool' to be a Starship Ranger. Krayonder wasn't exactly good at any particular field, but he still knew what he wanted.

His dream was to become a hero. To save someone he cared about – or die trying.

"So to die for love?" Specs asked.

Krayonder looked up and met her forever curious green eyes,

"Yeah, I guess so."

"I don't believe in love." Specs said brusquely, standing up and walking over to the bookshelf by the wall in her dorm room.

"It's too fickle, always changing. People say that they love someone; only to break their hearts by saying they love someone else. And the fact that if you love someone enough you're willing to die for them…." She trailed off; pulling a thick book from the masses that covered her shelves.

"I don't like how being in love with someone controls your actions. If you're going into a war zone – it's better to not be tied down to someone. It distracts you from your original purpose as soon as they're in the slightest bit of danger."

Krayonder gave her a small smile and patted the space on the bed next to him. She sat down, and he placed an arm around her small shoulders and held her close.

"You know what I think?" He asked looking down at her. She shook her head.

"I think the only reason you don't believe in love is because you've never felt it yourself, only read about it in books. The feeling that you would be lost without them, missing them more than anything when they're not around, the feeling that you would do anything to keep them alive, even if it meant sacrificing your own life. There's nothing like it. Especially when you know they love you back."

"You make being in love sound appealing" Specs said, looking up at Krayonder.

"You make is sound like crap," He countered. Then he blinked,

"Actually – I think you do know what being in love feels like! You fell in love with someone who broke up with you, or cheated on you with your best friend or -"

"Not technically 'cheated' as such." Specs cut in, looking down in shame. "High school. Senior year. I had a crush on this boy – Sammy Miles. My best friend knew how much I liked him." She sniffed,

"Then one day – he walked up to the pair of us, and I got really, really excited. And then, he just ignores me and asks her to the movies. And then she says yes."

A few stray tears rolled down her cheeks and she turned away, not wanting Krayonder to see cry.

Gently, he squeezed her shoulders, then wrapped his arms around her and held her as she cried.

It was at that moment that Specs knew how lucky she was to have Krayonder as a friend. He wouldn't be grossed out by her tears or her puffy eyes. He genuinely cared about her. He was like the older brother she never had.

She didn't know how much more he would mean to her one day.