AN: We're four away from forty, y'all. Where does the time go?


Why not (George, Angelica)

"Why not? Seriously? That's the best you've got?" George said, quickly glancing back at Crow's attempt to placate Towa, whose ire at seeing her concert outfit had not abated in the slightest.

Angelica shrugged, unruffled by the high-pitched invective bouncing off the walls. "It's all we need. Listen, not everyone makes decisions like Towa does. Sometimes you need the lists, the pie charts, the figures; y'know, all the boring stuff. And other times, you just have an idea that pops into your head, one that makes you go – "

"Why not?" George repeated, powerless in the face of Angie's grin.


Fields (Paula, Jusis)

She had never, ever been this tired in her life.

"Well done!" Lambert's voice boomed, evidently pleased with the job they had done. "Field maintenance is by no means an easy task but keeping our section in exquisite shape is also a part of our duties as the Riding Club."

"Thank you," Jusis said with a nod, and Paula had to admit that she'd originally expected him to look upon the job with disdain. Instead, he'd rolled up his sleeves and gone right to work alongside her with not a single word of complaint.

Arrogant and mouthy? Sure. Lazy? Nope.


Differences (Rean)

For all the doubts he'd had about the job, a tiny part of Rean had hoped that maybe – just maybe – once he'd actually started everything would miraculously fall into place and he'd be off and running.

Nope.

Putting aside the obvious personality clash he'd initially witnessed (his class was going to have growing pains for sure), it was almost impossible to forget that despite his dual role as an instructor and the Empire's Ashen Chevalier, he wasn't much older than his students. He probably had more in common with them than they'd care to admit.

(Especially Kurt. Déjà vu, much?)