It was a quiet evening in the dorms, the soft sound of rain pattering against the windows creating a peaceful backdrop. Laura was sitting at her desk, a textbook open in front of her, attempting to review material from the day's class. Her focus was broken, however, by a small chime from her ARCUS, which now carried messaging features. She blinked, setting her pen down as she reached for the device.

The notification was from Fie.

Laura hesitated for a moment, already bracing herself. Fie had a knack for sending messages that made Laura feel flustered in ways she'd never expected. With a small sigh and a soft smile, Laura opened the message.

Her eyes scanned the screen, and the first line immediately caught her attention:

Laura facts

Laura quirked an eyebrow, unsure of what to expect. As she read further down the list, her expression shifted from mild curiosity to growing amusement and, eventually, a deep blush.

1. Brave and strong
A fair observation, Laura thought with a modest smile.

2. Kind and earnest
Laura tilted her head slightly, her smile growing warmer.

3. Secretly cute
Her eyes widened. "Secretly?" she muttered under her breath.

4. Looks good in anything, especially dress shirts
Laura remembered Fie's frequent compliments about how she looked after sparring matches or formal gatherings, and Fie did seem to have a penchant for dress shirts.

5. Knows how to make you feel special
This one made her pause. It wasn't teasing; it felt genuinely heartfelt, and the sincerity made her chest tighten in a pleasant way.

6. Most magical sword queen in all the land
She let out a soft laugh at that, shaking her head.

7. Best nap partner
Her mind briefly flashed to the countless times Fie had curled up next to her, draping a blanket over both of them as she dozed off.

8. Patience of a saintess
Laura chuckled softly. Fie certainly knew how to test that patience sometimes, though it never truly bothered her.

9. Has a cool dad
Her smile turned fond as she thought of her father. That Fie respected him so much meant the world to Laura.

10. Looks good tied up too ;)
Laura's entire face turned scarlet, her mouth falling open slightly as her mind reeled. "F-Fie!" she whispered sharply to herself, glancing around the room as though someone might have overheard the message.

She quickly put her ARCUS down, covering her face with her hands, the warmth of her blush refusing to fade. "What am I going to do with her…" she murmured to herself, though her tone was more affectionate than exasperated.

After a moment of composing herself, Laura picked up her ARCUS again, debating how to respond. She hesitated, her thumb hovering over the reply button, before finally deciding on her message:

Laura:
Fie, you're incorrigible.

Fie's reply came almost instantly.

Fie:
But you smiled, didn't you?

Laura sighed, shaking her head with a quiet laugh.

Laura:
I did indeed.

Fie:
Mwah 3

Laura didn't really get that last message, but she could practically hear Fie's mischievous tone through the text.