Sing Me to Sleep

Chapter 3: Discordance

The next time Boscha saw Skara, it was during lunch. Her friend was in a noticeably better mood than she'd been the day before. She still had bags under her eyes from losing sleep the past week, but she seemed lighter. Happier. More relaxed. She was talking animatedly to Bo in the lunch line, gesticulating wildly while recounting some exciting story, no doubt.

And if Boscha's bile sac swelled when she noticed her friend was still wearing her grudgby jacket well, that was between her and the Titan.

Boscha made a beeline for their usual table. She packed lunch since the cafeteria food was disgusting, and subpar on even the best days. As per usual, Amelia and Cat were already seated. Both greeted her as she sat down, Amelia noticeably not making a poorly timed joke. It seemed that the hex from yesterday had worked as planned.

They fell into a conversation about an upcoming field trip to the Museum of Demonology, and Cat suggested going out to the market afterward, to which they all readily agreed.

Out of the corner of her eye, Boscha spotted Amity's face turning tomato red as L-, no, the human, leaned in close and wrapped an arm around her shoulder. She suppressed a snort as she turned away from the pair and dug into her food.

A match made in hell. Both of them are too dumb to do anything about their feelings.

The irony of that thought flew over Boscha's head as she perked up upon seeing Skara approach their table. She didn't wave like Amelia and Cat did. No, she had to play things cool especially after how yesterday had gone.

She was ready to nod at Skara and continue eating her lunch, when the bard flashed her the most radiant smile she'd ever seen. Boscha's fork missed its target and she ended up poking herself in the nose, splattering ghoulash all over her face.

Shit.

Amelia and Cat were wise enough not to say anything about it, but nothing stopped Skara from sitting down next to Boscha and chuckling at the mess she made for herself.

"You got a little something-"

"I know," Boscha grumbled, swiping a napkin from the dispenser and cleaning her face. Once she was done, she incinerated it with a twirl of her finger.

"You missed a spot." Skara tutted and reached over, using her thumb to wipe a spot of cream from the corner of Boscha's mouth.

Then, as if it was perfectly normal, the bard licked the cream off her thumb and gave her a thumbs up.

And Boscha was fine.

She did not freeze up, turn red, or devolve into a rambling mess.

She was as cool as a cockatrice

"So, what's hex and happening?" Skara asked as she turned her attention to Amelia and Cat.

The joke didn't even register with the alchemist, nor did the accusatory look Amelia gave her when Boscha didn't respond to the quip. The only thought that was running through her mind was the bright idea of dunking her face into her leftover ghoulash just so Skara could help her clean up again- no no no! Don't go there.

She vaguely registered Amelia, Cat, and Skara exchanging conversation as she battled her gay inner demons.

"What do you think, Boscha?"

"Hmm?"

"About getting tickets to go see the Pixies when they tour here in a few months."

"Oh." Boscha made a noncommittal sound. "Sounds good to me."

She took a sip of her appleblood, enjoying how it soothed her dry throat.

"Great!" Skara beamed. "It's a date!"