✨ A Little Bit of Magic || READER X RAY || The Promised Neverland

✨ Chapter Fifty Five

I didn't feel like knocking. Professor Lucas was already accustomed my strange emergencies and somehow stifling prescience, but boy- I wish I had.

I froze mid step, gandering at my two instructors very intense hand holding session. It truly was a sight to behold.

Professor Yuugo, smiling softly, and not psychotically.

Professor Lucas, speaking gently, almost whispering his words instead of loudly and confidently announcing whatever the subject was.

"Is- Is this the right time?" I stuttered, shuffling back wards into the hallway. The two, startled, yanked their fingers apart, Yuugo shoving his right hand into his pocket. Lucas did the same for his left, the curious incident of his cursed right, probably not something he'd told to his colleague. Or boyfriend, hehe.

The black haired instructor scrambled to his feet, trying to nonchalantly brush away the streaks of white hair spewed across his red face. But instead, he looked like a very embarrassed clown, rushing his way back to whatever circus he came from. "I have a class to teach I'll see you later y/n!" He shouted, practically running down the limestone corridor. I turned back to my dendro teacher, who was still in that euphoric state of a good conversation with a loved one.

Well, I wouldn't be me if I didn't pry. "Are you guys dating?"

The red haired man raised an eyebrow, quickly regaining that stoic lion-like composure. "You know it's against the rules for students and teachers to interfere in each other's personal lives." I shrugged. "That's great and all, but I think we'd already crossed the line after you healed Zack's curse."

"Not heal, y/n. Split. Remember that. All it does it slow the spread of the black virus, but in the end we'd both die after it overtakes our heart."

I grimaced, thinking about a world without Zack and Professor Lucas. It seemed like a pretty lame, boring, sad world. They were both very important to me, and I'd hate if anything happened to either of my friends.

"So, how is it?" I asked, tilting my head towards his right arm. "How's your... curse?"

Lucas smiled that familiar hearty smile, but the corners of his mouth so slightly tilted downwards. It left me a bit unsettled, but it was something I could investigate later. He said the splitting spell would slow the effects of the curse, so I could leave that issue to the side. I could just barely watch his fist ball up underneath his pocket, crumpling the khaki colored trench coat. Yeah. Definitely check that out, future me.

"It's fine, y/n." He replied, with an air of finality. The air was tense, just for a moment. "And actually, if you really want to know about Professor Yuugo and I, you could ask him. I think I've done my part in your whirlwind of a life. Bother that idiot pyro teacher for me, would you?" I forced a smile out, nodding my way to the door. "I would have asked even without your permission, Professor!" A tuft of white hair caught my eye and Lucas' deep chuckles were buried underneath the hurried squeaking of my sneakers. 

"Hey, Oliver!" I called out, grabbing the back of boy's  jacket. I wanted to know whether or not Zack and him were on speaking terms.

"y/n, what's wrong?" He replied, ushering his friends off. I caught my breath, stumbling my way to the open air windows of Grace Field's hallways. It was getting colder. December was just nearly upon us, the once beautiful fire colored forest morphing into a wasteland of barren trees. "Nothing's wrong, Oliver. I just never got the chance to ask how things are going with Zack."

"They're not, actually. Nothing is going on. I haven't spoken to him since that day."

"Don't tell me you're still sleeping with Norman and Ray," I muttered, imagining the state of a room filled with three such different people.

Oliver scoffed. "That was a one time thing, y/n. Just that night. When I went back to my room the day after, all of Zack's things were missing. It was like he was never there. I've seen him around, and I know you still spend time with him, so that only leaves him getting a dorm change in the night we were apart."

"That's... Strange." I whispered, recounting the details of everything Zack had told me to myself.

Zack had mentioned he was still sleeping in his old room. Zack had mentioned that Oliver was staying with Norman and Ray. So, he was lying? I glanced at the clueless face of one of my closest friends. Oliver has no reason to lie. Quite frankly, I don't think he had the capacity to either.

"That's all, Oliver. Thank you for talking to me." He smiled warmly, giving my head a light pat. "If anything is bothering you, you can talk to me, y/n. Literally, even if it's a bug in your room or some psycho murderer with a vengeance, I'd try to help." I thanked him again, waving as he walked off to class.

My hand fell, the frown I'd been holding in finally slipping out.

Maybe Zack just didn't want me to worry. That's why he acted like everything was okay. That has to be it, right? There's nothing else going on. There can't be.