The Knight and the Duck

~16~

Out on the dock Fakir tapped his foot impatiently.

There were no ducks to feed, and the other Duck was peering off the edge into the water.

"Did you hear anything!?" Fakir asked

"No. I didn't. Just like the fifteen other times you asked." Duck leaned even closer to the edge.

"You're gonna fall." Fakir watched her closely.

"No I won't. I'll be careful." But Fakir was right, and in a moment Duck flailed her arms wildly

"WhoaAAa-" Fakir grabbed her braid and pulled her back, into his arms.

To which he quickly let go and scurried backward.

Duck smiled and brushed off her clothes, pretending she wasn't slightly embarrassed at that.

"You know, when I was in my world, I also turned into a duck."

"You did?"

"I did and Fakir was the one who saved me. While I have no feelings for Fakir at the moment, he was kind to me" Duck hugged her shoulders. "Somewhere in my Fakir, is the kindness that Duck was able to get out of you."

Fakir blushed and avoided eye contact. "Right. Yeah. WELL we gotta find a way to get through the lake. "

"It's getting dark Fakir. We should go back. You could stay in the boys dormitory and we could meet up."

He pondered this. Since he was attending school he would have to stay in the dormitory.

"Okay fine. But no funny buisness okay? I just want to make sure Duck is safe."

"I'm sure she is!" Duck grabbed Fakir's hand without warning. "Do you guys go on dates?"

Fakir withdrew his hand, looking away again. "We don't. Well not really. She's a duck. I can't date a duck."

Ahiru's smiling face flashed through his mind.

"If she came back..maybe."

"Me and Mytho went to go get ice cream once! He'd never had it before, and Fakir said he didn't want to go, that it was silly. I hope when I come back he'll be more willing to come out with us." Duck twirled a piece of hair around her finger anxiously.

Fakir side-eyed her. "Do you like Mytho?"

Duck blushed, but out of embarrassment more than love. "He's real nice! I guess. Well there's alot to learn about likes and dislikes."

"Are Mytho and I friends?" Fakir couldn't help but ask. Duck and him rounded the corner to the big school, and Duck sat down at the fountain.

"You guys are childhood friends, grew up together. He really thinks you're neat." Duck grinned and Fakir looked away again.

"Thanks for that."

"For what?"

"Helping me with Duck."

"Oh." She paused and glanced at Fakir, who was deep in thought. Then reached up and kissed his cheek lightly.

"GAH! WHAT WAS THAT FOR???" Fakir shot up, wiping at his face intensely.

"I don't mean it romantically Fakir calm down." Duck folded her arms. "It was just a nicety. Thank you for accommodating me or at least, accompanying me."

"You didn't have to kiss me!!!!"

"Once again- It was a respect thing, don't think about it."
She smoothed her skirt and stood up.
"Besides, soon you'll have your Duck back."

Fakir watched as Duck made her way to the dormitory and went inside.

He hadn't expected her to kiss him on the cheek, even if it was just a thank you. He frowned again. Duck would be devastated if he left her for the other duck.

But what if she was doing something with the other Fakir?? Suddenly stressed, he mulled it over. What would happen? if she mistook him for the mean one.

There was no reason she couldn't.

Fakir sighed tremendously, going towards the boys dormitory. "She wouldn't do that, I promised her protection. And even if she IS a silly scatterbrain, Ahiru wouldn't leave for the mean me. We were enemies! We aren't now."

His old room was plain and empty. No more Mytho. He'd been staying with Charon since the Raven incident but now he had to attend school full time. And there was no reason to bother him with worry.

Just him and his thoughts.

He slumped in his chair and immediately fell to troubled sleep.

// The next dayyy//

Fakir went to class as always, but his mind was elsewhere. Too focused on things he knew he shouldn't be worried about.

Thus, he was snappier than usual.

After school he still hadn't seen any sign of Duck, his or the other one.

Peke and Lilie however were right outside and so he went to bother them first.

"You two!!" Fakir roared.

The girls jumped in surprise but immediately went to giggle amongst themselves.

"The prestigious handsome Fakir come to bother us again!" Lilie said

"To what do we owe the pleasure?" Peke replied

"You two were with Duck a few days ago where is she now?!" Fakir had had enough of their bullshit.

Lilie grinned. "Did she break up with you Fakir?"

"What? no-"

"Ohhhh" Lilie had entered dramatic mode. "How depressing you know if you need someone to turn to Peke is always available but you must let Duck come back to us!! So she can cry on my shoulder the poor dear."

"Would you shut up?" Fakir grabbed her wrist quite roughly. "You two went out to get ice cream and she didn't come back. Where is she?"

"Let go of me you ruffian!" Lilie was still acting dramatic. "Oh Peke, if he abuses you during the relationship let me know!"

Peke nodded, fully in the drama too. "Oh Mr. Fakir, let her go! please!"

Fakir let go of her wrist in the same manner, but put his hands on his hips instead, still blocking them. "What happened after the ice cream?"

We went to the dock!" Peke said!!

"YEAH! with the lake ghost!" Lilie added.

"The lake ghost?" Was this a new story? if so, who was writing it? And how was Duck involved?

"Yeah! But it didn't work!" Peke nodded along with Lilie's statement. "We all went back, we walked her to your house."

"You did? Wait, how does the lake ghost work?" They took her back to his house? Why didn't she leave a note? What was wrong with her? This girl.

"Are you sure you want to know? Won't you get scared?" Peke gave him her "scary" face.

"No😐" Fakir shook his head.

"Well you ask it a question.. and sometimes it PULLS YOU IN!!" Lilie tried her best to be scary but Fakir was in no mood.

"And you said Duck went home?"

"She absolutely did!! And don't you know, she's been going to school so I don't know what you're talking about." Peke twirled her hair thoughtfully. "Are you sure you two didn't break up?"

"We weren't ever dating. Anyways, I'm going. If Duck asks where I am I'm at my dorm."

He sashayed off and the girls shared a look of confusion.