Darkness in Valhalla

Chapter 4: A Little Lost

"You look lost, little alchemist." A familiar voice says smoothly.

I jerk backward from the building map and find myself facing Andreas. A year ago, I'd been aware of a single step taken towards me, but my reflexes had dulled, and now I missed an entire human being in the same vicinity. 'Comfort should never replace caution' was one lesson constantly enforced since I was a child, and now it dawned why. Because when alert and prepared, you were strong enough to hold your own, but the second you lapsed into temporary comforts, you'd lose your ground and fall into the abyss of weakness.

"You stalk me too much for your own good," I sigh "if you're in love with me, just say so."

I turn back to the map, still unable to trace the path to the forbidden library or even find where it was in the first place.

"So presumptuous." He smirks.

Instead of leaving, he leans closer, and soon he's next to me, his elbow grazing mine as he focuses on what I cannot find. His lips part slightly as his focus intensifies, and then he grins and swivels back to my face.

"Looking for the forbidden library, are we?"

Momentarily confusion laces my expression,

"How do you know that?" I mutter in disbelief.

Gesturing to the glass, he says,

"Your dusty fingerprints are all over the Dean's library, and no one goes there unless it's with someone." He drawls.

It was one thing to be one-upped by this arrogantly flamboyant jerk, but it was another being wrongfully caught looking for the school's couple's spot. I gag in response, and that only brings out a smirk from him.

"I could give you a tou..." he offers, but I intercede,

"God no, please shut up and ew no," I say, clearly repulsed, "what's with you and tours?"

"Your loss, alchemist," he shrugs, clearly still not convinced, "but as far as tours go, I'm responsible for showing you around, and one other reason I know you're looking for the library is that Alchemist Ambrose personally asked me to show you the ropes and explain the... rules of the place."

"Anakin asked YOU?"

Somehow, Andreas is taken aback, and it takes a minute before I realize why. The first name predicament is rare in an institute guarded by centuries of protocol and respect, and it seems like tradition rarely dies in Valhalla.

"You call him...Anakin?" He says, dumbfounded.

It feels good to catch him off guard for once, and I copy that smirk of his,

"Jealous are we, Andreas?"

There's a tick in his jaw, and the thought excites me; getting under his skin was more satisfying than I imagined. But he regains his confidence and replies back,

"Looks like the other way around; you're obsessed with me."

Even if he had a point, I would never admit it, so all I do is change the subject, hoping that the embarrassment I was going to go through was worth it.

"You can stand here and try to make a point, or you can help me find this supposed library," I say sweetly, "and maybe if you get me there quick, we can talk about... obsessions in more detail."

Charm was never my strong suit, I was trained to be a soldier, not a seductress, and this attempt was more painful than I would ever confess. Embarrassment starts making its way to my face, but before it fully encompasses, he laughs. Andreas laughs, and somehow, I want to take this memory and keep it safe so I can rewind it over and over again. He sounded like joy bottled in a jar, like condensed sunshine. It sent this rush of happiness through me, and I wanted him to do it again, hug him, and try to absorb even an ounce of that feeling.

"Well, let's move on then," he grins, "I'm not exactly the patient type."