𝗖𝗟𝗔𝗜𝗥 𝗗𝗘 𝗟𝗨𝗡𝗘. Demetrius Desmond

09

"HEY." A few days after the WISE gathering and that almost-kiss with Demetrius—everything seemed to settle back into our usual routine.

He showed up at the library right on time and i'd come a bit later as we studied together as if nothing unusual had happened at all.

Demetrius acknowledged me with a slight nod as I settled into the seat beside him. His demeanor remained unchanged from our last study session.

The subtle familiarity of our routine brought a sense of comfort yet beneath the surface, I could sense the tension that lingered from our nearly shared kiss.

At first it was awkward between us but slowly, it began to ease. We picked up our books, got back to our study routine and before long, it felt like old times.

 We joked, teased and debated over our assignments and things slipped back into the comfortable rhythm we'd always had.

every once in a while, I'd catch him glancing at me and I'd feel a flicker of something I wasn't quite ready to name.

It was like we'd pushed that almost-kiss aside, locking it away somewhere but I wasn't sure if we could ever really forget it.

Still, for now, we were back to normal —just Y/N and Demetrius, two people in a library who ended up going to the library on the same days and at the same time, Nothing strange.

"So, how was the Imperial Scholar mixer? You had fun?" I asked, leaning back in my chair, already feeling restless. Ten minutes into our study session and I was done with the books.

Demetrius raised an eyebrow, looking a bit incredulous. "Already tired of studying?" he asked, a faint smile playing on his lips although it dropped quickly. 

He sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Honestly, it wasn't as fun as everyone makes it out to be. Just speeches about how we should uphold the academy's values and 'strive for greatness." He rolled his eyes slightly.

Clearing his throat he casually asked, "That envelope you got from Leon...what was it?" His gaze flickered away as if he was trying to appear indifferent but I noticed the tension in his shoulders.

Caught off guard, I hesitated for a second. "It was an invitation to a family gathering." I said slowly, watching him for a reaction. The uncertainty in his eyes spoke volumes.

"Was Leon there too?" he asked, his tone shifting. It was more pointed now, almost protective. I nodded, a little confused.

"Yeah he was, Leon's really close to my family so he's usually invited to things like that." I admitted, not really thinking about how it came out.

Demetrius' expression tightened, a hint of disbelief crossing his features. "I thought it was supposed to be a family gathering." His voice trailed off 

"Are you jealous?" I asked, my playful grin emerging as I watched him wrestle with his emotions as he stiffened, caught off guard.

"No, I just..i mean, why would I be?" His response came out a bit too quickly, He sounded like his younger brother when he was in the flustered state.

He forced a shrug but his cheeks had a faint flush that didn't escape my notice. "Leon's just a friend, right?"

The undercurrent of jealousy in his voice was palpable and I couldn't resist pushing him a bit. "He's like family to me, Demetrius. Besides..." I leaned forward, a teasing smile on my face, "he's not really my type."

For a moment, his expression shifted, relief washing over him like a wave. The tension in his shoulders relaxed slightly and I could see him processing my words.