Blinking several times to stay awake, Deuce yawned again, covering her mouth out of politeness for her classmates. She was the type of girl who would happily help anyone and anything in need, whether it was a fellow student or an animal, Deuce always spared some of her time to do nice.
Sensing someone's eyes on her, she turned her head to the source and found Ace, who was behind her, staring intently.
She tilted her head in cute confusion, making the boy's cheeks tint slightly red, not that she noticed.
"Hm? Ace, what's wrong? Do I have something on my face?"
Ace shook his head furiously and fished out his cards in frantic motions.
"N-Nothing! S-Sorry Deuce! I didn't mean to stare. I-I-I ...," He stammered, covering his mouth quickly in shock as he lowered his head.
Deuce's brown eyes widened, worried for her friend. She touched him on the arm lightly, trying to console the poor boy. Which was made worse when Ace yanked his arm away from her hand, his face bright red.
Her brown eyes couldn't get any wider as she stood up from her seat and grabbed Ace's hand. His brain couldn't comprehend what was coming next.
"Kuarasame-Sensei! May Ace and I be excused to go to the Healers Office?" Deuce asked loudly, enough for the whole entire class to hear.
Kurasame raised his eyebrows but said nothing, waving his black-gloved hand to the exit. The teen girl smiled and pulled her 'sickly' friend from his seat and out the door. Ace couldn't struggle against her grip, knowing that in his mind Deuce would interpret that as a sign of refusal to get healed.
The trio quietly walked in the hallway, ignoring the decorations ranging from the school's signature red carpet to the pictures of stern and proud Instructors from the past watched them behind the scenes, making the boy feel uncomfortable of their presence.
Suddenly, Deuce stopped in the middle of the hallway and faced him. The sorrow in her large, brown eyes nearly broke his heart.
"Is something wrong Ace? D-Did I do something wrong? Did I hurt you in any way?"
Ace didn't speak, appalled at the fact that she actually accused herself of harming him in any shape or form. She was always like this ever since she first enrolled in Class Zero. Whenever someone near her was hurt, emotionally, mentally or physically, she always thought she was the one responsible.
She's the type of person to carry everyone's burden on her shoulders. Ace thought, his blue eyes looked at her round, lovely face he adored so much in his dreams.
Without thinking, his hands reached out to cup her smooth, peach-colored skin. Deuce's eyes held confusion and mixed feelings while her heart thumped loudly in her chest. Ace slowly smiled as he put their foreheads together.
"You didn't do anything wrong, D. I did."
"A-Are you sure?" She asked, still worried at Ace for his sanity. She wasn't bothered at all by intimate affection her friend was displaying before her. Her female classmates were often touchy-feelly with one another as they all lived in the same dorm house.
Ace hoped that she understood the intimate gesture, but with one look at her face and seeing that there was no blush or embarrassment, he mentally sighed. His thoughts ran back and forth in his head.
Don't you get it Deuce? I LIKE YOU! No wonder she's called an Innocent Child by everyone in Zero while those bastard haters called her Dense Deuce. She's totally obvious to love isn't she?
Closing his blue eyes, he smiled.
"I'm sure."
They stood there for what seemed like an eternity until both of them realized where they were. Ace was the first to part away, rubbing his forearm nervously. Deuce just smiled, feeling his warmth from her forehead fade away.
"Um, do you need to go to the Healer, Ace? We're almost there."
"No, I'm fine."
They both smiled at each other as they slowly walked back to class. Out of habit, Ace took out his deck of cards and shifted them through his fingers. His blue eyes softened, remembering his future prediction last night.
Love will come. You have to be patient until then. The one you love may seem uninterested, but give that person time. Love will shine through.
"It was in the cards after all." Ace whispered. Deuce looked at him with her curious, brown eyes.
"Hm? Did you say something Ace?"
Ace just smiled and shook his head, putting his deck back into his pouch.
"Nothing, Deuce."