Chapter 47:

  Off to College

  (Lucas's POV, a few days ter)

  "Luke, are you okay?" Maya inquired after me as I stared out of the window of the car.

  Looking over at her, I gave her a small nod. Since that day in the dining room turned ballroom, she has more frequently used my name. It was...nice to hear.

  "Yeah, just thinking," I answered, gncing back out at the passing street signs and people walking by, "You said they're called the Ptinum Lotus?"

  "...Yes," her expression hardened slightly, "They've made attempts before to capture my sister, since they can't have me."

  "Bastards..." I mumbled, annoyed more than I was before when she told me about them.

  Maya had been right. There was a lot she had to tell me, and tell me she did. As we drank wine in celebration of her retionship with Sigrid, she had told me all about the Ptinum Lotus. Of course, I was half in a daze when she told me. She had kissed me twice on the cheek now. One on each side.

  I still couldn't get over it. My hand constantly going to my face where it had happened. "How can I still feel it?" I wondered, trying to dismiss it from my mind.

  Maya had informed me about her parents affiliation with this organization, and how Elizabeth had been helping to protect her sister, Hannah, from them. It was despicable what they did to others. They treated them as objects to be used and discarded. I could only imagine the horror that Maya's sister would go through should they ever get their hands on her.

  After all...she was apparently a Saintess.

  "A Saintess under their control..." I shivered at the thought, "That won't happen."

  "No, it won't," Elizabeth agreed, wrapping an arm around me, "You just say the word, my love, and I'll crush them."

  I was very tempted to do so, but...as strong as Elizabeth was, and as much resources as I'm sure she had, I didn't want to rush into this. Taking a deep breath, I shook my head.

  "I'd like that, but..." I gnced at Maya in thought, "You want to expose them, don't you?"

  Maya flinched slightly as I hit the nail on the head.

  "...How did you know?" she asked, and I simply motioned towards Elizabeth.

  "They wouldn't exist otherwise," I said btantly, "Ellie wouldn't let them. You're her dearest friend, and so...I can only assume that it's because of your request that they're still around."

  "...To be fair, darling, I wanted to burn her parents," Elizabeth chimed in as if that made things better.

  "I'm sure you did," I chuckled, pyfully grabbing her by the chin, "But that's my point, love. She asked you, but if I said to do so...you would. Completely ignoring her wishes."

  "He has you there, El," Maya hid a smile behind her hand, though the amusement in her eyes was evident, "He's the only one who could override it."

  Elizabeth sulked back into the seat of the car, looking away defiantly.

  "Yeah, well...they deserve it," Elizabeth cimed, which I couldn't deny.

  "Be that as it may, Ellie..." I rested my head against her shoulder, "It's Maya's choice. If she asks it of me, I'll have you destroy them, but only if she asks it."

  This immediately perked Elizabeth up as she gazed intently over at Maya. It was easy to see that she was trying to telekinetically tell her to ask me. That's when I knew she was doing that.

  "Will you stop messaging her," I prodded her gently in the side, causing her to shift her attention to me bashfully, "Come on. Let her decide, my love. I won't force her, and neither should you."

  Elizabeth finally gave in, holding her hands up in defeat before wrapping her arms around me to cuddle. Maya smiled gratefully, nodding her thanks.

  "Thank you, Luke," she spoke barely above a whisper, sounding almost shy, "I promise you, if I need it...I'll ask. For now, I want to catch them in the act. Well...I hope they don't act, but I have a feeling they will."

  Maya's expression hardened once more, but this time more in thought.

  "Why do you think so?" I asked, now curious.

  "...It's just a feeling, honestly," Maya shrugged, coming back to the present, "Hannah has a break, which means most students will be going home, and thus not a lot of eyes on her. At least, so they think."

  "That's why we're visiting?" I inquired, sighing slightly, "It's not just to see her?"

  "Well...yes, it is," Maya blushed lightly in embarrassment, "It's two birds with one stone, as the saying goes."

  "Mhm..." I smiled mischievously, pyfully poking her leg with my foot, "So, you're using this as an excuse to see her because you're too afraid to face her otherwise?"

  "...Are you a mind reader now, Sir," she shot back at me, using formal speech to tease me.

  "No," I chuckled, smiling widely, "It's just what I do with my parents, so I get it, but for you...it's been a long time, hasn't it?"

  "Yeah, it has..." Maya nodded with a mencholic smile, "I should have visited her more, but...I admit, I was afraid just like you say."

  "Well, we're with you now, so..." I gave her an encouraging smile, "Anything you need, Maya, you just let us know."

  "...Thank you," Maya's smile grew tender as she turned her gaze out of the window.

  She appeared almost wistful. A pleasant sight to see. This was the reason why she was riding with us rather than driving. Right now, she wasn't working. At least, not officially. She would always be my bodyguard, but before that, she was our friend. Mine and Elizabeth's, as well as something...more, but that wasn't official. Yet.

  She was in need right now, and so...I had to put my foot down, and thankfully, she relented easily. Now, we were on our way to the campus of the college where Hannah attended.

  Aegis Academy.

  It was an institute overseen by several agencies. Aegis, The Pyers Association, and the U.S. Government. An old facility that had fallen to ruin when the gates first appeared. Had had been refurbished and rebuilt by the Association, funded by Aegis Unlimited, and then sanctioned by the Government. It was to allow Pyers a sense of normalcy. They lived their lives while earning an education, only acting as reserve Pyers, and it wasn't the only one of its kind.

  In fact, Aegis Academy existed before the gates appeared. Most likely, they were created by Elizabeth with the Falcrest fortune in order to prepare for this inevitability. They had, years prior, invested in the education of the nation. This put them in good graces with many, and they had been able to open several schools across the country. It made rebuilding the schools easier, as well as the acquisition of the ruins of other schools.

  Every one of the schools were named the same, except with the addition of the state, territory, or location it resided in. In this particur instance, we were heading for the Eastern Aegis Academy, though some called it the Aegis Academy of Washington. It was the biggest college on the East Coast, since many of the other major colleges fell during the first wave.

  While most Pyers who attended these schools were expected to help in emergencies, Hannah was forbidden from doing so unless explicitly told by Maya or Elizabeth. Her only responsibility was to get an education, as her identity had been kept retively secret. According to Maya and Elizabeth, there was a time when her identity was known more frequently in other lives, but in this one, Elizabeth ensured her identity was kept safe...or they had tried.

  It was an unfortunate truth that news of her abilities spread before they could contain it even in this life. As a result, they had her promise to limit the use of her powers and just focus on her studies. She agreed, more than happy to listen to her sister. It was almost adorable.

  Still, the information had gotten out. Guilds, and more importantly, Ptinum Lotus learned about her abilities. Those who were smart knew to keep a distance, owing to the fact that Aegis, and specifically Elizabeth, were protecting her, but those like the Ptinum Lotus weren't exactly smart. Their hubris blinded them, and when it came to more money than most could count, there were far too many foolish individuals to take on the job of attempting to kidnap Hannah for them.

  I understood why Maya was on guard when it came to her sister. The Ptinum Lotus was the ghost in her closet that she had to expose to the light in order to rid it for good. They were an organization that thrived on working from behind the scenes. They were rich, powerful, and had many connections worldwide.

  In fact, Elizabeth even informed me that she believes they were behind the dey in information that caused the dungeon break in the Atntic. Most likely as a way to waste Aegis resources in order to weaken defenses around Hannah. They severely underestimated Aegis, as well as Elizabeth.

  "So...what's Hannah like?" I broke the silence, joking with Maya and Elizabeth, "Besides being worse than my parents."

  Maya chuckled softly, thinking fondly for a moment.

  "Hannah is...vibrant," she spoke lovingly, which told me just how much she truly cared for her sister, "She is a social magnate, much to my chagrin. One of the more popur girls in school, and in the social world at rge. It's been difficult to pin her down, but she has been obedient so far."

  "Heh, I can imagine," I smiled thoughtfully, "I hope I can keep up with her if she's such an extrovert. I can barely handle my parents."

  "We did warn you," Maya said as she shared a knowing gnce with Ellie, "Though, she's honestly harmless. I think you two will get along...at least, I hope so."

  She looked suddenly avoidant of the topic, which made me suspicious.

  "What do you mean, 'you hope so'?" I asked, slightly afraid of the answer.

  "...Nothing, Sir," she used formal speech as a way to avoid giving me a direct answer, "It should be fine."

  "Maya..." I said her name like a parent chiding a child for not telling the truth and was trying to coax them into being honest, "Is she really that protective?"

  I kind of figured what she was trying to say, since she had mentioned before that she was just like my parents. Maya shrunk under my scrutiny sheepishly.

  "Let's just say..." Maya began to expin, gncing furtively at Ellie, "She growled at El when they first met as children. When she was older...she threatened to make her life hell if anything bad happened to me."

  I looked to Elizabeth for confirmation, and much to my horrified amusement, she smiled almost nostalgically as she nodded.

  "It's true, my love, she really did," Elizabeth sounded more proud than anything.

  "You're strange..." I told her lovingly, shaking my head, "Honestly, what did I expect?"

  I ughed, rexing against Elizabeth again as she cradled my head.

  "Well, I guess I'll find out when I meet her," I told Maya, watching her with a warm gaze, "Can't be that bad, can it? Honestly, I'm ready for anything."

  -----

  (Lucas's POV, a couple hours ter)

  "...Okay, I admit it..." I stated with absolute amazement, "Hissing wasn't on my bingo card."

  "We did say she growled at me, my love," Elizabeth chuckled, her hand lovingly pced lightly upon my shoulder, "Hissing isn't that far removed."

  "...True," I nodded, staring in awe and disbelief.

  Before me was a beautiful young woman with light brown skin and gorgeous auburn red hair that cascaded down and around her shoulders, but was currently tied back in a half-ponytail. She wore casual clothing of an off the shoulder sweater with jeans and sneakers. There was an air of grandeur about her, but in this moment as she clung to Maya protectively while hissing at me with a hard gre...it was difficult of me to believe that she was a Saintess.

  "Hannah..." Maya called with exasperation, "Is this really necessary?"

  Hannah gnced up at her sister with her violet eyes like dark amethysts. They glittered with an inner silver light. Like a flickering radiance. She was roughly the same height as Maya, yet looked quite small in this moment next to her.

  "Of course!" she decred matter-of-factly, "I warned you about strange people. You never know who is out there!"

  Hannah's voice was soft and smooth, holding a gentle cadence. Maya looked at her skeptically.

  "This coming from you?" she retorted, pcing her hands on her hips, "If I'm not mistaken...you went to three parties over the st week. How many of them had strange people?"

  Hannah grimaced from her sister's accusation, shifting around as she tried to act innocent.

  "But...I know them," she stated unconvincingly, "Well...some of them."

  "Mhm..." Maya's gred was discerning and cold, "Hannah, you know it's not safe. Besides, I know Sir Lucas."

  "Sir Lucas?" Hannah asked scornfully, "So, he makes you call him that?"

  "No, that's my choice. So be nice," Maya grew firm, bopping her gently on the top of her head with her fist, "He'd prefer if I just used his name, but about those parties...I asked you to limit them."

  Hannah held the top of her head like an admonished child, looking like a sullen cat all of a sudden as she seemed to shrink before my very eyes. Obviously, it was just my imagination, but it was kind of amusing. They definitely loved each other very much.

  "I know..." she pouted, taking a piece of her hair and twirling it around her finger anxiously, "I'm being careful, I promise..."

  Maya sighed, and for the first time...I saw a gentle side to Maya that I had never seen before. After all, this was the first time I've seen her interact with her actual family. Pulling her sister into her arms, Maya hugged her firmly. This instantly perked Hannah up, hugging back as if she was never going to let go.

  "Be that as it may, Hannah..." Maya pried Hannah off of her and once again presented her to me, "This is Lucas. Again, I know him, so by your logic...he's not strange."

  Hannah begrudgingly assessed me, and despite my best intentions to give a proper greeting, all I could do was give a nervous, pathetic wave of my hand.

  "H-Hey..." I greeted, attempting to offer that same hand for a handshake.

  She scrutinized it, pressing herself closer to Maya protectively. It was kind of adorable, but then...she hissed again.

  "R-Right..." I took my hand back and sighed with a light chuckle, "Well, this has gone well. Very productive. I think I made progress. She's standing at least."

  Maya smiled amusingly, which was in stark contrast to Hannah's grumpy reaction.

  "Better than me, my love," Elizabeth added with a small smile of her own, "I couldn't even get her to acknowledge me at all. She at least looked at your hand."

  "...You know I can hear you, right?" Hannah said towards Elizabeth, "It's been a while, Elizabeth. You've treated my sister well, I hope?"

  "Of course," Elizabeth stated, unfazed by the cool gre of Hannah, "Wouldn't want you making my life hell, now would I?"

  Hannah, for the first time, showed an emotion other than disdain for me. She blushed.

  "Do you really have to tease me about that still?" Hannah pouted, looking away from her.

  "Well, I can't let you forget your promise, now can I?" Elizabeth asked, causing Hannah to shrink a bit.

  I tried to hold back a ugh, but seeing the three of them interact like this made me realize how close they all actually were. They were like sisters, with Elizabeth being the oldest, Maya the middle child, and Hannah the youngest. It was kind of adorable, but...

  "...I thought you said she growled at you," I grumbled, feeling a little jealous.

  I felt like the outsider in this moment.

  "She did," Elizabeth defended, "Didn't you?"

  Hannah's blush grew deeper as she mumbled her acknowledgement. Elizabeth ughed, beginning to pce a hand upon Hannah's head almost fondly, but...even I sensed the threat behind it. I reacted beforehand, gently touching her arm.

  "Ellie..." I cautioned, and she immediately sulked.

  "What? I wasn't going to do anything..." she gave me the best puppy-dog eyes she could muster, even throwing her lip out for added effect.

  "Even I sensed that," I looked at her with exasperated skepticism, "Come on. Behave, please. We're here for Maya. She hasn't seen her sister in forever, and it's my first time. If she doesn't like me, she doesn't like me, but that's between us, isn't it?"

  Elizabeth had a hard time meeting my eyes as she returned to my side begrudgingly.

  "Fine..." she sighed, returning quickly to her normal self, resting her head against the top of mine, "Only cause you asked."

  "Thank you," I smiled up at her, then gave her a quick kiss, which instantly cheered her up.

  All the while, Hannah was watching us closely. She seemed unconvinced of my sincerity, but I truly didn't want anyone to force her to like me.

  "I'm sorry about that," I told her with as gentle of a smile as I could, "Ellie's very protective of me. Don't let her scare you though. If she gives you problems, let me know. I'll take care of it."

  "H-Hey! That's unfair..." Elizabeth pout, but another kiss shut her up almost immediately, entering a state of dazed euphoria, "Heh...okay, fine."

  "Too cute..." I mused to myself, my heart softening. Taking a deep breath, I looked around the campus where we had met up with Hannah. It was in a private alcove of a courtyard that was surrounded on all four sides by columned pathways that led inside. The courtyard itself held a small fountain and a walkway that circled it. Several benches lined the path, allowing people to enjoy the lush greenery of the few trees pnted here for shade, along with the flowered bushes.

  "Should we sit and talk, or...am I the only one hungry?" I asked everyone, suggesting that perhaps we should find some food.

  "I could eat," Elizabeth nuzzled against me.

  "Hannah..." Maya called to her with a warning tone, looking at her sister with a raised eyebrow, "Will you behave enough to eat?"

  Hannah was quiet, pressing closer to Maya, though her eyes never left me. It was like she was trying to bore holes through me, but I didn't really mind. Though, it was a little nerve-wracking.

  "...Okay," she muttered, barely a whisper, "I know a pce."

  "Perfect," I tried to give my best smile, "Please, lead the way."

  She gave a small, noncommittal nod and began to walk off, but never let go of Maya at all. She almost constantly had a hold of her hand, or at the very least, the sleeve of Maya's suit. "I can't really bme her," I thought, "It's been a while since she's seen Maya." I couldn't help but smile, knowing that Maya was truly loved by her sister.

  I took this time to actually take in the college. When we first arrived, I had only seen the grand gates of the academy, which was a brick wall with a fanciful metal gate. There, we passed by a security booth with several guards inside. Thanks to Elizabeth, we were able to bypass it easily, leading to a long drive up to where all the actual buildings were.

  The drive up showed a ndscape of lush, well-kept wns, trees, and various courses where several sports could be practiced. At least, those that weren't inside other buildings. There was a frisbee golf course, a soccer field, and a football field. I was also told there was a track field, but on the other side of the compound.

  I didn't get much time to look around, as the moment we approached the college, we entered a parking garage underground, and then were immediately met with an Aegis Agent that directed us to where Hannah was. So, all I was able to see was a quick glimpse of the many buildings made up of the college, the inside of a parking garage, and the few hallways we had to go through in order to find the courtyard she had been studying in.

  Now, I was finally able to get a real sense of this pce. Tall ceilings rose above us which let in natural light from the windows built in. There were multiple balconies from which I could see other students and faculty walking about. The floors were polished and looked like a dark, speckled marble. It was a very clean building as well. I didn't spot a single piece of trash or dirt anywhere.

  It felt weird, honestly. I had never gone to college before, as I didn't have the money, but I did go to school, and being back inside of one was a little nostalgic.

  "I can arrange csses for you, if you wish, my love," Elizabeth whispered to me as she caught me looking around.

  "Ah, no," I shook my head with a smile, "Though, I'll keep it in mind if I change mine."

  "Very well, dear," Elizabeth smiled warmly, squeezing my hand in hers as we walked, "You know the Aegis Academy has been around before the gates?"

  "Yeah," I replied quietly, "You've really thought of everything, huh?"

  Elizabeth practically beamed with radiance from being praised.

  "Well, I try," she stated as she looked around, "It's definitely better than the first few times..."

  "I can't even imagine," my heart went out to her as I stepped closer so our shoulders were practically touching, "It must have been a mess for a long time."

  "You've no idea, my love," she responded quietly, her tone somber, "I've done a lot to get to this point. I'm not about to fail now."

  "Ellie..." I spoke softly with a fre of sympathy, "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to-"

  "It's okay," she assured me with a warm smile, cutting me off, "You have questions, and I'll gdly answer them. Just let me know if it gets to be too much."

  "...I will, but you too, okay?" I told her.

  She nodded, and I decided to rest my head against her shoulder as we finally made it outside of the building into the main area of the campus.

  "For now, though..." I felt my stomach yell at me, and Elizabeth heard it as she gnced down with amusement, "...I'm starving."

  She chuckled, and together, we caught back up with Maya and Hannah who had gotten a little further ahead of us by now.

  -----

  (Maya's POV)

  Hannah. Her sister. She had been avoiding her for a long time. Partly because she had been working for Elizabeth, but mostly because she had been afraid. Afraid that if she was seen with her then it would put her in more danger than she already was.

  The Ptinum Lotus wasn't the only enemy out there. Many sought Maya's head. She had killed many people in her life. Some of them with powerful connections. Some were other Pyers. She would often take contracts to kill those who abused their powers, as well as contracts for dungeons. This often-included certain monsters giving other's issues.

  She was extremely adept at killing, kill stealing, as well as espionage. This caused her to have many, many enemies. Yes, mostly those enemies were Orchid's, but she was Orchid. Her identity, of course, wasn't well known. She always kept her face hidden, and when she worked as Orchid, she would also wear loose, flowing clothes so that her gender couldn't be identified either.

  However, there was one identifying mark that she had. Her weapons. When Lucas had been attacked, one of them recognized her because of that. It was because of these reasons that she always kept her distance from Hannah. Even the slightest chance of her being identified as Orchid would put Hannah in even more danger, and she couldn't allow that.

  At least...that's how she used to think. Elizabeth was right. She didn't want to make any mistakes. Hannah was family. Keeping her distance was no longer an option. Especially because she was going to more parties than she should be.

  "We agreed, Hannah," Maya admonished as they sat at the table of a bistro Hannah had led them to, "One party a month. Two if you keep your grades up."

  "...I know," Hannah hung her head in shame, "I just...everyone was going and-"

  "I don't care if everyone was going or not," Maya interrupted firmly, "If anything happens to you, I don't know what...I don't know what I'd do."

  Maya felt her heart ached painfully at the thought. She remembered the one time she had been successfully kidnapped. They had stopped it, of course, but just the thought of her tied up in the back of that vehicle...it both infuriated and pained her.

  "Sorry, Big Sis..." Hannah apologized, seeming to be genuine, her eyes watering as she pced her hand lightly upon Maya's shoulder, "I don't want to worry you."

  "If you don't want to worry me..." Maya took a deep breath, pcing her hand over Hannah's, "Then listen to me. Please."

  "...Okay," Hannah agreed solemnly, "I promise, I won't do it again."

  "Please don't," Maya told her quietly, "Now, let's restart the introductions, shall we?"

  Maya gnced towards Elizabeth and Lucas who were sitting across from them. Hannah had led them off campus to a cafe in the Town of Westfield, which was a city built upon the ruins of another that had been recimed. It was a rather quaint city. It was like your typical college town, but with a bit more of a military presence.

  Because the Pyers Association and the U.S. Government overseen this particur academy, it was protected by both sides. Pyers and normal people were allowed to live here, as well as go to the college. There were patrols every now and then that passed by on the street. Typically three to five individuals in uniform idly chatting as they made their rounds. One of which was almost always a Pyer.

  They kept an eye out for any kind of disturbances from the gates in the area, as well as any conflicts that arose with Pyer involvement. That was one reason Maya felt comfortable with Hannah going here. It was well protected, but tely...something felt off to Maya.

  From the second floor where they were, Maya could see into the street from the window they sat by. Even though it was during a break from school, the town seemed too quiet. Perhaps she was just on edge because nothing major has happened recently, but her instincts had never been wrong before. Something was strange.

  "Do you sense it too?" – Elizabeth Falcrest

  Maya was slightly surprised at the sudden [Message], but kept her composure.

  "Yes. Something is off" – Maya Rosengard

  "Let's not worry them" – Elizabeth Falcrest

  She was talking about Lucas and Hannah, and Maya did agree. They didn't need to know until the two of them confirmed what this feeling was, but until then...she wanted to present some sense of normalcy for the both of them.

  "Hannah, this is Lucas," Maya motioned towards him.

  He was his typical shy self when being introduced, and once again gave a small wave towards Hannah. "Cute..." Maya thought, finally not ashamed of thinking so. Ever since she had danced with him, shown him who she was...and what that meant, it had been easier to be around him. She was a lot more comfortable than ever before, especially after their time in the garden the other day.

  Knowing that he felt the same way warmed her heart like nothing else, but still. This was a unique situation that neither wanted to rush. So, for now...it was business as usual.

  "He is Miss Falcrest's fiancé," Maya expined, making sure that Hannah understood his importance, "He's also my very dear friend whom I care for a lot. He's helped me through some difficult things. Do you understand?"

  Hannah took a deep breath, looking towards him for a moment. She was finally actually giving him a chance. Maya could see that she was thinking about what Maya had said about him honestly. She knew that once Hannah gave him a chance, she was sure to be fast friends with him.

  However, what Maya didn't expect is what she was going to say in that moment.

  "What do you like about my Big Sis?" Hannah bluntly asked, "She obviously likes you, and anyone who can manage that must also like her. So, Sir Lucas...tell me. What do you like about my Big Sis?"

  "Hannah!" Maya looked at her incredulously as she excimed in slight annoyance, "What did I-"

  Lucas made a subtle gesture, giving her a gentle smile. His expression simply softened, but it was enough to cause Maya to let him handle this. Though, she kept a keen eye on Hannah. She was being more obstinate than normal. Usually after one or two admonishing's, she would rex a bit, but she wasn't.

  "I'm sorry, Big Sis, but..." Hannah sighed heavily, watching Lucas with intensity, "I just can't accept this. You don't like guys, and isn't he Big Sis El's fiancé? I saw the news."

  Maya's heart tightened as she said this, because all of it was true...except for those headlines in the news. Maya hadn't ever been able to explore who she was, or what she liked. Her parents had been very strict. As for Elizabeth...Maya saw her smirk with amusement as she took a sip of her smoothie that they had ordered. Strawberry. It was Lucas's favorite, and thus it was hers.

  "Hannah..." Elizabeth spoke quietly, a calm to her voice, but there was just enough of a warning that gave even Maya pause, "I trust Maya, and I love Lucas. I'd let the world burn if anything were to happen to him."

  She took another sip of her smoothie as a silence fell over the table. Lucas looked at her with a deep love filled with understanding and kindness, though Maya did notice that he had also pced a hand upon Elizabeth's shoulder. It was always amusing to see him reign in her protective tendencies with just a simple touch or look.

  "I guess I'm the same..." Maya mused to herself, for just a moment ago he had gotten her to back off of Hannah as well. His presence was...incredibly calming.

  "That being said..." Elizabeth stated, rexing back into her chair, "I want them both to be happy, and what they do with that is between them, but I want to make something very clear."

  Elizabeth looked to Lucas as if asking for permission. He rolled his eyes coyly, and with a slight nod from him, Elizabeth continued. Her entire demeanor changed, becoming a cold, terrifying existence. Her eyes filled with a promise. A deadly one.

  "She is the only one I'll allow close to him," Elizabeth expined coolly, "He can have friends, of course. I'm not a dictator, but-"

  "Debatable," Lucas teased her, much to her coy chagrin, "I remember you locking me in my apartment for a week."

  "...It was for your own good," Elizabeth defended with a huff.

  "Mhm," he smiled brightly, pinching her cheek pyfully, "Sorry, love. Go on."

  She pursed her lips at him, gring lovingly before clearing her throat and returning to her point. Maya couldn't help but notice that Hannah was slightly awed by this interaction before composing herself. "She's trying to act unimpressed. How cute." Maya thought with a smirk.

  "My point..." Elizabeth gnced at Lucas from the corner of her eye to make sure he wouldn't interrupt again, and once satisfied, continued, "...Is that whatever is between them is for them to figure out. Even I won't interfere...more than I already have."

  Elizabeth then smirked and winked at Lucas, who blushed lightly. It was adorable.

  "Anyways..." Lucas took a deep breath, taking a drink of his own smoothie before speaking again, "What do I like about Maya? Well, where to start?"

  "Wait..." Maya realized something; was he really going to answer Hannah's question?

  The thought immediately caused Maya anxiety, or rather...no, not anxiety. Embarrassment.

  "You don't have to-" Maya tried to persuade him, but he simply waved his hand dismissively.

  "I don't mind," he told her with an unfair smile, "The only problem is that there's so much, I don't know where to start."

  "I know, right!?" Hannah excimed reflexively before realizing that she had grown excited, quickly clearing her throat and returning to the facade of being stoic, "I mean...there are. Yes. So, tell me...what do you like?"

  "Well, for one, she has a beautiful smile," Lucas began his list off strong, and Maya's embarrassment quickly began to grow, "However, I think the thing I like best about her is that she's incredibly reliable. If I ever need help, she's right there. Not just because of her job, but as a person."

  Maya wished she could disappear in this moment. It took every ounce of her willpower to remain as impassive as she could, but catching a glimpse of Elizabeth...she knew she was failing. Elizabeth was watching her closely with a mischievous, mirthful glint in her eye. "Is my face on fire? It feels like it's on fire..." Maya wondered in abject horror.

  "She's also an amazing cook," Lucas continued, much to Maya's chagrin, "Because of her, I never go hungry. I'm always grateful for the snacks she prepares."

  "The cookies she sends are always so soft..." Hannah stated, fondly remembering the gifts Maya often sent to her.

  "Personally, I like the brownies the best," Lucas cimed, "Especially when she uses caramel in them."

  "Caramel!?" Hannah excimed, eyes wide as she leaned forward, this time not even trying to hide her excitement, "I gotta try those!"

  "Heh, I'm sure she'll be happy to make some," Lucas said, looking over at Maya, "I mean, if she wants to."

  Maya composed herself enough to nod, but she was more than a little embarrassed.

  "Besides that..." Lucas thought for a moment with a fond smile of his own, "I just like that she's always there for me. Ellie works a lot, and so Maya often keeps me company so I'm never alone. We py video games and just hang out around the house mostly."

  Maya remembered fondly those moments they pyed together. They were some of the most rexing moments she's had in a long time.

  "Wait, really?" Hannah looked at Maya in surprise, "You py video games?"

  "I...yes," Maya nodded, feeling a little sheepish, "I saw Luke pying when I first met him, and he offered to teach me..."

  "And you beat the high score that took me years to get," Lucas added with a teasing sneer, "In only a couple of hours she became better than me. Honestly, I often wonder if there's anything she can't do, but...no one is perfect, and that's just fine."

  His words touched her heart, because he knew how she was raised. She was raised to be perfect, and those words that he just said...it was him telling her that, while he believed she could do anything, he didn't expect her to.

  "...Yeah," Hannah's tone softened as she sat back down, gncing at Maya with tender love, "I keep telling her to take it easy, but she works hard. I also believe she can do everything, but she doesn't have to."

  Hannah then turned her attention back to Lucas, and much to Maya's gratefulness, Hannah smiled.

  "I think I may have judged you too quickly," Hannah admitted, "You sound like you truly care about Maya."

  "I do," Lucas said with no hesitation, gncing at her as he spoke, "She's irrepceable."

  Maya couldn't look him in the eye as she felt her face begin to burn up. "That's unfair..." Maya's heart rapidly beat in her chest with an emotion that she was slowly getting used to. Happiness.

  -----

  Nikushimi