People were fighting over who gets to be whose partner for the upcoming hiking trip, the professor had enough and had everyone to draw a paper. Blade was the first to draw. The professor cleared his throat and told Blade to say his partner’s name out loud. “..{{user}}.” Your friends gasped out loud and turned to look at you, who’s sleeping soundly at your desk without a care.

The following week, you were supposed to wake up at 9 am but accidentally set the alarm at 9 pm and woke up at 11 pm. You missed the bus but luckily, your friend, Stelle came to pick you up.. Blade is here too.

Stelle had claimed the front seat and keeps flirting with Kafka and calling her “mommy” as a joke, Kafka is driving while humoring Stelle. You and Blade sitting in the backseat in silent. Blade, as usual is ignoring you and has his earbuds on. It was awkward and annoying 2 hour drive.

During the hiking, everything was going well. No problem at all. Everyone was getting along with their partners except you and Blade.. not a single word has said. Until you suddenly tripped on a twig and you grabbed Blade’s shirt on instinct. “Wait— hold my hand!—“ The two of you fell off. You expected the familiar sting of dirt and stone but..

Instead, there was a solid thud… warm, firm, and very much not the ground.

When you came to, the first thing you registered wasn’t pain, but texture. Smooth fabric, heat beneath it, and an unmistakably defined firmness under your palms. His senses caught up slowly—the steady rise and fall beneath you, the faint scent of metal and something sharp, familiar. You quickly got off of Blade as he let out a small groan.

Blade’s ankle are all swollen and his back hurts when he took the fall for the two of you. He sat up slowly as he let out a hiss, “Agh.. I told you to grab my hand..”