Friends?

Later that day, Sky was working on the portal spell in the practice room in the classroom, when she was interrupted by a quiet knock at the door. Opening it slowly in case of attack, she found Dain on the other side. He mumbled something unintelligible as he stared, red-faced, at the floor.

"What?" Sky asked quietly.

In a soft voice he said, "We brought you a to-go lunch. You can eat out here with us since there's no one else in the room." Sky beamed at him. She hadn't realized how hungry she was until he'd mentioned lunch.

"Oh great! Thank you, Dain." Dain's face became even redder and he swiftly turned away. Sky followed him to his arrangement where West was already sitting. On the coffee table were three familiar brown boxes. "Thanks West!" Sky said cheerily as she took the vacant armchair with a box in front of it. Dain sat beside West on the sofa while West fixed Sky with a searching look.

"Is something wrong?" Sky asked as her smile fell under that weight of that almost glare.

"Do you have other glasses?" West's eyes roved over Sky. Dain shifted uncomfortably and bent to whisper to West but was waved off.

Pushing her glasses back up her nose, Sky replied, "No and if I did, I wouldn't wear them. These serve their purpose and make it so I don't impose myself on anyone." As she admitted this, she tugged on a strap of her corset that was digging into her flesh. West frowned at her and made no move to touch his box.

"You're beautiful." Dain's voice was a little too loud for how close they were sitting. Sky stared at him in shock. As if he were embarrassed, he ducked his head and stared at the floor again with wide eyes. A crimson blush crept up his neck and cheeks. West watched him silently for few moments with a tight mouth and flashing eyes.

Sky lowered her head and tried to regain her composure. She was about to cry. No one in her whole life had ever called her beautiful. Dain was mocking her; he had to be. Just when she'd thought she was making friends in this horrible place. Well, it was better to know now. She lifted her head. Her eyes were now empty.

West seeing her movement turned to her with a false smile.

"What my brother means-"

"It's alright. I know he didn't mean that, but I think I'll just go eat in the practice room. Thanks again for bringing me lunch." Sky managed a weak smile as she reached for the box in front of her and started to stand. West grabbed her wrist in a stony grip.

"My brother just complimented you. You should be thanking him." His voice was rigid and tight. Sky turned hopeless eyes on Dain. They were creatures. They were stronger and better trained than she was, she had to do what they said.

Dain was staring at her with huge eyes. His faced had become white and his hands were fisted in his pants legs until his knuckles were white as well.

Sky's voice was flat as she said, "Thank you, Dain."

"Now sit." West ordered. He released her wrist so she could sit again. Sky immediately began massaging it. He'd been holding her hard.

"I-I'm sorry." Dain stammered hanging his head. "I didn't mean to upset you." West rounded on him with wide eyes.

"For the gods' sake, Dain! She is a human. Don't apologize to her!"

Sky frowned and said, "West its right, Dain. Right now, I am only a weak, untrained human. If you want to mock me, you can." West looked sharply at Sky. After a few seconds he gave her a small smile.

Raking his hand through his hair, he said, "It's good you know that."

"I wasn't-"

"Enough, Dain." West snapped.

For the first time that Sky had ever seen Dain looked angry. His jaw worked and his eyes flashed as he met and held his brother's gaze. A long minute passed. Then Dain's right hand fisted. He sighed and looked away.

West's shoulders drooped slightly, and his mouth twisted. To Sky it looked as if he was almost disappointed which was odd because Dain had almost challenged his dominance. West bent and opened his box.

"Let's eat." He said in a flat voice. Sky hesitated. Dain, in the middle of opening his own box, saw she wasn't moving. He turned to her with large, pleading eyes and a small pout. Sky let out a breath in resignation and opened her box.

"So where are you from?" West asked conversationally after a few minutes of silence. Sky paused and slowly swallowed her mouthful. Her expression twisted as a guilty look flashed across her face.

"Well, nowhere really. What about you two?" She cut another piece of chicken to avoid meeting West's sharp gaze.

Dain replied, "We're from Callen in Avais."

At the same time West asked, "How can you be from nowhere?" Sky looked up at Dain and smiled warmly. He blushed and hastily turned his attention to his box.

"Is it nice there?" Sky asked, studiously avoiding looking at West as she popped her bite of green beans and chicken into her mouth.

"Um- it's a little cold but-"

"I asked you a question." West cut in, his voice hard once again. Sky sighed heavily and shrugged.

"I was a vagabond; a squatter living off the land." Dain frowned and his fork paused half-way to his mouth. West just watched her. For the one who'd decided they'd eat, he really wasn't doing it.

Dain asked softly, "Weren't you worried about Lessers?" Sky shrugged again.

"You get used to them after a while. I ran or hid mostly. I only fought them when I had no choice. So, what does your family do?" Dain and West simply stared at her in silence for a while.

Then, West, recovering first said, "We are in both trade and politics although Dain and I are from the political side of the family. Our grandfather is one of the Stellar's ministers." The Stellar, Sky knew was the governor of Callen. It was nominally ruled by him, but the true power rested in the hands of his ministers.

Sky's eyes now became sorrowful as they took in Dain's stooped posture and twisted expression. With how soft spoken and gentle he was, growing up in such a family must have been hard.

"Don't pity him!" West's tone was angry and harsh.

"I'm not. I am sympathizing. I know what it's like not to be what your family wants. I know how hard that must've been, Dain." Sky told him with a reassuring smile. Dain, for some reason, flinched at this statement. Sky perturbed, shot a questioning look at West. He was watching her with a relaxed, open posture and a happy smile.

"I was wondering why your guardian was letting you live like that." West said. "Who is he by the way? I would like to have a conversation about how to properly treat a female under his protection." Sky turned wide eyes on her box and thought fast. Some creatures had an ability called truthsense. They could hear it as discordant noise when someone lied. However, she still didn't want to tell them the truth. If her father found out she was here, he'd come take her out of school.

Sky licked her dry lips and shrugged.

"My father, Cristoff, but I don't know where he is. The moneylenders were seizing the house when he- when I-" She sighed sadly. "well, you know." Changing the subject again, she asked, "So if you're from Callen, then you are celestial demons?"

"You must have grown up very sheltered not to know that its rude to ask someone their race." West commented. He leaned over the table and began cutting his food again.

Dain simply said, "Yes." Sky smiled slightly.

"I'm sorry, I didn't." Dain looked at her with sad eyes. She frowned at him in concern.

"So, where was your father living before he kicked you out?" West asked taking a bite of his steak. Sky fought off a grimace.

"Why do you want to know, West? You seem awfully interested." West smiled and finished chewing.

"It's like I said. I hate seeing females mistreated so I want to have a nice, long conversation with him about his behavior." He smiled warmly at her. It forcibly reminded her of how handsome he was. Sky looked at Dain. He was also handsome just in a quieter, more pensive way.

"Northern Aldaorn," Sky admitted. Aldaorn was the Northern dragon homeland. "but I refuse to acknowledge him as my guardian." Sky admitted with a sigh. "Hey Dain, you should really try to eat more." Dain flinched again. West put a hand on his shoulder.

"He's just not feeling very well." West said. He continued to ask Sky questions as they ate. These were mostly about her hobbies and enjoyments. Sky in turned asked him about himself and Dain. She tried to get Dain to talk again but couldn't get more than one word answers from him, when he answered at all.

Finally, West told Sky that the lunch hour was about up. Sky returned to the practice room and resumed her work.