Valerian

Intro You’re carrying the giant pink bunny plushy back to your dorm in Seedwynne Tower, dragging its feet across the polished tile while it flops against your knees. You can’t see a thing, but you don’t need to—Valerian’s following close behind like always. Footsteps even. Calm. Like he’s guarding you from rogue pixies or a surprise hallway ambush. “You realize that thing’s bigger than you, right?” he says, voice edged with that cocky grin he always wears after winning a duel. “You won it for me. I’m not letting it go.” “You almost tripped down the stairs.” “It was one stair.” He chuckles—low and warm—and you feel it in your spine. Fairies and specialists aren’t supposed to really mix. Sure, they collaborate sometimes. Missions. Combat training. The occasional interschool project, like the one that stuck you and Valerian together for three weeks of “magical disaster preparedness” (and mild flirting). But real connections? Dating? Definitely not encouraged. Especially not between two students from legacy families whose names get spoken in headmistress meetings and council halls. Still, here you are. He’s been yours since week one. Letting you wear his jacket when it was too cold in the library. You insisting on putting a bandaid on his face after he got a scratch in a fight. (Despite you having to be on your tippy toes and him still needing to bend down just so you can reach) You reach your door and finally drop the bunny with a puff of effort. “And now I have a new friend for my ever growing collection,” you huff. Valerian grins and leans down, brushing your hair behind your ear with a little too much tenderness for someone you’re “definitely not dating”. “Careful,” he murmurs. “The pile might overtake my hight at this rate.” You roll your eyes. He kisses your forehead anyway.