More work at the library. Though she’d drastically cut her time spent there, and was gradually working on transferring the running of the place to other capable people in the Mansion, Kealey still liked to drop in from time to time and make sure that everything was running smoothly. Besides. Students were always needing help. With various things. Academic and non-academic.

The blond sat behind the library desk, flipping through a large pile of returned books and checking them back into the system. It was calm, it was serene, it was why Kealey had liked library work so much in the first place.

When the books were all checked in, Kealey stood and grabbed the cart she’d stacked them in as she’d worked. Then it was off to the stacks to put them back in their places.

She was going to be a ninja. Yes. A ninja. A Ninja in New York. Because she was going to sneak up undetected on an empath named Kealey.

The woman deserved it. The hug that she was going to get from out of nowhere. She owed it to her. And so, she was going to dish it out.

Like a glider. Like an anime convention glomper, she snuck up on Kealey calmly, just one emotion amid many. Not strong or outstanding. Kealey was not a mind reader, after all. She wouldn't be able to detect her intent. She thought. Maybe. Sure. Whatever.

Amelia struck.

She hugged Kealey from behind. "Good friend, best advice~" She beamed. And SNUGGED.

She was shelving books when the glomp came from behind. A solid mass of teenage girl planted itself in her back and Kealey gave a little "Oof." as she jumped in surprise. What was this?!

No emotion had given the hugger away, and for a moment Kealey thought that it must be Shin. A moment more, however, and that theory was disproven as an unmistakably female voice announced her to be a good friend. And a great advise giver.

"Ami!" Kealey said, working to extract herself from the snuggles so she could turn around and see Aurum’s little sister.

"You gave me a fright!" she exclaimed with a smile.

Then it dawned on her. Ami thought she’d given good advice. That had the possibility of being problematic.

There had been a couple of things Kealey had given the younger woman advice about the day before….

"And good advice?" she said as casually as possible. "Did you and Gawain have a talk?"

Please let them have just had a talk….

Amelia released Kealey from her death snuggle, albeit reluctantly.

>"You gave me a fright!"

"I was trying to be a ninja," she replied innocently, locking her arms behind her back. She was all smiles. "Sorry."

Inwardly, she accepted her success!

>>"And good advice?" Kealey asked. She'd connected the dots, it seemed. "Did you and Gawain have a talk?"

"Yup." Amelia replied. "Gawain is amazing."

Kealey couldn't help but smile at Ami's excitement. It was, after all, Kealey's excitement too at this proximity. Apparently things had gone well... it was which things that had the blond worried.

And Gawain was amazing.

"Guys have a tendency to be like that!" the empath agreed, chuckling nervously and tucking a lock of hair behind her ear.

I should have gone to Aurum... WHY didn't I go to Aurum. she mentally berated herself. If anything happened…this was all her fault.

Why were they talking about this in the middle of the library? Without another thought, Kealey grabbed Ami's hand and drug her. Drug her right back to the same study room they'd talked in the day before.

As soon as the door was shut, Kealey took a seat and grinned at Ami as convincingly as possible.

"So. What did you guys talk about?"

"Well," Amelia replied. "We talked about Christmas. And how he loves me. And how he's willing to wait."

She'd noticed the slight nervousness in the blonde's tone. That had to go. She put a stop to that.

"What?" She blinked at Kealey. "Did you think I meant he was amazing in bed?" Shock and horror. Mortification! Okay. She wasn't really mortified. Just amused. "Please, he's the perfect gentleman." Most of the time.

Christmas...love...both good things. And they'd talked lots of talking. When people were talking, there wasn't time for...other things that did not involve talking. Talking, Kealey could handle. It didn't make her want to panic.

Oh thank God. He'd wait. Waiting was good.

Wait...why was she so concerned? Did she have a metaphorical leg to stand on as far as being concerned was concerned? Bah!

"Did you think I meant he was amazing in bed?"

Whoops. Ami had called her out. The problem was, Kealey didn't know how to respond other than to sit there and mirror Ami's feelings and blush scarlet to the roots of her hair.

She cast around her mind for a subject change. Any subject change.

"Was this your first 'I love you?'" she asked. Then paused in her embarrassment for a wistful sigh.

"I remember my first one."

There. If that didn't get them off the other subject. Nothing would.

>>"Was this your first 'I love you?'"

The smirk was replaced by a blush.

Dammit. Caught. "Um. Yeah."

What? A girl couldn't have a first love? They had to have several? Was that what Kealey was saying? Or...?

>>"I remember my first one."

Or she was trying to bond.

Way to get embarrassed and slightly defense, Amelia... She self-chided.

She sat in her chair and looked at Kealey, intrigued.

"Do tell."

This was a topic that Kealey felt like she could talk about. The story was easy to tell, and easy to remember because it had happened very recently in the grand scheme of things.

"It's kind of silly actualy..." the blond admitted almost sheepishly. "Shin and I had just finished this Japanese series called Garo...and I won't spoil it for you, but there were themes about leaving things unfinished, and going away. I didn't like it."

The memory almost made Kealey giggle, and her cheeks colored slightly as she recounted.

"I kind of knew already, because of, well, what I do, and how warm and fuzzy and, well loved I always felt when I was with him, but then he said it."

Kealey looked at Ami across the table and held her eyes, "It's like the whole world stops in that moment, just for you, isn't it? It just stops for that one moment, and you go. 'Oh! That's what's been missing.' "

She paused. Feeling a little silly, but galvanized by the memory. "Or maybe that's just me being silly."

"D'awwww," Amelia grinned. "Young love."

Had the whole world stopped for her and Gawain? Well. Let's see...

"For me, hearing those three little words was like... well." She tapped her chin, thinking. What was a good example. Oh, she knew. "Riding a luck dragon. Through the skies. And making it vomit on bullies. Shouting hell yes all the while. Kind of like that."

So, Kealey'd gotten Shin to say it through watching a television program?

The corners of Amelia's mouth turned up in an amused smirk. "Want to hear how I got Gawain to say it?" She asked.

Young love...heh. Kealey smirked slightly as Ami tried to explain what it had felt like for her when Gawain said the words.

"I guess there really is a Homestuck Quote for everything." Kealey said when Ami was done.

"And of course I want to know what you did to get Gawain to say it."

>>"I guess there really is a Homestuck Quote for everything.

Amelia grinned. Hell yes, there was.

>>"And of course I want to know what you did to get Gawain to say it."

"Great." Amelia said. Then, she began her tale. "Headlocks are too blunt. I decided to opt for something more strategic. I took him to the park and made a wager that the first person to reach the top of a rock-climbing wall would get to make a request of the loser, and that they'd have to seriously consider it. I won. I asked him to tell me he loves me. He told me I shouldn't have even had to ask. And then he did. And then. Luck dragons."

Everything in the world had been good.

Ah ha! That's what Kealey had been looking for.

Not that she had much experience, but Kealey had a feeling that those three little, tiny, HUGE words were best said unsolicited. She'd had a moment's trepidation when Ami had said that they'd made a bet, for a request, but the end of the story washed all that away.

Besides, Ami was a smart girl. She'd have known if the words were said sincerely.

"That sounds amazing." Kealey intoned, then smiled. "I'm so glad I could help."

Success. And success. They'd moved away from the blush inducing topics and into the safe areas of love and squishiness. This was much better.

"Me too."

Oh, this was a happy conversation. A happy one, and it made her want to gush about swoon-worthy topics and Disney movie moments, and...

She beamed at Kealey. "I really do love him, you know? Disney movie music moments and everything." Hell, she'd danced and hummed Once Upon a Dream.