Ocean Mist (Azul Ashengrotto/Yuu)

9 ~ Loud Thumbs

"Why haven't you taken me out on any dates yet~?"

"I have a lounge to run."

"Why don't we go on a date in the lounge?"

"I feel as though that defeats the purpose of going on a date in the first place."

"You're no fun," Yuu whined laying on Azul's leather couch. He raised an eyebrow at her. "You knew that before you asked me out. It's not my fault if you're unsatisfied with me."

She made a heart shape with her hands and smiled at him. "Don't sound so serious! I'm just teasing."

"I know, I know."

'Why does it sting so much?'

Azul lay back in his chair, his shoes propped up against the edge of the table and his head staring at the ceiling. It had been a long day.

'Am I boring?'

He knew Yuu joked around a lot-heck, maybe that was even why he'd fallen for her-but he couldn't help but take her jokes to heart sometimes, especially when they stemmed from things such as him being too uptight, or boring, or sinister, or whatnot. Because he was.

But he didn't want Yuu to think those things of him. Even if he was, he wanted her to look at her and only see the good things-his fun side, the Azul that could let loose and be genuine. But he felt like he was failing.

The next day came and classes proceeded as per usual. Yuu sat next to him, Jamil in front of him, and she would mess with both of them during class, though mostly Azul. She would be hugging his arm and he would allow her to-they both knew that he felt uncomfortable showing affection in public, but it was alright if she did. Everything was normal.

And yet, Yuu still asked, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong." He hadn't acted abnormally in any way, had he? Sure, his mind was a little clouded with some less-than-happy thoughts, but he didn't let it show that much. "What makes you say that?"

She squinted at him. "You've barely talked today. Whenever I say anything, you only nod or 'mmhm' or whatever. You okay?"

Ah.

He'd been so caught up in his own head that he'd forgotten to respond to her like a regular person. Turns out he was being obvious that he was in a mood.

"My bad. I'm still getting used to all of the work that comes with being a housewarden. I'm just a little tired." It wasn't a lie.

She wrapped an arm around him, kissing his cheek. "You have to tell me if you ever need anything, okay?"

"Don't worry, I will," he chuckled, smiling at her. Her bright demeanor returned and she returned to rambling about whatever she was talking about previously.

And as per usual, his afternoon was spent sitting in his office chair, filling out paperwork, and having meetings with clients.

Yuu came to his office, giving him a peck on the forehead before sitting on the couch with her homework. She frowned a little at his lack of reciprocation since it was just the two of them, but brushed it off.

"Yuu." His voice startled her. "Hm?"

He didn't look up from his papers. "Could you please work quieter," he muttered, hardly phrasing it as a question.

"Am I being loud..?" She had hardly made a single noise.

"You write too loud. I can't concentrate."

"...Okay?" Something was definitely bothering Azul, Yuu was sure of it. But what? The last thing she wanted to do was interrupt him while he was working.

He pursed his lips and set down his pens. "Is there any chance you could come back after you finish your homework?"

"Is my pencil really that loud?" Azul had never been this sensitive before. The twins could even come in and start a conversation with her, and Azul would continue to work diligently.

"It's distracting."

"I'll just do my homework later, then." She pulled out her phone and began scrolling through Magicam, liking several of Cater's latest posts.

Azul buried his face in his hands and let out a quiet groan. "What?" Yuu asked hesitantly.

"Your thumbs are too loud."

"Azul, should I take you to the infirmary?"

"I can't work with you being here." Yuu winced at his brutal, direct phrasing, especially with his tendency to sugarcoat his words. "Please leave."

'But he said he'd never want me to leave before...'

She stared at him for a few moments peculiarly, noting how he never looked up at her, before nodding and packing up her stuff before leaving wordlessly.

"Hey, Jade," she beckoned. "Can you check on Azul for me? I can't tell if he's mad at me or just in a bad mood."

Jade glanced over towards the door to Azul's office. "I'll go in about ten minutes so he doesn't suspect that you've sent me. Would you like to wait here in the meantime?"

"Yeah, thanks..." Jade eyes her curiously as she pulled out her homework. "Don't you normally take care of that when you're with Azul?"

She tapped her pencil against the table a few times. "He kinda kicked me out. Said I had loud thumbs."

"What does that even mean?" Floyd questioned with a grin, seemingly appearing out of nowhere. Yuu buried her face in her arms and sighed. "I don't know! My thumbs aren't loud, are they?"

Floyd poked her thumbs a few times. "Nope, perfectly normal thumbs~"

"I think I'll go check on him now," Jade said, disappearing almost immediately after saying that.

He wasn't gone for long, and when he returned it was with a mild shrug. "He was normal with me. Have you done anything to offend him lately?"

"That's the thing! I have no idea!"

Jade raised his eyebrows, glancing towards the door once again before giving her a sympathetic smile. "Well, I do hope you two manage to work things out."