Expectations When Expecting

Book 1, Chapter 5

They'd made it to homeroom with about two minutes to spare. Yuu gasped for breath at the door, while Grim practically sprawled out onto the floor.

"Ah. You must be my new homeroom students." A very pretty man arrived, looking down at Grim in disgust. "Hm, that's quite the unusual coat of fur. Do make sure that you arrive properly groomed." He spoke, looking at Yuu.

"Go and meet the Headmage outside. He wishes to speak with you. And when you return... Do try not to interrupt my class." He handed Yuu a slip of paper, which she nodded, walking out wordlessly.

Upon stepping foot outside of the classroom, she was startled by a certain very hyperactive bird-man.

"Miss Yuu!" He crowed, feathers flying as he examined her. "How are you feeling? Did anything happen this morning that you were not in your dorm? Have you eaten?" His questions flew by so quickly that Yuu had to struggle in order to answer them.

"Woah! I'm fine. Just had to go to Heartslabyul this morning, scared myself, and no, I have not eaten." She responded, remembering the untouched meal that she'd removed from the fridge earlier in the morning. She internally face-palmed.

"Ah!" Crowley smiled, puffing his chest out proudly. "I have brought you breakfast, then! I even brought you a note that will allow you to eat during class. I truly am too kind!" He announced, waiting for praise as he lifted a reused plastic bag.

Yuu chuckled at his antics. "Indeed. Thank you, sir." She agreed.

She heard a pleased coo from deep within Crowley's throat, surprising her slightly. "Well! Off to class you go!"

She smiles awkwardly as she feels herself being ushered into the classroom, Crowley singing his own praises as he pushed her in.

When Crowley shuts the door, she's left standing in front of an entire class of boys, who simply stare at her. Yuu feels her cheeks burn as she awkwardly shuffles to her seat.

"What was that about?" Ace raised an eyebrow.

"Oh. He just wanted to talk to me about Nunya." She said, trying to calm herself down.

"Who's Nunya?" Ace responded.

"Nunya business." She deadpanned, looking at the bag, which had a juice, a sandwich, some blueberries, and a couple of saltines.

Grim, being the little gremlin he was, immediately became interested in the smell. "Food?"

Yuu nodded. "He told me to eat because of my pr-..." She paused, scrambling to fix her mistake. "... because of my condition."

Yuu looked at the food, wrinkling her nose as the sight made her stomach roll. The sandwich seemed a little unappetizing right now.

"Grim. Do you want half of the sandwich? I'm not really hungry right now." Grim, newly motivated, nodded.

All of a sudden, a loud SMACK echoed in the classroom, making every student flinch.

"Now. For the new pups in my class, I will introduce myself. My name is Divus Crewel. You may call me Master Crewel." He spoke with a loud, authoritative tone, reminding Yuu of how her uncle used to speak before he'd become a grandfather.

"Now, take your seats. Class is about to begin. We're going to start with the basics." He said, the few students that had remained standing scrambled to their seats.

"And by that, I mean beating the names and distinguishing characteristics of one hundred herbs and poisons into your tiny brains." He sneered, wrinkling his nose as he watched the young students. "The mycelia are another matter. But eventually, I'm hopeful you'll be able to take a walk without putting anything poisonous into your gaping maws."