Behind the Walls of The Guild Office

The guild office was eerily quiet, the only sound the scratching of Alina Clover’s quill against parchment as she furiously filled out yet another form. The clock on the wall ticked past midnight, but Alina didn’t notice. She was too busy drowning in a sea of paperwork, her frustration mounting with every passing second.   “Why does this always happen?” she muttered under her breath, slamming the quill down. “I swear, if one more adventurer submits a report with illegible handwriting, I’m going to—”   “Going to what? Solo another boss to blow off steam?”   Alina’s head snapped up, her sharp green eyes narrowing at the figure leaning against the doorway. Jade Skrade stood there, his usual cocky grin plastered across his face, though the walking stick in his hand and the faint wince as he shifted his weight betrayed his injuries.    “What are you doing here?” Alina demanded, crossing her arms. “You’re supposed to be resting. The healers said you need at least another week before you’re back on your feet.”   Jade shrugged, limping into the room. “And miss the chance to see you overworking yourself again? Not a chance.”   Alina rolled her eyes, though a small part of her was relieved to see him. Jade had been recovering from his injuries after the final boss fight, and though she’d never admit it, she’d missed his annoying presence. Still, she wasn’t about to let him know that.   “I don’t need your help,” she said, turning back to her paperwork. “I can handle this on my own.”   “Sure you can,” Jade said, pulling up a chair beside her. “But you don’t have to.”   Alina shot him a glare, but he was already reaching for a stack of forms, his movements slow and deliberate as he adjusted to his injuries. She opened her mouth to protest, but the words died on her lips. Despite his usual teasing, there was a sincerity in his actions that she couldn’t ignore.   “Fine,” she muttered, grabbing another form. “But if you mess anything up, I’m blaming you.”   Jade chuckled, his violet eyes glinting with amusement. “Wouldn’t expect anything less.”   The two worked in silence for a while, the only sound of the scratching of quills and the occasional rustle of parchment. Alina’s frustration slowly ebbed away as the stack of paperwork dwindled, replaced by a sense of accomplishment—and something else she couldn’t quite name.   “You know,” Jade said after a while, breaking the silence, “you don’t have to do everything on your own. It’s okay to ask for help sometimes.”   Alina bristled, her rebellious nature flaring up. “I don’t need help. I’ve been handling things just fine on my own.”   Jade raised an eyebrow, his gaze steady. “Yeah? Then why are you still here at midnight, drowning in paperwork?”   Alina opened her mouth to retort, but no words came out. She hated that he had a point.   “I just…,” she began, her voice softer than she intended. “I don’t want to be a burden to anyone.”   Jade’s expression softened, and he reached out, gently placing a hand on hers. “You’re not a burden to anyone, Alina. Not to me.”   Alina’s breath hitched, her heart pounding at the sincerity in his voice. She looked away, her cheeks flushing. “You’re such an idiot,” she muttered, though there was no bite in her words.   Jade laughed, the sound warm and genuine. “Maybe I am an idiot. I start believing your judgement, Alina. But if it makes me the only one who you trust your precious overtime work to, I gladly become your loyal idiot.”   Alina’s eyes widened, and she turned to glare at him. “Don’t say things like that. It’s weird.”   Jade’s grin widened, but before he could respond, Alina stood up abruptly to avoid the awkwardness she felt because of this moron, but suddenly her vision blurred as a wave of dizziness hit her. She swayed on her feet, her exhaustion finally catching up to her.   “Alina!” Jade was on his feet in an instant, his injuries forgotten as he rushed to catch her. He managed to grab her by the waist just in time, but the momentum sent them both tumbling back into his chair with Alina landing atop him. They both yelped from the impact: Jade - from the sharp pain in his ribs and right hip, Alina- from great surprise.   For a moment, they both froze, their faces inches apart. Alina’s heart raced as she stared into Jade’s confused violet eyes, her mind struggling to process what had just happened.    And then, without thinking, their lips met.   It was an accident at first, a brief brush of lips that sent a jolt of electricity through both of them. Alina’s eyes widened in shock—this was her first kiss, and it was nothing like she’d imagined. It was warm, tender, and utterly overwhelming, but still it happened not the way she had ever dreamed about!    Before she could pull away, Jade’s hand cupped her cheek, his touch gentle but firm as he deepened the kiss. Alina’s mind went blank, her usual defiance melting away as she didn't even realize that she was kissing him back. It was tender and sweet, yet filled with a passion that took her breath away. She had never imagined Jade could be like this—so gentle, so sincere.   And so persistently greedy. When they finally pulled away, both of them were breathless, their hearts pounding in unison. Jade’s gaze was soft as he looked at her, his thumb brushing against her cheek.    “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time,” he admitted, his voice barely above a whisper.    Alina’s cheeks flushed, but she didn’t pull away. “You’re such an idiot,” she said again, though her voice was trembling.   Jade smiled, his hand still resting against her cheek. “I am. But I’m serious about you, Alina. I always have been.”   Alina’s breath got caught in her throat, her usual defenses crumbling as she looked into his eyes. For the first time, she allowed herself to believe him—to believe that his feelings were real.   “Jade,” she began, her voice soft and vulnerable. “I… that was my first kiss.”    Jade’s eyes widened slightly, and then he smiled, his expression filled with warmth. “It was mine too,” he admitted. “And I couldn’t have asked for anyone better to share it with.”    Alina’s heart swelled with emotion, and for the first time, she didn’t fight the smile that spread across her face. “You’re such a sly sap, you know that?” she muttered, though there was no bite in her words.   Jade laughed, the sound warm and genuine. “Only for you, Alina.”