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With Smolder off to university now, Aten felt rather ... alone. He hadn't realized just how much time, effort, energy and stock Aten had put in to his relationship with Smolder. And for it to end the way it did between them?

Aten let out a small sigh.

Granted, it wasn't that bad, in all reality. Smolder had been quite understanding and kind to him about the whole situation. But Aten still felt the fool. If it had gone his way, things would have ended differently. The two would have embraced, kissed, and continued on with their lives happily-ever-after.

At least, that;s the idea the fairy tales put in to his head. But life wasn't like that as Aten had quickly discovered.

With a small shrug, Aten slung his bag over his shoulder and walked out of his class. The time for learning was over, at least for the day, and it was time to rest. The halls had seemed so empty and quiet with Smolder gone. Momentarily, Aten wondered whatever happened to Cassie.

Smolder had stopped hanging out with him when he started to focus on Cassie and their relationship. Aten didn't blame him, but he wish he still could have been included.

But there was no point in crying over spilled milk now. The past was in the past, and Aten had to focus on the future. His future.

Head held high, Aten kept his books tucked under his arm and started to head down the hall to the Library to study for a little while before calling it a night.

Oh, by the Nine! It's CASSIE.

Aten had not expected to run in to Cassie. Perhaps it was naive of himself to assume he would always be able to escape her. But the Academy was smaller than it appeared, and he was bound to run in to her at some point.

"Cassie." Aten bowed his head to the now shorter Fallen. While his mind was panicking and his heart anxious, he kept his cool quite easily. "You look as lovely as I remember you. Have you been fairing well?"

Since Smolder left? Because I haven't. That's what he wanted to say, but he bit his tongue. He kept that hurt to himself and offered a cool, smooth smile. "Yes, my studies have always been important to me. Unlike a certain Fallen we both are acquainted with. I wonder how he is enjoying Asterion."

The corner of Aten's mouth twitched visibly as he listened. His mouth had thinned in to a fine line, his jaw tightening with tension. So. They did still talk. That was more than Aten was getting. Once a week? When Aten tried to find time with Smolder he was told he was too swamped with lessons to make the commute to hang out, and so Aten had given up entirely.

"Well." he said, barely able to catch himself from sounding a bit bitter. "It pleases me that you too still find a way to hang out. If I don't contact Smolder myself, he doesn't engage me at all. It's a little frustrating ... but I've learned to just take what I can get." Aten shrugged. It was a hard transition for him. To go so many years being at Smolder's side to suddenly be without. He knew that the forced change had done him a world of good. But he still missed Smolder.

Taking in a deep, soothing breath, Aten let out a heavy sigh, letting his worries dissolve. "Did you want to catch up somewhere that isn't the hallway, perhaps?"

Aten glanced sidelong at his arm as Cassie's fingers reached out to brush him there before squeezing gently, staying perfectly still and quiet as she spoke to him. He waited for her to finish what she had to say, and had been about to open his mouth, lips parting subtly before she interrupted his thought, then darted off to return her book to the library.

He closed his mouth again, lips once again thinning as he watched, her pinks standing out against the dark teal carpeting of the library and the light browns of the wood finishing of the librarian's desk and book shelves. He breathed in slowly through his nose, looking a bit stoic. Perhaps he had judged Cassie too harshly. They were, after all, supposed to be friends, Aten and her. He knew, in his heart, he was treating her unfairly. He needed to relax. This was not, and never had been her fault. This was between Smolder and himself.

Before the Fallen returned, Aten was smiling again, This time fore more genuinely. His blue eyes seemed brighter, and less vacant. "I didn't really have anywhere in mind, no." he admitted as he resumed their conversation. "I don't get out of the Academy much. I would be content wherever we chose to spend time together, even if that just meant my dorm. Or yours." he smiled sweetly now. He knew he had missed Cassie. He was just. Still hurting. This would be fun, and it would be worth skipping studying.

The imp caught himself giving a crooked but still charming grin as he followed her. Her comment about being a hypocrite had amused him, but it had also resonated with him. Not just because of school life, but for other reasons as well. He tucked some of his hair behind one of his super floppy ears, then shoved his books back in to his bag that he had been holding under his arm, and gave a soft chuckle. "Truthfully, it has. Though there was a time I struggled with my schooling. Thankfully, that times seems to have ended." Aten said reassuringly, incase she worried.

"Yes, the courtyard sounds like a lovely idea. I love the found of the fountain, and the Herbalism class always has lovely gardens set up there. I'd like to join you there."

Aten shifted his bags to the other side of his body so that he did not run the risk of hitting Cassie with his bag. The last thing he needed was to bruise Cassie with his gait, bag demonstrating just by how it bumped against his hip as he strode forward. "Perhaps after we can grab a tea from the cafeteria when we want to warm up?"

The courtyard was beautiful as always. The spraying waters from the fountains and the colours shimmering from the lights always put Aten at peace. The courtyard had been a good choice on Cassie's part. Why hadn't he thought of this before? it's not like he didn't spend a lot of time there himself.

Aten followed Cassie's lead and left his bag beside hers. He had been about to sit down to enjoy some conversation with his Fallen friend, but off Cassie went, and so he stopped squatting and straightening out immediately to follow after her.

She had lead him over to the garden, and he smiled down at the plants. Was one of them hers? Before he could ask, Cassie was almost beaming with pride. It made Aten smile. Her pride and positive nature was rather infectious. It set his worried mind completely at ease.

Aten leaned over to get a closer look at the plants she pointed out to him. Was she really responsible for all of them? Aten couldn't keep himself from laughing. "These turned out wonderfully! My first plant didn't really ... work out. I had a rapid growing vine as my first assignment, but it rapidly decayed instead. So I got a second chance, and ... well ... " Aten gestured to the small pot that Cassie had been looking at before. "The small little miniature one with the small, little flower bud is my second attempt. It seems to be doing well now."

Aten stood tall once more, clasping his claws together. "I know what you mean though. Being responsible for any sort of life ... a familiar, a plant, or for parents a child ... it's weird. But also very rewarding." He smirked then. "And not dooming them is half the battle. So good on you for not killing your plants." He frowned slightly then, just a small curve at the corner of his lips. "Like my first plant ... "

"You heard about that, did you?" Aten questioned, rubbing at the spot of his fluff where Cassie had nudged him. He gave a sheepish smirk, turning to walk back to the fountain. He settled himself in, crossing one leg over the other and grabbing the sole of his boot.

"I suppose that's true, yunno. That one plant doesn't really change much." He shrugged easily. "One out of two ain't bad. And I suppose I should be proud of the one that succeeded, as dwarfed as it is."

Aten gave a small shake of his head as he thought on how much he actually knew about Cassie. Truth was, it was also second-hand from Smolder. He had never really taken the time to ask after her, and didn't hang out with her much outside of their little triad. Perhaps she was right. Perhaps it was time to remedy that. "Well." he started, letting his leg fall back to the ground. "Where should we start?"

Aten couldn't help but to chuckle. As he had aged he had become one who never favored small talk. How's the weather? So about that weekend. He was always one to try and direct the conversation to some deeper level. But he supposed that in this case, where else were they to start? Smolder had been one of the main sources of conversation between them for so long that it was nice to get back to the roots. How else would they flourish?

"Yes, I do love tea. My favourite is green tea. In particular matcha. But I also rather like dragonwell and white teas are quite lovely too. And you can't go wrong with herbals." Aten had been about to go on a rant about all the health benefits of tea when he felt yet another nudge. This time it was his leg. He gave a amiable grin in return, reaching out to rub her shoulder affectionately.

"Of course I have flaws, Cassie." His grin subdued, becoming a sort of sheepish half-smile. "I have jealous issues. And can become quite the hermit if nobody checks on me. I get pretty lost in my head sometimes."