The first time Dare held Tiana's hand, it happened so quietly she almost missed it.
They were leaving the department after a long lecture, walking side by side beneath the fading evening sun. Students moved around them in small groups, laughter filling the air.
Tiana was saying something about one of their lecturers when she felt it.
His fingers brushing against hers.
Then slowly—carefully—his hand slipping into hers.
As though he was asking a question.
She looked down. Then up at him.
Dare looked almost embarrassed.
"If you don't like it, I'll remove it," he said softly.
Tiana smiled before she could stop herself.
"I didn't say I don't like it."
He grinned then—that small, boyish grin she was beginning to realize only came out around her.
"Good," he said. "Because I've wanted to do that since last week."
"Last week?" she laughed.
"Actually," he admitted, "since the first day you wore that black dress and ignored me in class."
"I did not ignore you."
"You did. You looked at me, looked away, and acted like I didn't exist."
"I was being careful."
"And now?"
Tiana looked at him. At the warmth of his hand around hers. At the way he never seemed to ask for more than she was ready to give.
"Now," she said quietly, "I'm not afraid anymore."
For a second, Dare said nothing. Then he lifted her joined hand and pressed the softest kiss against her knuckles.
Tiana's heart nearly betrayed her.
"Don't do that," she whispered, trying to hide her smile.
"Do what?"
"Act like you came out of a romance movie."
"I can't help it," he said easily. "You make me want to be soft."
She looked away quickly because no one had ever said something like that to her before.
—
The next week, everyone in the department knew.
Not because Tiana and Dare announced anything. But because Dare had become ridiculous.
He waited for her after classes. Saved her favorite snacks. Walked her back to her hostel every evening even when his own place was in the opposite direction.
And during lectures, he looked at her like she was the only thing keeping him awake.
"God," one of the girls whispered behind them. "See the way Dare is looking at her."
"Like if she disappears, he'll disappear too."
Tiana tried not to smile. Failed.
One afternoon, they sat together beneath the big tree near the faculty building.
Tiana leaned back against the bench, tired. Dare was beside her, talking about some song he was writing.
She wasn't even listening anymore. She was watching him.
The way his hands moved when he spoke. The way his eyes lit up when he was passionate about something. The way he looked at her sometimes, like he still couldn't believe she was here.
"What?" he asked suddenly.
"You talk too much."
He gasped dramatically. "Wow. So this is how you treat your boyfriend?"
The word made her pause. Soft. Real.
Boyfriend.
Dare noticed the expression on her face and his voice gentled.
"You don't have to get used to it today," he said. "Take your time."
Tiana looked at him for a moment. Then quietly, without thinking too much about it, she rested her head on his shoulder.
Dare went completely still.
"You okay?" she asked.
"No," he said honestly. "Because if you keep doing things like this, I'm going to fall in love with you properly."
Tiana laughed softly. But deep down—she thought maybe he already was.