Forbidden Love in the Mecha Ac

"Alice," Ethan began, his voice low and… was that admiration she heard?

 A flicker of surprise crossed Alice's face.

 *Admiration?

From *him*?

The Ice King himself?

* She swallowed, a nervous flutter in her stomach.

"Is something the matter?

"

He paused, those intense grey eyes studying her.

 "Nothing.

 Just… good work.

" And with that, he turned and walked away, leaving Alice standing there, bewildered.

 *Good work?

* That was more than she'd gotten from him in the entire time she'd been at the Academy.

 She shook her head, a small smile playing on her lips.

 *Whatever his deal is, I have patients to see.

*

The infirmary hummed with a quiet energy.

 The scent of antiseptic hung in the air, a familiar comfort to Alice.

 She moved with practiced ease, her hands deftly restocking shelves, her mind still replaying Ethan's words.

 *Good work.

* The phrase echoed in her thoughts, a strange warmth spreading through her chest.

 She focused on the task at hand, organizing medical supplies with meticulous precision.

 Bandages, antiseptics, stimulants – everything had its place.

 The calm order of the infirmary was a welcome contrast to the turmoil of recent events.

A crash from the far corner shattered the peaceful atmosphere.

 Alice's head snapped up, her eyes narrowing.

 Luna stood amidst a chaotic jumble of medical equipment, a smug smirk plastered on her face.

 Syringes lay scattered across the floor, vials overturned, and bandages unravelled.

 "Oops," Luna chirped, her voice dripping with fake innocence.

"Clumsy me.

"

Alice's blood ran cold.

This wasn't an accident.

It was a deliberate act of sabotage.

 "You did this on purpose," she stated, her voice low and dangerous.

 The air crackled with tension.

Luna's smirk widened.

 "And what are you going to do about it, little miss miracle worker?

" Her tone was condescending, laced with venom.

 She took a step closer, her eyes glinting with malice.

"You think you can just waltz in here and steal everyone's attention?

 Ethan's, the Dean's… everyone's.

"

Alice's fists clenched at her sides.

 "This has nothing to do with them," she hissed, her patience wearing thin.

 "This is about you being a spiteful, jealous…"

"Oh, I'm jealous?

" Luna laughed, a shrill, unpleasant sound.

 "Of *you*?

 Don't flatter yourself.

" She leaned in, her voice dropping to a whisper.

"You may have fooled them, but I see right through you.

"

Alice's anger reached a boiling point.

 "Get out," she seethed, each word a bullet.

"Or what?

" Luna taunted, her eyes blazing.

A shadow fell over them.

 "Luna.

" A deep voice cut through the tense atmosphere.

Ethan's presence filled the small infirmary, his imposing figure radiating an aura of authority.

 Luna visibly flinched, her smug demeanor faltering.

 "Ethan," she stammered, her voice laced with a newfound nervousness.

"I… I was just…"

"I saw what happened, Luna," Ethan interrupted, his tone clipped and cold.

 His grey eyes, usually impassive, now held a flicker of disapproval.

 "Your behavior is unprofessional and unacceptable.

 Apologize to Alice.

"

Luna's jaw dropped.

 Apologize?

To *Alice*?

The girl she'd been trying to sabotage for weeks?

 Humiliation burned in her cheeks, replacing the earlier smugness.

 She shot a venomous glare at Alice, who met her gaze with a cool, steady stare.

 Grudgingly, Luna muttered a barely audible apology.

"Louder," Ethan commanded, his voice brooking no argument.

 Luna flushed crimson, repeating the apology with slightly more volume, though her tone remained resentful.

 Ethan nodded curtly.

"Now, clean up this mess.

" He turned to Alice, his expression softening slightly.

 "Are you alright?

"

Alice, still slightly surprised by Ethan's intervention, offered a small smile.

"I'm fine, thank you.

" A warmth spread through her chest, a mixture of gratitude and something else… something she couldn't quite name.

 Ethan's unexpected defense had caught her off guard, revealing a protective side she hadn't seen before.

 As Luna sullenly began picking up the scattered medical supplies, Ethan lingered for a moment, his gaze lingering on Alice.

 "If she bothers you again, let me know.

" And with that, he turned and left the infirmary, leaving a charged silence in his wake.

Over the next few days, Alice found herself encountering Ethan more frequently.

 He would appear in the infirmary, ostensibly to check on the status of injured cadets, but their conversations often drifted to other topics.

 Alice discovered a surprising depth to the man she had previously labeled the "Ice King.

" He spoke passionately about his military service, the weight of command, and the importance of protecting those under his care.

 He even cracked a few jokes, dry and witty, that caught Alice off guard and made her laugh.

 A subtle shift occurred in the air between them, a charged energy that hummed with unspoken possibilities.

One afternoon, while organizing medical supplies, Alice found a small, cream-colored envelope tucked amongst the bandages.

 Her brow furrowed as she opened it, revealing a single sheet of paper with a chilling message scrawled in elegant cursive: *Curiosity killed the cat.

Stop digging, or you'll regret it.

* Alice's heart pounded in her chest.

The blood drained from her face.

"What..." she whispered, her voice barely audible.