Encouragement

Thud.
The noise caused Vexen to glance over to where Jennifer was supposed to be studying.  She had her head face-down on the desk.
He raised an eyebrow at her in irritation.  "Now is not the time to be taking a nap," he admonished.
She muttered something into the pile of textbooks and papers.
Vexen sighed.  "I cannot be expected to understand your speech through a notebook.  Now speak up."
She raised her head slightly.  "I said," she repeated in a pained voice.  "I can't take it anymore!"
"And what is it exactly that you cannot take?"
"Mesentaries, coelomic cavities, circulation systems...   I can't memorize all this!  Then there's the ecology paper, the theology project... And I haven't even started preparing for the other exams!"  She let her head drop back onto the desk.  "I'm doomed..."
Vexen placed a comforting hand on her shoulder.  "You are not doomed," he said gently.  "You just have to sit up and keep studying.  You'll do fine."
"My head hurts."
"Well, that's what happens when you hit it against a hard surface."
"No.  It hurt before that.  My neck hurts too.  I need a massage."
Vexen rolled his eyes.  "Very well then.  Let us make a deal.  If I rub your neck for you, will you then resume studying and cease to claim that you are doomed?"
"Yes."
"Good.  Now sit up."
Jennifer straightened herself in her chair and pulled her hair around to the front.  She shivered when he touched her.  His hands were cold.  It felt good though.
Vexen pressed the excess tension out of her muscles, using his icy powers to soothe away the aches.  She certainly was quite stressed about all of this.  Really, however, she had no true need to be.  She had always gotten through finals with more than decent grades before.  Vexen had no doubt she could do so again.  She merely needed to relax and believe in her abilities.
"There," he finished.  "Feeling better?"
She nodded.
"Good."  He returned to his own seat and the book he had been reading.
"Vexen?"
He looked up again.
"Thank you."
He smiled.  "You are quite welcome.  Now," he continued.  "Back to comparative anatomy with you."