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The plane ride back to the college is quiet. There’s a rattling of the engines, and Leona feels more anxiety about that than the fact that a robot is flying it. The Headmage has been walking around, seemingly unaffected by the altitude and turbulence, managing the stay perfectly balanced on his feet as he passes from student to student, his glowing eyes thinly veiling concern. He’s stopped by the stretcher that bears Idia Shroud, who hasn’t woken up since-…
Since the accident.
The glow of his blue hair and Grimm’s little ears is the only light in the cabin, but it’s enough to illuminate the people with a dull light. Azul hasn’t stopped staring blankly at the wall across from him, playing with a button on his shirt, threatening unwittingly to yank it off. Vil has been between Rook and Epel, chatting quietly, the only noise save for the rattling of the engines. Grimm has been squashed securely in Yuu’s arms — she has been sitting beside Riddle, who managed to stuff himself between the end of the bench row and the wall with his knees to his chest, and Jamil is sitting by Leona.
They don’t look at each other and they don’t speak. They just sit and wait for the moment that the plane starts to dip in order to release them back to the school that they were taken from.
Leona wonders if it was supposed to haunt them all so badly. Overblotting once was enough, he thinks — what STYX did was uncalled for. His arms ache where they were poked and prodded with needles, samples of his noble blood taken without any permission, his memories splayed on the big screen, his brain feels like it’s been scrambled. As much as he wants to hate Idia for it though … he can’t. Because Idia can’t change STYX, the way Leona can’t change the kingship.
He wonders if they’re ever really going to be able to walk away from the epic meltdowns they’ve all sustained, and if they’ll ever really be free. Before, he figured it was over and done, but now .. he isn’t sure.
The plane lands hard. It bounces several times, by no means a smooth landing, and a glance at Azul shows that the sophomore Housewarden clearly looks sick. He’s a sea dweller … he shouldn’t be used to flying in planes like these, and no one is going to shame him for puking, if he does. Come to mention it, they all look a little pale… except for Rook and Epel, Yuu, and Crowley, who hasn’t said a single word the entire time.
There’s a hiss as the door depressurizes and then slowly lets itself down, allowing sun to come shooting in. It lowers all the way, and there are students and staff gathering some distance away. And they all sit and they all stare at the walls.
Rook finally murmurs: “I think, mon Roi du Poison, that a rest in your very own bed sounds like a very good medicine,” and he wraps an arm around Vil’s shoulders, much like a concerned mother, and allows Epel to help him pull the Housewarden up to his feet. They’re the first to exit, to start the walk back toward NRC, and it almost feels like going home.
Yuu pauses for a moment, shifting Grimm in her arms before she reaches a hand down to take Riddle’s in an attempt to coax him out of his little cramped corner. It takes a moment, but Riddle does finally take her little hand and uses it to pull himself up on shaky legs, stumbling as Yuu patiently leads him down the ramp.
It leaves pale Azul, quiet Jamil, Crowley, Idia, and Leona, who stares still at the wall.
“Well,” Crowley finally speaks and attempts to get their attention. “I’ll see about finding Professor Vargas, Professor Crewel, and Sam. They’ll help me carry Housewarden Shroud over to the infirmary, and I expect to see you three there.”
None of them answer.
They sit. And they stare. Jamil finally blinks and robotically stands up, holding his arm in his opposite hand — he’s met across the field by Kalim, who is already weeping loudly. He’s declaring apologies, begging to be able to carry Jamil, assuring him that it won’t hurt his honor to be carried, he insists that he looks pale and sweaty and tired… and it seems like the Housewarden wins with his teary eyes and full promises, because he immediately silenced himself and starts back with a single, heavy set of footsteps.
He feels Crowley staring at him. He turns, slowly, and meets Azul’s eyes. The fellow stares at him from behind his glasses, and they both watch each other for a moment before Azul shakily, slowly, uncertainly stands up. Leona forgets, sometimes, how fast Floyd is. He’s at the front of the ramp before Azul has a chance to make his way down, added shortly after by Jade, and they both shamelessly wrap their arms around their friend.
They’re stupid, Leona thinks, for insisting that they’re shallow friends. Sure, those guys have their own agendas …. But they’re always right on time when they’re needed.
“I didn’t miss you,” Floyd tearfully says. “I was just getting real sick of all the work at the Lounge piling up, that’s all.”
“Come on,” is Jade’s much softer tone. “Come on. You’re home.”
It isn’t home, but it’s as good as. For once, the eel makes him feel better rather than entirely freaked out. He turns his head again, slowly, watching them walk away with their arms tucked around Azul’s back, keeping him upright .. and he sees Ruggie’s little figure tentatively approaching.
Slowly, very slowly, Leona rises from his seat. His ears are ringing and his vision is splotchy, but he stumbles down the ramp anyway, and he lets Ruggie catch him and hold him up. Because he knows that his legs aren’t going any further than they’ve already taken him.
“I’m sorry.”
Is that the first time he’s ever said that to Ruggie?
“I’m.. so sorry..”
“Heeeeey,” Ruggie tries to sound cheery, but he’s struggling to hold up Leona’s weight. “We can talk apologies and that later. For now… Laugh With Me.”
It’s smart, on Ruggie’s part. It preserves Leona’s dignity so that he isn’t carried, and Ruggie’s doesn’t have to carry him. He is forcibly walked with Ruggie’s jaunty gait across the field and through the crowd that, instead of descending upon him like vultures, watches with sad expressions as he follows the little line of people heading to the infirmary.
The other Professors are rushing by the help carry the stretcher …. Maybe in a day or two, Shroud will wake up.
“What happened, Leona?”
Ruggie is a thief. He’s annoying. He’s hardheaded. He’s difficult. He always wakes him up in the middle of a good nap, pesters him about classes and meetings, and he’s a good friend. Leona hasn’t ever told him that. And he regrets it.
“I let you down.” His ears droop and flatten. “I let you all down.”
“Huh?” Ruggie looks at him, but he’s clearly focusing on the way he holds himself and how he walks. He knows that if he stumbles, Leona stumbles.
“I didn’t try hard enough.”
“With what?”
“Your village.”
Leona doesn’t hate his nephew. He hates what happened to him because of his nephew. He had everything going well, a whole plan set forth to help the people of Ruggie’s village and-…
…and then the little furball came along and all of the power Leona had burst into flames and flew away like ashes on a dry breeze. His plans squashed, his aid not given, the village left as poor as when he found it, and that’s when his resolve and drive died.
Ruggie purses his lips, which forces Leona to purse his lips, and he shakes his head. “Nah. You did what you could. You’re just tired and…. You’ve been through a lot. So let’s lay down in the Infirmary.”
Leona nods and stays quiet. His eyes are burning — that’s more humiliating than not being able to walk. More footsteps rush around the corner, and Jack is holding him up while Ruggie’s sighs in relief and releases his signature spell’s hold. Jack doesn’t ask before picking him up — he just does, and he does it like he’s holding nothing. A freshmen, handling his Housewarden like he’s just lifted a sack of potatoes…
His eyes are burning.
His cheeks are burning.
He feels tears on his skin.
When is the last time he cried?
Ruggie’s hand is holding up the back of his head. Jack is walking as fast as he can. His heart is pounding too hard in his chest. The world is spinning. Blood is rushing in his ears. They’re ringing. His arms hurt. His heart throbs. Black dots. Tears. More tears. More tears. He sobs. More tears. How far away is the Infirmary? Is anyone else around? Are they looking at him? Could they not look at him? More tears. He sobs. He lets himself go limp and he lets Ruggie hold his head up, like he’s trying to hold him above nonexistent water to keep him breathing.
Darkness.
-
He wakes up in a bed, but it isn’t his own … he feels numb from the tops of his ears to the tips of his toes. The sheets are thin and the pillow is thin and the mattress is thin and he’s cold. Ruggie is sitting on one side of him … Jack is sitting on the other side. His eyes slowly rove back and forth across the room, and he sees drawn curtains to allow privacy. As his senses return, he notes the sound of Cater Diamond’s far too cheery tone — Riddle must still be in here. Yuu is talking… it sounds like to Azul, by the way she seems to be addressing the recipient of the conversation. And Kalim-.. you can’t miss Kalim… so Jamil must be lying somewhere.
Leona stares at the ceiling as he regains his feeling — his arms are bound in scratchy bandages and he feels yet another needle in his hand. He doesn’t have to see the needle — he feels the pressure of it beneath his skin. He’s had so much blood drawn the last few days, he isn’t scared of a needle.
“You were very dehydrated,” Ruggie says with a matter-of-fact tone. “They had to poke you a few times. Jack almost puked.”
“I didn’t,” Jack indignantly, embarrassedly of says. Ruggie shrugs. “I said what I said. But hey, Big Guy, they got ya on fluids and uh… I think an antibiotic. You’ll be good as new in no time!”
Fluids and antibiotics… but he doesn’t feel any better. He flexes his fingers and lets his eyes fall on Jack for a moment before closing his eyes again. It ears a disgruntled sound, and he hears fabric rustle as Jack leans down a little.
“What happened?”
“Whaddya think?”
“That’s why I’m asking.”
“Stuff.”
“…be that way.”
“I don’t want to talk about it right now. It wasn’t exactly a party, Jack.”
Jack sighs, but stops asking … and Leona is relieved. He can’t leave it like that, all stubborn and grouchy… even if he wants to..
“..thank you, both of you.”
Is that his voice? Is he really so hoarse? So quiet?
“Don’t thank us.”
“Yeah.”
“Friends help friends.”
“…yeah. Or… underclassmen have a duty to help their Housewardens.”
“You’re my friend, Jack.” Leona slowly inhales and slowly exhales — his chest aches. “You’re both my friends. And we can talk about this all later… when I’m actually back on my feet.” But not now, please not now. He wants to sink below the scratchy sheets and disappear from the world, just for a little while.