Chapter Text
I'm going to deal with this all year now, aren't I?
It has only been a few days since school started and Jamil started to feel even more frustrated than before. Currently, the braided teen prepping another meal for Kalim in the night, slowly feeling the fatigue getting to him. Normally the teen would be fine due to the previous year's experiences, but after dorm roles were assigned this year, Jamil was basically rushing to complete his busy schedule.
I swear Kalim will be the death of me.
"Hey Jamil!"
Jamil turned to the source of the voice, the source was a younger teen with green and red hair looking nervous. If Jamil recalled, the teen's name was Yuya Sakaki.
"Jamil, right?" Yuya spoke. "It might be late, but is it alright if I can speak to you for a moment?"
"Yes. Do you need anything?"
"Yes, um..." Yuya replied sheepishly. "Do you know where the dorm keeps the spare blankets and pillows? I need to get new ones for my bed."
"So soon?" Jamil was slightly confused. "But all of the first years should have fresh blankets and pillows at the beginning of the year."
"About that..." The younger teen puts a hand behind his head while looking down. "I kind of wasted both of them yesterday, I just realized that their current state won't help me sleep."
Normally Jamil wouldn't care much for the younger teen's words, but when recalling the sorting ceremony, something felt a bit off.
"Well, if you go to the storage closet on the second floor, there should be some fresh blankets and pillows on the third shelf."
"Thanks." Although turning to leave, Yuya still looks nervous. "Have a good night then."
This did not ease that weird feeling. Knowing how many first years have gotten lost in their own dorm for at least an hour, it would be troublesome for him to get lost in the dorm in the middle of the night.
"Wait, let me company you to the storage closet.” Jamil stated as he approaches Yuya. “It would be better if you didn't go on your own this late."
"It's fine," Yuya replied while trying to leave. "I can just find my way there."
"No, I insist." I might as well use this excuse to take a break from this meal prep. "We wouldn't want anything to happen in the dark."
After retrieving the pillows and blankets from the closet, the two teens walked back to Yuya's room. While Yuya said that he can carry this stuff back to his room, Jamil insists that he help the younger teen carry the blankets back to his room. Taking some time away from the kitchen gives Jamil time to let off some steam. A couple of minutes later, and now that they are both back at the door of Yuya's room.
Oddly enough, his small room is one of the few single rooms in this dormitory
"Thanks for your help, Jamil." Yuya replied while hugging the pillows tightly. “It means a lot.”
“Of course. Now let me place the blankets onto your bed so you can take it from there.”
Yuya’s eyes widened a bit. “You don’t have to. I can take care if this myself.”
“It’s alright.” Might as well keep up with the act. “It’s just the duty of the Vice Head Warden.”
Although compliant, Yuya looks nervous as he opens the door and enters the room. While Jamil follows, his eyes traced to Yuya’s bed-
Wait a moment
Yuya’s bed looks like a wreck. The pillows are ripped open, bearing a couple of scratch marks on both sides. The blanket, or at least what is left of it, has been ripped to shreds. Even the bed sheets weren’t spared, seeing several claw-like marks in the center of the bed.
What was he doing with his bed? Does he have any sleep problems?
“Sorry about the mess.” Yuya replied as he placed the pillows on the wreaked bed. “I had several bad dreams, but it's nothing really serious.”
Nothing really serious? He literally turns his bed into a scratch post.
“Yuya, if you have any problems when sleeping, I can provide-”
“I’m fine!” Yuya interrupts as he takes the blankets from Jamil. “I-I just need to stop worrying for a bit. After all, I am a first year student, so I just not used to this school yet.”
“Are you sure?” Looking back at the bed again. “Your bed proves otherwise.”
“I am fine,” Yuya continues to persist. “It is getting really late anyway”
Soon after, Jamil left Yuya to his own devices as the braided teen returned to the kitchen to continue prepping Kalim’s meal. Having some doubts about what he saw in Yuya’s room, enough to cause some concerns at best.
He might have night terrors, something serious enough that he destroys his own blankets and pillows.
Jamil spent the rest of the night with a small but uneasy feeling in his stomach.
~~~
It was a few days after Riddle’s Overblot, there was a weird feeling lingering in the atmosphere. While classes are continuing as normal, the sudden appearance of an Overblot in the school was causing enough commotion to spiral into rumors for a few days. It was currently the morning as Jamil just finished tying Kalim’s headdress onto the white-haired boy. With previous events on Jamil mind, the braided boy thought about what could happen next.
Kalim seems to be taking the previous days well. Then again, it can be troublesome if he continues to worry about Riddle.
As both Jamil and Kalim walk to the kitchen for breakfast, Kalim bumps into a hood-covered student, causing the said student to fall to the floor.
“Oh! Sorry about that.” Kalim stated that as he helps the hood-covered student off the ground. “Are you alright?”
“I am fine.” The student replied as Kalim helps the student off the ground, Jamil leans enough to get a look at his face to-
Wait. That’s... That’s Yuya.
Jamil froze a bit to process what he is saw of the hooded-covered teen. It was Yuya, and there was scratch-like wounds on the boy's face. Yuya’s face bears a couple scratches, few of them goes so deep and so big that it drew blood.
He's bleeding.
“Yuya! What happened to your face?!”
The comment made Yuya face away from Jamil. “It’s nothing! Just several scratches.”
Because of the angle, Kalim didn’t understand the comment until he went to look at Yuya’s face. Kalim’s face turned into one of shock within seconds.
“Jamil is right! You’re bleeding!!”
After several moments, Jamil took Yuya to the nearest shelves with medical supplies. As the now un-hooded teen was seated on a chair, Jamil was tending to the younger teen’s face while having Kalim hold several medical supplies. After several potions and spells, Yuya’s face completely returned to normal, not even a single mark on his face. As Jamil and Kalim set the medical supplies on the table, the trio was given a moment to breathe.
“Are you okay?” Kalim asked. “Those cuts were so big that blood came out.”
“I’m fine now.” Yuya replied while looking down. “Sorry for that, I wasn’t trying to cause any trouble.”
“Well, you shouldn’t have tried to hide those infliction. They can worsen when left unchecked.”
Jamil felt like an idiot. The sorting ceremony, the panic attack, the reserved actions, and the ruined bed. These were all signs that Yuya was unwell.
Does he have a mental problem? Did those night terrors escalate so quickly into self-harm? Are those problems related to this school?
“Do you need anything else?” Kalim asked as he placed his hand on Yuya’s shoulder. “I can get you some food? Water? Do want me to call several doctors? I know the best ones.”
I should get a grasp on this situation before it escalates even further.
“Actually, Kalim. Can you get some herbal tea from the kitchen? It should help the situation.”
“Oh! Of course, I’ll be right back.” Kalim answered as he left the room, leaving the two teens alone.
It might be personal, but it might work.
“Yuya, I shouldn’t pry on your situation. But if these incidents continue to harm you, then we need to address several things.”
Forcing someone to reveal their problems isn’t going to help. But understanding enough can reduce damages in the future.
“It’s... Not too bad.” Yuya replied. “It’s just really bad dreams, I just need to reveal some stress. That's all.”
“Those ‘bad dreams’ are basically night terrors, especially if they cause you to ruin your bed in less than a month.” Let’s try to make an small estimation from a previous conversation. “Are these problems are worsening because of this school?”
“I guess so?” Yuya replied nervously. “It’s a bit more complicated than that.”
“Care to elaborate?” A bit forceful, I shouldn’t demand for more. “Not in great detail, just enough to get an idea.”
Yuya considers a bit before answering. “I guess I'm just not used to being this alone for this long. I mean the school seems fine, and I have been on my own before. I think... I think I miss the people from home.”
Those feelings could have cause his stress, then the stress might have caused those night terrors. Missing people can hurt.
“Is it fine to feel alone when away from loved ones. It can happen to anyone.”
“But I am at a boarding school.” Yuya stated. “I shouldn’t have these feelings; I should be okay with doing stuff on my own now. Even if I am... just physically myself.”
“Feeling alone in a school isn’t something we can control over by ourselves. Feelings can persist anywhere no matter how much we prepare, even when we feel hurt.”
I would know. No matter how much I convince myself throughout my life, I can never truly feel free.
“It’s okay to feel hurt, no matter how much you convince yourself otherwise.”
Yuya widened at the comment, forming a small but noticeable smile. “Thanks. It was nice to hear that.”
Before Jamil could reply, Kalim enters the room with a cart in tow, the sound of the cart caught the attention of the two teens as they turn to face Kalim. The cart that Kalim tows in has bags of herbal tea, several pieces of silverware, a charcoal tea stove plus teapot, bags of snacks, plates, and several sturdy cups.
“Sorry I was late,” Kalim said while munching on a chip. “I got hungry when I got the teapot. So, I got some snacks before getting the tea stuff.”
Jamil looked at Kalim and sighed, while Yuya was quietly giggling at the sight. At least this action has caused some levity.
“It's fine, actually. I can make this work.”
The tea stove was active as the teapot was boiling with plates onto a table, while Jamil went to retrieve breakfast from the kitchen. After the teapot was finished boiling, Kalim poured tea for all three of them while conversing with Yuya. Once Jamil delivered breakfast for the two, Yuya wanted to share some of his food with the braided teen. While Jamil denied at first, Kalim insisted on Yuya’s action while also giving some of his own food to Jamil, causing the braided teen to give in. The trio basically spent the morning having breakfast and tea together.
Breakfast is now finished as Jamil and Yuya are now cleaning the dishes. Despite Jamil insisting on washing the dishes by himself, Yuya was adamant about helping him.
Seeing how calm Yuya was while cleaning the silverware causes Jamil to feel a small but warmth feeling in his chest.
This felt... nice for some reason.
“Hey, Jamil.” Yuya turned to face Jamil. “Thanks for today, it really helps.”
“You shouldn’t thank me. Kalim was the one who set up breakfast and gotten my attention towards you.”
Bearing a confused look on his face. “What make you said that?”
“Well Kalim did get you to stop in your tracks for me to notice your injuries. Then he set up a leeway for breakfast when towing in the cart.”
In hindsight, if Kalim didn't bump into Yuya, then I wouldn't have healed those wounds.
Although not looking convinced, Yuya replied: “Even if so... it doesn’t change the talk we had this morning. It helps me calm down, even for a bit.”
While eyes are focused on the dish in hand. A small smile formed on his lips as that small warm feeling increased a bit.
“The one you behold is your master…” Jamil started chanting again, “When I ask you a question, you will answer. When I give you a command, you will assent! SNAKE WHISPER!”
It was in the Scarabia dormitory, where the hallway is now filled with brainwashed students. Even when a couple are still unaffected, they were now fighting off the students that were caught under Jamil’s spell.
It was chaos.
It felt good.
“Yes, that’s right…don’t hurt them…just let them run you out of here!” Jamil cackled, “Don’t stop until Kalim and our guests are gone!”
“Enough!” Yuya screamed as he stood in front of Jamil. “You’re going to get everyone hurt! Even you!”
Although eyes widened a bit, Jamil still felt a bit disappointed. “Everyone hurt?! Of all the people who I thought would understand… it was you, Yuya… but instead you teamed up with them and ruined everything! Why, Yuya?!”
"Because that plan of yours was related to your own pain! Your position is causing that pain and it is hurting you!" Staring with worry and familiarity in his eyes as Yuya took a few steps towards Jamil. “You’re even overusing your magic! Didn’t you taught me the issues of abusing magic constantly?! You can die from this!!”
Despite feeling touched, Jamil was now overwhelmed with anger when remembering what caused his pain, the main source of his torment.
“My fate means NOTHING when Kalim is here! Living blissfully as I suffer because of HIM!!”
“Just stop this, Jamil!” Kalim enters the scene while now standing in front of Yuya. “You can have whatever you want! I’ll resign as Dorm Head! I’ll even go home to my family! Just stop this!”
Things spiraled into further chaos, the dripping in his ear continued to increase as Jamil kept using his magic. Both Jamil, Kalim, and Yuya continue to argue and fight while everyone is fighting around them, starting to feel something enticing next to the braided teen. As he hears a constant sound pouring into his ear, letting the enticing feeling flow throughout his body.
“Don’t you order me around! I’m through with following others’ orders… I’m going…I’M FINALLY GOING TO BE FREE!!!!”
Everything faded to black.
Everything felt like a dream.
Everything now felt so good.
I will be free from my fate.