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“Ignis Rooks!”
Sion's hand trembled where he held his wand. Will Serfort had called out to him and before he could truly think he threw the last of his magic at the man whose attention he had sought for so long.
Because in that moment when surely they were all about to be rend apart by a creature they weren't ready to combat, Will had looked for him . He had trusted him to be able to support him. Not dear Collette, not that slug Julius, and not any of the others, but him.
How could he not answer?
This time he didn't aim directly at Will. He didn't know what he'd wanted. His flames couldn't hurt the beast.
But Will followed his lead, his magic, and dove into it.
“Wis!” He called out alongside Will, the chant dragged from a part of him he didn't know.
He felt his heart stutter as his magic was consumed.
He felt a piece of him drift towards the magnetic force that was Will Serfort and for once he was quiet and let it.
He felt his chest heave as he gasped for air, fire in his lungs as Will leapt forwards.
Everything in Sion's vision was crimson.
Everything except for the shock of blue of Will's hair and he prayed that too wouldn't get consumed by his magic - by the grand duke.
“Will…”
He felt like he was floating. He was filled with power as Will cleaved the duke in two.
Will chanted the spell and Sion could breathe again as the cast completed.
Ignis Wis.
He gulped in air. Someone's hands were on his back and that too burnt and felt numb all at once but he wasn't sure he could move to get them off him.
The others' voices sounded far away.
Was everyone alive?
Black crept over the red in his vision and he knew he was done. The last thing he saw was Will turning to him, in shock and awe, the way he'd wanted for so long.
He was saying something.
He was glad he couldn't hear. Sion had something to say.
And he would say it first.
He just wasn't sure what it was he wanted to say.
His hearing came back to him in a flash of light and Julius’ wretched cries. His wails could likely shatter the ears of the Magia Vander even from down here but it was doing a wonderful job of keeping Sion standing.
He focused on breathing and keeping his head bowed. He thought he was doing a stellar job which befitted his station until one of the King's party descended .
Had they caused offense?
There was no possible way unless it was to silence Julius’ snivelling. Though he understood. The relief following a life threatening experience was not to be taken lightly.
They approached Will.
Suddenly the fire that had been drained from him was back in his veins. He would not allow-
Sion felt sweat drip down his face and into the disgusting ground of the dungeon.
He wouldn't allow them to hurt Will? Why should he care? What could he do? Nothing. He was still just as powerless as he was moments ago.
Was he ready to challenge someone powerful enough to delve the depths of the dungeon with the king just for Will Serfort?
What was wrong with him?
There was absolutely nothing to be gained from such an action. If Will had done something to offend then that was on him and he deserved what punishment was coming!
It was not his responsibility!
Yet Sion could not help but kneel with his fists clenched and weak magic in his veins until the handshake ended and the cloaked personage departed from his view.
He was afraid of running away.
He does not remember how they got back to the school. If pressed he would be unable to answer whether they flew, walked, or took any other form of special travel.
The whole thing was a timeless blur of making sure he was conscious, checking that everyone was alive, staying no closer than a person's distance from Julius, checking that Will was still there, trying to stay awake, checking that Will was alive, letting his injuries be treated, checking that Will was still breathing-
He snapped his head up looking at the bed across the room. The sheets rose gently with his breaths.
“Go to sleep would you! You keep twisting and turning! What is it, Ulster?”
Sion grunted. He didn't know either. He was exhausted. The most exhausted he'd ever been in his life. But he could not rest.
The sheets rose gently with his breaths.
Sion rolled over so that he was facing the bed Will was in.
He supposed they'd been deposited in the same room so they could be monitored overnight. Sion's back hurt from being tossed around by that beast but it could have been worse, he could have died. And if he'd died, Will would have died too. Will had needed him.
“Why are you smiling? Creep. What the fuck is wrong with you, did you hit your head too many times?”
Come to think of it, Sion's head did hurt.
“Probably. My head hurts and my back feels like it's on fire. My insides also feel like they're on fire. If you could keep your mouth shut I'd feel a lot better, Julius. I'm sure Lihanna and Wignall would love to keep sleeping as well.”
Julius sits up.
Magic above, Sion was going to commit a crime.
“You were the one keeping me awake!”
“Shut up.”
The face Julius made was horrendous but at least he'd laid back down. Sion kept his eyes open and watching.
He couldn't help but move around, he really was in pain and he was sure he'd been healed.
Julius grunted before fully getting out of bed. Sion paid him no mind until he approached the flunkie's bed that sat between them.
“Hey, what are you-”
“Hey! Wake up! Sion is literally watching you sleep and he's freaking me out.”
A grumble but Will doesn't stir. Julius shakes him again.
Sion feels his breaths automatically deepen to stave off the sudden anxiety he feels. He won't wake up. What if he never wakes up? What will Sion do then?
Julius slaps him on the back and Will mumbles something.
“I don't care if you're tired. I'm tired and I can't go to sleep like this! Wake up, just for a minute.”
“...Julius?” Will mumbles and the voice clears his mind. Sion feels a familiar frustration crop up before his brain finds a more logical train of thought. Will probably hasn't even remembered where he is. He knows this but all he can consider is that he is there gently mumbling Julius’ name like he is worth his time.
Will shoots up in the bed, clutching his middle and looking around.
“Sion?!”
Sion stops breathing.
He doesn't move, Will is fine, Julius is, unfortunately, fine, Wignall has managed to sleep through all their nonsense or is pretending to sleep. He wasn't sure if Lihanna was asleep but she was making a good show of it. Colette was safely tucked into her dorm.
He just lays there with his eyes wide like an idiot.
Everything is fine. He'd like to sleep.
“Sion…? You-”
“See?! He's acting weird.”
Julius tucks his hair behind his ear before finally going back to his bed on the other side of Will.
Will sits there staring at Sion and Sion just lays there as he slowly notices how much everything really hurts.
Is it because he overused his magic? Or is it because of whatever it was that Will cast-
Will cast a spell. There was no denying that's what that was.
Will blinks slowly, like a cat, actually like Kiki.
Eventually Will lays back down, first on his back, and then awkwardly turning so he faces Julius.
It seemed that was no good either so he ended up facing Sion. The two just stared at each other. Sion refused to close his eyes until he was actually sleepy. Sion wanted to spar with him. That was new. He would make him do it tomorrow.
Will said something to Sion that had Julius groaning and whining but Sion didn't hear it.
That was fine. He still had something he wanted to say first.
His eyes fell closed and the last thing he saw was a small, precious smile, directed at him.
How'd he get that, he wondered. All this trying and he didn't really have to do much to have Will's eyes on him this time. Just a basic little fire spell was all it took.
He dreamt of being cleaved in two by the grand duke. After his upper half had been separated from his legs he still somehow lived and had to watch purple beams of light and deadly energy tear Will Serfort apart.
When he wakes he is trying to grab, or perhaps choke Will Serfort. It's not the first time they've been that close but it's the first time Julius has a hand between them and Wignall has his wand out.
“-on! Sion!” Will calls.
Sion blinks, “Good morning.”
“G-good…morning. Um.”
“Yes, Sion,your manners are perfect, would you mind letting go? This is tiring.”
Julius’ voice sounded strained and the hand on his wrist was cold, a balm to how hot he felt, how hot his magic felt. Will was bent halfway over his bed and he smelled the woods.
Sion quickly understood. The Julius holding him was a clone whose hand was quickly evaporating. Wignall had woken him from the horrid dream he'd been having with a counter illusion.
He wordlessly lets go of Will who backs out of range but doesn't go far as Sion gets up.
Good.
Sion is quick about getting ready and ignores the friendly air between Wignall and Will. He doesn't need that.
He leaves without comment, concerned for his mental well being when Julius follows.
“Go away.”
“Watch it, Ulster. I'm still above you in points.”
Sion smiles at him.
“I'm sure I'm going to regret this but you kept me awake for so long. What is it? What has you so out of sorts? Is it because the no-talent beat you or is it- okay, fuck.”
Sion breathes and lets his magic swell. He knows he needs to find his calm again. Most would say he wasn't but he was only like this about Will Serfort.
“Is it because of that…spell, he did?”
“No,” Sion breathed out. Why was he humoring Julius? He hated Julius. Just like he hated Will right?
“Is it because he asked you to punch him?”
He did do that, didn't he. His final rush against the grand duke wasn't the first time he'd desperately called out to him. It was then. He was terrified and he called for Sion. Sion held his hands and smiled at him like he understood what he'd been trying to literally beat into him. Finally.
Sion wouldn't let that go. He wouldn't forget such shameful behavior.
He smiled again and continued walking. Will Serfort trusted him.
And he'd trusted Will to exceed expectations as usual.
What a glorious feeling. Was this what he'd been trying to get out of them?
Today he would see if Will would seek him out. Then maybe they could spar and try to figure out what exactly they'd done. No matter that Sion was still recovering.
Then maybe after, if Will was hungry, Sion would let him come along for lunch, something much better than he'd get from the school's kitchens.
No one would bother him if it was just the two of them.
And then he could say what he had to say, even if he wasn't sure what the words were yet.