Chapter Text
"Ahh... It's raining... I don't wanna get wet." The dull light of an overcast sky gently coated the room with a pale colour.
Wacht's vocal fry betrayed how tired he was. If he had more energy, he wouldn't care about the weather... but he'd rather die than get out of pajamas at the moment. What a terrible night he had.
"You're not going to! His Highness said that... pfft, sorry..." (She steadied herself.) "His Highness said we're on indoor duty today. Haha!" Hilda had returned after a short summons to Crowlas' study, her armor gone. Likely gleefully stored away in her own quarters.
"Oh, thank god." Wacht had made himself look up to greet her, and his head flopped back down upon hearing the confirmation, squarely into the decorative pillow belonging to the couch. Now muffled, "Though I don' wanna look at books either."
Hilda looked outside, as a particularly intense sheet of rain struck the window. "I'd rather read books than be out in that. Hee-hee…”
Voices rung from down the hall.
"Mappela, you'd totally look like a princess if you'd just let me stack these books on your head! Just once? Pyon ★ ”
Wacht narrowed his eyes. Each pyon ★ felt like a punishment to his ears.
"Ehh... But, Sir Friede, wouldn't that be dangerous? What if my head started getting slimy, too? I'd ruin the books that he lended us…"
"Nonsense! Pyon ★ " Friede, similarly in more casual attire like Hilda, dropped the stack of books he had been carrying on the coffee table in front of the couch Wacht had claimed. "Your hat would contain it, pyon ★ "
Wacht turned momentarily to look. Timeline of Accursed Individuals . The Curse: Natural History of Parascientific Ailments . History of the Crow Kingdom's Royal Family . These belonged to His Majesty. As soon as the books were dropped onto the table, the sound of plates being stacked assaulted his ears.
"Sorry, sleepyhead, we're gonna use your cup depository as a coffee table today! Pyon ★ " The topic now shifted. “You don’t have to be sarcastic.” Wacht complained into the couch cushion.
“Just joking with you, pyon ★ ”
"Sorry, Sir Wacht... We'll try to be quiet. Are you done with these...?" Mappela gently asked, trying her best to keep the ooze on her hands off the glassware as she began cleaning up the table. Wacht was unable to see, but she was peering over him with concern.
Wacht said something like "fine, I don't care" but it was unintelligible from inside the pillow. After clearing the table off, Friede and Hilda followed Mappela and sat down formally on the other sofa and began doling out busywork assignments.
"This is basically homework." Wacht groaned. He finally sat up again, shrugging off a throw blanket, but not willing to give up the pillow that he held close to his stomach. Expecting to have to give up half the sofa to the last knight, he asked, "...Uh, where's Eldur?"
"Pfft... Wacht, behind you!"
Wacht nearly jumped out of his skin as he turned, finding Eldur staring down at him, curls curtaining the both of them. (The man really has to work on his resting bitch face.)
"W.. Wh... Dude, don't creep up on me like that! I'm already half dead!"
"..............My bad." Eldur's eyebrows furrowed and turned his gaze towards something else as he moved to sit down. Maybe the floor. (Ah, an Eldur signal of distress, sorry, sorry! ….but just how long were you watching me?)
Convinced into acting apologetic, Wacht moved some pillows and allowed Eldur to sit. Wacht didn't pay attention as they continued talking. It was just more pleasantries, looking for a cure that was never there. He just watched the rain hit the window past Eldur's shoulder.