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From four to six in the morning - the extent of Rin’s sleepy time. It's been gradually shortening as her year of probation has worn on. It would be easy to sleep if only she felt tired, but she doesn't, and can't sleep if she attempts to before her eyes begin closing of their own volition, so what's the point of wasting time in tortuous waiting? Usually this has no ill effect on the next morning, but sleep deprivation stacks, and there comes a day when she’s laid low by the thing Sojiro warned her against.
“I'm too tired.” she whispers at the man staring down at her through the gloom of early morning, both hands on his narrow hips instead of just one. Serious business.
“That's your own fault.” he hisses.
“Have mercy. I’m trapped in a body with ten percent energy, maybe less. I’ll fall onto the train tracks like this.”
“I told you. I’m not looking after you if you become ill from staying up too late.”
“Please, Boss.” Maybe it wouldn’t have worked if Rin were male. Maybe it wouldn’t have worked if Rin hadn’t wrapped her tongue around the B Word, but something about her pathetic plea moves the not-so-stony heart of the titan.
“Fine, but you’re going to pay me back.”
All the blood drains from the sufferer’s face and she licks her lips, unavoidably noticing how her alleged guardian’s gaze flicks to them. “How?” she rasps.
“You’re going to take stock of the beans.”
“...Oh. Is that it?”
“Yes. What did you think?”
A horde of grotesque, degrading images fly though Rin’s mind like the monkey minions of a witch. “Nothing! Cool. Just, let me nap some more.”
“Hmpf. Fine. I’ll call your school.” Although Sojiro tramps back downstairs, Rin’s skin remains dead white.