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The all too-grand trial of Aventurine’s fate had concluded.
Topaz stepped away from the suffocating and sanctimonious atmosphere, retreating to the lower level of this makeshift ‘courtroom’ in search for her charismatic, gambling colleague.
To her surprise and dismay..he was nowhere near the currently vacating premises…which was odd. Very odd. It wasn’t like him to vanish or go silent after victory.
Numby sniffed around beside her, as if understanding where her mind was.
”…Let’s check his office, Numbs.”
She giggled at the trotters show of enthusiasm, as it excitedly bounced.
︵‿︵‿୨♡୧‿︵‿︵
She’d finally arrived to the grandiose double doors of his office, and lifted her right hand to knock, while the left adjusted her coat.
After a few minutes of complete silence, Topaz’s brows furrowed.
“…Aventurine?”
No answer.
She pushed the doors open, her concern growing too fast and too deep to continue waiting.
What she didn’t expect, was to find Aventurine holding his head, panting on the floor.
Topaz was at his side so quickly, she couldn’t even recall anything between being from his doors to him.
Aventurine was trembling, extremely warm, and hadn’t even noticed she was beside him.
Her hands hovered above him a moment—calculating what to do…or so she would tell herself. Seeing her co-worker like this was…startling, to say the very least.
Finally, her voice found lips once again, while her hands settled on his shoulders, an attempt to help him recollect. Pull his mind from orbit.
“Aventurine—can you hear me-?”
She gasped as he tilted to her. The blonde was more disoriented than she thought—leaning against her was something he would never do.
“…Aventurine?”
She tried again, pulling him back upwards. Small beads of sweat caused his bangs to stick to his forehead, and descended down his thin cheeks. Even Numby worryingly nudged against his waist.
Topaz bit her lip, whilst quickly pulling her right glove off. Her hand, although more room temperature if anything—seemed to bring him a hint of relief against his forehead.
“…Can you talk? Or hear me? At all?”
And finally, he nodded against her hand. It brought her the smallest hit of solace.
Although it was incredibly momentary, as his knees gave out and he fell fully forward—barely being caught by Topaz. Numby let out a sound of distress, running between his stomach and the floor.
“I don’t know how rough your throat is doing…but please tell me in any way you can; if you’re able to walk.”
He panted again, but nodded as he placed a gloved hand atop her own, still on his left shoulder.
She sighed, from a plethora of feelings and thoughts running through her mind—but Topaz had to—even if it was difficult, keeping going in steady steps. A pace.
Aventurine steadily rose with her cautious assistance, holding onto her like he knew not doing so would cause him to fall again. And he’d done enough of that today.
Usually she’d scold him—give a remark—and receive a witty or sarcastic comeback in response. Usually she’d berate him for his recklessness, his lack of self-care, his habits. Usually they’d be engaging in their typical banter that was playful at heart.
But nothing about this was usual. Instead, her typically boisterous co-worker was over-heating, clinging to her like he never would, and so miserable he couldn’t even manage to urge a single syllable from his throat.
He could certainly get on her nerves, annoy her to her wits end, but…seeing him in this state was…it felt wrong entirely.
Slowly but surely, Topaz managed to navigate them to Jade’s office doors, Numby at her heel, Aven sunken at her side, and avoided most passersbys.
She knew Aventurine would likely be upset at her later—give a remark that was disguised mocking. Masked hurt.
But at this point, she couldn’t bring herself to care for laters possible repercussions.
He had only gotten this ill, this debilitated after his trial—after experiencing a broken cornerstone being repaired—one that was attached to him. This wasn’t a simple cold or fever. It wasn’t something a small doctor’s check-up would fix-doubtfully so.
So, forgive her, Aventurine. But there was only one person she could think to go to—even if their relationship was…complex, to say the least.
She quickly lifted her ungloved hand and knocked.
“Madam Jade? Are you there?”
Topaz waited, holding her breath a moment as her superior opened one of her double doors.
She opened her lips, ready to give a hurried explanation, but it seemed Jade required none.
“Bring him to the chaise, against the shelves over there.”
The Lady motioned to the area she mentioned, while walking to her desk, retrieving something.
Topaz went to lay him fully down on it—but to her great shock, her Senior softly stopped her wrist, and took a seat where Aventurine’s head would soon be.
Jade went on to gently lay him against her lap, (fairly as a mother would) as Topaz could only look at the two agape—but quickly snapped herself out of it.
The lilac haired woman let out a quiet, pitiful ‘tsk’ as she felt and heard his labored breaths.
“I warned you to come see me afterwards, child.”
The blonde could only give an even weaker nod than before, his cyan and purple eyes barely staying open.
Jade held more underlaced urgency in her tone as she turned her glance to Topaz.
“He needs water-promptly.”
Topaz nodded, making a quick turn around to the door.
She ran down the hall, a noisier Numby beside her, to a break room. No comment was made to anyone else within, as she took a tall glass, filled it, and fled back out all the way back.
When she returned to the office, the atmosphere felt different. In what way? That was she couldn’t even decipher.
Topaz set the water on a small table beside the chaise, and leaned forward, bringing Aventurine’s arms to wrap around her shoulders, helping hoist him upwards. She could feel his left hand having odd spasms.
Jade kept a hand of her own pressed against his upper back. “He’s sweating through his blazer.”
She mentally smacked herself for not thinking to remove it sooner…but was also almost glad she didn’t. He was odd about touch…specific in how he wanted his clothes, or adjustments to it. The last thing Jelena desired was to make him feel vulnerable in ways that shook him; exposed in ways that frightened him.
Topaz brought the water to his lips, and for a couple minutes, everything was quiet. The room flowed with stillness so tense yet consoling at once.
Once he was done, the glass was set aside and he was pushed back down.
“…Feel any better?”
Topaz bit her lip in slight anticipation, helping nudge his coat from his shoulders.
“…Mmh…”
She smiled at the weak yet there confirmation.
“Although…perhaps nothing will hurt quite as severely as that blow from the Emanator.”
For the first time that evening, she watched a smile spread on his lips.
“…Proba-bly…not.”
A couple coughs left him—Jade elegantly tilted his head away, then back to her once they ceased.
“Do not push yourself now, child.”
Despite the firm tone, it was not scolding.
”..’M…sorry, ma’am.”
The senior stoneheart shook her head, turning from her reports to his face.
A thumb was placed over his lips.
“I told you already. Exhausting yourself further will do nothing for you now. So rest.”
Topaz, who had been quietly watching, drumming her fingers on her thighs, still sat beside his legs, cleared her throat; “Will he be alright now, Madam..?”
It’s Aventurine that responds to her, despite the Lady’s warning. His knee nudging her arm.
She sees possibly the first warm smile from him she ever has.
”..Stress…too much…Director.”
“Someone has to fret over your health, if it won’t be you.”
She shot back, with no real fire behind it. Simply happy to have a semblance of banter again.
”…Ah…awaiting…my down..fall, Director? Truly cruel…”
She gave a playful eye-roll and scoff.
“Yes, because I eagerly await taking on double the responsibilities.”
He weakly grips his chest in mock-offense.
”You…wound me, Director…”
She wanted to laugh, to continue the frail normalcy, but could now only find concern in the continued spasms of his left hand.
“Your hand..?”
She reached for it—but halted as he froze.
The mask was up too late—she saw it now—
“…Aven—?”
It was Jade who gave a final interception.
“Jelena, it seems they need your help downstairs.” Her tone was stern, yet soft. And it certainly wasn’t a suggestion either.
She didn’t miss the firm hand Jade pressed down against his left shoulder.
She nodded, rising.
“Did I…do something—“
“No—he simply needs a few moments to recollect, dear child. Nothing you should distress over.”
She nodded again, reaching to give him any reassurance through touch—but deciding against it.
Topaz, trotter trailing her feet, paused at the door.
“…He’ll be alright?”
Jade brushed the honey blonde hair from the tensed stonehearts face.
“Quite.”
The door shut behind her, and Jelena exhaled.
He would be better…he would…
Until he was, she would busy herself ensuring everything was in perfect order when he returned.
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Aventurine sighed, hearing the door click.
He wished it were the end of his masquerade for the night, but unfortunately…he still had someone in attendance.
His hand trembled, noticeably. To his great, fantastical dismay.
”M..adam…it’s…getting…late. I should..head to-“
“Like this? No.”
He was stunned at her outright refusal.
“…It is 22:46–“
“Little gem, i’ve already answered your every rebuttal. The answer remains the same.”
The holo screens she’s working on change, shifting through different finance reports, proposals…
That was true. While Topaz fetched water, he’d made the argument he could simply go back to his penthouse, rest there. She knew very well, however, him letting anyone monitor him there was unlikely.
Aventurine tilted his head to the holo screens..attempting to read the details…yet his vision remained bleary. Fuzzy.
“What’s…that one…for..?”
Jade continued her earlier ministrations through his hair.
“Another assignment. Ah—don’t volunteer, Pearl’s been eyeing this a while.”
Aventurine felt a weight lift from him at the mention of the kinder stoneheart.
”…wouldn’t…dream of…it…”
Jade tapped her fingers between his eyes. “Rest. It’s needed.”
He certainly wouldn’t, not voluntarily. Letting the Madam see him through a vulnerable state…
His debts to her were already quite high—
He felt fingers massage his temples.
“Rest. If Jelena is needed to ensure your comfort, I will send for—“
He quickly shook his head.
“Unnecessary.”
She’d seen enough today. Had seen too much.
Jade picked up on the hesitation. The reason.
“If anything happens in rest, I will owe you a great debt, child.”
Surely a deal like that will allow his leisure.
“…I see.”
He bit back words and the forbidden fruit, taunting; looming.
She felt his body grow heavier, in her lap.
And for the first time, the lilac-haired Lady sighed.
She summoned wine to her side, taking a small sip, focusing on the screen and tasks ahead…
‘PLANARCADIA; PHANTASMOON GAMES OFFICIATE’
They all had a long game ahead.