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Coco rubbed her eyes after yet another failed attempt.
The young apprentice had no clue what time it was or how many nights it had been since she had had a full night's rest, but none of that mattered to her at the moment. She had to get this right, or else she could never fulfill her dream.
But Coco could not at all focus well enough, which made her attempts from last night better than what she has been trying to do tonight. Coco could not focus on getting her lines straight enough since her thoughts were running rampant, and her hands were shaking from overuse and exhaustion.
It was nights like this that the young girl thought of her mother and how much she missed her. Coco missed her reassuring world and the warm and calm presence that always made her feel better, even on the worst of nights.
But Coco's mother was gone.
And it was all her fault, and she still can not get her back because she can not get the spell right.
Coco let out a noise of frustration as she tore the failed attempt and dipped her pen back into the ink to try again. The tired girl felt tears prickle at her eyes from anger and exhaustion.
As she put her pen down to try the seal again, something wet fell on the paper, ruining it. Coco gasped as she noticed her tears grew rapidly, and no matter how hard she tried to rub them away, they would not yield.
"Come on, not now," Coco choked out. She then noticed how sore her throat felt and how she desperately needed water.
But there was no time she had to keep practicing, or she would never get it right, and she would be a failure.
A failure to master Qifrey, a failure to Agott, a failure to her mother, and a failure to herself.
Just as Coco was about to take a small break until the tears stopped, she jumped as she heard the door slam open. She quickly looked at who barged into her room, her face paling as she noticed it was a very concerned Agott.
The dark haired girls face was written with confusion and worry as she slowly entered the room. Coco tried to quickly compose herself, but it was too late.
"Coco?" Agott stepped closer, but still leaving distance between them. "Are you alright? When I got up to get water, I heard noises, and you should not be awake at this hour."
Coco tried her best to neutralize her face, hoping the other girl did not notice she was about two seconds from bawling her eyes out, before her fellow apprentice barged in like an ox.
"Oh yeah, sorry," Coco's voice was trying her best to keep her voice even, but she could feel it all crumbling. "I was just trying to do a little more practicing, but I'm alright," the green-haired girl tried to put a reassuring smile on her face.
Agott's face softened and she slowly croached in front of Coco, handing her the glass of water. "Here, I haven't drunk it yet, and it sounds like you need it more than I do," she offered.
At that, Coco felt she could not keep up her act anymore from being so exhausted, and Agott was being so nice to her for what? Even though she is a failure. Coco did not even care to stifile all the tears falling down her face or the pathetic noises that were probably leaving her mouth.
Suddenly, though, she felt two warm arms wrapping around her. It was not enough to stop the tired girl's distressed thoughts and let out loud and distraught sobs. Coco felt one of the arms come up behind her head and slowly rub soothing circles on her neck.
Much time had passed before Coco finally came to her senses and noticed she had both her arms tightly squeezing Agott while she was halfway on her lap, and her face was buried in her chest. Her friend's sleep dress definitely had a huge wet spot on it now. Agott, on the other hand, was holding her more gently, patiently waiting for her friend to calm down. Coco also noticed she was humming some soft lullaby.
Once Agott noticed Coco seemed to be over her crying fit, she gently rubbed her excess tears from her golden eyes and then placed a small kiss on her forehead. Coco could not help but blush profusely. She had never seen this side of her moody friend before.
Agott always seemed to have a distaste for Coco since they first met. Overtime there relationsip got much better with everything they have went though together. Coco will admit she had developed a small crush on the raven-haired girl, but never thought to act on it since the other seemed to have no interest in her.
But here she was comforting her. Coco has not felt this type of safety and comfort since her mother and the young girl craved it desperately. Craved for someone to help her with her woes like this.
Agott offered Coco the water again, and when the green-haired girl nodded, the other slowed and brought the glass up to her lips. Coco drank the water greedily, realising the cool feeling going down her sore throat.
After a while of the two sitting in silence, Agott broke the silence.
"You should get some sleep, and we can talk about it in the morning," Agott whispered.
Coco nodded, yawning, feeling all the exhaustion of all those sleepless nights and how much her crying fit had taken out of her.
Agott helped the tired girl stand and led her to her bed. She always pulled the covers over Coco's nearly asleep form. Just as Agott was about to leaved she felt a weak hand grab her wrist.
"Stay," Coco whispered weakly.
Agott climbed into Coco's bed over her blankets, and immediately Coco was fast asleep. As her breathing evened out, Agott gently played with her hair until her own tiredness caught up to her, and she fell asleep too.