Work Text:
‘Is she working? Or… asleep?’ Coco wondered, gradually creeping up on Agott, whose face wasn’t visible as she hunched over her desk. She sat down beside her and was startled when she turned around to face her. Coco saw the page Agott was drawing on, splotches of ink bleeding and spells distorting, looked up at her glistening eyes and realised she was crying.
“Hey, Coco,” she said, barely managing to put up a smile for her sake, but of course that wouldn’t fool Coco.
“Agott… what’s wrong?” she asked, brows furrowed.
“It’s nothing, don’t worry about it.” Agott replied decisively, averting her gaze from her roommate.
“It’s clearly something, and I can’t not worry about you when you’re upset. I won’t continue to insist if you still don’t want to talk about it, but I’m here to listen if that’s not the case.”
There was a silence for a moment, and the air was tense and still.
“Have you ever missed someone who doesn’t miss you?”
Coco didn’t know what to say.
“Or rather, they don’t even think about you at all?”
The realisation came to her. “Are you talking about your mother?”
Agott nodded. “Of course I want to prove myself and my worth to her, but will she will she truly love me even then? I’ve never admitted this before, but I wonder… if she could let me go so easily, call me unworthy of being an Arklaum, doubt my abilities and accusing me of something I didn’t do without even giving me the chance to prove her wrong, will she only care about me for what I can give her? For my academic ability, for the increased respect I can give to the Arklaum name? Not for me, my actual self. I only deserve her love if I can be up to her standards, be worthy of her.
I don’t want to be saying this, and I’m sure it’s nonsense anyways, but it pains me.”
Coco looked at Agott, who was staring down and fidgeting with her fingers.
“You know, Agott, this may not be the answer you expect, but I think you’re right in saying that.” Agott glanced back up at Coco, a glimmer in her eyes. “I’m not sure how to say this, but when you work so hard on your magic and strive to improve, that reflects on you. It reflects on Agott and Agott alone, that you’re brilliant in yourself. You’re your own person and your worth isn’t determined by what she thinks,” Coco explained, “and you don’t need to prove yourself to her. You don’t have to do anything for her. It’s undeniable that you’re worthy of all those things, and your mother is in the wrong for thinking otherwise and making you doubt that.”
Agott’s eyes swelled with tears again and she smiled, but Coco could tell it was genuine this time. Before she could say anything more, she was embraced tightly by her companion.
“Coco, you never fail to say exactly what I need to hear,” she remarked, “and I’m so lucky to have you. Thank you, truly.”
“Of course, Agott. I’m glad you felt like you could open up to me, and that my words brought you comfort. I care about you deeply.”
The two continued to hug each other, with the shared wish not to let go that didn’t need to be said out loud. They also fell asleep hugging one another, much to two other girls’ delight…