school: otome

[shaft]

Comments

week 1, saturday, health office

[shaft]

[ Claude is just in the health office, rummaging through the cupboards and supplies.

What is he doing... ]

[momming]

[ What is he doing...

She leans a little against the doorframe. ]

Claude?

[shaft]

[ Jumps! And whips around to spot her. ]

Otome! You caught me off guard.

[momming]

That's me, silent and stealthy.

[ she says in her soft voice, yep. ]

Am I interrupting anything?

[shaft]

[ He shakes his head, sliding back so that he can lean against the examination. ]

Nothing but the desperate scrambling of a madman. I'm afraid today has really come at the cost of my head.

[momming]

... [ She frowns, a little sympathetically. ]

You were still recovering, as it was...

[shaft]

I suppose. I just...

Don't know how to live with this outcome.

[momming]

With us condemning an innocent person to death?

... I felt terrible doing it to someone guilty, and now...

[ Well. They fucked up. ]

[shaft]

[ ... ]

I'm glad that you didn't vote for yourself, at the very least.

[momming]

Given how a fourteen-year-old called me stupid for it, I thought I had best not.

Also, I don't even want to think about going fully deaf or blind and being unable to help.

[ She'll behave. ]

[shaft]

[ He laughs a little at that. ]

The kids around here are pretty ruthless. But if that's what it takes, I won't complain. I do wish you'd consider it for your own sake though.

[momming]

I'm still waiting for those sweet nothings from you, of course.

[ ... She. Is very bad at considering anything for her own sake. ]

[shaft]

You are? I must be neglecting my duties.

[ He smiles, before shaking his head and letting his head tilt back to stare at the ceiling. ]

Will she really be expelled tomorrow?

[momming]

I see, so it would be considered a job.

[ Banter is easy. What follows is not, and Otome falls silent for a moment. ]

... I expect so. I think so long as they have someone, they can continue their game.

[ But she hates it. ]

[shaft]

I don't believe that we're helpless. There must be something. Something we're not seeing.

[ He sounds pretty obviously frustrated. ]

I... it's enough to drive someone mad.

[momming]

... I'm not giving up. As you said, there has to be something. And we might not have all the pieces yet, but I think-- no, I know...

We'll find a way to get through this. And to get everyone back to where they belong. And maybe that's idealistic of me, but--!

[ She cuts herself off, because her voice just cracked a little. But she's obviously just as frustrated. ]

I don't... [ Otome tries again after a moment. ] I don't want any of these people to die. I didn't want those who passed to die, either. And that this really might continue... frustrates me more than anything. So...

[ She has to keep trying. ]

[shaft]

[ He watches her for a moment before pushing off the table and walking over. Carefully, in case she wants to draw away, he'll put a hand to her nape, pulling her toward his shoulder.

They can just be miserable and frustrated together. ]

Yeah. It sucks. We have no choice but to lick our wounds tonight and then get back to it tomorrow.

[momming]

[ What a great thing to be together, honestly.

Otome is already half of the mind to remind him not to strain himself, he's still very much healing, but then he reaches out and before she knows it, his hand is cupping the back of her neck and her forehead is pressed against his shoulder.

She doesn't cry, but she does release a shaky breath before one hand comes up to curl her fingers into the back of his shirt. There's almost instantly a give to her, though she's careful not to lean too much and bump into his arm. ]

Then that's what we'll do. Maybe just don't tell everyone the doctor crumbled a bit in your arms, please?

[shaft]

[ Claude hardly cares about the strain in his arm anymore, the dull throb that accompanies each beat of his heart.

She's a slight enough weight that it's no burden on him at all. ]

Don't worry, I'm a master of keeping secrets. You can remain here as long as you like.

[momming]

Don't tempt me.

[ With a soft, weary laugh. ]

You still need to rest, young man.

[shaft]

Very interesting of you to call me young man when we're about the same age?

[ He doesn't move. ]

[momming]

I never said I wasn't a young woman, did I? Even though I do have a year on you.

[ That's fine, she doesn't either. Yet. ]

[shaft]

Right, that year makes you practically ancient.

[momming]

You know...

[ She turns her head, just enough to catch his eye with a mock-reprimanding tone that she just ends up murmuring into his neck. ]

For someone speaking to your senior, I don't detect an ounce of respect in your voice.

[shaft]

[ Tickles... ]

I apologize, madam! However shall I make up for the error of my ways?