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been-taking-muay-thai-classes · 1 year

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I Can't Heal What's Broken (All I Need Is A Change)

This was supposed to come out like a week ago but then I kept having ideas for things that could happen during Rollo’s first day at nrc and then I kept second guessing if the guys were in character and long story short it’s 12k words again, whoops.

We don’t really have too much to go off of given how little time Rollo has had so far (yes I totally expect him to come back I am booboo the fool 🤡) and then there’s the language barrier, but hopefully the guys feel accurate enough.

Also, I allude to the Prefect being a somewhat good painter because I noticed there’s a canvas on the room in-game and I thought ‘hey if I or anyone painted regularly for a few months we’d probably get good at it, right?’ Also because I thought it made for some nice interaction with Rollo.

Trigger Warning: descriptions of anxiety attacks.

The Prefect was trembling slightly, whether from cold or nerves they weren’t sure. Probably a combination of both.

In just a few minutes Rollo would arrive and change everything about how Ramshackle operated. They felt excited yet anxious, what if they didn’t get along? It’d be miserable to share a living space with just one other person and not get along. But worse it’d be if Rollo couldn’t adapt to life in NRC.

‘Quit shaking henchman! You’re making me dizzy!’ Grim complained from his spot in the Prefect’s arms. They let out a quiet apology and let him down as they saw Crowley approach with someone in tow, Rollo.

The Prefect gulped down their nerves. There was no more time to overthink this, the decision was made. Time to show Rollo the determination and friendliness they were known for here at NRC.

‘Grim, please behave today, we don’t want to make Rollo’s first night here anymore difficult than it already is’ By the way Grim opened his mouth and furrowed his brow, he wanted to retort something but soon chose to shut up and scamper off back to the dorm muttering something about counting how many snacks he had before anyone tried to steal from him.

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Rollo was perplexed. Two months after the symposium, when he admitted in front of the student council what he had done during the symposium- no, why he had suggested the symposium in the first place, he expected looks of disgust and betrayal, words of anger and demands of punishment, to be kicked out of the school and thrown in jail. Sure, the other students had looked betrayed, and they had also risen in anger to demand answers but ultimately they didn’t punish him as harshly as he had expected, as he had hoped.

‘Presid- Rollo, please…please tell us this is a joke’ The desperation in Yeshua’s voice was palpable, they all knew Rollo was not one to joke around ‘There has to be an explanation, a reason why you did that? Please just tell us’ Tristan was noticeably quiet, staring at the floor in deep thought.

Rollo didn’t feel like explaining, not after the way those Night Rave students reacted, like their anger had been tempered by sympathy. Rollo didn’t need sympathy, he needed to atone so that this guilt would finally go away.

So he remained quiet, just looking at Yeshua with a blank stare.

‘The gargoyles said that you were troubled’ Ah, so they talked to other people besides himself ‘That maybe we would manage to reach out to you since we are made of flesh and blood, but it seems you’re not ready yet Rollo’ Tristan’s hand felt warm on his shoulder, reassuring almost.

His eyes told him he was hurt, utterly heartbroken but also ashamed, as if the depth of his fear and sorrow was something they should have been able to know.

Rollo’s stomach twisted and turned, he felt his lungs battle to get the air in, his head spun and suddenly the room was too tiny. He had to get out, now.

He rushed outside, breathing madly in and out, saliva coating the corners of his mouth as he tried to calm himself. The world kept spinning so he closed his eyes, took a deep breath in and tried to remind himself that he was fine, he just had to get this over with so the guilt would disappear. Soon he’d be in jail and all thought of his plans, of his time in this school and of his talks with the people of the city would be erased by time.

He turned around when he heard the click of the door and saw his classmates standing there with troubled looks. Clearly still processing what he said. Rollo hoped they would decide something already.

Instead, Yeshua and Tristan brought the situation to the Headmage who quickly tried to make sense of everything. Naturally he couldn’t just tell the authorities about the Crimson Flowers, it could damage the school’s reputation and in turn the other student’s prospects for the future. There was also the fact that Rollo was a model student, dutiful, serious and responsible and Headmage Tirmont had to also admit that being able to bring a flower back from extinction was a most impressive feat, even if the flower itself was dangerous. Truly Rollo could do great things in the future! But for that he had to have a future.

He was stuck between a rock and a hard place. What to do? In the following weeks he consulted with the rest of the student council, to see the perspective of the students who would be most affected by this going public.

While heartbroken, they agreed that Rollo had done much too good for their school to just be labeled a criminal for the rest of his life, and they also hoped that he could be reformed since nobody had been permanently hurt in the chaos the flowers wrought. Surely if he had confessed it was because he knew in his heart that he did wrong and wanted to make amends.

The Headmage then sent letters to a few other schools, hoping to find one that would give him advice on this peculiar situation. It was then that Rollo pointed out that the students from Night Raven College were aware of his actions and chose to not turn him in at the time so they could enjoy the ball. He asked the Headmage to send a letter to their Headmage so they would convince Tirmont that he deserved to be imprisoned.

Yeshua and Tristan once again argued, saying that he didn’t deserve such a severe punishment but he was certain they only said that because they admired him for years, until he let them down.

When all the letters had been sent, Headmage Tirmont admitted that he considered expelling Rollo, much to the chagrin of his classmates. He almost smiled but then the Headmage explained ‘There have been many overblots in Night Raven College this year, and yet all the students who’ve overblotted have reintegrated classes just fine. I think that whatever the reason, Crowley has the key to ensure mister Flamme can atone without ruining his future’ At this, Yeshua smiled brightly and Tristan yelled in elation.

Rollo was…touched, even if his face showed displeasure. Yet, a part of him still wished for proper punishment. He hated being eaten by guilt every time he cleaned the Bell of Salvation or whenever a student complimented him for his dedication to the school or when the people from the city smiled brightly at him for his help after the disaster. He had done so much in the days after the symposium hoping to quell the guilt growing in his heart, hoping that he would not have to face justice… but he was a Noble Bell student, the student council president in fact, and one does not study here without wanting to emulate the Fair Judge at least in some aspect.

No, Rollo could not live with himself unless he admitted his crime and faced proper punishment for it, it was only fair.

This was not fair.

Getting expelled from Noble Bell College extra-officially only to be sent to Night Raven College so he could finish his studies seemed like a slap on the wrist to him. The Headmage assured him that it’d be punishment enough but Rollo kept arguing for more. Deep down he didn’t want to have to face the Night Raven College students again, after the way they stopped his plan and made him face his own demons, it left him feeling worse than guilty, it made him feel vulnerable.

‘Rollo, you are a great student, ask anyone at Noble Bell College and they will say so. You have done so much since your enrollment, and twice as much since the symposium I assume because you wanted to repent somehow. And even if you weren’t such a reliable student, there was no permanent damage, nobody lost their magic and nobody got seriously injured, so to punish you the way you wish to would be disproportionate, it’d be unfair’

The Headmage’s words were pushing through his carefully placed barriers. Rollo couldn’t voice it but he did want a second chance, the opportunity to regain his classmates' trust and hold his head high when visiting the city. Maybe he should listen to what the Headmage wanted to propose.

‘See my boy, I contacted some other Headmages in hopes of sending you to finish your studies in a different school, because I firmly believe that you must graduate and use your talents for good, but I also think you can’t stay here’ Rollo was no fool, he understood perfectly why that would be best for him but it still hurt ‘Between how the students would feel having you here everyday and how much you love our city, I believe this must be part of your punishment: once you leave for your new school you may not return until we believe you have atoned properly. To that end, the city council and I will grant you an audience on this day five years from now to see how far along you have come. Until then, you are banned from entering the City of Flowers’ Rollo tried to suppress his emotions but…well he wasn’t made of stone, unlike the noisy gargoyles. His face showed the shock and hurt coursing through his heart. He grit his teeth and tried to swallow the knot forming in his throat, for as much as he hated to say it this was what he had wanted when he confessed his crime, a fair punishment.

So why? Why did he feel like this? Why did he feel like hiding under his bed to cry?

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The day had finally come. Rollo’s bags were packed and he stood solemnly in the front gates of Noble Bell College, wearing casual clothing instead of his uniform. The Headmage had given him a few indications to reach Night Raven College safely as well as his tickets to Sage’s Island. He warned him that the trip would be long so he should try to use it to prepare mentally for his new life.

Throughout his whole explanation, Rollo’s eyes were empty. As much as he knew this was a much better outcome than what he deserved, he still felt awful. To leave his beloved City of Flowers for so long…maybe forever if his guilt remained as strong as it was now. And he didn’t even want to think of what would await him in Night Raven College.

His thoughts were interrupted by the sound of heels clicking on the cobblestone. The rest of the student council. They looked conflicted to be here, still grappling with someone they respected so much doing something so awful and yet wanting the best for him. Rollo was surprised to see them seeing how early it was, and half expected them to start crying waterfalls amidst their goodbyes. Once again they surprised him. ‘Ex president Rollo…we have come to bid you goodbye’ Yeshua stepped forward with a solemn expression and soon the rest followed ‘We hope that in Night Raven College you may find redemption, not just from others but from yourself. We all agreed to give you this second chance because we believe there is still good in you and we want to see you become that dependable man again, so please do your best’ They all gave a small reverence and Rollo felt guilty all over again. As foolish as they were for being so kind, he still saw in them some of the best students Noble Bell had to offer…and he almost ruined their futures…

‘I will return when I am worthy’ Rollo was never good at goodbyes, or at greetings or at conversations. He wasn’t the most social person but he could make do when it was required of him. Still, the boys in front of him knew him better than most and knew he meant every word. If he didn’t feel worthy of the city, of the Bell’s forgiveness, even if the council deemed him fit he would not return. With that, he entered the carriage and looked one last time at the city that saw him and his brother grow… he saw the stores selling their goods, he smelled the freshly baked croissants and he heard the goats bleating happily and a single tear trailed down his cheek.

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Arriving at Night Raven College had proven to be quite the long trip. Once at the airport he had to take a train, then transfer to a bus, board a ferry, transfer to ANOTHER ferry and once he finally was at Sage’s Island he took another bus to finally reach the imposing gates of the prestigious College. During the long journey, Rollo made use of the Headmage’s advice and thought of what might await him.

To say he was nervous was an understatement. Rollo fully expected to be received by a group of students still mad at what he had done, ready to lynch him. Instead it was only one man standing imposingly at the front gate. His semblance was grim, with unblinking eyes hidden behind a pointed mask, the feathers on his coat swayed with the wind and for a moment he swore he felt that same breeze run a nail across his cheek. Rollo shook his head to clear his mind and stood as straight as he could. ‘Headmage Crowley, thank you for accepting me amongst your students despite my conduct, I will not waste the opportunity you have given me’

Crowley remained unblinking but the movement of his eyes told him he was being studied thoroughly. Naturally Rollo tried to stand taller, to appear more confident and ordered than he was. Finally, the man spoke ‘Why yes! Of course I am happy to give such a bright student a second chance, for I am ever so kind! I’m sure you will fit right in with the students of Night Raven College, mister Flamme. Do follow me now to your new dorm’ With an arrogant smile that hid his previously threatening aura, the man turned around and opened the gate.

The creaking of the metal made a chill run down his spine. For some reason, Rollo felt as if crossing that threshold were an end, to what though? His life? In a way, yes. Once he walked into the campus he would officially be a student of Night Raven College, and while the thought itself wasn’t fastidious, it didn’t feel right. So he took a deep breath and steeled his nerves. This was his punishment, so he had to take it in stride if he ever wanted to return home.

Rollo followed Crowley silently, his steps barely making a sound. Just a few meters away from the gate, the man spoke again ‘Headmage Tirmont tells me you are banned from returning to the City of Flowers until further notice, so I can’t allow you to use the Dark Mirror to visit but if you find yourself wanting to visit some other locations, I’ll be so kind as to open a pathway for you’ He acknowledged his words with a simple thank you and a nod.

Reaching a crossing, the Headmage turned right and proceeded to explain what some of the buildings were. ‘Opposite of where we’re going is the Coliseum, where the Spelldrive matches are played. Over here is Mister S’ Mystery Shop, where you can restock on almost anything really, Sam always has a good selection of anything you may need’ Rollo glanced in the direction of the shop and noted it’s location in case he ever needed something, but other than that didn’t pay much attention to the details. He would do that come morning.

‘Over there is the Hall of Mirrors, it is the only way to reach the other dormitories as they exist in pocket dimensions. In theory students can come and go as they please but some dorms are more welcoming of visitors than others, so I advise that you use it with discretion’ A small nod was his only answer until he realized they were not going towards the hall but rather around it. Wasn’t he going to live in one of the famed seven dorms? Come to think of it, he didn’t undergo the Mirror Ceremony he has heard about, so where are they going? ‘Headmage, may I ask where will I be staying?’

‘Oh don’t worry about it, we’re almost there. Anyways over here we have the Alchemy Workshop and over there is the Botanical Garden’ The Headmage just kept talking in his chipper tone as if Rollo had never made a question, which irritated the boy a little ‘You are free to visit them on your own time, plenty of students like to maintain a variety of plants both innocuous and dangerous in the Botanical Garden, although I must warn you that everything there is communal so as much as you can make use of plants grown by someone else, they may make use of the plants you grow’ There was a certain glint in his eyes that made Rollo embarrassed. He was teasing him for what he had done with the Crimson Flowers. No matter, spreading the flowers here would be a monumental task and he would rather focus on his studies.

As they kept walking in silence, they approached what seemed to be some abandoned woods in the back of the school. Then, he noticed the building in the distance. Ah, that must be the Ramshackle dorm the Prefect had spoken so fondly about, although it didn’t seem nearly as dilapidated as they had described it. All their effort fixing it up must be paying off, it looked beautiful. Rollo couldn’t help but smile, while they hadn’t talked as much as he wished during their visit, he appreciated how hardworking the Prefect was. The fact that they had to do everything without magic simply added to his admiration.

‘Well, here we are, your new residence: Ramshackle dorm’ Crowley made a grand gesture towards the gate while the Prefect walked down the staircase smiling all the way.

Rollo hadn’t forgotten how they looked, but his memory certainly didn’t do them justice.

‘Hi Rollo, welcome to Ramshackle, I hope we can be friends’ Their smile was warm and inviting and Rollo desperately wanted to smile at them too, but he held back, giving instead a polite nod and a handshake that lingered for just a second more than was strictly necessary.

‘Are you certain that you are okay with me staying here? I would understand it if you would rather I stay somewhere else’ Rollo had to make sure, he didn’t want to impose on them after what he put them through. ‘It’s fine, I’m actually looking forward to sharing the dorm with someone’ He couldn’t tell if they were being sincere or just nice, but whatever the case he had to accept the answer. He wanted to believe they were being sincere.

‘Well then, mister Flamme, I leave you in the very capable hands of the Prefect. If you need anything please don’t be afraid to ask them. Behave’ The threat went unheard by the Prefect but not by its intended target. The swing between the chipper, arrogant Headmage and the powerful, threatening sorcerer was baffling to Rollo…and a little bit intimidating.

It occurred to him that maybe living so far away from the rest of the buildings on campus meant he could easily be disposed of if he angered the wrong people.

The Prefect seemed to sense his worry for they spoke in a calming manner ‘Ignore him, Crowley tends to not be a very attentive Headmage. In fact, most of the time I’m the one doing his job for him. Anyways, your bags are already inside, I can show you around so you can pick a room to settle for the night’ They led the way to the dorm, making amicable talk on the way. Mostly the Prefect asked about his trip, how he shouldn’t be afraid if he heard odd sounds since it was probably just the dorm’s ghosts playing some prank and how they would help him if he needed anything.

Rollo felt awkward, while he appreciated the Prefect’s kindness, he couldn’t help but feel much like he did back home: filthy and undeserving of their warmth, guilty.

It wasn’t fair.

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Rollo’s first night in Ramshackle was…….interesting, to put it mildly. First there was the loud familiar who kept demanding he bow to him “as the boss of the dorm” and whom the Prefect seemed to entertain. He considered bowing a little but quickly discarded the idea with a noticeable blush. He would feel ridiculous bowing to a familiar like that but he still chose to entertain the little creature to maintain some peace among them and also because the Prefect seemed fond of him.

So, Rollo crouched a little, looked Grim in the eyes intensely for a few seconds and then patted his head tenderly. The monster-cat didn’t wait a second to make his displeasure known, yelling ‘Ngyaaa! What’re you doing?! I am the Great Grim, you must treat me with respect! Not like some common cat!’ Rollo ignored him and kept petting him, hearing the purring underneath all the yelling and sensing the familiar moving his head closer to his hand. The Prefect stifled their giggling at the sight and rolled their eyes, probably used to this behavior by now.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Rollo smiled earnestly, basking in the warmth that spread in his heart.

If only the night had continued like that, maybe he would have been able to sleep. Instead, the Prefect showed him around, explaining that while most of the first floor and some of the second floor bedrooms were clean and ready to use, the dorm still needed quite some fixing.

‘The plumbing’s working though, so don’t worry about the water running cold. Heh I used to have to rush when I first got here because the hot water would come and go at random’ The Prefect shuddered for dramatic effect in an attempt to make him laugh and Rollo only felt pity. Stranded in this strange new and dangerous world, and the Headmage hadn’t seen fit to at least give them decent living accommodations? Dreadful. At least while he stays here, Rollo should try and help with the cleaning and repairing of the dorm, it’s the least he could do to reciprocate the Prefect’s kindness.

This thought remained in his mind until he finished showering and prepared to go to bed. Sitting on top of the comforter and staring at his hands, there was not a sound to be heard in the whole dorm, not even the creaking of the floors.

Rollo had avoided thinking too much about…well anything really, since his travel began. Yes he had grown used to the idea of studying in Night Raven but that didn’t really strain him much. No, what he had avoided thinking about was everything else.

His brother, playing with his magic and showing him all the tricks he had learned recently. ‘Look! I can make the light change colors!’ ‘Don’t worry, I can get the fruit from the top of the tree with a breeze! Watch out!’ ‘Please Rollo, tell me that story again. I love the way you tell it’

Yeshua running behind him, talking with Tristan and asking for his opinion of everything, be it student council related or not. ‘Should we remind the students that they need to talk with the teachers themselves if they will leave on vacations early?’ ‘Do you think the blue compliments my eyes? Or maybe I should go with the cerulean?’ ‘We were searching for a place to go eat with the rest of the student council, would you join us?’

The people of the city, welcoming him with big smiles and relying on him like a trusted friend. ‘Ah, Rollo! I saved you some croissants, I know they’re your favorite’ ‘There you are Rollo, I just received this package for Laurent, can you give it to him? He said he can’t visit the city until he’s done with his homework’ ‘Dear, would you lend me a hand? My feet are killing me and these bags are much too heavy for these weary old hands’

His breathing quickened with every memory, he felt as if his chest was constricted, heavy. It was impossible to get air into his lungs. He stood up and walked to the bathroom, still trying to control his breathing. He splashed water on his face and when that wasn’t enough he did it again and again and again.

He stared at his reflection in the mirror, a mess of tears and ragged breathing desperate for respite. He filled the sink with water and, taking one last look at himself, dunk his head in.

He remained there for as long as he could. Around ten seconds later he rose up and dove back in, this time remaining for a good twenty five seconds. He repeated the process until he was sure his breathing was back to normal.

He sat down on the cold tile floor and grabbed his head. These bouts of fear were becoming increasingly common and he didn’t know how to fix it, could barely contain them when they happened. Maybe he should stop thinking about the past. Seven know he won’t be getting anything good from reliving his failures.

After drying his face, he sat back on his bed and closed his eyes, trying to catch some sleep, or at least allow his eyes to rest some.

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Rollo’s first day of class was full of…how to put it? Exciting happenings.

First thing in the morning he was met with the Ramshackle ghosts the Prefect had mentioned the night prior.

They haunted some of his things to make noise and wake him with a jump but since he was warned of their little pranks, he sort of expected it. It didn’t help their attempt to prank him that he was already awake when they began haunting his furniture and bags.

As he stood there, toothbrush in his mouth, staring at them unimpressed, the ghosts semi-stopped their shenanigans and introduced themselves.

Rollo could tell by the tone of their voice that they were disappointed they couldn’t scare him and he felt slightly bad for them. Sure they were ghosts, and from what the Prefect had told him they were also prone to these sorts of tricks, but they had also said the ghosts cared for them a lot since they had given them so much support during their most uncertain times living here. So he relented a little and pretended to faint to make it seem like he had been processing the sight of actual ghosts.

They yelled in happiness, praising each other for their welcoming prank on the boy and then asked him about himself.

They reminded him of the gargoyles back in the belltower, annoyingly nosy and sentimental… he smiled as they told him to come to them if he ever needed someone to talk to. So similar…

The Bell was shining beautifully today, after Rollo’s careful cleaning. Just below, he could hear the gargoyles moving around, probably trying to predict when he’d come down so they could hound him with their incessant questions about his day, attempts to prank him and offers of games and idle chat.

Rollo had no time to entertain their childish conversation, he had to prepare study guides for the freshmen, discuss the schedules of the physical exams with the teachers for the students who had to leave early on holidays and he had to talk with the club leaders to see if there was anything they may need for the upcoming semester that may be harder to get into the budget.

‘Rollo! We were just thinking about how great it’d be if you joined us for a game!’ The gargoyles hopped around him, trying to show him the board game they had acquired -he had gotten it for them at their insistence- and which was their recent obsession seeing how little they had to do around the belltower.

‘I am afraid I have much to do right now, perhaps next time I can join you’ It was a blatant excuse, and one the gargoyles had heard a few times by now so they responded differently this once ‘But Rollo, you always say you’re busy and then you come back at night just to sit and stare pensive at the horizon. Why not play with us instead? Then maybe you won’t feel so overwhelmed at night’ … Since when were the gargoyles this perceptive?

Rollo sighed as he allowed the gargoyles to lead him to his seat. He already knew the game, it was the classic Life but with locations specific to the Shaftlands. Still, he said nothing as the gargoyles explained the rules and set the board.

They were so excited for a simple game they kind of reminded him of someone dear to him……… Sighing, Rollo threw the dice and moved his piece. He picked a card and again moved his piece.

The game continued like this, with the gargoyles trying to make him open up and him avoiding it with simple comments about his school life.

He could sense his defenses weakening, at some point once the board was all purchased and only three players remained, Rollo caught himself almost confessing to having trouble sleeping due to the guilt. Luckily he managed to shut up before the gargoyles could hear him, who knows what kind of sentimental talk they would give him if they knew he was feeling troubled.

Once the game was over he dusted his clothes, gave a small bow and thanked them for the game. Serious as ever, he made to leave when the gargoyle spoke ‘Rollo, I know you don’t think we can be of much help because we are made of stone and live here on the belltower, but sometimes all you need is someone to listen and we excel at listening, so please don’t forget we are here for you. And if you really don’t want us to listen, at least remember that there’s always someone who cares’

Rollo stood there for a few seconds and for a moment the gargoyles thought he would stay and share his burden with them, but soon that fantasy was shattered by his steps growing farther. Rollo would never admit it to the gargoyles directly but their words had given him something to think about.

When he heard the ghost’s laughter disappear down the stairs as they told the Prefect how much they liked this new student and the Prefect responded happy that they were getting along, he knew he made the right decision. Even if it cost him dirtying his clean shirt.

Going downstairs to meet with the Prefect and Grim, he noticed them staring at him while Grim eyed the uncooked food. Ah right, back during the symposium he was wearing the Noble Bell uniform, today he wore only the school pants and a white shirt since he hadn’t found the school jacket provided by the Headmage. Even so, Rollo felt a little self conscious, was his appearance that different without his robe? The Prefect kept glancing down to his torso and back to his face as if to make sure it was really him and he started to feel like covering up. He steeled his nerves and tried to match the Prefect’s stare. Soon their eyes were locked in a sort of unblinking game.

When their game lasted for a few seconds too long and Grim heard them giggle slightly, he yelled ‘Hey, henchman! You’re supposed to give him the jacked! Stop playing around! Hyeee!’ The monster-cat grabbed the jacket from their hands, startling them with the volume of the yell, and Rollo saw a little flush on their face. He didn’t have time to notice anything else as Grim handed him the jacked and demanded praise for being such a thoughtful boss.

Rollo looked at the cat, then at the Prefect who simply shrugged, and then back at Grim. With a little embarrassment, Rollo scratched Grim’s ears while muttering a small ‘Thank you, Grim sir’ that made the cat purr, although he pretended to be indignant at being treated like a cat. The Prefect once again commented how happy they were to see them all get along so well and Rollo felt proud at exceeding their expectations.

After sharing a nice breakfast with the Prefect and Grim, consisting of an egg omelet, accompanied by some toast, fruit and coffee, they were on their way to class.

On the way to the main building, the Prefect made good on their word of showing him around the campus so he could actually recognize the buildings he’d have to use for the rest of the year.

Rollo was impressed with the size of the campus now that he could appreciate it in its entirety.

He could understand why Night Raven College was considered such a prestigious school, seeing the quality of its infrastructure and knowing firsthand the proficiency of its students.

‘Anyways… uh… we have different classes since I’m a freshman and you’re a third year but if you need help getting to your next class, come find me. I have potionology with professor Crewel’ The Prefect gave him the directions to their classroom since Rollo didn’t have a phone to contact them in case they wanted to meet up. He repeated the instructions perfectly and headed to his classroom before the bell rang, bidding them a good day.

The class itself was easy enough, history of magic was a subject he didn’t struggle with (not that there was any subject he struggled with) and thankfully there were no group assignments for the time being. Still, he couldn’t help but feel…observed. While the teacher turned around to write on the board, Rollo made a quick survey of the room to try and figure out who was staring at him. Sure enough, he found him sitting just a few rows back.

Rook Hunt, one of the guests for the symposium. Rollo remembered him well enough, what with his extravagant speeches, cheerful disposition and that awful nickname he gave him. He wasn’t sure what to make of him underneath all of that, but he got the feeling he was more dangerous than he seemed, especially with the way his gleaming eyes didn't match his smile.

Rollo gulped, worrying that he would get in trouble so soon. He could endure the rejection and even hatred he may get from the students here, after all he didn’t really have any attachments to them, but he would rather not make more enemies if that would cause trouble for the Prefect as well.

When class ended, Rollo grabbed his things and left to find the Prefect immediately, not wanting to risk a conversation with the blonde.

He found the Prefect laughing at a heated argument between two boys about who’s fault it was that their potion took so long to work.

‘I’m telling ya it was all Juice’s fault! He kept stirring way too slow!’ The redhead boy signaled to a blue-haired one who seemed to take issue with his statement.

‘I was stirring at the right speed! You just told me to stir in the wrong direction because you never read the instructions Ace!’ Rollo realized then that these must be the Prefect’s friends, Ace and… Juice? He couldn’t quite remember what his name was but he felt somewhat certain that it wasn’t Juice, maybe it was a nickname? The people of Night Rave College seem to be rather fond of those.

‘Boy ‘m I glad that I don’ have to partner up with either of them’ The Felmier boy said crossing his arms behind his head. The Prefect nodded in agreement and then noticed him standing there, awkwardly.

‘Rollo! Do you need help getting to your next class?’ The Prefect’s voice cut the chatter and at once all eyes were on him. The air grew tense once the boys realized he was here.

Ace and Deuce exchanged looks while Epel took a step in front of the Prefect. They all looked ready to fight, he better diffuse the situation before something bad happens to them ‘I didn’t mean to interrupt but I do not know where the classroom for my’ He checked his schedule ‘“Ancient Curses” class is located’

‘Oh, Leona and Rook have the same schedule I think, come on I know where it is’ They tried to tell their friends to go ahead to class without them but the trio refused, claiming that they wanted to keep talking. Rollo knew they were keeping an eye on him.

Good, at least they cared for their friend.

Once the second class was over, the bell rang and Rollo made his way to the cafeteria as per the Prefect’s instructions. He should thank them, their instructions were very clear and succinct so he could remember them easily.

As he entered the cafeteria, he started looking around for the Prefect, not wanting to share a table with some unknown person or worse, a known person.

After scanning the place for a couple of minutes, he saw them enter the cafeteria with several friends from the other side and took long strides to reach them before they picked a table. With any luck, they could sit by a window in a far away corner.

‘Rollo! Good to see you didn’t get lost, I was a bit worried my instructions were confusing’ The Prefect scratched the back of their head and their friend, Ace, imitated them in a mocking manner. A big muscular boy rolled his eyes at his antics and the other boy, Zigvolt, ignored them both in favor of staring at him.

‘Not at all, in fact your instructions were clear enough that I got here earlier than my classmates’ He motioned for them to sit on a nearby table, away from the others and the group of freshmen complied without fuss though still with some tension in the air.

As Rollo sat beside the Prefect, the other boys picked their places around the table. Spade, Felmier and Zigvolt sat together across from him while the wolfman and Ace sat on the other side of the Prefect. Grim took the Prefect’s lap as expected.

‘We better get some food, yo Prefect, come with me Juice is too prone to mess up the orders with his indecision’ Ace grabbed the Prefect by the arm and forced them to go along before they could even answer.

Sitting in front of him, Juice? Spade muttered ‘That happened once’ in an annoyed voice.

Rollo had known these kids for all of ten minutes combined and already he could gather what their group dynamic was.

‘So…how’re you liking your classes? I hear you had professor Trein for first period’ Spade made the first move and Rollo was thankful he chose such a neutral subject.

‘It was quite enriching. Professor Trein has vast knowledge and a commanding presence so paying attention to him was no problem’ Both Spade and Felmier looked at him like he had grown two heads, well that couldn’t be good ‘Did I say something wrong?’

The question seemed to awaken them as Felmier spoke up ‘Ah no it’s just- normally people complain that Trein’s classes are boring but they can’t sleep through them because he likes calling out misbehaving students. I suppose we shouldn't be too surprised though, you seem like the studious type’ While Rollo took it as a compliment, he felt slightly offended by the arrogant smile the boy was giving him.

‘Really it’s just them, most people go to class hoping to learn but these two and Ace like to cause trouble, so take whatever they say about the professors with a grain of salt’ The wolfman spoke so suddenly Rollo had almost forgotten he was there since unlike Zigvolt he wasn’t staring at him like he wanted to murder him.

‘Wha- Jack, that’s not true! We pay attention to class, it’s just hard because Trein speaks very slowly and Lucius makes so much noise too it makes it hard to pay attention’ Spade clearly didn’t like being called unattentive by his friend, meanwhile Felmier added in ‘And we aren’t as troublesome as Ace! If anything, you’re talking about Grim! Those two are the real troublemakers of this group’ He seemed to fully stand by his words with how he puffed out his chest.

He deflated as soon as he noticed Ace had returned with the trays of food and was threatening to not give him his unless he apologized for blaming him for their shenanigans.

‘I don’t cause trouble! It’s you two and Grim who can’t keep up with me and my awesome ideas! If you did, then all my plans would work just fine and nobody’d get in trouble’

Naturally the boys began arguing on whether he was right or wrong, with Felmier and Spade mostly defending that he was the major contributor to the chaos amongst them ‘And what do you mean we can’t keep up?! We got our Unique Magic before you, if anything it’s you who can’t keep up at all!’ They kept arguing for a little longer until the Prefect finally spoke ‘GUYS!’ They all looked baffled at them ‘Please quiet down, we’re gonna get in trouble and I really want to make Rollo’s first day here better than mine’ They gave Spade and Ace a look which made them blush brightly as they stuttered shut.

Once Felmier and Spade relented, Ace plopped down next to the Prefect and gave him a curious look ‘Say, I heard from Juice and the others that you were a big deal back in your old school, so how come you didn’t enroll here to begin with?’ His bluntness was surprisingly refreshing after all the strange looks and veiled intentions he had gotten so far.

‘I chose Noble Bell College because of its history. While you all may be proud to be students here, I was proud to be there. The City of Flowers is- was my home, and I was honored to be accepted there. I can only guess it was that disposition that made me ineligible for Night Raven College since the election process is a mystery to all but the Headmage’ Rollo started slicing the steak the Prefect had gotten for him and noticed the rest of the table’s attention was still on him so he tried to say something else so they would go back to their conversations ‘Also I wasn’t a big deal, anyone can become the student council president with enough dedication since the position is for those willing to be responsible and dutiful to the school and its students’ To his dismay, his words had the opposite effect.

‘That’s right! You were the student council president! So that means you probably were an honors student, right? Can you tell me about that? I want to be an honors student myself’ Spade raised his fist in determination and Rollo didn’t know how to answer. He just wanted to eat his steak in silence and pretend he was back at the belltower.

He looked at Spade, trying to figure if he was being polite in asking more things or if he was honest in his goals. Feeling the rest of the boys awaiting for his answer, he spoke ‘Um…well…uh…studying is the hard part I suppose, but if you can pay attention during class then reviewing your notes becomes much easier’ Both Spade and Felmier scooted a bit closer to hear him better in the growing noise of the cafeteria.

‘Some people will tell you to highlight the important information but that’s futile if you think everything is important. Instead you should rewrite your notes in a way you understand and then make a brief summary of the things you struggle to understand so you can ask your classmates or teachers about it’ The way he launched into his helpful senior student self was like a switch had been flipped, so used he was to aiding his own classmates with their studies and questions.

By the time the cafeteria was clearing out a bit, Epel, Deuce and even Sebek were happily telling him about some of their own tips for studying their favorite subjects. Ace looked at the Prefect confused while they simply shrugged and kept cutting pieces of their meal before Grim swallowed their unattended tray.

As it was, lunch would have been perfect if those were the only noteworthy events of the evening, but of course the animated table was interrupted by someone joining out of nowhere.

‘Roi du Mouchoir! I am so glad to finally find you! And with Monsieur Pommette of all people!’ Rook Hunt was standing right behind the Prefect, looking at him with a big smile and an unsaid threat in his eyes. At once Rollo felt his temperature drop but remained impassive as the Prefect welcomed the blonde to join them on the table.

‘Why were you looking for Rollo, Rook?’ Epel asked in between bites of his steak. Hunt sat beside him and praised his poise while eating, much to the boy’s dismay or was it embarrassment?

‘Oh I simply wanted to talk, see I noticed him during our history of magic class and tried to approach him when it ended but he left so fast I couldn’t catch up’ He gave a small pout that fooled absolutely no one here, they all knew if he wanted to catch someone like Rollo he was perfectly capable of doing so even if he disappeared from his sight.

‘I needed the Prefect to help me with something. At any rate, whatever you wanted to talk about, I hope you don’t mind the Prefect and their friends listening now’ Rollo wasn’t sure what to expect from this boy. On the one hand he was clearly well trained and powerful enough to be a vice housewarden, on the other hand he seemed to be friendly back when they first met and now too the Prefect wasn’t giving any indication that they worried about this interaction. Maybe he was just assessing him?

‘Oh! Just wanted to see how you are adapting to the school, I know when I transferred from Savanaclaw to Pomefiore I experienced such a noticeable change in atmosphere and that was within the same school, I can only imagine how different things are here compared to Noble Bell College’ Rollo was right, he was assessing him. Hunt kept looking at him with a friendly face but he could feel the faintest aura of danger emanating from the eccentric boy.

‘So far everything is good, professor Trein gave a wonderful class and I think I learned quite a bit in Ancient Curses. The students haven’t given me any trouble either…yet, and I hope it remains that way. I have no desire to make enemies nor cause any problems for the Prefect with my issues’ The Prefect tried to say that it was no problem but everybody at the table silenced them by saying some form of ‘You already have enough on your plate’. Heh, it was cute how they all cared so aggressively for each other.

Rollo and Hunt maintained eye contact, unblinking. But unlike with the Prefect that morning, this wasn’t lighthearted, oh no, this was a test. Rollo couldn’t look away or Hunt would think him suspicious or insincere. They kept staring without saying a word until the freshmen realized what was going on.

‘Rook…I think you should leave this to us’ Felmier spoke softly to his dormmate ‘We actually have been talking to Rollo and…um I think he’s alright. Even Sebek has been giving him a chance and we’ve learned some neat things from him. So please don’t be so hard on him, let’s give him a chance to show us how he’s changed’ His words made Hunt look at him in surprise.

‘Oh Monsieur Pommette! Your words are so full of kindness and wisdom! I am so proud of you and I’m sure fair Vil will be as well!’ His laughter made the boy blush with a queasy smile, probably happy to make his senior proud ‘Very well, I will leave you alone for now, but Roi du Mouchoir’ Rollo was getting dizzy from all these sudden mood changes, so he just looked at Hunt with a raised brow ‘Please, do talk to me in class, I will be more than glad to partner up with you in any group projects’ Once again Rollo felt a vague threat emanating from the blonde’s high yet dry tone. Was everybody at this school so weird?

The last period confirmed that indeed, everyone at this school was very weird.

They were to have lab class with the students from class E, which on paper seemed alright, more students meant he was less likely to be paired with Hunt. But then he was actually paired with Trey Clover and all his hopes of having any semblance of a quiet, normal school year went out the window.

At first he introduced himself politely, shaking his hand and welcoming him to Night Raven College, and Rollo felt nothing wrong with this. His attention at first had been grabbed by the intense staring he felt from somewhere in the room.

He turned around to find Hunt working happily with some student from…Octavinelle? So he kept searching but the presence disappeared. Strange.

‘Are you alright? If you need to see the nurse I can take you’ Clover seemed reliable enough so Rollo apologized and got to work on the potion as per the chalkboard’s instructions.

While they worked, Trey made polite conversation to get to know him better. It felt utterly fake, like he would rather be partnered with anyone else but him, but Rollo understood the feeling so he didn’t hold it against him.

Then he felt it again. That stare. He turned around and saw nothing out of the ordinary, but he could still feel the hairs on the back of his neck standing. Who was staring at him so intently?

He must have said it out loud because Clover actually answered ‘Sometimes Lilia likes staring at people, I swear he can be even sneakier than Rook’ Lilia? As in Lilia Vanrouge, the vice housewarden of Malleus Draconia? Well, that would explain two things.

‘I see, he must not be happy having me here after what happened’ Rollo still wasn’t sure how much people knew about his actions but he would rather play it safe, no use in exposing himself like that on his first day.

‘Don’t be silly, I am very happy I can meet the boy who helped my boys grow a stronger bond’ When did he get here?! Rollo jumped back with the spoon on his hands, completely startled by the short boy standing upside down beside him.

‘Lilia please don’t do that, he could’ve ruined our potion and this mixture is very volatile’ Clover’s chiding tone was very gentle, like a parent explaining to a toddler why they can’t bite something dangerous. How could someone so normal handle such bizarre situations so easily? Was this just a side effect of studying here, developing mechanisms to deal with the strange?

‘Kee hee, sorry Trey. I just wanted to see the new student Malleus spoke so passionately about. He had a lot of opinions about you transferring here you know’ Of that Rollo had no doubt, but so far he had managed to avoid Draconia and he hoped he would keep it that way for the next few days or weeks if he could ‘But don’t worry, the Prefect made him promise he’d be nice so long as you’re nice’ The boy disappeared and reappeared beside him, standing on the ground this time.

He was handing him his hand to shake, Rollo took it tentatively. ‘Oh ho, don’t be so shy now. I feel like we know each other so well already! Me with all these stories I hear about your doings during the symposium and you with all the hits you took from my boys~ Oh and the singing! I hope you liked the song. I showed it to Malleus so they could sing it as a present’ His smile was childish but his voice and demeanor betrayed his experience. Rollo wasn’t sure where Night Raven got all these walking contradictions but he supposed the Headmage must have a knack for selecting students similar to himself in that regard.

Rollo was half tempted to retort something smart back to the odd little man but just as quickly as he had come, he went back to his station. Sigh he better focus on the potion before it explodes. He really doesn’t want to get detention on his first day here, the day has been exhausting as is.

He followed Clover’s advice for a while until he noticed the potion changed color, it shouldn’t do that yet. He checked the ingredients they had added and sure enough, they had added a couple in the wrong order. Nothing too terrible for this potion but precision was important in alchemy for a reason: plenty of potions did change drastically if the ingredients weren't added in a certain order.

He was about to signal to Clover to come over so they would start stirring slower to account for this change when he saw the ghost of a smug smile on his face. Was this another test? Why was he smiling like that? Did he do something wrong or right? Rollo felt a headache incoming from all the overthinking he had done today. Class couldn’t be over soon enough.

‘Ah, Clover we are ready to start stirring, although we seem to have added some ingredients in the wrong order, so we should start slowly to account for that lest the potion explodes’ Clover’s eyes crinkled happily and Rollo knew then that indeed, this was a test. Great. Even the normal students had something suspicious about them. Now he almost feels offended at the Headmage saying he’d fit right in.

They finished the potion without fuss and the professor acknowledged their clean work, allowing them to leave early so long as they cleaned their space. With the practiced hand he acquired from helping maintain the school grounds and the belltower in Noble Bell, Rollo was done in a few moments. Clover didn’t have time to be impressed as just a second later, Rollo left for Ramshackle.

He needed a quick bite, a shower and to sleep for a thousand nights.

Once again night came and with it Rollo’s ugly thoughts came chasing him in his dreams. He couldn’t run fast enough, he couldn’t leap far enough. No matter what he did, there was no way of reaching his brother.

The flames engulfed everything, from the floor to the ceiling. Rollo tried to crawl through them, he knew he could he just had to use his Unique Magic. ‘Crimson flower, scorch my soul-’ It was futile, he couldn't feel the well of magic within. He was empty, completely devoid of magic.

There was no way to save him. But he had to try. Rollo kept crawling closer, the flames growing hotter every second. Soon he would feel the same pain his brother felt, at least this time he wouldn't abandon him.

‘ROLLO!’ He was jerked awake by the warm hand of the Prefect. Rollo looked at them perplexed, it was a dream? He scrubbed the sleep from his eyes and with it the tears that had fallen in his sleep. Oh. He must have made the Prefect worry if they could tell he was having a nightmare.

‘I’m sorry for waking you, Prefect. Please don’t worry about me, you should go back to sleep’ He tried to sound convincing but his voice had that tremor it did whenever he was about to panic. The Prefect sat by the end of his bed hesitatingly, afraid they may be imposing.

‘When I told you I was here for you, I meant it, not just for the academic stuff’ Their voice was soft and quiet but carried so much weight in the silent space between them he felt compelled to scoot closer. ‘If there’s anything you need to talk about, chances are I can help you…I’ve been through my fair share of bad times myself…’ They left him a choice. He could run like he had done for these past few months- no, for the better part of his life since his brother died. Or he could confide in the Prefect

‘There's always someone who cares’ The gargoyle’s resigned voice rang behind his head.

‘Maybe we would manage to reach out to you... it seems you’re not ready yet Rollo’ Yeshua and Tristan whispered at each side of him, eyes pleading for an opening.

‘It’s not your brother or the world you want to save...it’s just yourself’ Idia Shroud’s voice echoed loudest, dispassionate yet truthful, heavy with the sentence of someone who understands far better than anyone should be able to.

‘I just- I don’t know what’s happening to me’ For the first time in forever, Rollo allowed himself to be vulnerable without putting up a fight. All these years he had built his carefully placed walls, hoping to keep the pain outside. Instead all he had done was lock himself in with all of it and no way to ask for help. It was time to stop.

The Prefect cradled him on their chest carefully, rubbing his back in soothing circles and whispering reassurances that he could speak whenever he felt ready. He was crying uncontrollably and he hadn’t even noticed until he felt the dampened shirt of his dormmate.

They stayed like that for what felt like hours until Rollo could not cry anymore. He felt lighter if a bit embarrassed. Sniffing, he pulled back and looked at them with a thankful nod. He needed a second to recollect himself.

‘.........I feel guilty that I couldn’t save my brother. I was the older brother and it was my duty to protect him……if only I had gotten my magic sooner-’ ‘Don’t do that’ The interruption took him by surprise ‘Blaming yourself like that, that’s a sure way of driving yourself crazy’ They grabbed his hand and made him stand up.

Near the window, Rollo saw the dim light of the moon ‘We can’t change what’s in the past, but we can choose how those events affect us into the future…how we remember the people we lost’ Their hand squeezed his reassuringly when it trembled ‘You have to decide: do you want to remember him as he was on his last moments? Scared and in pain? Or as he was the rest of the time? As the person you loved so dearly?’ Their words sounded so much like Shroud’s, not just in what they meant but in how their voice had this faint tremor, some barely contained emotion. The Prefect knew what he was feeling, they had lost someone too. Slowly he turned his head to look at them and sure enough they were crying too now.

What a sight they must be, two newly dormmates crying in a dark room in the earliest hours of a saturday morning. Instinctively he draped his arms around their shoulders and pulled them against his chest like they had done earlier, tucking their head under his chin. ‘Thank you’ His breathing was calm, the calmest it had been since the symposium. Equally the Prefect’s breathing slowed down until it evened out completely. Rollo looked down to see them dozing off.

He held his chuckle and brought them to his bed. He tucked them in and sat next to them on top of the covers, waiting for sleep to claim him.

Come morning he would wake up to the Prefect hugging him like a stuffed bear and Grim complaining about him stealing his minion, but for now he enjoyed a good night’s sleep before the chaos of another day at Night Raven College.

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It was nearing the end of Rollo’s first week on Ramshackle and things admittedly seemed far better than he expected at first. In just these few days he had ‘squirmed his way in’ into the Prefect’s friend group (according to Ace) by inadvertently joining them on their shenanigans, he got to assist the Prefect in cooking during the weekend and enjoyed exploring the grounds along with the freshmen. He even got to work with Hunt for a class project which gave them great results. All in all, his week had been full of excitement.

Yes, some students had been naturally suspicious of him upon meeting him (the housewardens in particular had been prone to interrupting his time with the Prefect for the most random reasons), but he supposed those feelings came from the retellings of what happened during the symposium. And even if they didn’t know, he couldn’t exactly blame them, what with how unapproachable he seemed (or so the Prefect told him on a few occasions) and the strangeness of his transfer.

There was the difficulty of how different the schools were, for sure. Noble Bell was full of tradition, with the students following it dutifully and gladly, while Night Raven College was more…innovative. There was tradition as well, certainly but in general the students seemed eager to break the mold and stand out in their uniqueness. Rollo wasn’t used to that.

But in all, his assessment of the school was positive. Maybe Headmage Tirmont had been right in sending him here.

These thoughts occupied his mind as he tossed and turned around on his bed. The clock of his room indicated the hour to be 2 AM. He turned around on his bed again and tried to close his eyes, to force himself to sleep but no matter how long he kept them shut, it didn’t work. For some reason tonight he couldn’t drift into unconsciousness. He blamed the heat wave and the dorm’s poor insulation.

Deciding to not waste his time getting annoyed at his lack of sleep, and fearing another bout of anxiety if he remained stirring in his thoughts, he got up and wandered out to go grab a glass of water. Maybe that would cool him enough to get some restless sleep at least.

Walking on the hallway to the first floor, he noticed a faint light coming from one of the unused rooms. Odd.

Curiosity piqued, he grabbed the knob and silently opened the door. While he expected the ghosts to be doing something here, he was instead met by the Prefect, shrimp-pajamas covered by a white coat, painting on a big canvas. Far bigger than the one in their room.

They hadn’t noticed him yet, so he debated for a second whether to let them be or approach and inquire about the unknown flower in the canvas. He took a look at the Prefect’s hands stained in purplish-blue and white paint, their clothes equally colorful and a second later he caught the sound of humming. A song.

As it was more and more common for him, Rollo felt like in a trance as he walked closer until the Prefect noticed his presence.

‘Oh! I’m sorry, did I wake you?’ Ever caring, they were more worried about his comfort than their own. How cute.

Rollo didn’t reply, instead bringing a thumb to their cheek and smearing some of the purplish-blue paint on it as he tried to clean them. Their eyes widened while his intense stare remained on their face and from this close he could notice so much more about his dormmate than he had in the days prior. The way their breath caught making the smallest gasping sound, the way their mouth opened just a little bit as if unsure of what to say, the way their face heated up to the tip of their ears.

Wait what

‘Prefect, you’re warm. Are you alright?’ That seemed to raise their temperature even more, to the point where he placed his hand on their forehead to make sure they didn’t have a fever. The Prefect squealed and quickly turned around. ‘I’m fine! I’m fine! Just forgot to open the windows!’ Rollo looked around the room and noticed that indeed the windows were closed and with how hot it was tonight, that just wouldn’t do.

He gave them some space while he went to open the two windows in the room before returning his attention to the Prefect.

‘What is the name of the song you were humming? If I may ask. It didn’t sound familiar’ Rollo had learned in these past few days that while the Prefect could make people open up surprisingly easily, they themselves didn’t share much about their own life. Probably to avoid growing nostalgic for their home, so he didn’t know exactly what the boundaries were for asking personal questions yet. He still felt as if the moment they shared the other night had been a dream, knowing something about them that no one else knew made him feel special.

‘Uh, it's a song from a movie I used to watch, the song is called “my favorite things”, it was very popular to sing it for kids on certain holidays’ They eyed their supplies searching for something or maybe deciding how to proceed with the painting. Rollo didn’t know too much about painting, but he knew this one was coming out beautiful.

Once they picked a smaller brush and dipped it in paint, Rollo walked closer trying to see if he could recognize the flowers from this distance. He couldn’t.

‘Are those flowers from your world too?’ His voice came out soft and subdued, barely hearable but they answered anyways ‘Oh yeah, they’re called jacarandas. I haven’t seen any of them here, even in the books from the library, so I figured maybe they don’t exist here? So I chose to paint them before I forget what they looked like. What do you think?’ Their voice was happy on the surface but Rollo detected something under that, a tinge of sadness that stroke his heart.

‘I think they are beautiful’ His eyes traced every line, every petal and trunk and came to the conclusion that, if the Prefect’s painting was a fraction of accurate to the real thing then the flowers must be a sight to behold.

‘I think so too, there are some in pink and white that also are very pretty but I prefer these purple ones’ Their smile grew just the littlest bit and Rollo could tell that the sadness was subsiding. Good, Rollo wasn’t opposed to consoling the Prefect but he much rather preferred to make sure they don’t cry to begin with.

‘Anyways, I’m sorry I woke you up Rollo, I didn’t think my humming and painting would make that much noise. I guess since Grim is such a heavy sleeper and the ghosts have never mentioned this, I assumed I was in the clear’ Rollo saw them clean the brushes as if to finish painting for the night. He didn’t know why but he wanted to keep watching, to keep talking about their world and bask in this quiet moment of intimacy and trust just between the two of them.

‘Please don’t stop on my behalf. I couldn’t sleep on account of my room being so hot so I wandered here for a glass of water. In fact, I am sorry for intruding on you like this’ The Prefect stopped their movements and looked at him, a little taken aback by his apology. They let out a snort that confused Rollo. Usually that reaction was directed at Grim or the freshmen.

‘Oh don’t worry about it, if I wanted to keep my painting private I would’ve locked the door. But it’s good to know I didn’t wake you’ They smiled again, their hand hovering over the brushes hesitantly. Rollo wondered if he could make them smile again. ‘Do you mind if I keep painting then? You don’t have to stay-’

‘I would love to’ Soon as he realized how fast he spoke, his face grew red with embarrassment while the Prefect tried, and failed, to suppress their laughter. Well, it's good to know that his embarrassment can make them smile at least, not that he hadn’t realized that by now with how thoroughly Ace and Epel liked to tease him.

‘Would you consider teaching me how to paint, Prefect?’ Rollo’s question clearly took them by surprise seeing how they almost dropped their brush and did a double take. ‘I have seen some of the paintings in your room, sceneries and people I don’t recognize, I presume they are from your world’ They nodded their head, still looking at him shocked ‘I would like to try that…to paint my home so that I may keep it with me’

The Prefect gave him a look of understanding, they both looked to the floor in thought. They both missed home, and while Rollo knew that he could go back one day, the reality was that neither knew what tomorrow would bring. Crowley may never find a way back home for the Prefect, Rollo may die before he sets foot on the City of Flowers again…

Before any dark thoughts took over their minds, the Prefect spoke again ‘I myself am not the greatest artist out there, but if that’s alright with you then I’d love to teach you what I know’

Rollo smiled genuinely at them and they returned it twice as bright.

The Prefect kept painting and making idle chat for a few more minutes until they came to a relaxing silence. It was nice, having a moment of quiet not be interrupted by talking cats, loud freshmen or paranoid housewardens. Rollo allowed himself to enjoy the moment like he had began to enjoy his stay at Night Raven, remembering how even in Noble Bell he often felt something else under the happiness or relaxation, always some underlying anger at the magic around him, some hatred for his classmates’ carefree use of magic, guilt at himself for depending on it just the littlest bit, always something to rot those memories.

Now, standing here with the Prefect, all he could feel was calm and happy. Sure he missed his home, he missed his family and he missed his classmates, but the Prefect had made such an effort to make him feel welcome here, and even their noisy friends were doing their best to include him in their shenanigans, much to his despair.

In the quiet of the night, accompanied only by the sound of the brush against the canvas and each other’s breathing, Rollo realized that they could choose to make home here. The Prefect had made a family with Grim, the ghosts and the freshmen, always making each other laugh, studying together, causing problems for each other and then trying to solve them as a team… Rollo felt like maybe, just maybe, he could also join that little family. He wanted to have a family again.

He opened his mouth to say as much when the ghosts decided now was the perfect time to annoy them ‘Ohhhh look at this~ Rollo and the Prefect are having a little night date~’ ‘Oh ho ho Rollo~ and here I thought you were a gentleman, how scandalous!’ ‘You better treat them right, Rollo. Or we will haunt you every night until you graduate hehehe’ The Prefect and Rollo looked at each other, faces flushed from their teasing, and upon realizing how close they were they jumped apart several meters.

‘Awww look at how red they are! We were just trying to tease you but maybe we’re right, hmm? Do you have something to tell us Rollo? Hee hee hee’ As the ghosts flew around them, making more teasing comments, Rollo covered his face with his hand and the Prefect grabbed his other hand to drag him back to the dorms. Once there, they let go and gave him one last look, still flushed, and wished him a good night with a peck on the cheek.

Rollo, stunned from the affection, remained there completely unmoving even as the ghosts came back to tease him some more and made joking threats of telling about this to the freshmen, who would no doubt tease him about it too.

Needless to say, he was in no way getting any sleep soon, but at least now he knew. Transferring to Night Raven College, to Ramshackle Dorm, was the best decision Headmage Tirmont could have made for him.

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