Day 58: Cafeteria

[gald_digger]

Anise woke up feeling lucky to be alive. She still felt a bit waterlogged, even though her skin, hair, and clothes were completely dry. During last night's adventures, she'd swallowed a lot of water, and it still felt heavy and disgusting in her stomach. Her arms and legs were tired from treading water. Lying still in her bed, she still kind of felt like she was floating and bobbing in the water.

But she was alive.

Knowing how close she came to death last night, and remembering the lengths her friends had gone to in order to save her, there was no way Anise could let a little discomfort get her down. She had to be at her best today so she wouldn't seem ungrateful to Guy and Claude. On that note, she had to remember to thank them properly, now that she was better able to express herself.

While getting ready, Anise was surprised to actually run into Claude that morning. He came to her room asking for the notebook he stored there (or maybe it was an excuse to see her cute face again), so Anise happily located it and handed it over. She was pretty tired, but the big smile she gave him was genuine. Who wouldn't be happy to see her savior so soon after a dramatic rescue?

After he left, Anise finished re-tying her pigtails into a low position so the military beret would fit on her head, and then she was ready! Even though her stomach wasn't feeling that great, she figured sitting down to a decent meal would help normalize it. And luckily for her, she was among the few who had the privilege of eating such a meal. Anise filled a plate with french toast topped with syrup and fruit, accompanied by small portions of each of the available side dishes.

It looked like she was early, which meant there weren't a lot of people around. That was okay, though. Anise could get a good head start on her meal before any company came around. She sat down at a table by herself and started on her sausage first.

[for Tolten!]

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[forgot-it-all.livejournal.com]

Ritsuka didn't understand how Albedo being hurt like that couldn't be anything but his fault. It had been after touching him that Albedo had reacted as if he'd been shot. The pain had been obvious, an instinctual reaction that anyone would have recognized. Ritsuka had experienced terrible pain before and he recognized the look of it on Albedo's face, no matter how brief it had been. And now? Now there was no trace of it. The lingering ache that should have existed seemed to be either missing or manageable and Ritsuka watched Albedo cautiously as he tested his hand.

And then he reached out to him again.

Ritsuka stared at Albedo's hand, knowing what he wanted and at the same time, knowing he could not consciously acquiesce. Even if it wasn't his fault before, he knew now. To reach out and touch Albedo again while knowing it could cause him pain would be the same as raining blows upon him. Ritsuka could not do that. He could never consciously harm someone, especially not a friend.

He shook his head then and lowered his eyes. "...If it hurt you again... I can't...I'm sorry."

[purgatio]

There was silence, and hesitation, and still Albedo waited for the answer either way. There was infinite patience in one who had all of the time in all worlds, despite the impatience that flows like blood through him at other times. He waited, and stared, and Ritsuka looked away, spoke softly.

Albedo blinked. And then blinked again. And there was something of himself peeking upwards now, something that watched Ritsuka with wide eyes. It was care, in the end, that would always affect. Care and concern would trace more fiercely than he could say, when it came as real, actual, genuine. And here was the shock to the senses, like and unlike Nigredo in the solitary cell, stopping Albedo's hand from crushing his throat. "Do you really want to kill me? I'll let you." No, he wouldn't-- Not now, and not-- here.

He blinked again, and shook his head slightly, clearing the remnants from his mind. "Then don't," he said softly, firmly, as he drew his hand back. Albedo nodded once, keeping his eyes on the other boy. "We'll agree. To not hurt each other."

A promise he had only given to one other. But what other would act as Ritsuka did? Denying this for the simple fact of withholding so he wasn't in pain. It was so outrageous, so entirely unexpected. What was... What kind of person....

He couldn't even think. He found himself smiling softly, and his gaze flicked down.

[forgot-it-all.livejournal.com]

"Then don't."

The resolution in Albedo's voice along with his words served to calm Ritsuka's nerves finally, helping him lift his eyes again to look at his friend. Not like Misaki. Albedo would never be like Misaki. Ritsuka loved her with all his heart, but he knew she didn't love him in the way a parent should. Her heart was broken and incapable of feeling normal parental love anymore. Now all that remained was possession, grief, fear, anger and loss, the mourning of a woman who had lost both her sons and the indignation upon seeing an imposter in his place. Albedo wouldn't be like her. He was an entirely different person. Ritsuka had to remember that.

It was easy, seeing how he smiled. Ritsuka watched him for a moment, wondering at how they had become such friends, but deciding the how didn't matter. They were friends now and they would stay that way as long as they could.

"Alright. Agreed," he said, letting himself smile a bit for Albedo, too. After a pause, he picked up his fork and motioned to Albedo's plate. "Now eat. That's our other promise and I won't let you forget that."