Chapter Text
The heat on his face wakes him from his slumber, eyes straining to open against the sunlight that filters into his room. The morning's silence almost lulls him back to sleep before a shrill ding rings out through the room, grating on his ears. He groans and wipes the sleep out of his eyes, reaching over with a limp hand to root for it on his bedside table.
A similar groan meets his ears from across the room. Sky’s bed creaks ever so slightly as the blonde turns over and shoves his pillow harder over his head as if that will block the world out.
He unlocks his phone and a new text rushes onto his screen.
‘Red Flag’
Where are you? I’ve been waiting for ten minutes. You’re late.
Another ding.
Get your ass out here.
Fuck. He forgot to set his alarm for today’s sparring session with Musa. Since they returned from summer break, classes starting tomorrow, and after almost three months during summer of having to keep Sky from leaping in front of a moving car due to Bloom’s absence, he agreed to continue helping Musa learn to fight.
And don’t get him wrong, she is good. She has improved over the past few months they’ve been apart, especially with her speed. She still has a hard time blocking her left regardless of how many times he has alerted her and continues to alert her to it.
He would be lying if he said it wasn’t fun to spar with her. They have met every other day and on Sundays since they returned a little earlier from summer break, a little over two weeks ago. He teaches her a bit of everything; sword yielding, hand-to-hand combat, pole fighting, tips and tricks to get out of holds and other sticky situations.
Groaning again, he lifts himself up from his bed and throws on his practice gear, grumbling about being awoken on a Sunday the entire time. He’s come to learn Musa is nothing if not persistent. If she wasn’t a mind fairy, she’d probably have made an excellent Specialist in another life. At least he doesn't have to stop by Silva's office this early.
Before, he was bringing the cuffs to contain her powers during the first week of their lessons together. But a few lessons in, he noticed the pain she had when he threw out a kick that caught her wrist. It took ten minutes before she could stand again, the cuffs digging further into her skin, irritating and putting pressure on her veins. He took them back to Silva that same day, asking his mentor to lock them up and never allow him to request them again.
When Musa questioned why he didn’t bring the cuffs for her the next time, he was honest. He wouldn’t see her continue to hurt herself willingly just because, in the past, he was scared of her ability to feel his emotions. With a promise that she would resist latching onto him during their session, he agreed to continue. Only a few times has he had to walk away from her when her eyes started glowing purple. Usually, all it took was for him to get far enough away from her to be able to let go.
Now she’s pretty good at fighting him off in more ways than one.
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The air is thick when he steps out of the back doors and into the specialist training area. A few other students are milling about, but ultimately it’s quiet this morning. Most are relishing the last chance of sound sleep before classes start back up. Something he wishes he was doing right now.
Instead, he’s here, making his way to the back platform where the mind fairy interrupting his dreams goes through the motions. She’s moving through one of the moves he taught her the other day: getting herself out of a situation where one might be backed up into a corner.
It looks strange from where he's standing now, realizing that maybe teaching her that one out in the openness of the training area probably doesn’t do her much justice if or when she’s put into a similar position.
He notices that about her. She’ll mull over a move or a technique he’s taught her until she’s satisfied she’s gotten it down, regardless of how much he tells her she does. Her own fucked up way of proving her newfound skills to everyone else.
When he reaches the bottom of the stairs leading up the platform is when she notices him.
“Finally!”
He rewards her with a sarcastic smile, “I was sleeping,” shooting up the rest steps to meet her on the mat.
“You agreed to 7 am.” She’s scolding him, but only just so. She means nothing by it.
Scratching the back of his head lightly, he pacifies her, “Yeah yeah, I know. I’m here now, aren’t I.”
They warm up in silence next to each other, more so for him than for her. She only waited on him long enough.
Most mornings he's been focusing on teaching her how to speed up her movements, make them happen more in succession of each other. She’s small, so speed and agility benefit her in combat. As she still forgets to protect her left side, it most times allows him to get a couple of good jabs in. But she takes it in stride every time. He usually witnesses her mumble to herself to block the left side, but, like clockwork, she inevitably gets too caught up in the rest when her guard is down. He ends up getting the left side again.
He aches to tell her she has nothing to prove.
However, the rational side of him says that’s too personal. Deals with too many feelings, which is an area he’s more than happy to steer clear of at the moment. He’s got too much going on keeping Sky from falling into a black hole of despair to even fathom getting all mushy with Musa. Instead, he takes her through the motions, hit after hit, block after block, until they are both out of breath.
He proposes after they take a quick five minute break, “Okay, let’s try one last thing.” It’s almost time for him to wake up Sky for a meeting the two of them are to have with Silva that morning.
“Like?” She’s all eager eyes and a willing mind.
“Let’s throw in a defensive move. Someday you might end up in a situation where someone has you locked from behind and there are a couple of ways you can go about it.”
“Okay!”
“Brace yourself,” he walks up behind her, “I’m going to wrap my arms around you.”
“Is this a legitimate lesson?” She teases, smiling back at him.
He rolls his eyes, “Completely.”
She stays in place, allowing him to lock his arms around her. He senses the rise and fall of her chest and picks up on subtle notes of lavender and honey wafting from her shorter brown hair. He noticed it the moment he saw her when they returned from break; it falls to her shoulders now, gone the longer tresses he has come to know her to have. But it fits her and kind of entices him to run his fingers through it, feel the lightness of it.
Shaking his head, he tries to focus back on the lesson. Getting carried away is not something he likes to do, but he finds himself doing it more these days.
“Now, imagine someone has you locked from behind-”
“Someone does have me locked from behind.” He squeezes her tighter for a second at her witty remark. He then continues without missing a beat.
“It can be difficult to get out of, especially if the person happens to have more leverage on you. Most people would lean forward, taking their opponent with them, hoping they might lift them off the ground, possibly causing them to have to seek stable footing again.”
“Right.” She nods in understanding.
“But for you, you’re short-”
“Are you making fun of my height?”
“Never.” He chuckles, but is relieved when she joins in, “But, it would be harder for you to break it since I have more height on you. You would probably have to fall on your stomach just to make me lose my balance and that’s not conducive to actually getting out of the hold.”
“Okay”
“So, instead, you are looking to use your body to force me to let you go.”
“Can I not just pinch you-”
“No.”
“Oh, I could bite you!” She declares, as if it’s the best damn idea she’s ever had.
“You are not going to bite me.”
“But you’d let go.” She argues back.
“I mean-” he ponders it for a second, “yeah- I mean, yes. You would probably cause me to let go. But- Musa, I’m trying to teach you a useful skill here.”
“Sorry, sorry. I’ll listen. I’m listening.” She holds her hands up in defeat, making herself comfortable in his embrace.
“Thank you…. Now you want to shove a leg behind you, try to break my balance by forcing my legs apart. Make me have to find a better stance.”
She hesitates for a moment before her right leg swings behind her, hitting the corners of his knees, not hard enough to make him move, however.
“You have to hit harder than that. You need to shove my legs apart. Try again.”
“I don’t want to hurt you.” She admits nervously.
“Trust me, it’ll take much more than that to hurt me. Give me all you’ve got.” He readies himself for her second attempt; this time, she is more successful, shoving his legs apart, causing him to need to find a sturdier stance. “That was really good.”
“You’re still wrapped around me,” Her head hits his collarbone when she attempts to emphasize her predicament.
“That’s because we aren’t done. Let me teach.”
She relents.
“Now, you’re going to fling one or both of your elbows back into my ribcage as hard as you-“
He’s winded, her elbows immediately making contact with his lower rib, causing all the air to rush out of his lungs in protest. He drops his arms in response, grabbing the side of his stomach in an attempt to push the hurt away somehow.
“I am so sorry, Riven. Are you okay?” She turns, grasping the arm he’s holding on his side, attempting to comfort him the best she can. What he could only describe as a lone butterfly flutters in his stomach for a fleeting moment.
“I wasn’t ready,” He manages to wheeze out, straitening up to try to further dull the ache that’s surging, “It’s fine.” He attempts to wave off any concern.
“You said to fling my elbow back. I flung.” She insists.
He paces a second, breathing in deeply to manage the pain and it subsides quickly. He’s used to cuts and bruises. It comes with the territory. His body has a better threshold for pain tolerance. She still looks concerned, though, and he reassures her he’s okay.
“Can we continue?” He poses.
“Yes, sorry.” She turns back around, and he locks his arms around her again.
“Okay, move my legs apart and then elbow my ribs.” He ready himself.
She hesitates for a moment, “Are you ready?”
“Yes.” He braces his stance and readies his torso for, a now, anticipated hit. She completes the two moves in quick succession, more accurately with each movement this time. “Good,” he praises, “Now, once the person is hunched as I am, you’re going to take both of your arms, which should now be a little freer, and break my arms apart.”
“Okay,” she positions herself, throwing her arms, which now have more space to move upwards, pressuring his own and causing them to break apart, allowing her the ability to move to safety.
“Good, you got it.”
“That wasn’t so bad. I mean, you were expecting it-”
“Mostly,” he teases.
Her eyes narrow only slightly, “You were expecting most of it.” She fixes.
“Let’s practice it a few more times.” They get back into their original hold and she nails it better the four more times they practice. By the fifth, she breaks out of his hold in just under five seconds. At this point, he’s satisfied with her progress, informing her that she is free for the rest of the day.
They both grab a towel and some water in silence but meet at the bottom of the platform’s steps, walking side by side in comfortable silence. He can’t help but be a little disappointed that it’s over. He can’t fathom leaving without letting her know how impressed he’s been with her. What kind of teacher would he be if he didn’t at least praise his student for a great day’s work.
“You’re getting much better.” He admits once they reach the hall where they go their separate ways.
She smiles triumphantly, “Really? Coming from you, that must mean I’m pretty amazing.”
“Don’t go getting in your head about it.”
She sighs, “Now I just need to prove it tomorrow.” Her first specialism class, and he’s going to be overseeing it with Sky.
“You’ll be fine. Silva will go easy on you guys the first day. Don’t let it get to you to psych you out. You know what you’re doing more than most other fairies who signed up.”
She nods in agreement, her face relaxing ever so slightly. “Thanks, Riven. For.… giving me a chance.”
“Don’t worry about it. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
“See you tomorrow.” She smiles again, backing away, keeping eye contact with him for a few seconds longer than she needed to.
He doesn’t want to leave it there, nor does he want her to go.
“We still need to work on your left side. You still keep it too open.” He can’t help himself. Wanting any kind of reaction from her to take away with him until tomorrow.
She shakes her head, probably in exasperation. He would now expect a witty comeback or a light chuckle, but all she gives him is an upturned middle finger in her retreat. The laugh that escapes him causes a few kids milling about to glance at him with interest.
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Riven stops by the cafeteria on his way back to his room, grabbing a to-go coffee with two sugars and lite cream. It’s a bit too much sugar for his taste and he could go without the cream, rather liking black coffee himself. But Sky likes it this way and if there is anything Sky needs, it’s coffee and a reality check.
Sky is still shoved under his sheets when he shuts the door. The poor guy genuinely hurting. If Riven could go into the Realm of Darkness and drag Red back, he would, in an instant. But he can’t. And no matter how much Sky tries to reason, he can’t either. So today is the day Sky gets back on his feet.
“Hey…” He shakes his blonde friend lightly, attempting to stir him, “Sky. Hey…. get up.”
Sky mumbles something, arm weakly stretching out, trying to bat him away.
“No, you don’t. Dude, get up.” He shakes Sky harder, deciding to steal his friend’s pillow. Sky’s eyes are rimmed red, but he keeps them shut. Sky is awake, just attempting to shield himself from the real world as long as he can. “We’re supposed to meet Silva about class tomorrow.”
Sky adjusts himself in his bed, a whiff of stale beer hitting his nostrils.
“God, Sky, did you drink a whole case of beer or something. You’re sweating alcohol.”
All he’s awarded is another jumbled mess of incoherent nonsense. This means drastic measures are to be taken. Setting down the coffee he so lovingly grabbed from the cafeteria, he grasps the ends of his friend’s comforter, “I will pull this off of you.”
A quiet No is all he can make out from the somber blonde in front of him.
“You give me no choice.” He quickly rips the comforter off Sky's prone body, only feeling a slight tension before the blonde noncommittally gives up. Sky groans angrily, though, and to Riven, that’s something. An emotion other than sadness and he’ll take it.
“Fuck you.” Skys jab is weak.
“We have to meet Silva in ten minutes. You smell like stale beer and he’ll know you were drinking. Your dad and sudo-dad are already concerned about you as it is. We don’t need to give them more ammo to send you off to Red Fountain because you can’t focus on your specialism training here around memories of your Fire fairy.” Sky needs honesty right now and he’s willing to give it.
“I don’t care.” Sky sits up, rubbing his eyes, making them red.
Riven sits down next to the blonde, “I do. You may not be great at surviving without Bloom, but trust me, if you go, I don’t know what I would do here without you so-”
“I miss her….” Sky’s head falls sideways, resting on his shoulder, “I miss her so much sometimes it physically won’t stop hurting.”
“I know, but you gotta keep living. Bloom wouldn’t want you wallowing away in despair.” He takes a deep breath, not even sure he should say it, “I miss my best friend.”
Sky sighs sadly before lifting up, attempting to change his attitude. In Riven's opinion, Sky doesn’t do an excellent job, but at least he is trying. He follows his friend up, reaching back to the bedside table and handing Sky the coffee.
“Go take a shower; you stink.” He pats Sky’s back, lightly pushing him at the same time towards the shared ensuite.
Sky moves toward the bathroom but stops, turning back with concern, “Don’t you want it first? You’re all sweaty.”
“You need it more than me right now….” He runs a critical eye over Sky, “Trust me. I’ll get in after.” He waves his friend off, Sky taking a much-needed sip from the to-go cup as he shuts the bathroom door. Once he hears the shower turn on is when he relaxes. Silva will be pissed when they inevitably show up late. He doesn't mind being to blame for it. Used to it an all.
Here’s to another day babysitting his lovesick best friend.