Chapter Text
Lying in the grass, Clara looked at the ring on her finger, matching with Iruma-chi and Azz-Azz. A warmth bubbled up in her chest as she giggled at the thought. She rolled over onto her side, arm still extended in front of her, silly smile still plastered on her face.
”Hey, why’s Clara-nee acting so weird and giggly?” Asked Konchi, snapping Clara out of her daydreams.
”Do you think it’s her boyfriends? Do you think they proposed?” Interrupted Keebow.
Heat rushed to Clara’s face as she jolted up.
”Don’t bully Nee-san,” Urara huffed as he walked past towards the garden. “It’s impolite to pry into others’ romantic affairs.”
At that, the twins turned to Urara instead, a sudden glint in their eyes. They switched to bullying Urara, asking about potential partners at “Levilevilon,” leaving a red-faced Clara gaping in the grass.
Then a thought struck Clara. They all had rings on their hands, but they were all mismatched. Iruma had gotten his during rank assignments in place of a proper rank. Azz-Azz had gotten his from his mother, and Clara had received it as a gift from Raim-sensei after the Harvest Festival.
If they weren’t matching, then Clara would just have to make them things that would match. She needed advice, so obviously she turned to the girls’ gathering that took place every so often.
“Matching?”
”Yeah! Iruma-chi and Azz-Azz and I all have rings, but they don’t count because they’re all different! So we need new matching things so we can actually match!”
”Clara-chan, I’m not quite sure I follow.” Elizabetta replied.
”I need something to make sure Iruma-chi and Azz-Azz and I all match!”
”My, my, going for two at once! How greedy! I like it. Well, how about bracelets? They can be quite fashionable, and matching sets can be found in most accessory stores. It might be a little difficult to find sets of three, though. Oh! How about you handcraft them! It gives a little more effort into the gift, and I’m certain you’d have fun with it!”
The whole while, Maka-chan sat there face wholly aflame. A look of slight indignation peeking out. Keroli glanced nervously at her, a questioning expression on her face.
A newfound grin on her face, Clara rushed out of the room and back towards home. Bursting through the door, Clara shouted, “Mama! Teach me how to make bracelets!” Her mother looked up, startled.
”Oh, you just need to braid a few pieces of yarn then tie the ends together.”
”Okay, thanks, Mama, bye!”
Without even pausing to catch her breath, Clara began sprinting straight back to Babyls house, already dialing the number on her phone.
“Nee-san, teach me how to braid!”
”Clara… This is Ameri. Elizabetta already went home and left her phone here.”
”Oh. But Makka-chan has everyone’s addresses, right? Can you mayyyybe pretty please give me Nee-san’s? It’s an emergency so pleaseeee?”
“Clara, braids don’t warrant an emergency. Even if it was, I wouldn’t be allowed to do that. It’s a matter of privacy.”
“Boo, Makka-chan’s no fun. You’re just jealous because I’m going to be matching with Iruma-chi!”
”Huh?” Ameri felt blood rush up to her cheeks. “W-well, tell you what, why don’t you come over, and we can figure it out together?”
“Really?”
Ameri could hear Clara perk up even over the gravelly audio of the call.
“Yeah, I’m in the usual room right now, meet me there.”
Clara practically slammed the door open, kicking up ages of dust that had been buried in the carpet.
”Clara, you’re here.”
”Yeah! And I brought plenty of frumple-wump!”
Ameri paused. “Frumple-wump?” Ameri looked down to see Clara holding an armful of colorful yarn in various shades of blue, green, and pink, ranging from pale pastels to bright neons.
“I thought you meant hair? Is that not what you need help braiding?”
”No, I need to braid yarn to make bracelets for Azz-Azz and Iruma-chi!”
”Well, maybe we can start with hair.”
”Okay!”
”Sit still.”
Clara sat down on a cushion, sinking into its soft surface. Her back was turned towards Ameri. Her posture indicated anticipation. Nervously, Ameri reached out. She felt Clara tense as she ran her fingers through her hair, combing out any lingering knots before she started to braid. She had learned the basics from Elizabetta a while ago, but she had never had the chance to really practice. Ameri had done up her hair in various fancy hairstyles — she was of high status after all —, but she had never done her hair in a braid, so her fingers were clumsy, and the loops were loose and uneven as she layered one strand after another. At the end, there were two twintails hanging down Clara’s back. They weren’t neat, but they were finished. Ameri looked proudly at her work before stepping back. She opened her mouth to announce that she was finished, but she quickly stopped as she realized that Clara was asleep. Her breathing was softer, and she had completely relaxed while Ameri had been braiding her hair. Without all the energy she usually radiated, Clara looked small, especially compared to Ameri with all her grand stature.
When Clara started to droop forward, Ameri caught her. She brushed Clara’s bangs out of her face, revealing an expression far more peaceful than any of her ridiculous expressions that popped up during the day. Hooking her arms under Clara’s legs and beneath her back, Ameri lifted her up and took Clara to her office, being careful not to jostle or wake her. Gently, she lowered her onto one of the cushioned chairs facing the desk, and she sat back down at her desk and began to write a guide. In neat handwriting and black ink, Ameri penned a simple guide on how to braid, detailing which strands to drape over which at what point in the process. When it hit 8 pm, Elizabetta came back searching for her phone. Ameri hushed her, returned the device, and ushered her back out. Elizabetta had giggled and cast a knowing smile at Ameri before waving goodbye as she exited through the door.
At 8:30, Clara had woken up as Ameri finished the last of her daily paperwork. Ameri had offered her a cup of warm tea and the guide, which Clara had groggily accepted through a yawn. After tea, Clara had left for home. Ameri had offered to accompany her, since it was dark out, but Clara declined. Ameri hoped Clara made it home safe.