a corpse that grew young.

     “Pft.” Qrow scoffs, but it’s clear there’s a hidden grin in his voice. He watches the leaf fall to the floor with a warm gaze. “Maybe it’d make it faster for me, but you probably need to get up from that desk and walk more anyway.” At least during these all night stints of his, which frankly still furrows the man’s brow. 

       “You’re right I wouldn’t. So please don’t make me take Glynda’s side for once and at least take a couple more naps?” Hesitating a moment, he gingerly picks up the mug- it’s new one since well. He had happened to the last spare. “And I mean voluntarily falling asleep- in case you try to bullshit and ‘loop hole’ your way out of it.” Like always. 

       Speaking of like always, Qrow cracks a smile staring down at the familiar smelling drink. Old man never did change this up any, outside of candy canes and marshmallows, but somehow that’s comforting, in way the rogue would rather not dwell on. “Thanks. Been a little busy juggling two jobs. Hah. Firecracker seems to be adjusting to Signal alright though I have to get on her about sleeping too.” Of course he directs the conversation away from himself at the nearest opportunity. 

       “Squirt keeps trying to sneak her way into attending with her sister and pouting when I drag her home instead.”

“ i do hope that you’re not implying that i’m out of shape, my dear friend. “ ozpin moves to chide the other, but it’s clear from his body language and tone of his voice that he doesn’t much care. “ i’ll have to know that i do my fair bit of walking around campus during the day. “ and for once, it’s not a lie. seeing the vibrant hues of his students, watching them thrive in each other’s presence had always been a good enough reason to get out of bed and go about his day. “ however, you always have a tendency to slip in during the dead of night. if we are to talk, then i must stay put. “ leaning back in his chair, the headmaster crossing one leg over the other and closes his eyes, letting out the smallest of sighs. “ remaining ever vigilant to let you inside is an honorable duty, after all. “

listening carefully as he always does, the man nods once. “ i’ll have to up your pay, then. “ he jokes, ignoring the pang of guilt that echoes in knowing. “ though i’ll have to know that you’re doing quite beautifully, especially with two little ones hanging on your every word and action. “ unfortunately, ozpin had never been able to personally acquaint himself with the two children in question-- something he feels might have to do with their father’s well placed trepidation towards the immortal. he takes another long drawn drink from his mug, letting the warmth seep into his core. “ i do have to wonder... “

  hanako, for all of her years wandering this school, doesn’t think she’s ever seen such open flirtation in her entire un-life. her expression falls flat as he blatantly pretends she hadn’t given a warning, a mild amount of distress forming in her stomach at the idea of the raw batter having some averse effect. can’t that kill people? doesn’t it have serious health impacts if you eat things like this raw?!

  “ gross, ” she answers without an ounce of hesitation. “ you could clean it with paper towels or anything besides eating it, amane-kun… ”

  not that hanako can hide the red tinting her cheeks. baking anything after only getting sparse practice between her other activities only to be complimented is… nice. perhaps it’s only amane continuing with this charade, but hanako is the ghost of a girl who lived for the ideal of a fairytale romance. “ it’s a surprise, okay? you can know when i’m done. ”

  she considers pulling him from the table, but a glance to his arms and the rest are enough to put a complete stop to her idea. no, she won’t bother him over something as trivial as manners when it’s only them. “ ah… no, its been fine thankfully, having a break from everything for a bit almost feels weird, huh? ” she muses, returning to the other side of the table finally to continue her work. 

  a pause with the question and hanako furrows her brows.

  “ mmm… nope. i keep cooking because it’s fun, but usually i hand them off to other supernaturals. why? ”

he knows that he doesn’t have the experience and knowledge necessary to say much, but what amane does know is that the mysterious being known as hanako-san of the girls’ bathroom really needs to go out more. “ i would never want to discard your hard work for something as ungrateful as a paper towel. “ scoffing, the boy pulls up and into himself, curling into a ball and perching his head atop his arms. “ you know that i’m better than that. “ for a moment his thoughts drift, wondering how someone that’s only just barely taller than him can seem so childish yet so mature at the same time. 

     ( because she died, right?

            because there was nothing more she could do when being stuck here, right? )

“ hard to geeeeet. “ amane says, but the sincerity of the statement is about as strong as the constitution of a tissue. “ i’ll comply just this once. “ his smile falters for a split second when he notes that the other is gazing down at his covered shame, him forced to pull his line of sight from the specter as he feels his throat tighten. the sensation perseveres for only a moment before he settles back into his routine. “ it is weird. you’re usually working me like a dog, you know. i’m gonna go stir crazy if i don’t have to do anything. “ ‘then why not go home and occupy yourself in other ways?’ the voice from the back of his head asks, but the only sign of this is the smallest hint of laughter that forces itself from his throat. “ but, oh well. “

“ you’re getting a break at least. “ if hanako looks over, she’ll see amber eyes that have warmed into a sweet golden honey, the yugi child’s face melting into something much more sentimental, so much more doting. “ so i’m satisfied. “ as immature as he acts, in the end, he’s still an older brother. ( even if he is a bad one even if he hasn’t been able to do any of it right even if him trying wasn’t good enough-- ) “ hey, hanako-san. “

        “Oh,” Akane mumbles, “of course. You’re as vile to Yashiro-san as you were to Aoi-chan. Why am I surprised?”

        ( Well, no. He isn’t. )

        “But, no!” He starts again, pace quickening around the school campus. The armband tightens around his sleeve and the glasses twirl around his fingers. And, ugh, he’s chirping again, voice flute-like and piping just like the cheeky asshole he is. “I was just wondering. You’ve never done it otherwise, so I was curious to see if it was necessary or you simply wanted to mess with them.”

        That’s a lie. Every supernatural’s best interest is to fuck with the lives of normal human beings. Hanako is the least exempt from this fact. Now in particular that rings true, as Akane falls silent and draws to a stop.

        “I wouldn’t need to stoop to the likes of you to practice. You’re a little too out-of-touch with my own life to help, all abhorrence aside. Now, if that’s settled—”

        In one swift movement, he turns his head towards the dishonorable ghost and takes him by the scruff of his collar.

        “Why are you here anyways, Honorable Number Seven? Shouldn’t you be haunting the girls’ bathroom like usual?”

in a fashion that only small annoyances like hanako-san can be, the ghost lingers after the clock keeper faithfully, keeping pace easily despite the other’s silent insistence that he get lost. the empty hallway houses the echo of only one set of steps, and the boy laces his fingers together, no doubt infuriating the other all the more with his jubilant chuckle. “ it’s quite energy consuming. “ he admits, letting his gaze wander off a small amount. “ had i not been connected to yashiro-san by our contract, i doubt that i would do it for very long with anyone else. “

“ aoi-san is quite close to the shore, however, so i wager that it would be possible with her for at least a few moments. “ hanako says, the smile on his face growing all the larger, even as the other drags him close by the scruff of his collar. there’s a tingle in his heart-- a spark, a twinge. excellent show, akane aoi. “ i wonder if you giving your existence in her name is cause for that? “ against all advice, the dangling specter reaches out a hand and places it on the taller mystery’s upper arm, thumb rubbing spirals into his sleeve. 

          ( how guilty do you feel, little supernatural? )  

“ even if you hate me, i’m still your boss, ever-doting number one. “ the boy once known by yugi amane near-whispers, hands raising to gently hold the other’s grip, fingers nearly moving to loosen the other’s hold, instead staying perched like a persistent sparrow’s talons. “ it’s my job to check in on everyone and make sure that they’re not acting outside of the constraints of our wonderful kamome academy’s rules. “ 

  “ if only… ” hanako murmurs, casting a single glance over to amane before returning to her work. it’s truly cursed to be a girl like her and be directly sealed to a toilet of all places! given the chance to wander without fear of a certain exorcist coming out to fight her, she would leave the safety of her boundary a bit more often.

  but… well, getting a chance to bake again in some peace was too good to pass up! hanako sighs and returns to ignore amane, figuring that feeding into his offer would only weaken her resolve. sure, it would be the easy route to get the boy to shop for her, but that’s not a good use of his time! assistant or not, hanako would prefer amane to stay by her side than go out–

  … she should probably not let him know that, especially when he’s being a bit annoying.

  hanako goes to look back at the boy, only to catch him far closer to her face than she expected. letting out a startled cry, she floats herself right over to the opposite side of the table and stares amane down.

  “ i - i’m making, um… ” she stammers, suddenly a bit shy in spite of the glare she’s trying to focus on him. “ don’t worry about it, okay?! a - and warn me before you get so close to me! what if i had a whisk in my hand and i got batter all over you? you have to be careful, amane-kun…! ”

“ you don’t have to worry so much, hanako-san. “ yugi replies, reaching a hand forward to thumb off some of the batter on the table, promptly testing it without listening to a single word of her protest. with that, honey eyes slowly become alight, twinkling with a child-like fascination and obvious approval. “ as your loyal assistant, i’ll suffer through any trial to be by your side. “

“ i wouldn’t have been mad if i had to clean this off anyway. “ he points to the batter, smiling from ear to ear. “ stuff like this would be good enough to eat off my clothes any day of the week. “ ugh. boys are so gross. he flashes a cheeky smirk before taking a step back, jumping to perch himself on the next table. it had been a compliment, as far as he was concerned, but the smugness of his demeanor suggests that he knows exactly what he was doing. “ but are you sure i shouldn’t worry about it? unless you want to keep them all for yourself. “

a chuckle. “ it’d definitely be understandable. but, hm... “ a thoughtful kick of his legs. “ are there no new supernaturals to deal with today? maybe a few exorcists or angry mysteries that have to be talked to? “ he lets a beat pass. “ unless everyone has been well behaved lately. “ no new gossip comes to mind, even as he rubs at a padded bandage on his arm with his thumb; a habit that he’s yet to break. no, he wouldn’t tell her that he didn’t want to go home today. not yet. 

“ though, it is quite lovely to see you nonetheless! “ rhea castore is a person that has never known anything of skyscrapers, cars, electric generators or anything of that sort, though she can surmise well enough that the stories her dear friends used to tell her back in her small little world had been most likely been borne of the contraptions that roamed this land. metal beasts amble along smooth walkways with smoke trailing behind them, and the woman almost goes to meet them-- though is quickly pulled back by a very distressed feline. ‘are they not friendly?’ ‘they are, but they get very upset when they’re interrupted.’ ‘ah! i cannot say that i do not understand the feeling.’

so the warden lets herself be lead back to the grass and trees ( something that was very sparse here, she notes as she sees stone pathways and hears more alloy animals in the distance beyond ), the two of them finally taking refuge on a metal bench underneath a long light.

“ how have you been, dear oliver wright? “ and, like always, she cups his face with her hands, a gentle smile upon her lips. 

“ you’ve grown so much. ”

Tap. Tap. Tap.

A crow hovers outside Beacon tower’s window very late at night, giving a loud caw after his tapping goes immediately unanswered. (Seems like an impatient bird.) There’s more tapping, and another caw. Relentlessly, it repeats the cycle until the pestered Headmaster finally rises from his place at the desk and goes to open the small window to let the pest inside.

Flapping over to the desk, it alights and quickly swaps his form so a certain huntsman is half sitting on it instead. He rests his chin and cheek against his knuckles, observing Ozpin with a grimly raised brow.

“Not to complain when you were able to let me the easy way,” Qrow starts a little sardonically, “But do you ever sleep?”

“ i’ve half the mind to leave a doorknob near your favorite perch. “ ozpin replies ever so swiftly back, taking care to brush a stray leaf off of the retainer’s shoulder. an unspoken visitor, certainly, though even old souls will be reluctant to admit that it was a readily welcome one. “ you’re pushing me to my limits, after all. it’s a dreadfully long walk to the window. “ 

“ but you wouldn’t like my answer if i told you. “ he continues, though the knowing smile that remains on his features suggests that he might be aware that he already let slip whatever the other already knew. without breaking eyecontact, ozpin reaches into the depths of his desk and pulls out a mug. it seems that qrow is in luck; the cocoa pours smoothly into the ceramic piece, before he goes to refill his own. always accommodating, that bastard.

   sou swore that he meant nothing anymore — to the face that greeted him when he awoke from one nightmare into another, under his breath as the rules of this new , a whispered promise to do exactly as he had instructed — to kill him at the first given chance. that things were different now.

   and yet that touch left him frozen just like it always had. midori had called out for shin and that’s exactly who he was all over again, fighting to quit trembling just from being in the man’s presence.

   it takes just a beat too long for shin to find his voice again.

   “ joe isn’t that far. if anything happened, i could just call out and he’d come running, along with everyone else nearby. ”

   the words that felt as cold facts just moments before start dissolving as soon as they leave his tongue, and he bites it to keep his own resolve afloat. it wasn’t the only uncertainty coming to light with midori’s unprompted visit; despite all his promises, shin didn’t know how to kill the man yet.

             but don’t let him know that.

   “ what do you want? ” 

“ ‘ what do i want? ‘ “

“ i wanted to spend time with an old friend, of course. “ the man replies smoothly, straightening himself up as he takes both of shin’s arms and gives a big smile that reeks of plaster. he is like stillwater in a wasteland, overgrown with weeds and poisoned down to its very core. the signs are all too easy to pick up-- the hitched breath, the way that the other stiffens up and refuses to meet his eye. it’s cute, really. endearing even, so much so that his grip loosens and reaffirms itself all over again, this time having taken both of shin’s hands in his own, porcelain taking hold of flesh.

they’re different. they’re different. they’re different. 

“ ... is that so wrong? “

they’re different and it’s grand.

“ it’s not like you to trust people to come to your aid so easily. “ midori states, his head giving the ever so slight mechanical tilt to the side. it was intentionally, of course, a jarring motion that sliced through the air and landed him right where he wanted to be. “ but they do seem like the chivalrous sort, so long as they aren’t aware of your final goal. “ just like that, he frees shin’s hands, his own hands coming together to hold each other behind his back. the playful doll leans forward, looming, but only ever so slightly. ( there were about the same height, after all. it must have been fate. ) “ --speaking of, how is that going? do you think you need help? “

‘what are you thinking? tell me everything.‘

“ do you think it’s smart to wander around so much, shin-chan? “

a hand clamps down firmly on the boy’s shoulder, squeezing ever so gently. midori walks around the other’s petrified body as if he were going around back for a party. jovial, tranquil and smooth, it doesn’t seem as if the man has a single worry in the world. 

maybe he doesn’t. this place is his stage, after all. a domain delicately constructed from the depths of everyone’s memories to create a perfect misery, so sweetly satisfying in it’s melancholy. the smile remains firm on pale features, his thumb rubbing spine-chilling circles into the liar’s skin. “ i had heard that everyone was supposed to walk around in pairs. is it wise to be alone? you might just die all over again. “

“ unless you were looking for me, of course. “

“ have you figured out how you want to kill me yet? “

“ that can only be performed by the most lewd of mysteries, honorable number 1. “ 

“ do you have any plans where you’d need such an ability? “ hanako says with his tell-tale smile, stitched together from the shreds of only his kindest intentions. the specter floats mere inches above the ground with his hands held ever so respectfully behind his back, his calm hover easily keeping pace with the taller boy. the final school bell still continues to ring in the background, signaling to the students that all with no responsibilities on the campus should up and head home. the mystery has long since known the loud ring was only the predecessor to a much quieter home in due time, though amber hues still glance to the window, catching a second of little figures heading beyond the gates before focusing his attention back on akane-san. “ mmm... do you need to do something that requires that time continue as normal? would it be... “ here, the boy does a small wiggle in the air, eyes closed and seemingly deep in thought as his smile grows calmer. 

“ do you want to practice confessing to aoi-san ... ? my, do you really think i’d fit the role? “

fucker.

“ at this rate, i would half expect this to be your boundary compared to the bathrooms, “ the boy says softly, a feather-light step leading him further into the room. ingredients are scattered about to and fro, some spilled from a clearly obvious case of non-corporeality. “ i didn’t know that ghosts could get so hungry. if you had been craving something, i would have been happy to go out to the store to get something for you. “ he says it with full confidence in knowing that she would refuse it ( at first that is, whether or not a second or third prod would work depended on the day ), because ‘as one of the heralded wonders of kamome academy, she had to be able to fend for herself’. despite the strut in his gait, his motions are completely silent, as if the child known as amane yugi had never existed at all. 

rather ungracefully, however, is amane looking over hanako’s shoulder without any warning or request to do so in advance. what amenace, wouldn’t you say?

“ what are you making? “

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