#avistella

Jade was not one to be seen as impulsive, yet he found himself having trouble in staying still when he saw Lunaliya’s hunched form. 

The woman was curled, tucked away into a corner of a little-used hallway. He had been looking for a place to later use as the dead end with which to corner a debt runner in, but for once, thoughts of carefully plotted treachery were outweighed by concern.

He made his presence known, his steps a touch louder, as he approached. As he grew closer, he could see that much of her hand was purple and bruised. She looked up, catching his gaze for a moment before looking away. Jade did not reproach her; he stood near her for a few minutes, letting her gather herself some before he finally spoke.

“Good evening.”

She took a deep breath, her back rising as if she were filling herself with whatever it is one needed when conversing.

“..Hello…”

She shifted her arms, the movement of her sleeves revealing a brief glimpse of the bruises that continued on.

He looked towards her, but she simply stared back.

He gestured with a hand.

“Do you mind sharing?”

She stared, as if assessing.

“...No thank you.”

“Are you sure? We could make a nice deal for you, a two-for-one sort of thing…or would a three-for-one be more appropriate?”

The twitch of her eyes was all that gave it away. There was little chance that this was done by herself, and, more often than not, the type of students who were foolish enough to do something so clear were the kind to do so in groups, like schools of tuna without the taste that makes the hunt worthwhile.

However, perhaps it was time to go catch some morsels, he would just ne-

“Don’t.”

He returned his gaze to her as she stood. She was shorter, as most were, but strangely it did not take away from her noble air as she looked back, firm.

“I refuse to fight back against children. I also refuse to allow a child to fight on my behalf.”

She was closer to frail than healthy, more of a person who dwelled in the background rather than led the march, but in this moment there was strength in her small frame and quiet voice. It was a quality that gave him pause, so rare was it for him to feel compelled to listen to anyone for no profit, much less an adult.

He had spent most of his life feeling akin to the large eel in the small pond, after all.

“...There is not much you can do to stop me, should I so feel the urge.”

“I know. That’s why I didn’t say ‘you can’t’. I don’t have the power to stop you, but I can reject your offer for aid, and now you know that, if they so much as stub their toe too hard, it will harm what level of trust you’ve built with me…”

Her uninjured hand went to graze across the fingers upon the other.

“I have nothing to give or hold over you, all I can do is ask you not to, in respect of me.”

They were there, silent, until the bell gave warning.

Jade began to make to leave, when her posture eased. She gave what was the barest attempt of a smile, that for any other would have been the least of efforts, but from her, in this moment, was worth all the will she had.

“It would be bad business to go that far for no profit, don’t you think?”

Her attempt at humor garnered a smile, one that took no effort but had no feeling to it, as hollow a gesture as his bow.

He gave no promise, no fake words to appease her as he went on his way, his mind and heart working together in rare occasion as he made a choice.

-------------------------------------

It was some weeks later, and the Octavinelle dorm and there wasn’t a free member to be seen in the small realm. A ‘charity’ party was being held, the charity being one few seemed to recognize; people seemed to focus less on the questionable identity of the goals and more on the exclusivity of the event. 

Various members of the dorm were sent as couriers, bringing tickets to people with  no rhyme or reason that others could tell.

A dressed up Jade paused  from his duties as a familiar figure entered.

Lunaliya was in a conservative dress and long gloves, accentuating the elegant air she had about her (when she was not ransacking the kitchen in the middle of the night).

He approached her as she looked around her surroundings, taking in the festivities. He gave a polite bow, to which she gave a deep nod, a queen in standing.

“I assure you, it is up to code.”

She snorted.

“So another night goes without me fulfilling my dream of busting a teen party.”

He put a hand to his chest, a look of faint aghast lessened by the smile at the tips of his lips.

“Why, what part of this charity event could be compared to some children’s party? Perhaps we need another, to raise funds for your eye health?”

“Maybe you should wait until this one finishes without any investigations on just who owns this ‘charity’ the money is going to.”

She showed her ticket, slightly different from the others by a single word upon it.

“And what kind of charity event has chaperones?”

He quirked his head, a smile as polite yet nefarious as ever.

“Would you prefer I send no invite? I thought you might doubt our goodwill if we refused observation, and, quite frankly, it would have been rude to send them out to those of each house except yours.”

She watched him, gaze probing, but she eventually nodded, relaxing some. He took the opportunity to offer her a hand.

“Now that we’ve the pleasantries out the way, what do you say to a dance?”

Lunaliya seemed a bit perturbed at the suggestion, but he kept his hand extended.

“Why not chaperone from the dance floor? It is the area most likely to have misconduct at a party, after all.”

She let out a chuckle at his hushed tone and wink, finally taking his hand and allowing him to lead her to the floor.

They kept a small distance as they dance; they did not follow some dance to a T, but they weren’t doing whatever came to them. He did something of a square as she followed, misstepping and stumbling here and there, the mistakes unusually bringing a cheery smile that she did little to hold back as he kept going, reminded of dancing with Floyd once when they were younger and recently gone onto the land.

As they danced, there was a commotion at the entrance. Her head turned, but he turned them together in time, keeping her from seeing even a hint of what might be happening outside.

She arched a brow.

He smiled back in reply, her unasked question going unanswered, a silent conversation in expression.

He had not gone against her.

She did not want revenge against the trio, nor did she want him to exact revenge. She had never said a thing about finding out who did it.

And, after the discovery, he had done nothing against them for what they did to her. He did not even trick them.

As the dorm was sending out invites, one of its small, loner students just so happened to go by the isolated place they tend to linger, with tickets in hand. Jade had no way to know that they would actually try and take them, and he had only the best of intentions when he told the student beforehand to give up the tickets should he be threatened.

Just as they had not known that each ticket had their intended recipient’s name on them in black light.

So if they were punished for threatening an Octanivelle student, theft, and trespassing; why, that had nothing to do with her or revenge, now did it?

They danced on, a satisfaction tinging his smile.

-----------

It was quiet after the party ended, but it was not silent.A sole violinist continued to play inside as the rest cleaned, uniforms mussed but begrudgingly satisfied smiles despite their chore.

The two stood outside, the stars clear and twinkling.

There was a sense of comfort; not a jovial one, like when they were in the midst of retorts, but a calm one, like when the extended family left and there was no one but those you were close to left.

After some time, she spoke, keeping her eyes on the stars.

"Thank you…"

He did the same.

“For what?”

“For being here.”

He glanced down, saw the sincere smile on her face, her eyes reflecting the stars some, and he looked up, his expression mirroring hers.

“And thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being.”

In the quiet they stayed, even the violin and the sounds of cleaning dying away.