~JAPETH'S POV~
"It has come to light that I have not shown you all enough discipline when it comes to the consequences of...certain actions," Dean Burnhilde clipped, voice strangled. Her beehive hair shook like a bird's nest as her heels clacked against the wooden floors.
Jach, Mika, and Hemwa were huddled at their desks in the back of the classroom, barely daring to give their Dean a glance. The eighth student in Arbed House, a boy with scraggly hair and a strange twitching problem, looked the most guilty with his twiddling thumbs and downcast gaze.
His name was Asmodeus. He was probably the most quietest boy of the bunch, being sent to Arbed House about six months prior for believing he could communicate with lost spirits or something.
It was Kei and Rhian who looked the most innocent with their relaxed postures. Meanwhile, Japeth was glancing at Aric once in a while as if in a way to ask his friend if he were okay.
The students of Arbed House had awoken to eat their daily spinach Starling eggs with a side of beans and the Dean's special tea. It was after breakfast was over that the boys had to attend class, only for them all to be confronted by a frazzled Dean Burnhilde.
Japeth felt bad about Aric's dreary appearance. Usually, Aric was a bit more cold and hardened, but today Japeth could see that somehow his friend looked...unwell.
There were deep bags beneath Aric's eyes and his spiked hair was droopy, the black locks falling across his face in a strange manner. Even the sleeveless shirt he wore looked more wrinkled rather than smooth and tight fitting.
Japeth was kinda worried to say the least. What had caused such a drastic change in Aric overnight?
Well, Japeth was forced to endure three more tedious hours of Dean Burnhilde's rants before class was finally over and lunch break began. Japeth intercepted Aric, intent on finding out what was wrong with his dear friend when Aric suddenly grabbed him and pinned him behind the building, out of view of any onlookers.
Surprise jolted through Japeth as his back tensed against the bricks, but he forced himself to remain calm. It wasn't like he was in any danger. Japeth believed that Aric wouldn't hurt him, but could Japeth really trust his own judgment when he'd only known Aric for less than a day?
"What happened?" Japeth breathed, struggling to calm his racing heartbeat. Aric's close proximity didn't help much. Japeth could see Aric's gaze rake over his face as if he were studying a strange life form, and his lip twitched as if he were fighting the urge to pull away from Japeth.
"I...I had a nightmare," Aric admitted, voice gruff and hoarse as he clenched his fists.
Japeth felt a wave of relief envelope him as he relaxed, glad Aric had just had a nightmare and wasn't suffering from a mental breakdown or something. But the way Aric's violet gaze was clouded in underlying worry made Japeth's relief slowly subside.
"A nightmare?" Japeth said. "About what?"
Aric's countenance remained a worried expression, but when Japeth reached out to squeeze Aric's shoulder, he slowly blinked as if coming out of a trance. Aric finally took a step away from Japeth, but Japeth instantly missed his warmth.
"Japeth?" Aric whispered, voice strangely hesitant. "Are we still friends?"
Japeth couldn't help the perplexed look that came across his face at Aric's absurd question. Were they still friends?
What kind of question was that!
Heck, it must've been a pretty bad nightmare for Aric to be acting like this—So seemingly out of the ordinary and different.
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SGE His Darkened Heart (A Japaric Fanfiction)
Fanfiction"I WAS JUST A BOY. A BOY WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH A MONSTER. I NEVER THOUGHT I'D BECOME ONE MYSELF." ----- When Aric was only six, he was abandoned by his mother in the Woods all alone before finding his way to Arbed House. Meanwhile, Japeth is a trou...
