because today is the very last day.

[ordine]

We'll allow you to be in Class VII under the guise of someone being brought in to be an example for the other students. I'll trust that you'll watch over those children and, at the same time, look for signs of Rean Schwarzer being one of the key members of the Imperial Liberation Front.

"Man, they're always giving me the hard jobs. Slave drivers, all of 'em!"

But, that didn't matter now. Rean was here at the academy, sleeping among the members of Class VII, keeping to himself and looking for Crow at every opportunity. It wasn't like Crow hadn't seen him around once or twice, having caught a glimpse of him when Rean was running around delivering student notebooks with all the enthusiasm as a workaholic, but...

(The rot has already begun to settle. He can feel it somewhere deep inside of him, scalding hot and dark as it coils around his heart. His inner beast sings for its kin, for Rean, and it's slightly frustrating how empty he realizes that he was without him.)

He was treading some very fine ground. Both Sara and the Principal believed him when he said he had nothing to do with them anymore other than the occasional check-in to make sure everyone was alive, but with Rean here it was like everything was either going to get really intense or really catastrophic. Or maybe it'll be both? I really hope I'm worrying for nothing.

The door to the classroom swung open with a simple push and he breathed in real deep, mustering up a fearless smile as he walked inside and settled in front of the class between the students and Instructor Sara, all the mirth in the world in his eyes even as they scanned the starstruck faces of his new classmates searching for the one he was looking for.

"So, a little birdie told me you all needed a good role model for the next two years and I was gracious enough to accept. Starting today, I'll be a member of Class VII with all you fine folks-- hope you guys don't mind. It's gonna be pretty sweet! ♪"

Comments

[ordine]

"What? And you expected me to come to you like a paranoid puppy? Yeah, no, that wasn't happenin' any time soon," Crow huffed, the undercurrent of a laugh in his voice. "I figured you were here to actually attend class, study, and broaden your horizons like the rest of the good ol' students here... Didn't wanna hang over you like a shadow. Imagine my surprise when I found out that you weren't doing too well."

Oh, he knew Rean's game, exactly what he wanted down to a t. But, Crow was excellent at talking his way out of extra responsibility and old burdens. He put the Imperial Liberation Front behind him with drafts with plans all over them for a few years after he left; he didn't leave them bereft, but certainly he did leave. There was no arguing that.

He wanted them all to scatter. He wanted to protect what was his.

"Speaking of your name: have you gone back to see your family the last few years?"

[rean]

Rean crossed his arms across his chest and frowned. "That's not up for discussion. And if you were so surprised, why didn't you check up on me sooner?"

He hadn't picked the cover so Crow would find a reason to be worried and come to him. It was just the easier cover to play for him; the other option was to be a playboy gambler, a plan they'd originally written for Crow when he toyed with the idea of entering Erebonia's most prestigious military school. Anyway, now that Crow mentioned it, he figured he'd milk it for all its worth. And besides, it the other topic Crow brought up wasn't something Rean wanted to talk about.

[ordine]

"I'll just go on ahead and take that as a, 'No, Crow, I haven't had the chance to go and visit my family yet.' As for why I didn't check on you sooner... Like I said: I didn't wanna be a looming shadow over your shoulder. You need to find your own way without me guiding you along."

Because he realized very quickly that it was a mistake to get Rean involved in his troubles. Rean was so young, so impressionable, so compassionate; his bleeding heart was something that Crow feels he took advantage of at the time. A practitioner of the Eight Leaves, One Blade sword style wasn't something you came across every single day, much less one so damn nice.

Crow was a fool who was in over his head. He was not, however, lost. He fought his way out of an extremely dark place without anyone else's help and he's been slowly picking up his own pieces as time's gone on. No one was going to come here and ruin that for him because once he's done with picking himself up, he's going to start picking up the Imperial Liberation Front's pieces, too.

That wasn't something Rean needed to know, though.

Instead, Crow put his hands on his hips and leaned in towards Rean, finding his smile once more. "So... I expected you to do way better here. What the hell's got you putting yourself down for less than what you're actually worth? We both know you're better than this, Rean."

[rean]

"And I sure did find my way on my own," Rean mumbled before sighing. And by 'way' he meant the position Crow left behind when he up and left the ILF. Having to become acting-leader of the ILF, even with the plans Crow had left for them all, was no easy task. Rean was aware he was far from the person who should be leading them all, but they needed a figurehead of sorts and... well, he was the one who fit that bill best out of the upper ranks left behind.

He shook his head. "And I'm not here to study and be an honor student, you know? A career in the military or the railway police isn't something I'm in for, Crow."

I'm here for you. To bring you back.

[ordine]

"No, you didn't find your way if you're in this place for me. I swear, you're just as bad as Vita. Did you know she's here in Trista too?" And she wouldn't leave him the hell alone for Aidios's sake. Crow didn't sound unhappy though, his tone tinged with something decidedly fond.

After all... it was good to see old friends again, even if they hung on your shoulder every chance they got, or even if they tried bringing you back in to your old organization. Vita almost got him a couple of times - both for her organization, and his own.

Crossing his arms then, it was obvious that Crow wasn't opening himself to discussion about going back anywhere near the Front. He was just going to steamroll over whatever Rean had to say about it no matter what he had to say about it.

(Crow loves him, but it's a bittersweet and soft feeling he can bury, thrumming in the back of his memories.)

"But... Hell, I'm happy you're here. Why don't you try being a student for a while? I got a good feeling about Class VII. ♪ Hang out for a bit, peruse your options, maybe even find yourself a girlfriend. I'll even stay there with you."

But with his marks and his skills, he's already being looked at by various people in various locations so the possibility of him coming out of Thors without a career path is nil.

[rean]

"Yeah. She's the one who told me where to find you." It bothered Rean a bit that he had to be told where Crow was, but he was just thankful to find his old friend again.

"You know why I'm here Crow. I'm not here to have fun I'm--" Rean took a deep breath. " We need you back, Crow. It's not the same without you."

[ordine]

"I figured as much. And I'll pretend I didn't hear you ask me that and instead that I heard you agree to hanging around with Class VII." Basically: I heard you, but I am completely ignoring the fact that you asked me that at all.

He would protect Rean for as long as he could and hide it. Bury it, let it rot, and never look back at it again until he had no choice but to accept it.

Smile wide and true, Crow lets his thoughts consume him for a moment - about his opportunities if he stays and his opportunities if he goes, both things he doesn't actually care about because he has to tie up loose ends, too - and eventually decided that he would tell Rean.

Rean deserved to know.

"Giliath Osbourne wants me, too."

[rean]

Rean's heart seized for a moment at that admission. With a serious look, he stepped closer to Crow and grabbed him by his shoulders.

"Then you can't stay here. We have to get you out of here," Rean said urgently. He knew enough that, given Crow's past, Gilliath's interest in him wasn't anything good. "Does he know about Ordine... is that why he's interested in you?"

[ordine]

"Woah there, sweetheart! I think I'm fine where I am right now," Crow tried to reason, throwing his hands in the air in surrender. "But yeah, that's part of the reason. Said I'm too much of an asset to leave alone and he'd rather have me as one of his Ironbloods."

Crow didn't blame him, but it didn't mean he liked the idea of being an Ironblood either. He still hated Giliath Osbourne even if he gave up on his revenge. Still--

"Principal Vandyck said that the Chancellor can't actually touch me until I'm out of the academy, so for the moment I'm protected by both him and the Board of Directors. And given who's on that Board... well, just rest assured that I'm safe." For now.

[rean]

"You have less than a year." He'd been listening when Crow introduced himself, he knew Crow was supposed to graduate soon. The ILF and the Noble Factions' plans were progressing but Rean wondered now if it was going fast enough.

Rean sighed and then let Crow go. "Why did you go here, of all places, anyway? You know Osbourne can find you here."

Inwardly, Rean wondered if it was exactly because of that that Crow chose the Academy. They had plans to infiltrate Thors before, but that was with support -- there were never plans to leave Crow alone on his own. Even now, Rean was within Scarlet's reach. If things went south, he had a contingency plan in place.

[ordine]

Crow blinked at him slowly, as if Rean just asked him something insanely stupid or inane and he can't even begin to compute why it was asked in the first place. But, he told himself he wouldn't outright lie to Rean because he supposes Rean could still be trusted, and so when he answered it was a roundabout answer that was more of a question than an actual answer.

"Why don't you stick around and find out, then? Stay with me and figure out for yourself why I'm here, risking my own safety."

Stay.

And then he took a step back away from Rean, his entire body relaxing as he shook his head and sighed in return. Osbourne already knew where he was and it was only a matter of time before he fell into his hands; playing it safe by staying with the Front wouldn't do anything for anyone other than temporarily calm their nerves. He was naturally warmed by Rean's concern.

They would come for him harder, try and convince him much more, but Crow wouldn't listen to anyone. Crow wasn't alone. He had Vita and the Principal, as well as Instructor Sara, and for the moment he was safe.

[rean]

"No." Rean shook his head. "I'm staying so I can convince you to come back with me. I don't care if you've got everything planned and you think you're not in danger. We want you back because you're our friend. Sure you think you'll be okay -- and maybe you're right. But... don't do things alone, Crow."

[ordine]

"You're still staying and that's all that matters." I don't really care what your reasons are. "I seriously doubt their intentions and reasons for wanting me back are as pure as yours, Rean."

And it's then that he turned away, rolling his shoulders and starting off towards the locked door to unlock it and leave. Crow was going to do everything alone the same as he always did and Rean's presence wasn't going to stop him from proceeding as planned. He wouldn't slow down now.

"Either way, I seriously gotta go now so I'll catch you later. I'm really late for a date right now and she'll skin me alive if I'm not there soon! ♪" Which was technically true because he referred to all of his outings with Towa as 'dates' (because it made Towa blush and fluster and turn off her default Mom Mode).

Either way, Crow wanted out of this room stat. He had a few things to report and a few things to keep to himself, balled up in his mind as secrets.

[rean]

"Maybe. But it's not completely selfish either."

As Rean watched Crow walk away, he thought of reaching out to grab Crow by his hand and to keep him there. He didn't act on that thought. They had time. This wouldn't be the last time they spoke to each other. In fact, in the next several months, they'll be seeing each other a lot...

Rean planned on never letting Crow out of his sight again.

[ordine]

His hand paused as he unlocked and opened the door, smile tugging at his lips as he looked over his shoulder.

"Haha. Maybe you're right. Maybe I'm not giving them enough credit. ...Right now though, I've got too much to do and very little time left to do it.

"I'll see you around, Rean. It was nice talking to you again-- I'm glad you're doing well."

With that said, Crow turned away again and walked right out the classroom without waiting for Rean's reply. He was right: they would be seeing each other a lot these next few months and Crow planned on drilling how good this experience would be into Rean's head. Even if Rean ends up going back to the Front and Crow ends up falling into Giliath Osbourne's hands, Crow wouldn't regret anything.

He couldn't. He had to fix himself and then set everything up for them to be fixed, too. He had to get Rean out of that place before he sunk too far in to get out anymore.