Harvest 52, 855
Buu started waking extra early to hustle to the cafeteria, scooping up the first serving of breakfast and fleeing back to his dorm room to eat. From there, he took circuitous routes to and from his classes, and spent his free time studying on the floor of Aru’s office and practicing in Idah’s secret forest. Choosing the longest, most illogical route to Thaumaturgy class took an extra five minutes from Buu’s day, every day, but avoiding Tiy and Kijah for that little bit longer was worth it.
Buu preferred the clinging attention of the older boys to their previous hostility, but more than that, he wanted to be alone, or to spend time with Idah and Aru. Something about Tiy’s newfound familiarity felt rigid and breakable. Buu couldn’t shake the suspicion that Tiy had developed a fear of the ghosts, increasingly present in day-to-day life. Did he think Buu was a talisman against them?
As for Kijah, Buu doubted he shared his comrade’s positive view of either Buu or the grimm. He had become increasingly nervous around Tuag, getting jittery and pale if forced to stand too close. Buu tried to imagine the view Kijah must have had, pulling Tiy out from under Tuag’s frightful lunge. It wouldn’t matter that the grimm had no interest in either of the older boys — having those fangs and unearthly eyes inches from your own would be enough to strike a profound fear of death into anyone.
“I said, excuse me.”
Idah’s voice rang clear and cold from the corner ahead. Buu sped up, hoping to catch her before class, but he stopped in his tracks when he heard Kijah’s voice cut through the air like a whip.
“And I said no.”
“You’re not going anywhere until you get what I’m saying.” Tiy’s voice this time, low and sharp like ice cracking underfoot. “Stay away from Buu.”
Buu’s ears burned as he crept closer to the corner, drawn like a magnet to the sound of his name. Pressure built in his chest with every step until he could barely breath, tension running through him like a bow string. He swallowed, mouth dry.
“I don’t control who Buu spends time with, and even if I did, why should I?” Idah asked, dauntless.
The shuffle of movement and Tiy’s lowered voice made Buu peek around the corner, seeing the older boy closing in on Idah. He stood a full head taller than her, broader in the shoulders and with long arms that could easily decide a fight. Tiy hissed in her face, his expression curled up in an angry sneer.
“Because if you don’t, I’ll make sure you regret it.”
Buu’s hands shook as he watched. Every muscle in his body tensed without direction. Should he run? Find a teacher or pretend he’d never seen this? Or should he make his presence known? If it came down to a fight, Buu wouldn’t stand a chance without his powers, but could he control them well enough to risk using them under pressure and on living human beings?
Buu felt hot shame flower in his belly as he watched Tiy shove Idah. He should be running out there — defending his friend, or at least evening the odds a little. A sideways glance made Tuag’s supreme disinterest in the scene clear — the grimm wouldn’t step in unless Buu got in serious trouble.
Idah landed heavily in a sitting position, grunting against the impact. She winced, rubbing at her rump as she slowly climbed back to her feet. Buu tried to read her face, but the awkward angle kept her back to him.
Pressure built in Buu’s skull until he felt it would burst, his limited options playing out before him. Showing himself might be enough to end the confrontation, but what if Tiy decided to go back to his old ways? Practicing his magic had made him stronger than he’d ever been before, but his body still looked shrunken in comparison to Tiy and Kijah. How much damage would one punch do?
Buu sucked in a shaky breath as he remembered the deep purple and green bruises stippling his body after the general had beaten him. The persistent, profound ache dogging his steps as they hiked from Red Birch to Scarred Lake. His imagination did not hesitate to show him the general’s arm, rising and falling towards him and Buu squeaked as he tried to dismiss the painful memory.
He could run for a teacher, but he might not find one quickly enough. Should he yell out and pretend a larger group of people were about to turn the corner? His own cowardice brought nausea to Buu’s throat. He knew the right thing to do, yet his feet stayed rooted to the floor.
Idah wiped her hands on her robes, shaking her head as she straightened. Buu watched Tiy and Kijah’s gloating expressions fall into uncertainty as they saw her face.
“Why are you smiling?” Tiy grunted.
“Because.” Idah’s voice rang with amusement as she spread her hands to her sides, fingers splayed like branches as motes of crimson fire burst into life between her fingers. “You just made this into self-defence.”
The boys’ faces stretched in horror as the fire in Idah’s hands grew and warped, forming screaming shapes and flickering nightmares. A keening howl erupted from the flames, wailing so loud that Buu covered his ears. Idah cackled as Tiy and Kijah stumbled back, throwing up their arms for protection as they fled.
As soon as the older boys disappeared behind the far corner, Idah dropped her hands, panting and giggling as she straightened her robe.
“That’ll teach them.”
Buu’s legs unlocked, turning from paralyzed iron to jelly as he half-walked, half-lurched to stand beside Idah. A light sheen of sweat glittered against her face, the hall uncomfortably warm around her, and she grinned as she saw him.
“That was incredible,” Buu stammered.
“Thanks! Illusions are easier, but I thought they deserved something with a bit more oomph to it. I’m just glad the ceiling didn’t catch. I haven’t gotten the hang of water yet.”
They looked up together at the scorch marks blackening the wooden roof, directly over Idah. Professor Ryoh would likely appear any moment, summoned by the fire’s howl or reports from Tiy and Kijah. Still, they made no effort to leave.
“I’m sorry.” Buu didn’t meet Idah’s gaze, his own eyes fixed on the soot marks. “I should have come out to save you, but I couldn’t make myself move.” A hot flush warmed Buu’s cheeks at the admission, but he knew Idah deserved the truth. “They were being mean because of me, and I should have tried to stop them.”
Idah scoffed, shoving his shoulder gently so he looked at her. Despite the sympathy in her expression, Buu could sense the underlying annoyance in the quirk of her mouth.
“Did it look like I needed help? I’m older than you, better at magic, and bigger. Let me do the saving for the both of us.” Her smile was genuine as she offered him her hand. “And if I ever get in over my head, you can sic the grimm on them or scare them off with undead voles or something.”
Buu allowed himself a chuckle as he took Ida’s hand, ignoring her sweaty palm. It hurt, a little, to have his inadequacies stated so plainly, but he couldn’t deny them. But the gap is shrinking, he thought to himself as he considered how far he’d already come in the weeks he had been at the university.
They stood together against the onslaught of scolding and reprimands as Professor Ryoh rounded the corner, face dark with anger. Their grips on one another didn’t falter as they were marched to the headmaster’s office and parked under his tired, resigned gaze. Only once the doors closed behind them did they release each other’s hands.
Buu felt cold for the lack.