R. A. T. H

Thirty-Five vol.2

". . .she really fell asleep," Rose sighed breathlessly.

Elsa laid on the couch, eyes closed, snoozing as her pad blinked off after a few minutes of inactivity. Naturally, Rose had kept to her promise of tutoring the poor girl in mathematics. At least, in those that were of high school level. Yet, rather than studying, the slum-born girl laid on the couch, sleeping with a peaceful face.

"I looked away for one moment. . ." Rose muttered.

She had taken just a moment to check the girl's work that had been sent to her. She checked her problem-solving, her solutions, and her work. She had taken only a few tens of seconds to type and provide feedback within the document, pointing out areas of common error she saw. And, yet, when she glanced back, Elsa had already collapsed into sleep.

Rose stared at the girl's laid out form, clothed in shorts and a shirt. Her sleeping posture was unsightly as the couch was a bit too small for her full body. She laid there, stomach unintentionally showing as her head teetered on the edge of the furniture.

The homunculus shook her head and stood up.

"You're cute asleep, but," She wrapped her arms under the girl and effortlessly, gingerly, picked her up, "You can't sleep here. You're human. You could catch a cold."

Though she spoke to the sleeping girl, she did not expect a reply from her.

'You should have simply gone to sleep like I said instead of trying to tough things out,' She thought.

It was already nighttime due to the fact that Elsa had insisted they study late into the night. It was no problem for Rose, seeing as she didn't need sleep, but the girl's mind had been surprisingly difficult to change. 'You could take it, you said,' Rose smiled, finding the girl's words now silly.

She carried Elsa past the kitchen, walked through the single hall of the apartment, and stopped before the room opposite the bathroom, which was surprisingly already open. Naturally, she trekked in and found Elsa's bed opposite to that of the dragonian, who was already asleep.

She placed Elsa down on her mattress, rolled her blanket over her, and tucked her in.

'She would probably call me mom if she saw this. . .' Rose thought with a mild chuckle.

She heard rustling behind her and she swerved around to spot a tail grasping for twin swords.

"Oh. . .it's just you," Lilias yawned, blanket falling from her figure, tail unwrapping from the weapons sheathed and strapped to the foot of her bed. "I suppose she couldn't last, after all?"

Rose nodded, eyes meeting the girl's. Unconsciously, she trailed her vision down, and realized the fact that the dragonian's chests, though covered in a loose shirt, were fuller than they usually were.

"Surprised?" Lilias commented as she yawned once more, steadying herself to sit as she placed her back against the wall and stared at the homunculus. "I usually wrap my chests with bandages during the day. It makes fighting and moving around easier."

"That wasn't what interested me," Rose muttered. Her gaze raised, and she watched as the hand Lilias had yawned into strategically lowered, wiping stains of tears from her face. "You hide so much, don't you? Even to the point of hiding your tears?"

"Hmm?"

"Back within the Dungeon's Association, you didn't have to twist Victor with your words, but you did. You did it for Elsa, didn't you?" Rose asked, changing her angle, "But you won't admit that, will you?"

Lilias smiled. "I strive to be as deadly with my tongue as I am with my swords."

Like she thought, the dragonian would rarely ever admit something. Though, Rose had to admit herself that the girl truly was dangerous with or without her weapons. Perhaps, her crimson eyes could see into the hearts of people.