𝕻𝖊𝖓𝖉𝖚𝖑𝖚𝖒 - [𝗦𝘁𝗲𝗽𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝗦𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗻𝗴𝗲]

𝐯𝐢. 𝘪'𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘱𝘳𝘦𝘵𝘵𝘺

𝐂𝐇𝐀𝐏𝐓𝐄𝐑 𝐒𝐈𝐗 — i'll make you pretty

━━━━━━━

 𝐓𝐇𝐄 𝐍𝐈𝐆𝐇𝐓 𝐇𝐀𝐃 approached swiftly and unexpectedly. The chill of the night air drifted in and weaselled its way towards the sleeping quarters, climbing the student's bones.

 Emilia was one of the many to wrap herself in her jumpers and blankets, it was quite a sight to see the bubblegum pink blanket trailing behind her like a veil as she wandered through the corridor on her way back from a rather long night slouched over books inside the library; that is, until her eyes caught sight of a light still on, and a door cracked open.

 Of course, it would be Stephen's door open at such a time. It was surprising that the man hadn't collapsed the moment he stepped out of the shower; from the repeated failures during his training, to being stuck atop mount Everest to freeze until he gave in and surrendered to the mystic arts... It had most certainly been a day indeed.

 Light, soundless steps carried Emilia towards his door, eyes drooping as sleep threatened to drag her into the darkness, and yet she persisted, unwilling to hear the screams and see the raging, billowing flames that plagued her mind every night.

 The door slowly opened as her hand pushed it to the side, it didn't creak or make even the slightest of sounds, and Stephen, standing before the mirror in his room, clear of a shirt and with a razor clutched within shaking fingers, wouldn't have noticed her had she not have spoken up.

 "You can ask for help, you know." She muttered softly, shoulder hunching as she buried her face into the blankets that swarmed her hands, "I've given enough for free, it's about time you ask for it."

 His head ducked as a single chuckle parted his lips, and slowly he lowered the razor, "I thought I could do it on my own."

 "You conjured a portal and saved yourself from freezing, I'm certain that letting me help you clean up that mess doesn't make you any lesser."

 "I'm sorry, mess?"

 A tired hum left her as she started forwards, a hand reaching out to swipe the razor from his trembling fingers, "You heard me. Mess. Don't worry, I'll make you pretty."

 "Yeah, if you don't fall asleep and slice my face off."

 "Whilst I might throw books, I wouldn't dare carve you with a razor." With a light pat to his bare shoulder, she gestured for him to take a seat on the stool that had previously been tucked away, "Sit, you giant."

 "It's not my fault you only grew enough to reach the lowest shelf.

 "Do you want me to make you bald? Because I'll do it."

 Now that made him finally close his mouth and the smug upturn of Emilia's lips hadn't been concealed to him, for he shook his head. Emilia hovered over him, the man still as tall as a tree even despite him taking a seat.