𝐶𝐿𝑂𝐴𝐾 𝐴𝑁𝐷 𝐷𝐴𝐺𝐺𝐸𝑅 | 𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐆𝐎 𝐇𝐀𝐑𝐆𝐑𝐄𝐄𝐕𝐄𝐒 [DISCONTINUED]

𝟖 | 𝐒𝐈𝐓!

"𝑅𝑒𝑏𝑒𝑙𝑙𝑖𝑜𝑛 𝑎𝑔𝑎𝑖𝑛𝑠𝑡 𝑡𝑦𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑡𝑠 𝑖𝑠 𝑜𝑏𝑒𝑑𝑖𝑒𝑛𝑐𝑒 𝑡𝑜 𝐺𝑜𝑑."
—𝐵𝑒𝑛𝑗𝑎𝑚𝑖𝑛 𝐹𝑟𝑎𝑛𝑘𝑙𝑖𝑛

𝒟.

𝐃𝐈𝐄𝐆𝐎 𝐎𝐏𝐄𝐍𝐄𝐃 𝐇𝐈𝐒 eyes rather reluctantly, though the action was quickly rewarded as his gaze landed upon Natalia's sleeping face.

He gave a soft smile, his embrace around her tightening as he pulled her closer to him. His smile only broadened as she gripped his shirt, and he planted a kiss on her forehead.

The sun was beginning to peek through the small crack between his two curtains, and it was enough light for him to read from the clock's face that it was a little past seven.

Gently, he shook Natalia's shoulder until her eyes fluttered open, and he whispered, "You have to go back to your room."

Yawning, she nodded and got up from the bed.

Before she left, however, she leaned over and kissed his cheek, murmuring a quiet "Thank you" before cautiously heading out of the room.

Diego watched as she shut the door behind her, a small frown forming on his face.

It was now halfway through April, but it seemed as though Natalia was feeling no less guilty than she had been in December; she still had just as much trouble sleeping and eating, and, though she always reassured Diego that she was fine, he could tell that it was eating away at her.

All he could do was continue to encourage her, Diego decided with a sigh as he slipped out of his bed.

He changed into his uniform, did a quick sweep of his hair with his comb, and brushed his teeth. He exchanged a stiff nod of greeting as he passed Luther on the way out of the bathroom, which was returned.

He swept past his room and instead went to Natalia's, and he knocked on the door.

He was greeted by a small smile as the door swung open, and he glanced behind him before stepping inside.

"I'm sorry that I keep bothering you at night," Natalia mumbled as she grabbed her blazer from her bed and shrugged it on.

"You're not bothering me at all, Nat," Diego quickly reassured her as he shook his head, shoving his hands into the pockets of his shorts as he leaned against the wall. "Trust me, I'd rather have you in my bed."

A smile drew onto her face as she shuffled over to her desk and began tidying up the notes that the two of them had been studying from the night before.

They both turned towards the door as the bell rang.

"Don't ever worry about bothering me, princess," Diego murmured as they reached the door, swiftly kissing her forehead. "You can wake me up any time you like."

"Thanks, Diego." She sighed, going on her tiptoes and placing a kiss on his lips. "Let's go."

Diego followed her out of her room and down the stairs, joining the others as they headed toward the dining room.

And it was as Diego stood silently in front of his chair that he realized that what he was doing was utterly stupid. Why did he have to just stand in front of his chair for no reason before every meal? To wait for their father, for the one-worded command to sit down and eat?

Obviously, that was only one of the millions of stupid things he had realized about the Academy and about the decisions that Reginald had enforced. There was also the sending your children out to die every other day, forcing them to beat each other to a pulp in order to train, allowing only thirty minutes of fun per week, hardly ever talking to them, and showing interest only in what made them unique: their powers.