warnings: rated T for alcohol, alcohol abuse/addiction, mild suggestive themes, and (very) mild language.
based off the prompt: 'Class VII all worried about Sara's drinking, and doing crazy things to stop her.'
The original Class VII gathered around their dormitory's common area, early morning light streaming through the curtains.
The older girls sat on one of the long sofas - Emma fidgeting, Laura solemn, and Alisa boring holes into the carpet - and Rean sat rigidly opposite them, brows pinched alongside a quiet Elliot and Gaius. Their quarreling duo leaned against the adjacent walls; the heir of the Albarea household against the bookshelf and the Governor's son against the railings, where Fie was perched, expressionless.
The floor was quiet, full of jumbled thoughts, until a little blue-haired girl - the class' resident terror - stumbled down the stairs. The Ironblood seemed drowsy, almost unaware of herself, as she slid right into the middle of them, plopping sleepily onto the room's coffee table.
The silence lasted less than a minute.
"Ah, that was a good dream..." The girl began, yawning and stretching her arms over her head.
Everyone tensed.
"And... All right - good morning, everyone!" Millium greeted enthusiastically - and several octaves too loud - suddenly very alert.
Everyone shot her dark looks.
The Ironblood pouted, before looking around, as if just noticing their grim expressions. "Gosh, why the long faces, guys?"
Jusis scoffed, Fie glared, and everyone else was silent.
Rean just sighed. "We're worried about Instructor Sara."
Millium tilted her head, confusion clouding her eyes. "Aw, but you don't have to worry about her! She's only gone for a day or so, and even if it's a top secret dangerous mission... Well, I've seen her fight! She'll be fine."
"I have no doubts about her capability in combat," Laura put forth. She looked stiff - stiffer than usual - arms crossed over themselves. Her eyes flickered down. "I do, however, raise some concerns about her... lifestyle."
There were nods around the table - and, in the case of Jusis, a mildly agreeable look.
"I-It's her choice, of course," Emma followed, wanting to make that clear. "And I'm sure the Instructor has her reasons..."
"But it's killing her."
Emma shot Fie an admonishing look, at being so indelicate about such things. But the jaeger just flipped the knife she was toying with in her hands, looking away. No one could disagree.
"Fie is right. Blunt as always, but right all the same," Machias said, adjusting his glasses. A nervous tick of his. "Am I incorrect in assuming that if she continues down this path, she will be experiencing severe problems?"
"Of course she will. Again with stating the obvious, Regnitz."
"Excuse me, Albarea, but I'm just trying to re-iterate to make the problem more clear-"
"Guys! Please! This is about Instructor Sara!"
They quieted, grumbling.
Rean continued, "Normally, I wouldn't think of it - any more than I do whenever I see her, anyway. Instructor Sara is an adult. But if what Fie showed us is right, then..."
"...then we don't have a choice." Gaius finished. "I agree; we must do something. She's our mentor - in Nord, she would be family."
"I second that," Alisa said immediately, and when everyone looked at her, she flushed and knit her hands together. "She's lazy and irresponsible in more ways than one, I can't deny it, but she's... well - like Gaius said... one of us."
She looked uncomfortable at the admission. But, then, everyone saw her mother.
Millium spoke up again, voice squeaky with confusion, "Whoa, whoa, whoa - you're leaving me way behind! What did Sylphid show you that makes you all frowny-faced?"
Emma sighed, then retrieved a folded piece of copied paper from her satchel. She passed it to Millium, who scanned it immediately, with more proficiency than any thirteen-year-old should possess - almost like she were reading a field report.
The girl gasped. "Holy crap! I dunno what half this stuff means, but that sounds bad!"
"Pretty much."
"I'm afraid so."
"Well, whatever you're doing, I'm in! The Purple Lightning is a real nice lady. Not the drunk failure Gramps says she is at all!"
Rean gave the thirteen-year-old a pat on the shoulder, encouraging her to step off their coffee table-turned-podium. "Er... Thanks, Millium."
Ever conscious of her surroundings, Emma picked up the sheet of paper fallen at Millium's feet, returning it to her satchel.
"I - I just don't know about this, guys," Elliot admitted, hesitant. "Like Emma said, it's not our business. I doubt she'll appreciate us cutting into her life like this at all, and - we don't even know what she's been through!"
"It's true, I don't like this plan," Emma said, sending Elliot a grateful look. Still, her gaze hardened, concern brewing within. "But I can't in good conscience let her go on like this, either."
"We're not going to," Fie said easily - for her, it had already been decided. As the one who had known of the problem the longest, she was almost unnaturally grave. Stoic, but with Fie's steely brand of determination simmering in her green eyes.
There were more nods.
Emma started again, flustered. "B-But still! Remember, everyone - no matter what we do, in the end the only one who can change this is Instructor Sara herself."
Jusis joined in, "Not to mention that we are only her students. Stopping her involves a breach of far more than Academy rules; she could punish us officially, if we're implicated."
"And unofficially, even if we're not..." Alisa added, wincing. They all knew what that meant.
"So you're suggesting we just let her do this to herself?" Machias glared, straight past the girls to Jusis. "Didn't you see the results? Or do you not care-?"
"Neither Emma, Alisa, nor I are saying we shouldn't. She certainly won't stop on her own." Jusis crossed his arms, blue eyes glacier-like. "We are merely pointing out the difficulties."
"They are valid concerns," Laura said, ever diplomatic.
"I suppose..." Machias allowed, and Jusis just huffed, turning away.
"Okay, well, here's my piece." Rean sighed as he stood, looking at the rest of his class. "Elliot's right - we don't know much about Instructor Sara, or what she's been through. Only that a lot of it's harsh... and perhaps far over our heads."
More nods. Rean noticed Fie's eyes go misty, just a tad; perhaps Fie understood most of all, what Sara's kind of life was like.
"But I do know that right now, Instructor Sara... she doesn't have many friends." Rean took in a deep breath, then exhaled. "She's always there to watch our backs, but I get the feeling that... well, there are few people - if any - watching hers."
They all saw how she acted. Noticed how she was silly and fun and outgoing but how something still lingered behind her yellow eyes, like a shadow, glistening beneath the surface. Remembered how Toval just smiled sadly when they asked how Sara was doing, and told them, "I'm just glad she has all you kids."
"She does a lot for us," Alisa admitted, looking down. "All the training, and the tutoring... however unhelpful that may be sometimes... And whenever we need her, she finds time for us."
"She does have our best interests in mind," Machias added, a pinched look on his face. "Forcing us to do things that are... ultimately... beneficial, even if we don't realize it."
The Governor's son glanced briefly at Jusis, who also also looked pained as he said, "And only grudgingly admit it."
A silence of agreement fell upon them. Even Millium seemed serious. Laura took a stand across from Rean, arms folded across her chest, looking to Class VII's unspoken leader.
"So we know what we must do."
Everyone locked eyes, and nodded.
A/N: Hi everyone! And thank you for reading this far! c: This... Well, you might call it a crackfic taken with some seriousness. Or a little bit of a crackfic, anyway (because, you know, the thought of Sara having a serious alcohol problem is totally ridiculous and out there).
This fic does get silly, though - with lots of TOCS-brand humor and a good dose of fluff. (Because Sara caring about her students like they're hers is cute, and they're all like family, anyway. c:)
There aren't many TOCS fans out there, so if you clicked on this and thought it was even a teensy bit interesting, please tell me if it's worth continuing! Thank you! c:
