Test

"… A Test of Courage?"

Ahiru nodded, sighing. "Pique and Lilie are organizing one this year, and… and before I knew it, they'd signed me up to test it!" She gave a small whimper, covering the top of her head with her hands as if in a protective shield. "They said there would be ghosts and monsters and all sorts of scary stuff… and I don't wanna disappoint them, but…"

Fakir could only give her a bewildered look, one eyebrow raised. "I don't get it. You've faced the Ghost Knight and the Prodding Bridge and even the Raven, haven't you? What would be so scary about something ridiculous like that?"

"Th… they can be really scary sometimes…" Ahiru mumbled. Then she continued, poking her two index fingers together. "So that's why I was wondering if, um… could you maybe come with me?" she rushed the last part out in one breath, bowing her head low and holding her hands out in the mime for pleading without even realizing it. "I promise it won't take long! Or if you're too busy then that's okay, but—"

"Why would you need me there?"

There was a pause, and Fakir noticed that she began toying with her fingers again. Her lips pursed almost pout-like, which could be heard through her voice. "Well I just thought that I wouldn't like going alone and that it'd be way too scary and maybe if you were there it wouldn't be so bad 'cause you being around in general kinda always makes me feel better anyway so…" She trailed off and glanced to the side, giving another sigh.

Fakir didn't see her glance because he was suddenly too busy looking elsewhere as well, feeling the slightest hint of warmth in his neck that he hoped she didn't catch on to. When she put it like that… "All right, fine."

And so a few days later Fakir found himself standing with Ahiru out by the old site of the 'Prodding Bridge' in the dead of night. Pique and Lilie felt that the location would enhance the atmosphere, Ahiru had explained, but Fakir really couldn't care less about the details. Her two friends just wanted to put Ahiru through their absurd 'Test of Courage' thing, and he planned on leaving as soon as it was done and over with.

But…

"QUA – !" Ahiru's quack-like yelp echoed through the cold night air as a bush nearby began to suspiciously shake and rustle.

Fakir glared at it, before turning back to her. "It's just Dilia shaking the bushes."

"Ah—oh, ehehe, was that it…?" she chuckled nervously, trying to calm down her erratic heartbeat. "That really startled me."

"Even just something like that?"

"Well when it's dark out and at a creepy place and you know there are people who're gonna try to scare yo—AIEEEE!" This time she jumped nearly a foot in the air when a low "ooohhhh" sound began emanating from behind a building.

Fakir deadpanned. He didn't even bother glancing toward the source. "That was Dillan moaning."

Again, Ahiru tried to laugh it off, but it was clear she was still trying to get her bearings back. And it continued on for the next half hour as they followed Pique and Lilie's signs and came across some rather amateur attempts at frightening scenes. The grave marker was obviously plastic and fake, the blood was just red paint, the bugs littering the ground were rubber toys he'd seen at the store just earlier that week, etc.

But no matter how often he debunked every inane trick, Ahiru still remained on edge and easily susceptible to them. For the most part it only made Fakir roll his eyes and wonder how long it would take until they were finished.

But then a figure dressed in a monster suit suddenly darted out and clasped Ahiru's shoulders, causing her to jump and issue the loudest scream yet before all but diving into Fakir, clawing at his arm. He was about to admonish her and let her know it was just another trick, but then noticed her quivering against him, and decided they'd had enough. Sending a deadly glare to the costumed student, he grasped Ahiru's arm and began leading her away. "Come on. We're done here."

"Qu—! But— wait, we haven't finished the test!"

"Forget about the damn test," he growled. "It's nothing but a waste of time." Sure, maybe that really was the case at first when it was just a yelp or a start every once in a while, but even if the tricks were amateur and silly, they were now legitimately terrifying her. And that bothered him a lot.

Ahiru stumbled over her feet a few times before gathering herself and trotting close next to him, her arm still in his hold. She hesitated a moment, before shifting so that instead of holding onto her, their arms linked together. If he didn't like that, he'd let go, right?

He didn't, and Ahiru found herself thankful. Maybe it was silly, but even just his close proximity was already making her feel better. "Eheh… I guess you're really not scared of anything, huh?"

"Don't be ridiculous," he replied, not looking at her. He continued leading the way, heading toward a part of town more brightly lit. "You haven't already forgotten, have you?"

Ahiru realized her slip-up, and grew flustered. "A-ahhh, I didn't mean stuff like—like ravens or—I mean like ghosts and monsters and mysterious things like that!"

"I'm not afraid of our classmates dressing up and making absurd noises," he said flatly.

"Well…" she drifted off, unconsciously tightening the grip of her arm linked with his as she glanced away. "Here you are helping me and making me feel better… 'n I wanna be able to do the same for you, you know?" The last part came out quietly, as if she hadn't really thought over her words before they were in the open.

"… Idiot," he mumbled in response, and she couldn't see his expression as he was still facing ahead. "You've… done that plenty, before."

As they came upon a well lit street, Ahiru smiled to herself as her eyes drifted down to the link of their arms.

'Courage,' Edel had told her once upon a time, flashing a necklace in her hand. 'Two gems made into one.'

Maybe she failed Pique and Lilie's 'Test of Courage,' and rather spectacularly at that. Maybe she'd never grow out of being a person who was scared easily. But maybe it didn't really matter in the end, when Fakir was by her side.