Without further ado...

Chapter 7

Glynda Goodwitch hadn't really planned that evening on trying to calm Emerald Sustrai down from whatever it was that was hanging over her, but she was glad, at least, for one thing.

Emerald had come to her.

That told Glynda an awful lot on its own. One, the girl trusted her. Perhaps that shouldn't have been a surprise, given the talk the two of them had shared, but from the way Emerald had described her background, Glynda had gotten the impression that she was not the type to trust so easily. It was entirely possible she was wrong on that theory, and given what she'd seen here, probable, even.

Two, it was likely the source of this problem was her team. Or, more accurately, her team leader, Cinder. She didn't think there was anything else that could make the girl so visibly upset. Someone who'd been raised on the streets, had been taught the law of survival, would do anything in their power not to show obvious weakness.

Glynda would never say such a thing aloud, but this was that.

So, she already had some idea as to what was wrong before she sat the girl down on her couch and moved the seat at her desk over to rest on the opposite side of her coffee table, before realizing that just this once, her proximity might be appreciated.

She sat down next to Emerald, unsure as to quite how to properly initiate a conversation when the girl was staring straight ahead at the wall in front of her, visibly holding back tears.

She didn't want to place her hand on the girl's back, just in case the contact would cause her to clam in on herself, so instead, she placed both her hands on her own thighs, where the girl sitting beside her could easily see them, and thus track her movements.

"Would you like me to get you anything?" Glynda decided would be a good enough way to begin. "I'm not sure what you're partial to, but I have some herbal teas, or just water?"

Emerald shook her head minutely, still not looking away from where she was staring a hole in the wall opposite them. Glynda just sort of nodded, not at all surprised, as she mentally ran through her options here for the second time.

Well, she'd given Emerald quite a while, a good four or five minutes, to start talking of her own volition, which meant it probably came down to Glynda to begin any conversation.

"So." She spoke as gently as she could. "Could you tell me what happened?"

Emerald took a breath, one wavering and tired. Glynda didn't rush her, just sat beside her, and tried to provide a reassuring presence.

"I… I don't really know how to…" Emerald began, and already her guard was coming up. "I shouldn't… I shouldn't even be here, this was… stupid."

Part of her wanted to inquire as to the girl's mumblings, but some other piece understood that she should perhaps not. There was something more going on than Glynda would've initially guessed. This didn't seem to be a simple fight.

Or, at least, there was something more beneath the surface of the simple fight, if there was one.

"I didn't get much of a chance to speak with you today, Emerald." She said instead, trying just to fill the air, see if that would've grease the proverbial wheel a bit. "But I wanted to thank you and the rest of Chamomile for your help. Honestly, I believed myself a goner when my support teacher called in sick."

Emerald just nodded her head, but there was a twinge of something in her gaze that drew Glynda's attention.

"Did something happen today? While you were out with your team in Forever Fall?"

And there it was, more than a twinge, a genuine flinch. Glynda immediately felt guilty for having brought it out.

"Ms. Sustrai, I'd like you to understand once again that I'm not going to make you talk if you don't want to. If you'd like, we could simply sit here together in silence until you're ready to go back to your dorm?"

"I can't." Emerald's voice came out clipped.

"Hm?"

"I… I can't go back to my team's room." The girl said, and there was a certain rawness to her voice that confirmed for Glynda that this wasn't the average argument between friends.

Immediately, despite herself, some part of her assumed the worst. Had Emerald been hurt in some way? Perhaps physically?

"Did something happen?" She said, leaning towards her without really meaning to. "If you'd like, I can call–"

"Cinder found out." Emerald cut her off, still facing the wall. "She found out I… that I talked to you."

Well, that was something, at least. Still, she obviously had more questions.

"Why would that be so bad?"

"She found out that I… told you about her feelings."

And the pieces clicked into place.

"…Ah."

Glynda got the general picture, now. Not the specifics, not without something more to go off of, but she could understand, perhaps, why Cinder may've yelled at her teammate, or… well, she supposed it could've been worse than that.

For someone who was so guarded, normally, like it seemed Ms. Fall was, to have a secret shared against their will, by someone they thought they could trust? Well, it wouldn't surprise Glynda if the woman had been furious upon learning of what her teammate had mistakenly admitted.

Still…

"She didn't hurt you, did she? Physically, I mean."

"No!" Emerald's eyes met her own for the first time that conversation, panic evident within them as she leaned into Glynda. "No, she would never… it's… she just…" And then she looked away again, staring down at the coffee table. Her voice was a murmur as she continued. "She got mad. Yelled at me. She doesn't usually… she's never yelled at me like that before, and I just… what she said was…"

Something worse than normal. Oh, Glynda had caught the little thread there, that tiny admittance that Cinder didn't usually do such things, which implied it was not the first time her team leader had yelled at Emerald. Or, perhaps not yelled, but made her feel aggrieved. It did not automatically equal abuse, of course – Glynda had been the leader of her team back in her time at Beacon, and she'd been forced to lay down the law at times – but it was still a potential thread the conversation could follow.

Still, for now, she slotted that information into the back of her head and kept going with what she had.

"Do you want to talk about it? What she said to you?"

Emerald shook her head, biting down on her bottom lip. It was clear that whatever it had been, it'd struck deep. After all, Emerald had been crying; for how long, Glynda didn't know, but she knew that above all else, the girl needed help.

So, she'd deal with that first, and then move from there.

She stood from the couch and watched the way Emerald's gaze tracked her out of the corner of her eye as she moved into her small kitchenette. She opened her freezer, something that didn't get very much use, and fished from out of it a large carton.

She placed it down on the counter, before reaching into one of the higher cabinets and pulling out two plastic bowls. They were not the most refined of items in her possession, but they also wouldn't break if they were dropped on the floor, so she usually preferred them, despite their inelegance.

"What are you…" Emerald muttered, standing from the couch to get a good look.

Glynda held up the carton with a small curl of her lips. "Ice cream. I'm afraid it's only vanilla, I don't normally keep it stocked, but one of my old students sent me a large container, and–"

She cut herself off, realizing she'd begun to ramble.

"Well, suffice it to say that I've come to find ice cream has the ability to heal emotional wounds better than most therapists. It was often my sole companion whenever I was going through a rough breakup, or in an argument with one of my own friends or teammates."

"I'm fine." Emerald said, frowning as she looked at the second bowl, which Glynda was still filling, heedless of her words. "I don't want any."

"Unfortunately for you, Ms. Sustrai, I am your teacher, and as such, I am giving you a very important assignment. Mandatory, I'm afraid." She said with a tiny smirk, before she took the two bowls – now adorned with a spoon a piece – and walked back over to the couch.

She sat down, and placed one in front of Emerald, and one in front of herself.

"Eat." Glynda said. "Trust me. I imagine you've likely not partaken of anything in hours. Am I correct?"

Emerald said nothing, but there was a defiant sort of glint in her eye that told Glynda all she needed to know.

It took a minute or so of Glynda silently spooning ice cream into her own mouth for Emerald's hands to edge towards her own bowl. Finally, after another ten or so seconds, the girl relented, taking it, and serving a tiny dollop into her mouth.

Glynda tried not to smile as her face instantly brightened, but she was pretty sure she'd failed, judging by the way Ms. Sustrai glared her way a moment later.

"You're making fun of me again." The girl mumbled past the food in her mouth.

"I promise I'm not trying to." She sought to appease. "Now, why don't we simply eat for a while, and we can discuss more afterwards?"

Emerald didn't say anything in response, but she did spoon another bit of the delectable creamery into her lips, so Glynda took that to mean she agreed with her plan.

They ate mostly in silence, which gave Glynda time to occasionally observe the girl sitting beside her. She quietly relished the way that Ms. Sustrai's countenance lightened up whenever she tasted the rich vanilla, even though a part of her reminded the rest that the reason for such an obvious reaction was likely far more depressing.

Because it seemed Emerald had not had such things as ice cream very often. Hell, this very well may've been the first time she'd ever been served a scoop. It was a given that most children had partaken of the dessert by the time they were perhaps four or five, but for an orphan living on the streets?

Well, it wasn't like ice cream would be found inside a dumpster or left out where she could steal it. Even if it were, it would melt far before a young girl could find it.

All the sight before her did was reinforce how utterly lucky Glynda had been. To have parents who'd loved and supported her as she grew up. She'd always known she was lucky; her parents were the type to often repeat such rhetoric, but it had always been in a distant, comfortable sort of way. Now, to have the fact thrust into her face so mercilessly…

She shook her head. She could sit here all day and throw Ms. Sustrai a pity party, but it wouldn't mean anything unless she acted.

The two of them had finished their ice cream as well, which meant that it was now time to return to the difficult conversation they'd been having.

"So." Glynda spoke, setting down her bowl on the coffee table. "Cinder yelled at you because you accidentally revealed to me her feelings for Ms. Xiao-Long, correct?"

There was a small blip on Emerald's face there, one which Glynda couldn't quite parse, before the girl nodded her head.

"And you don't want to tell me what she said to you?"

Emerald bobbed her head from side to side.

"That's fine. Once more, I'm just here to make you feel better. You don't have to tell me anything."

"I…" Emerald's lips stayed open, even as her voice tapered off. She so clearly wanted to say something. "I'm… I shouldn't have told you what I did."

"You didn't mean to, Emerald." Glynda reminded her. "You didn't even, really. I parsed the truth out myself, and for that, you have my apologies."

"Even still," Emerald denied. "It was probably my fault, I… it's always my fault, so I… I probably deserved–"

"None of that." Glynda couldn't help herself from leaning forward and placing her hand atop Emerald's, and she watched as the girl stiffened somewhat.

It was clear from that alone that Ms. Sustrai had an aversion to being touched. She'd sort of gathered the same when she'd first discussed the girl's interest in Cinder a few weeks back. When she'd thoughtlessly taken the girl's wrist, there'd been a brief flicker on Emerald's face that had seemed almost violent.

Instincts honed in a threatening environment. It wasn't at all her fault, and Glynda never would've blamed her for such a thing.

"Whatever happened…" Glynda said, taking things slowly. "You didn't deserve it."

"I…"

This was more delicate than Glynda had assumed, leaning itself towards some of the more negative possibilities her mind had been able to conjure up.

"Can I ask you why you think that?" Glynda said as softly as possible, carefully navigating with her words so as to not step upon an emotional mine. "Why you think that you… might deserve having been yelled at?"

Emerald shook her head again. And this time there was a certain… reluctance in the motion.

Glynda didn't want to consider the possibility, but…

"Is Cinder threatening you?"

"NO!" Emerald shouted, rounding on her, and again reacting so abruptly to her leader being questioned. "No, she'd never… it's just…"

Suddenly, a dull knock sounded throughout the entire room, and Glynda winced as she realized just what that meant. Instantly, she watched as Emerald's guard rebuilt itself, the walls which had been coming down once again fully guarded.

"I… would you like me to send whoever it is away?" Glynda said, trying as valiantly as she could to recover their little session. "I will if you wish to continue our discussion."

"No." Emerald muttered, not looking at her. "Go… see who it is."

Glynda nodded with a silent sigh, having expected as much. She stood from her spot and began walking towards the door, and as she opened it, once more, Glynda found herself rather baffled as to who stood on the other side.

"Ms. Fall?"

Cinder had never really… experienced regret before.

Well, she had felt regret before, obviously. She'd killed the man who she had, however regrettably, considered a sort of foster father. Had struck him down as he'd placed a comforting hand atop her head, and ruffled her hair, and smiled sweetly down at her, and then she'd ripped the swords out, and watched as the life drained from his eyes and–

Cinder shook her head, dispelling the memories.

Suffice it to say, however, that Cinder had never been in a position where she had to then deal with the aftermath of said regret. While she regretted, perhaps, having killed Rhodes as she did, it had been too late to do anything about it by the time she'd realized it. Rhodes was dead. So, the only thing there'd really been to do was bury the feeling away.

Pretend she didn't care, and fight, and lose herself in those fights. Hide those feelings underneath a layer of physical pain so deep that she couldn't ever see them again. And it had, for the most part, worked wonders.

And yet now, sitting alone in the gardens of Beacon Academy, staring out over flowers and fountains and all other sorts of natural sights upon one of the many benches, Cinder was left just sort of…

Aimless.

What did one do when they had a regret, and had to actually worry about dealing with it?

She'd said something she shouldn't have to Emerald, that much was clear. What she was feeling on the matter… that was still up for debate.

Because whether or not Cinder wanted to admit it, she was feeling something. It was much the same scenario she'd gone through with her feelings for Glynda Goodwitch, her physical attraction to the woman now something she couldn't deny any longer. So perhaps, like that, it was better to merely face the problem head-on?

She supposed she could.

The last time, she'd looked up the answers on her scroll, and she saw no reason to mess with a formula that had provided results. So, she dug out her scroll from her pocket, and typed in the symptoms.

'Regret' and 'Said something I shouldn't have'.

The answer was immediate, and unanimous.

'Apologize'.

Cinder's scowl in that moment would've been sufficient to threaten the entirety of the White Fang into submission. Instead, it was directed at an internet article. Which did not have the emotions to get up and run away, but had it, it certainly would've made an attempt.

Because apologizing wasn't an option for Cinder.

Emerald, as much as the girl liked to think of herself as more, was a pawn in Cinder's grand aspirations. She was not at all her equal, or someone that deserved anything more than a sort of begrudging awareness. She was more like a tool, one that she maintained – by giving her what she desired, touching her arm, smiling her way, whispering sweet nothings in her ear – and one that she fixed if it weren't doing the job correctly – by denying her those very things.

Emerald was, pointedly, not her friend.

All of these articles seemed to assume such, however. That Cinder was trying to make up with a friend, someone she considered herself on the same level as, and thusly needed to approach with a respectful sort of apology. She supposed, had she angered her mistress, she'd have apologized profusely, or perhaps more accurately, simply righted the reason for Salem's anger itself.

But…

She did not care about Emerald's feelings. She did not want the girl to gather thoughts above her station, or think that Cinder was weak, or would tolerate failure. It was clear, then, that an apology would not solve her problems.

So, she tried some other variations. 'Stomach churning' along with 'regret' again, and got similar results.

'If at all possible, try and apologize, and make up with the person you've hurt.' The first article she thumbed over stated. 'Often, you'll feel much better having simply said how you feel. And hopefully, the person you've hurt can forgive you.'

Useless. So, Cinder tried again.

'Saying sorry can seem difficult–"

Again.

'Asking forgiveness is hard at the best of times–"

Again!

'But at the end of the day, you'll feel better if you just say you're–"

Cinder snarled, wanting to throw the scroll in her hands across the gardens and into one of the nearby fountains, watch as it shattered, or fizzled and died. Wanted to get some base satisfaction out of causing destruction.

That she held herself back was a minor miracle, and Cinder forced herself to follow Salem's advice for dealing with her anger, a trait her mistress had always found almost amusing. She took deep, steadying breaths, attempting to even out her erratic heartrate as she thought of her options.

Her scroll, it seemed, did not possess the answers she was looking for.

But it wasn't as if her scroll was the only thing that could provide her answers.

An idea occurred to her, then, something that would kill two proverbial birds with one proverbial stone. After all, if she needed advice, then…

Shouldn't she ask a teacher?

She rose from the bench she'd been sat upon, slowly stalking her way across Beacon's grounds. The sun had long since set, casting her with a soft white glow as the reflection of the shattered moon arced across her.

She was too deep in her thoughts to really worry about anything, even to notice the way someone attempted to call out to her as she passed by.

Finally, she arrived in front of Glynda Goodwitch's door. She'd not been here in some time, going on a few weeks now. Still, she'd been invited back, hadn't she? And perhaps the woman would have an answer for the uncertainty she possessed.

She knocked a single time, knowing she needn't bother to do such again. Inside, she heard muted voices, and immediately, some part of Cinder considered simply leaving. She wasn't entirely sure why, but perhaps discussing what she had in mind in the presence of another was simply–

The door opened, and Glynda Goodwitch stared down at her with wide eyes.

"Ms. Fall?"

"Good evening, Ms. Goodwitch." She said, bowing her head ever so slightly. "I hope I'm not intruding on–"

And then Cinder saw Emerald.

Her followers' eyes were rimmed red with long-shed tears, and the way she gripped the couch she was sat upon told Cinder that she'd had no more intention of running into her than she'd had in turn. She'd come here to get away from her – Cinder had already figured out the girl was avoiding her when she'd not found her back in her room, or seen her anywhere else on campus – but the confirmation was…

She wasn't sure why, but it caused an ugly sort of bubbling in her abdomen. It churned and quaked, sloshing around like the very acids within were eating away at the lining of her stomach.

"Cinder…" Emerald spoke, and the way her name was said carried within it a certain fear.

Fear was important, it was something all those who served beneath her had to carry with them. If they did not fear her, then they would not work for her, would not follow her plans through to the letter. But… but even having said that…

She couldn't stay here, she realized. She didn't even know why; couldn't discern exactly what part of her simply needed to leave, but she took a step back without even realizing she had.

"Ms. Fall, wait," Glynda Goodwitch tried to stop her, but she wasn't quite fast enough, not when Cinder shot away, walking as quickly as she could away from that accursed room.

She did not run. She'd have never forgiven herself if she did. Cinder Fall would not run. Not now, not–

"That's all you'll ever do."

Her jaw ached as it clenched harder than it had in years, and it was all Cinder could do to try and ignore the fullness of her head, the pounding rhythm that assaulted her mind, as she made her getaway, pacing back towards their room at a sedated pace.

Cinder wasn't sure it mattered if she walked or jogged. No… the speed of her retreat mattered little.

She was still running away, after all.

"Ms. Fall, wait–"

Glynda Goodwitch called out helplessly towards Cinder Fall as the girl stomped away, rounding a corner near the end of the hall. She herself let out a rather titanic sigh as she leant back against the door to her side, just sort of…

Processing.

Well, until she remembered the young girl who was still in her office, probably waiting for her to come back over, and/or upset because the very object of her affliction had quite literally come knocking.

She turned back to see Emerald looking away from her. It was all she could do to step towards her and kneel down beside the coffee table. At the very least, she was able to get Emerald to face her.

Regrettably, she was then able to see the fresh tears running down the girl's face.

Honestly, Glynda understood she was perhaps not entirely equipped for this. She wasn't a therapist, or a counselor. And while she did have some experience with children that had similar lives to Emerald's, hers was easily the most extreme of any of the examples she could think of.

But she could also tell that there was something the girl in front of her needed, more than anything.

"Emerald…" She whispered, trying to coax the girl to look at her. "Can I… get you to look at me?"

The girl didn't do anything. Just bit down on her bottom lip hard enough that Glynda was briefly worried she'd draw blood.

"Okay. You don't have to. That's fine. I'm going to… I'm going to touch you. Let me know if you'd like me to stop, okay?"

Emerald didn't move. Once more, that was fine.

She didn't need to. Not for this.

Without a sound, Glynda shuffled forward on the carpet beneath her, sat up just a bit so that she was level with Emerald, and leaned forward.

And then she wrapped her in a loose hug.

She made sure not to trap the poor girl, keeping her arms as easily maneuvered as possible. If Emerald wanted to escape her embrace, she'd have no difficulty at all. However, just as Glynda had suspected, Ms. Sustrai didn't seem to desire that at all.

No. Her breath hitched, perhaps from the shock of the sudden hug. And then…

"It's okay." Glynda said, trying to sound as soothing as she possibly could. "You don't have to hold your feelings in. I'm not going to judge you. You're safe here."

Another hitch, a quiet sniffle, and then Glynda felt something warm hit her shoulder. She just smiled a bit sadly as Emerald practically smothered her, wrapping her own arms around Glynda.

And then she broke.

It was all Glynda could do to rub her back, to try and offer some degree of comfort to the girl as she let loose every stray bit of sorrow within her, as she sobbed and cried and bawled for what may've been the first time since she were a little girl. After all, children on the street often learned to bottle up their emotions, to never show weakness to anyone.

A part of Glynda was almost honored that Emerald could trust her with this. That she could let herself go in her arms.

And she was glad for it. Even if it broke her heart to think of such a kind young girl experiencing such a horrible life.

Well, at the very least, she knew one thing.

Not while Glynda was there. Emerald would not suffer again under her watch.

She'd make sure of it.

Emerald wasn't sure how long it'd been by the time she was able to pull herself out of Ms. Goodwitch's embrace, wiping at her eyes, and her nose, and her lips, which had all just been brutalized by her pathetic little crying session.

Gods, she felt ridiculous.

"I'm sorry." She tried to make an excuse immediately, wanting the woman in front of her to forget this had ever happened in the first place. "I wasn't… I wasn't ready to see her, I…"

"It's fine, Ms. Sustrai." Ms. Goodwitch said, still in that same position, seemingly ready to hug her again if she so much as sniffled. "Please, don't apologize."

Gods, what was she, some basket case who needed to be coddled!? Her instincts practically screamed for her to rage, or fight, or run, but instead, it was all she could do to not run red with embarrassment as she looked away from the woman's caring gaze.

"I'm just… I'm not supposed to be so damned pathetic."

She could see Ms. Goodwitch's head shake in her peripheral, even as the woman finally stood. "Everyone, even I, has times when they must rely on others to get by. It is no shame to want to be comforted, Ms. Sustrai."

She clicked her tongue along the roof of her mouth, trying not to bite back at the woman.

Because it was a shame, despite what she said. It was… she was an idiot. More than that, she was a pathetic excuse for a survivor. The sappy bitch she was being right now wouldn't have lasted a day on the streets, wouldn't have been able to claw her way, while others tried with all their might to drag her down, to that alleyway, wouldn't have been picked up by Cin–

"And maybe I made a mistake as well. When I picked you up off the street that day."

Emerald was almost thankful for the way Ms. Goodwitch cleared her throat, brought her back to the there and then. It was probably the only thing that steadied her, kept her from sinking back into the hazy miasma her mind had been stewing in for a good half the day.

"What are you planning on doing for tonight?" The professor asked her.

She… that was a good question, actually. Emerald hadn't really thought about it, but now that she was…

"I don't want to go back to my room." Emerald admitted, feeling like some fucking weakling yet again. "My team… they're not…" She just cut herself off and changed the subject. "I'll probably head out into Vale. I have the money for a hotel, especially if I hit the skeezier sides."

She was already mentally calculating which of the shitty red-light district motels meant for one-night stands she could spend a night at when Glynda Goodwitch scoffed, like the words she'd just uttered were that of some wild lunatic.

"Nonsense. You'll stay here tonight." The woman practically demanded, before her face went a bright red, as if only just then realizing what such a statement might sound like out of context. "Or, well, if you'd prefer, you could go down to the Nurse's office, I could contact Tsune, and see if she–"

"No, I…" Emerald looked away, finding that she didn't quite have the energy to put up the fight her instincts were screaming at her to. "I-I'll stay here. If that's… fine?"

She honestly expected the woman to look at least a little put-upon, not to just smile like an idiot who'd had her entire week made. "It's more than fine. If you'd like, I'll just move a few of my pillows and a blanket or two out onto the couch here?"

Emerald shrugged, because it sounded like better sleeping arrangements than she'd had for the good majority of her life. The occasional bedding of tarp, or hell, a blanket, when she'd managed to steal one from the bigger kids thanks to her semblance, had been like heaven in comparison.

So, a couch? Yeah, Emerald was pretty sure she'd manage.

Still, when Glynda Goodwitch came back out some two minutes later, carrying on her shoulders a rather sizable fleece blanket, and two admittedly heavenly looking pillows, Emerald couldn't help thinking that maybe she was the one lucking out in this arrangement after all.

"Thank you, Ms. Goodwitch," She said, reaching out for the things she was about to hand to her, except she suddenly wasn't because Glynda Goodwitch drew away, and instantly, Emerald thought something was wrong, that she'd messed up somehow, that–

"Oh, no." Her professor said. "I was going to take the couch."

For some reason, that little statement was what finally broke Emerald.

Nope. Her mind helpfully supplied, even as she forced her face to keep it's same neutral expression. Nope, nope, nope.

Emerald wasn't about to let the woman in front of her give up her evening, her ice cream, her dignity (accounting mostly for the sheer amount of snot that Emerald had managed to get on her outfit), and her bed for her. No, just no.

Emerald had pride, too. She'd been sullied enough this evening.

Still, it there was one thing Emerald had learned about Ms. Goodwitch thus far, it was that she would not take no for an answer if she thought she was being helpful.

…Or, well, she probably would, it was more that Emerald lacked the conviction to straight up tell the woman 'no'.

Her regular weakness of growing far too attached far too quickly once again rearing its ugly head.

The woman was doing all of this to be kind to her. She'd have done this for any of her students. This wasn't for her. She didn't care.

No one did.

And if Emerald repeated that over and over, maybe she could manage to convince her damndable heart of the same.

Still, she had 'Operation: Sleep on the Couch' to initiate, so she put those thoughts out of her mind for the moment.

"But wouldn't that be like…" She tried her best to sound impartial, she didn't want the woman getting offended – though Emerald really wished she cared less, damn me. "I don't know… kind of weird?"

Glynda Goodwitch's eyes widened minutely, as if she was only just then considering the implications. "Why I… I suppose it might seem… untoward."

"Yeah. I mean, I wouldn't mind," She said, because honestly, she wouldn't. She quite liked beds, but Emerald had also learned that it was never good to owe any one person too many favors, and currently, she already owed Ms. Goodwitch waaaay too much shit. "But I mean… someone might hear about it and get the wrong idea?"

"I… perhaps you're right." Ms. Goodwitch somehow managed to sound completely aggrieved about that. "I… I hate to leave you the couch, however. It's not terribly comfortable."

For once, it seemed a twinge of honesty might do the woman some good.

"Uh, Ms. Goodwitch, I slept on concrete for like 90 percent of my existence."

Her professor actually went a bit red at that.

"Ah. Right. I… I'm sorry if I've offended you, or–"

For some reason, Emerald just laughed.

"Ms. Sustrai?"

"I just…" She smiled, and it was such a pathetically gentle thing upon her face. She hated it, even if she couldn't quite remove it. She wanted to hide it away, to not let it be seen, but she could tell that her professor had seen it, and for some reason, that had her walls coming back up.

"It's nothing. I…" She turned away, grabbing the blankets and pillows that Ms. Goodwitch had placed along the top of the couch for herself and beginning to set herself up a basic sleeping arrangement. "Goodnight, then."

"Ah, yes." Glynda Goodwitch began, before pausing for a moment, seemingly to say something more. "I…"

Something was hanging in the air, there. Something… something Emerald wasn't quite sure how to parse. But whatever it was, it seemed it would go unsaid as Glynda Goodwitch retreated into her bedroom and shut the door behind her.

The finality of that moment was sort of lost when the door opened not five seconds later, the woman inside sticking her head out to say, "And if you need anything, do not hesitate to knock, no matter what time–"

"I will, Ms. Goodwitch." Emerald failed to quite reign in the exasperated chuckle. "I promise."

She was lying, of course, but lies were easy things for Emerald.

And she was fairly sure this little lie would count as white, anyhow.

"Right, then… Goodnight, Ms. Sustrai."

She didn't say anything as she heard the door close, just leaning back on the twin pillows that Ms. Goodwitch had gone to get. They were soft, like, crazy-soft, the kind that Emerald just adored.

She'd always kind of hated that about herself. The way she was drawn not to the rougher, grittier things in life, but the softer, more gentle ones. Wasn't Emerald supposed to be a master thief? A murderer? A terrorist?

But no. She liked stupid, silly things, like puppies, and kittens, and rainbows, and the scent of the air just after the rain had stopped, and sunsets, and the way the shattered moon lit the land beneath, and trying on nice clothes, long dresses and beautiful jewelry, and an ice-cold soda, and those little sweets that just rotted her teeth, and vanilla ice cream, and plush, soft pillows, and warm hu–

Emerald dispelled her thoughts before they could grow any more damning.

She padded over to the wall nearby, and turned off the light, bathing the room in black, before she tiptoed back to the couch in the darkness, making sure not to hit her feet on anything.

Still, As she laid her head down on the couch beneath her, Emerald couldn't help the smallest, most vulnerable of smiles from appearing on her face. It was fine, in the dark as she was, she supposed. No one would see.

No one would know. Not now, and not ever, but…

In Ms. Goodwitch's arms, for perhaps the first time in her entire life, just as the woman had promised her…

Emerald had felt safe.

And she allowed that thought to be her last as dreams of tenderness, and delicacy, and of the things she'd never had, lulled her away.

End Chapter 7

This story is really an excuse for me to say 'Fuck' a lot. Writing Cinderella and Prince Charming is fun, but neither of them are the type to say 'Fuck' like at all, which is a real Debbie downer. Mercury and Emerald, on the other hand?

This chapter was almost half stuff I made up on the spot, but oh my god it ended up being so damned fluffy. I love it.

Want to cut this off at the pass before it can even come up: NO! Emerald will not be having any romantic relations with Glynda. Just in case someone were to get worried about that. Their relationship is not going to go in a romantic direction.

Besides, Emerald's already aware that Cinder has staked her claim, whether or not Ms. Goodwitch knows it or not (and whether or not Cinder even realizes she's done it).

I looked for a canon age for Emerald on the wiki and didn't find one, so I'm going to just say she's around 18ish in this story and call it a day. Cinder is, as previously stated, 23/24ish, and Mercury is probably about the same as Emerald. Glynda is 33.

Also Beacon's nurse Tsune is a reference to Coeur Al' Aran's Tsune, from Professor Arc, a favorite fic of mine. She won't be showing up in this story – at least I don't think she will? – but I just kind of wanted to throw a cameo in there for funzies.

Alright, see you all next week!