The Leviathan's Rose

Chapter 14 - Rabbit In a Foxes Den

Haru hadn't slept very well. Ingrid had called him again during the night, and he'd taken up the task of helping Professor Devine grade student's papers on his own time. Sometimes he regretted being a teaching assistant. He wished he hadn't been too adamant about being on Professor Devine's good side.

He was by a window looking down upon the rose garden that looked like it was grown for magazine covers. Sometimes Rosewood Hall didn't feel real. Like it was written for a book of fairy tales and not blueprinted and constructed to teach the world's future leaders in England.

From his view of the garden, he could see students passing through mindlessly, chattering and passing gossip. He could only imagine what kind of trouble those same students would cause when they would be deciding the dates of people when they graduated.

Maybe there was a comfort in their gossip and meaningless conversations. A sense of normalcy they wouldn't find outside of Rosewood. Then again they had no normalcy. They were growing up to be scrutinized by the very world itself someday. But that didn't seem to matter at Rosewood. That was one of the many things Haru found striking about the students. In Japan people were to be addressed in specific ways to show respect or to clarify what type of relationship you had with a person. In Rosewood they didn't address people by titles at all. A student could have come from the most esteemed bloodline in the world and still addressed and treated someone who didn't like it was nothing. Haru supposed there was something beautiful about it.

Haru sipped his hot chocolate from his mug. It was getting colder. Time was ticking until New Years.

He was pulled away from his thoughts when a knock sounded on the door. He fixed his sweater and glasses before making his way to the door. He nearly jumped out of his skin when he saw the ghost-like figure of Jamie Volk.

"Jamie-Kun!" Haru said in shock.

"Hello." the boy said back. Even his voice sounds dead.

Jamie Volk was a strange creature. His uniform was crisp and immaculate, his posture was perfect, and he carried a lovely aroma of cinnamon. Despite that, he looked like a train wreck.

His hair looked like a tornado had run through it, he too looked like he hadn't slept, and his eyelids drooped dangerously. Haru wouldn't have been surprised if Jamie fell to the carpeted floor and slept then and there.

"Would you like to come in?" Haru asked, swallowing thickly. Jamie offered him the barest of nods before shuffling in. Haru gestured for the chair across from his and began to pour another cup of hot chocolate. The gloomy sky made the fireplace stand out more. The room felt cozy and warm. Just how Haru liked it. Jamie was the only cold looking thing in the room.

Haru sunk down into his seat, Jamie following suit. There was a beat of silence between them, Haru sipped his drink patiently. Jamie's burnt hazel eyes were fixed on the fireplace. Light flickered in them. His gaze was distant, transfixed by the flames as they shifted and morphed with one another.

"Am I a selfish partizan?" Jamie mumbled. Haru nearly spit out his hot chocolate.

"What?" he asked dumbly. Jamie slouched in the plush chair, sinking further into the red cushions. He wrapped his arms around himself.

"Am I a bad partizan, that was the question."

"Well- well yes but I don't understand. You're a fantastic partizan, one of the best I've ever met." Haru said truthfully. Jamie's head lulled to the side. It was odd seeing him melt, seeing him vulnerable.

"I..." he started. He sighed. "I don't feel like the fantastic partizan I'm supposed to be."

Haru leaned forward. "What do you mean?"

A dark shadow passed over Jamie's face.

"I don't want to be a partizan." he muttered. "Not right now at least."

"O-oh..." Haru said. Jamie blinked a few times. His chest noticeably tightened.

"Does that make me a bad partizan?" Jamie asked, his voice beginning to crack. Haru's breathing hitched.

"Of course not." Haru said softly. He couldn't believe what he was witnessing. He'd met Jamie Volk, he'd known Jamie Volk for at least a small while. How long had Jamie been breaking for him to get this way?

"Jamie-Kun what made you think you could possibly be a bad partizan?"

Jamie let out a shuddering breath. He clasped his hands together so tight his knuckles were turning white.

"That was stupid of me to say-"

"No, no it wasn't Jamie-Kun. You're allowed to feel like- well you're allowed to feel. What's going on?" he asked gently. His voice made it seem like he was afraid of breaking the boy in front of him further. The light from the fireplace made the tears welling in his eyes clear to Haru.

"I-I'm overwhelmed." Jamie admitted. "I don't understand why. I want to know why. Lottie told me that I wasn't failing her by taking care of myself but I've never been told to take care of myself or how to and I don't know what to do! I-I just-"

"Whoa, whoa, slow down." Haru said. "Take a deep breath. Now, focus."

Jamie swallowed, fighting to compose himself.

"Okay," he muttered. "Okay."

"Now, explain what's going on."

There was a pause, then Jamie finally let out the breath he'd been holding.

"Lottie said that I need to take a break for at least one week out of each month."

Shock rolled through Haru at Jamie's words. This was why Jamie was having a breakdown? His master telling him he needed a break?

"Have you never had a break before Jamie-Kun?" Haru asked quietly, fearing for whatever answer he'd receive.

Jamie shook his head. "I never needed one, I was never supposed to need one. I talked with Raphael about it and he said I could just take a break in one of the single rooms on campus."

Something clicked in Haru's brain. He knew about those rooms. When he was given his tour of Rosewood he was intrigued to find out that there were isolated rooms that weren't connected to the dormitories. It was explained to Haru their purpose, but that wasn't what he took note of. He took note of the fact that it looked too easy to break into them. Rosewood Hall was old, incredibly so. The lack of technology made it easy to sneak around without being seen by cameras. Rosewood was watched by guards, not high tech security cameras.

It was entirely possible to sneak out and not get caught. Haru knew this. He also knew that if Jamie stayed in those rooms one night a week, then it would be easier for Leviathan to get him by New Years without too much trouble.

"You understand that you wouldn't be as safe there, right?" he asked.

"I'm more concerned about everyone else's safety. If Leviathan strikes while I'm in one of those rooms, who's going to be there for Lottie and Ellie?"

"I'm sure they are entirely capable of protecting themselves." Haru said.

Jamie shook his head. "I know that. But... I'm afraid."

Haru leaned forward. What could possibly scare Jamie Volk?

Jamie's eyes met Haru's, hard and cold. They sent an uncomfortable chill into the air.

"I'm afraid that Leviathan is already in the school."