They walk with the boy, who keeps a comforting hand on the small of their back as they're led through the mirror. They gasp at the heaviness that hangs in the air along with the fog that seems to creep along the stone of the dorm. If they were to look down, they're sure that they could not even see their own two feet with how dense it was and how it clung to the ground. Looking behind them, they notice how the entire dorm is guarded by a wall of thick, deep black thorns blocking off the rest of the forest from their view. The only opening in the thorn wall is the mirror, which sparkles softly, tempting them to turn back. Yuu stares up at the castle that towers over them across the bridge, the dark stone a dark shadow against the even darker sky that rumbles with thunder.
"Oh dear..." The boy sighs and Yuu jumps at how close he sounds to be. "Another storm, I suspect."
"I shouldn't be here..." Yuu mumbles, feeling that familiar sense of dread wash over them, leaving them barren and shivering despite their layers upon layers of clothing. They gulp and turn to the boy, frown present on their face as their fists clench at their sides. "I need to leave. Now."
"Where will you go?," He says nonchalantly. His voice is hushed as he turns to look up at them, smiling softly.
"I can't- not here-" They stammer out, feeling their hands begin to shake as hot tears well in the corners of their eyes. "I... thank you for your offer, but I-I went mad back there and I really need to go-"
"Back to your little dorm?" He asks, soft smile breaking into a grin. "With the headmaster's body?"
They gasp and cover their mouth with their hand. The boy before them makes a sound in the back of his throat, taking a step closer for each shaky step they take back. He gently cups their face in his small hands, his grin melting back into the warm smile he had shown them before.
"You're scared, my dear. I do hope you don't believe I'm manipulating you..." He frowns. "I merely wish to keep you safe."
"I-I," They look between him and the dorm, then back at the mirror. It would be so easy to run, but the boy had made a point. If he knew about the headmaster's death, who's to say that the rest of the school doesn't? They feel sick thinking that the other students could be hunting for them, tearing apart the school to find the person who somehow killed their leader. The grip on their face gets tighter and tighter as Yuu's breath quickens, their hands reaching for his own.
The boy releases their face and trails his icy hands down their neck, to where the marks from Idia were sure to stand out against their skin.
"Poor thing," He sighs. "Whatever have you gone through?"
They stay silent, scrutinizing the boy before them.
"Now," He claps once. Twice. "Shall we go?"
Feeling their throat constrict and words betray them by getting caught in their throat, they silently nod under the boy's steady gaze.
They begin to cross the bridge, Yuu's legs shaking beneath them as unease creeps up their spine. Their hair stands on edge as they realize what the feeling was, the feeling that had been following them since the moment they'd stepped through the mirror.
They were being watched.
"H-hey-" They stammer. "Is there anyone else...?"
The boy smiles, magenta eyes glimmering as he bares sharp fangs that glimmer in the moonlight. "You're quite perceptive, I'm surprised."
"So..."
"Silver, no need to hide in the shadows so. Come out and introduce yourself," The man pauses once they get to the other side of the bridge, a taller boy stepping out from the dark forest and staring at Yuu, aurora eyes narrowed at them. They try to shake off the nerves that follow the boy's downtrodden gaze at them, and at the look that he sends to his fellow dormmate.
