Rest these bones before they break

Chapter 2

A/N: We won the poll! Congrats Gakushuu for having the most dysfunctional family!

An award nobody would actually want!

***

"Gakushuu?"

The need for more rest didn't go away, if anything it got worse, like his body was passed breaking point and was a husk needing more and more energy.

Gakushuu's eyes threatened to close as he tried to focus on the textbook, trying to study for the maths test that would be coming up in a month.

He kept his gaze glued to the book, tackling the next algebra problem; his father's tutoring drumming in the back of his head.

("To find the value of X, isolate the variable," his father's voice was in his ear.)

Gakushuu felt like the man was breathing down his neck as he scribbled down the answers to each problem, trying to stop his mind from wandering.

"...Alright?"

He hurried to finish the next problem, timing himself. He needed to make sure he completed each question within the right time so he had enough time to review the test, but he couldn't rush it or he would make a mistake, and he wasn't allowed to make mistakes.

("Mistakes are made by the weak." His father told him as Gakushuu fought back tears and shivered in the snow, frostbite was creeping up his naked toes as he trembled outside in the backyard, his thin t-shirt and shorts doing little to protect him from the December chill. "They're chinks in your armour." His father tossed the tiny third-place trophy on the ground like it was garbage. "You can't afford to make mistakes, son.")

Gakushuu's hand shook, the questions in the textbook started to blur, making it difficult to try to solve.

(You're making a mistake.)

"Gakushuu." His father was breathing down his neck, and his hands were like ice as they crushed his shoulders in their grip. "What did I say about making mistakes?"

"Gakushuu, wake up!"

He jolted awake with a start, sitting up straight at his desk.

Ren was standing opposite his desk, the classroom empty beside them both.

Gakushuu blinked slowly, regaining his bearings. "What?"

Had he fallen asleep? Where was... he was studying, yes, he'd been studying.

Ren looked worried for some reason, his stupid face full of concern. "Are you okay? You were passed out for ages!"

He frowned and rubbed his shoulder. "Don't be stupid, I'm fine," he replied dismissively, trying to shake off the uneasiness creeping up his spine. "I'm just tired."

"Yeah, I can tell." Ren was staring at him with a look he couldn't quite place. "You're always tired – you shouldn't study so much."

Gakushuu scowled, shifting in his seat. "I'm supposed to study, stupid, and you better too if you don't want a bad grade like last time."

His friend's brow furrowed more. "Yeah, but... but it won't matter if you're too tired to take the test.

His shoulders tensed, gripping his pencil tight. "I'll be fine. I never fall asleep during tests."

"Well, you fell asleep just now," Ren argued, making him bristle. "Seriously, don't you have a bedtime or something?"

Gakushuu grew defensive. "Of course, I do." Unless his dad had an important lesson to teach. "I've just been doing a lot..."