Infernal Academia

Chapter 55 - An Overdue Confession

"Settle down, settle down!  The final bell hasn't gone just yet!" Cobalt called over the din of his class.

As per usual, his rambunctious second-years didn't listen.  They continued to laugh, chat and joke amongst themselves, swinging on their chairs and sitting on desks.  With a heavy sigh, the Incubus just sunk into the teacher's chair and held a hand to his throbbing head.  All of this stress surrounding Diate and the Damned Defense was beginning to take its toll on him.  He hadn't been sleeping terribly well, especially not when he was sharing a room.

Jelli had slept on his couch last night as a part of her night watch duties, and Cobalt could barely catch a wink of sleep with her so close.  Every time he looked into her eyes, he remembered how she looked at him in the hospital.  Like...

"... like she actually... agh..." the Incubus murmured, wincing as his head throbbed.

"You okay, sir?"

Lifting his head off the desk, Cobalt feigned a smile at Whitney.  She just raised an eyebrow and cocked her head, ears twitching inquisitively.

"Y- Yes, Whitney, I'm fine.  Just... tired," he sighed, rubbing his eyes.

She nodded understandingly and jabbed a thumb over her shoulder.

"Yeah I'll bet.  Sorry about all of them.  I'd tell them to be quiet, but I don't have any, like, sway anymore," she responded, matching Cobalt's smile.

It soon faded, however.

"Still worried about Diate?"

He nodded affirmatively.

"Not just him, either..." Cobalt answered, looking past Whitney.

There, at the back of the classroom, sat Izzbelle Suyas.  The Oni's arms were folded, and she was staring intently at her desk, remaining unusually quiet for one normally so loud.  Cobalt could see that her fists were clenched and shaking.

"Yeah... We told her about the whole Diate thing.  She didn't take it so well," Whitney sighed, shaking her head.

"How so?"

"I dunno.  She got really self-critical all of a sudden, saying how you getting hurt was, like, her fault or something.  But she didn't, like... y'know... explode, like she usually does."

Cobalt frowned and looked back at Izzbelle.  She met his gaze for a brief moment before she swiftly looked away, cheeks burning.  It was good to hear that she wasn't taking her frustration out on everyone around her, but it still hurt to hear that the Oni was suffering.

Especially after what happened with her horn...

"You need a break from all this, sir," Whitney said, leaning against the teacher's desk.

"It's nearly the end of the year, Whitney.  I'm afraid things will only get more stressful for me until you lot are sitting the end of year exams."

"Well... I find shopping helps relax me.  Not even buying things; just going to the mall and hanging out, y'know?  And I've never had a proper friend to do it with, so..."

The Nymph inched closer.

"How about tomorrow?  You and me can go to the mall and relax!  Forget about all this Diate crap for a couple of hours," she suggested.

Normally, Cobalt would have refused.  It wouldn't be proper for him to be seen with one of his students like that.  But it wasn't a normal situation.  Cobalt was worn down to the bone, and he was willing to do anything to calm himself somehow.