Mallory awoke to the sound of muffled crashing.
As she sat up, smothered in the darkness of her room, she squinted at the clock. 1:34.
Another crash came from outside her window. Mallory frowned and yawned. She was careful to avoid Mia-Jo's sleeping form as she got out of bed. Her sister couldn't handle sleeping alone as of late, and Mallory didn't blame her.
She quietly crept forward, listening intently for another noise.
There was the sound of something hitting a wall, and what oddly sounded like crying.
Mallory was so busy trying to pinpoint the location, she almost didn't notice her window framing what was producing the noise.
As she walked towards her window, she was able to peer into Mike's window, which sat adjacent to hers. Her brow furrowed in worry as she caught sight of something flying past the glass, shattering on the wall next to it.
Mallory wasted no time opening the window and climbing out. Her wings unfurled and stretched at the sudden use, before she leapt from the sill. Gliding across the space between, her wings flapped as she gained purchase on the jutting base of his window.
Her nail clacked softly on the glass as she forced it open.
Now she could hear everything. There was a stuttering flash of green and the unmistakable sound of Mike's quirk humming in the air, and Mallory narrowly avoided a book that was sent flying into the wall next to her.
Her eyes slid across the chaos of his room, before they landed on Mike himself.
He was a mess. His shoulders heaved, T-shirt soaked in sweat as he trembled on the floor.
He was muttering something, so fervently she almost couldn't make it out.
She stepped into the room, glancing down when her foot met soft, powdery soil. A pot of flowers lay on its side, cracked and its contents strewn.
"N-Not my fault! I couldn't do anything-!" Mike was full blown sobbing, eyes squeezed shut. His hands alternated between flailing and digging marks into his arms, tears staining his face in visible layers.
He screamed again, leaping haphazardly onto his rear, backing up into the side of his bed. "I didn't-didn't do a-anything," he gasped, through hiccups and clenched teeth. "I-I-I-" he began digging his nails into the nape of his next as he curled into himself.
Mallory watched in horror, her chest tightening painfully. Mike was beside himself in grief, tormented by his experiences even in his dreams.
She quietly made her way through the toppled furniture, the books and various items on the floor.
"Mike..." she said softly.
He looked up, gasping in a way that made it clear to her how terrified he was. His hands came up instinctively to sheild himself and Mallory caught them gently.
The silence was filled only by his ragged breathing, as he stared at her in confusion. It was the look of someone who thought they were a killer, and it broke Mallory's heart.
"Mal?" he said finally, voice trembling and hoarse.
She nodded, pulling her classmate towards her into a hug. Mike stiffened for a moment, before going limp and wrapping his arms around her bicep. For a long moment they stayed like that, Mallory breathing as evenly as she could to encourage his own breathing back to normal, running her claws gently over his scalp.
"I'm so tired, Mallory," he sighed, and she could hear him on the verge of tears.
""I know..." she whispered.
"I-I feel like it's my fault."
"It's not. It was never your fault, Ikes," she murmured, holding him closer and beginning to rock back and forth. He sighed, long and full of anguish.
Mallory felt tears of her own begin to well up in her eyes, and with a few blinks and a twitch of her nose, they disappeared.
"I can't go to sleep without seeing..." he trailed off, as if his throat closed to keep the words from leaving his mouth.
"She wouldn't blame you, Ikes. She loved you."
At that he began to shake, and she realized he was crying. The kind that didn't make a sound, the kind that stole all your breathe and stung your eyes.
Mallory looked to the side, finding his bed covered in muddy water and flower petals. There was no way he was going to sleep here tonight.
"Hey buddy, come with me," she said, beginning to stand. Mike did his best to stand with her, stumbling on a bottle of water as he went.
The loud crunch and the sound that it elicited out of the both of them was enough to send Mike into a fit of giggles.
It felt good to laugh. His eyes hurt and his body was warm and numb from the panic attack he just went through.
Mallory chuckled, smiling at the sound of his amusement. "You can't sleep on your bed, it's low key ruined..."
Mike looked over and snorted. "Ay-Yi-Yi. My marigolds," he whined, but Mallory knew he wasn't too unhappy about it.
The halls were cold as the two walked from his room. As they began their journey through the hall, the door next to Mikes room opened and Lysander poked his head out.
It was obvious that Mike had woken him up, as there was concern written all over his face.
"Hey, Mikey, are you okay?" he said quietly, hugging the doorframe. He was always one of the sweetest boys in their class, always kind and could never throw an insult at anybody.
Mike sniffed and nodded, wiping his eyes.
"Yeah, I'm okay... just had a nightmare... accidentally got water and dirt all over my sheets too," he grinned that classic Mike Maddox grin.
"Oh no!" Lysander shuffled forward, pointing over his shoulder with his thumb. "Would you like to sleep in my room?"
Mike looked at Mallory, unsure if she had other plans, but the draconic girl merely smiled kindly.
"Yeah, uh, sure!" Mike smiled back, turning to Lysander. "Thank you!"
Mallory ruffled Lysander's hair as she passed him, chuckling. "Goodnight you two."
"G'night!" Lysander replied with a giggle, as Mike waved at her.
"Ay!" he said, walking up behind her. Mallory turned just in time for Mike to wrap his arms around her, squeezing softly. "Thank you... y'know, for helping me," he said, making Mallory snort at the tickling sensation of his words against her torso.
She patted his head. "Anything for you, Ikes."
With that, the two parted ways. Mike climbed into the pastel pink sheets of Lysander's bed, allowing the smaller boy to cuddle into him.
Mallory stepped back into her room, and closed her window with a sigh.
The cold, hard lump in her throat hadn't left yet, and she quickly wiped away a few tears that escaped over her eyelids.
Mia-Jo was still fast asleep, always having been a heavy sleeper. Mallory climbed back into bed, turning her pillow to the cold side.
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