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A pounding headache woke Clementine on Saturday morning. He grimaced as he opened his eyes to the gloom of his room. A few rays of sunlight crept despite the hair clips still clamping the curtains shut. As he glanced over at them, he remembered that he never did ask Sebastien why he'd put them there.

          He sighed and rolled onto his side, but before he could even try to fall back asleep, a panicked knock came at his door. With an agitated groan, he moved onto his back and glared up at the ceiling.

          "What?" he called.

         As his door opened, Elliot stepped in with a very worried look on his face.

          Clementine sat up. "What?" he asked more calmly. But when he saw his roommate clutching a letter in his hands, he almost deadpanned.

          "Carmichael's friends said he still hasn't turned up! It's been nearly two weeks, Clementine!"

          He frowned—it had been nearly two weeks since Carmichael, Bernard, and Stanley were expelled. He didn't particularly care about either of the trio, but he knew Elliot did, so he'd try his best to make him feel better. "Maybe he just didn't wanna go stay with this guy, Elliot. He got kicked out of this place and lost his one chance to get into the New World. Maybe he decided to go do something else."

          Elliot shook his head. "No, he told me he was gonna stay with this guy! He told me—he said to write to this address because this is where he was gonna be!"

          "Okay, okay," he said, trying to calm him down. "What if Carmichael is pretending to not be there?"

          His roommate frowned strangely.

          "I mean, he got kicked out and you're still here. Maybe he's jealous and doesn't wanna talk to you anymore."

          "Would he...really think like that?" he mumbled sadly. "We were friends."

          "You never know, Elliot."

          "If that were true, then...I wish he'd just tell me instead of making me think something's happened to him."

          "Maybe he'll come around. Just give him some more time. Do you know where Bernard and Stanley were staying? You could try to reach out to them."

          "I thought they were going to be with Carmichael. I didn't get addresses for them." He stuffed the letter into his trouser pocket and scratched the side of his spotty face. "There's the winter break coming up. I was thinking of visiting him in Ripperton. Only I think if you're right, maybe that's not such a good idea."

          Clementine frowned. "We're allowed to leave the academy for winter break?"

          "Yeah," he said with a nod. "It's only for about a week, and it would take about three days to get to Ripperton and three days back, but...I just wanted to make sure he was okay. I was thinking of going to see my aunt, too."

          This was a perfect opportunity. If they headed to Ripperton, perhaps there would be something down there that could help Elliot remember the truth—perhaps something in Ripperton would get Elliot to understand that he was a dybbuk. And it would be no loss of time on Clementine's front, either. If everyone was heading away for that week, then there'd be no Ravenblood here for him to kill. Ripperton was also a very large city; maybe he could find a doctor there who could tell him how long he had left. Did he want to know? He still wasn't sure.

          "What are you going to do?" Elliot asked. "Head to Ulrora Slope, I imagine."

          "Actually, I was thinking I could go to Ripperton with you. Maybe Mavis and Mathew will come, too."

          "Really?" he asked, his face lighting up a little.

          "Yeah, why not? We should probably all still stick together anyway."

          "Okay! Should I go and ask Mavis and Mathew?"

          "Yeah—well, wait," he said, sitting up. "Do you have to write to aunt and let her know you're coming?"

          "Probably. I'll do it later, though. The break isn't for another eleven days."

          "Will she be fine with you bringing us?"

          Elliot leaned back against the door. "I can't see why she wouldn't. She always encouraged me to make friends."

          Clementine nodded. "What about your dad?"

          "What about him?" he mumbled, a grimace on his face. "Am I going to go and see him? No."

          "Does your aunt stay in contact with him?"

          "Not that I know of.... Why?"

          "Just curious," he said with a shrug. "Don't you have any siblings or other family?"

          Elliot frowned slightly. "No."

          He could see he was making his roommate uncomfortable. "Was it hard making friends in Ripperton?" he asked, trying to shift the subject.

          "You could say that. A lot of people were sceptical. The law down there isn't really helpful, like I said. You could get murdered on any street corner. I didn't really leave the house much. I think, though...I had one friend when I was younger. I can't really remember his name or anything, though. I think he moved away because one day he was just gone. My mom never said anything about it, so."

          "Yeah, that happens. People move on."

          Elliot nodded as he looked down at his wristwatch. "Are you feeling up for anything today?" he asked. "Mathew and Mavis are coming over for chess soon."

          "Not really. I've got a headache. I'll see how I feel later, though."

          "Okay, well...we could just do chess in Mathew's room so we're not too noisy and you can rest."

          Clementine nodded. "Yeah, thanks."

          "Is Sebastien coming to see you today, too?"

          "I don't know. He didn't say when he'd be coming back after he left yesterday. He'll probably just show up randomly, like always."

          "I uh...don't want to be rude or assume, but...you don't think he had something to do with Ian, do you?"

          "Why would he?"

          "Well, we all know he cares about you. What if he suspected it was Ian that poisoned you and went to get payback?"

          "Even if that is what happened, we should be glad Ian's gone. He was only just getting started with us and things would've gotten really bad really fast. At least we don't have to walk around checking behind us every ten seconds anymore."

          "That's true. But he still has friends here. What if they come after us for revenge thinking we poisoned him back?"

          "We'll be fine," he assured him. "We've got Mathew and Sebastien. Don't worry."

          Elliot's worried frown didn't fade much, but as he looked down at his watch again, he sighed and nodded. "Okay, well I better get ready to head to Mathew. Are you going to be okay here on your own?"

          "Yeah. Sebastien will probably turn up later to check on me, anyway."

          "All right. I'll see you later."

          As Elliot left and pulled his door shut, he laid back down and stared up at the ceiling. He hoped that this trip to Ripperton would help Elliot. If it didn't, Clementine didn't know how else to assist him. When they got there, he'd try his best to help him work it out.

          Right now, though, he needed to think about those of the Ravenblood that remained. Sebastien was supposed to be coming by today so they could look over the files again, and when they did that, he planned to pick his next targets. Until then, though, he was going to get a little more sleep.

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          Later that afternoon, Clementine's headache passed, and he decided to change the bandages he'd wrapped around his hands. Not only had they become loose already, but his hands felt sweaty beneath them, a feeling he despised.

          In his bathroom, he tossed the only bandages into the trash can and took the last roll out of the cupboard. "Damn it," he mumbled—he needed more.

          Would Elliot have some? He wouldn't mind if he just went into his room for a moment, would he? Clementine left his room, headed across the lounge and pushed open Elliot's door. He glanced around his room, which didn't look much different from his own apart from the pile of journals and books on his desk.

          He went into the bathroom, opened the cabinet over the sink and took out the medical box. Taking one of the two rolls of bandage, he sighed quietly, and then put the box back.

          When he made his way across the lounge to get back to his room, though, someone knocked on the door. He stopped and took a few steps back so that he could see the door; the only person that knew he'd be there was Sebastien, and he had said he'd be coming by today. But Clementine still felt cautious. He put the bandage rolls in his pocket and prepared to summon a blade if need be. Then, he slowly approached the door...and unlocked it.

          "Hey babe," Sebastien said with a smirk as Clementine pulled the door open.

          Relieved, Clementine calmed down and stepped aside, letting him come inside.

          "Still not feeling great, I assume?"

          "Not really."

          "Well, that gives us more time to look over the files," he said, heading into Clementine's room. "Have you looked at them at all?"

          "Not since the party," he mumbled, following him in. "I think we should take out as many of the stronger goons as we can, though. Then it'll be easier to deal with Lucinda and whoever's left to defend her."

          Sebastien nodded as he took the files out of the drawer Clementine had put them in the other day. "Okay, well then I think we should start with Jackson and Lori. They're a thing."

          "Like...dating?"

          "Yeah," he said, placing Lori and Jackson's files on the desk. He pushed the rest aside. "They go everywhere and do everything together. Lori has more ethos than Jackson, though."

          Looking at their photos, Clementine nodded. "Is it just them or do they have others hang around with them, too?"

          "From what I've seen, this guy is often around them." He placed a file over Jackson's and Lori's and opened it to reveal a buzzcut kid with a ghastly scar on the side of his face. "Reece Eygot."

          "Twenty copias," he read. "Is that a lot of ethos?"

          "It's pretty average. Lori has thirty-one and Jackson has seventeen. I think the two of us could deal with them quite easily."

          "About that," Clementine uttered.

          Sebastien looked over at him.

          "I don't think I should be exerting myself too much. I think we should look for ways to kill them that doesn't involve too much physical movement. Like we said, though, we can't use poison again."

          "Do you have any ideas?"

          He pondered for a moment. "Well, you took Ian's three guys out by yourself. I could just act as bait and lure them away from the crowd," he suggested.

          Sebastien nodded. "We should give it a few more days, though. If you're gonna be playing bait, you're gonna need to be able to run away from them when they chase after you."

          "Maybe sometime next week."

          "All right." Sebastien closed the files. "We'll work out who's next after we're done with those three."

          Clementine nodded as he turned around and headed into his bathroom. "Oh, the winter break is coming up."

          Following him, Sebastien adorned a smirk and then leaned on the doorframe, watching Clementine unravel the bandage rolls. "Yeah."

          "Elliot's heading down to Ripperton and I said I'd go with him. Maybe something down there will help him remember what happened."

          "You're really going through with it, huh?"

          "Yeah, I wanna help him."

          "Am I invited?"

          Clementine glanced over at him as he started wrapping his right hand. "I don't see why not. I just didn't think you'd wanna come. You seem to think my idea to help Elliot is stupid."

          "I never said it was stupid, it just seems like a waste of time."

          "Not really. Everyone's gonna be leaving for the week, aren't they? There won't be any Ravenblood here for us to kill, so we might as well do something else productive with our time."

          Sebastien shrugged. "I guess. But something tells me your little Elliot friend won't want me coming."

          "Why do you say that?" he muttered, tying the bandage's end to ensure it stayed firmly in place.

          "He doesn't like me—I think he's a little jealous."

          "Why would he be jealous?"

          With a quiet laugh, Sebastien moved closer, and as Clementine struggled to get the second bandage to stay in place, he grabbed it and started helping him wrap his hand. "I think he wants to be the one calling you babe, babe."

          Clementine rolled his eyes. "I really don't think so."

          "I don't know. Ever since you came out, he's seemed a little—"

          "I never 'came out'," he grumbled. "I told you and everyone else: I'm not gay, no matter how many times you call me babe or kiss me to hide the fact you were trying to kill me."

          He laughed again, tying the bandage in place. "I already said, I wasn't trying to kill you."

          Pulling his hand away, Clementine glared down at them and flexed his fingers, making sure the bandages were firm enough. They were much more comfortable than his previous ones, which was a relief.

          "Thanks," he said, glancing at Sebastien...who was gazing at him with that annoying smirk on his face.

          "Mhmm," he responded.

          As he started to feel a little uncomfortable, Clementine moved past him and headed back over to his bed. "Did Harper and Laurel get sent home already?"

          "They did," he confirmed, following him.

          "How many students are left now?" he asked, sitting down.

          Sebastien sat next to him. "I don't know, but I assume you'll find out sometime soon."

          Clementine nodded, but as Sebastien shuffled a little closer, he frowned strangely.

          "How are you feeling, anyway?"

          He shrugged. "A little better."

          The kid moved even closer.

          "What are you doing?" Clementine questioned, leaning back so that he wasn't so close to Sebastien.

          "What are you doing?"

          "Nothing. Stop getting so close."

          "No."

          Clementine scoffed and went to get up, but Sebastien snatched his wrist. "Get off."

          "No," he denied, staring at him, smirking.

          With an irritated scowl, Clementine yanked his wrist free—but before he could evade, Sebastien abruptly grabbed his shoulders and pinned him down.

          "What are you doing?!" he exclaimed, trying to break free. But this kid was so much stronger than him, and after just a few seconds of futile struggling, he stopped and glared up at him. "Get the hell off me."

          Leaning over him, keeping one of his hands on Clementine's shoulder to keep him down, Sebastien stared into his eyes. His smirk quickly became a grin, and as Clementine glared back, Sebastien seemed to frown curiously. "Are you sure you're not into me?" he asked.

          "What?" he scoffed, confused. "No."

          "That wouldn't be another lie would it, little mouse?"

          "No," he growled.

          "So why aren't you fighting?"

          "Oh, I don't know. Maybe it has something to do with the fact I nearly died a few days ago!"

          "Or...it's because you're enjoying this just as much as I am, but unlike me, you're too afraid to admit it."

          Clementine scoffed. "I—"

          Sebastien placed his finger against his lips, silencing him. "Shh."

          Glaring at him, Clementine wasn't sure what his next move was. He wanted to throw him off—he wanted to punch his stupid, smirking face. But the fact he didn't have the strength right now, and the fact Sebastien was stronger than him, made him feel both furious and frustrated. And the longer they lay there like that, the more embarrassed he began to feel.

          He exhaled quietly as he turned his head away, making Sebastien take his finger off his lips. Then, he glared up at him again. He was about to tell him to get off him, but that was when he saw Sebastien's smirk fade. His devious expression was replaced with something of a pondering stare, and after a few moments of silence, Sebastien sighed.

          "I'm glad you're okay," he said quietly. "I really thought you were gonna die at that party."

          "Yeah, well...I didn't," he sneered. But he didn't want to stay angry. Sebastien had saved his life and he really was thankful. "Thanks again...for everything," he muttered.

          Sebastien nodded. Then, he moved away, letting go of him.

          Clementine sat up, watching as Sebastien sat on the edge of his bed and dragged his fingers through his ashen hair.

          "I'm gonna head back in a sec. I've got an exam coming up, so I'm gonna be pretty busy for the next few days. You gonna be okay without me?" he asked with a smirk.

          "I'll be fine," he mumbled, sitting cross-legged.

          "All right. If I don't come by tomorrow, you probably won't see me until later next week."

          Clementine frowned. "Why so long?"

          "The exam," he said with a shrug as he stood up. "Don't go wandering around on your own. We both know how much you like to do that."

          "I don't think I'm gonna be doing much of that any time soon, anyway."

          "Good. Don't miss me too much, babe." He gripped the door handle and pulled it open, and as Clementine scowled him, he winked and left, pulling the door shut behind him.

          Rolling his eyes, Clementine laid back and sighed deeply. He tried to relax...but Sebastien's smirking face was all he could think about. Why was that kid so obnoxious? Why did he have to smirk and grab and say things that made no sense? Was it all to get a rise out of him? Did he enjoy pissing him off and embarrassing him?

          For a moment, he had thought Sebastien was going to strangle him again. How could he suggest that he enjoyed his unprompted behaviour? He didn't like getting choked to death and he certainly didn't like being pinned down, either.

          But...in that moment, he'd watched Sebastien's smirk fade. For a second, he'd seen something that looked like concern on the kid's face. It looked like he was going to say something but had hesitated to do so. What could he have wanted to say? Did it matter? It was probably something inappropriate. He expected nothing less from Sebastien.

       He rolled onto his side and stared at the wall. He didn't have time to think about Sebastien. He had a few more days of recovery ahead of him, and once he was feeling well enough to continue taking out the Ravenblood, he'd put his all into getting it done as soon as possible.

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