By Her Side (ch3)

EALRY RELEASE FOR MY $10+ PATRONS!

Nothing new, just going straight off episode 3.

Disclaimer: I do not own Lapis ReLights.

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															Chapter 3.

"Tia!"

"Is she okay?!"

"Get ahold of yourself!"

"Geez, not again!"

The shrill shrieks of Rosetta and her classmates echo around the bathhouse as everyone jumps up in a panic. Tia is still submerged at the bottom of the bath, her eyes glazed over as if she'd been paralyzed. Rosetta snaps herself out of it quickly and crouches down to gather her princess into her arms, lifting her up out of the water.

"Tia! Tia!"

Tiara coughs a few times, sputtering water and speaking in a dizzy voice.

"I'm… fine… Rose…" But after that she loses consciousness.

"Tia!" Rosetta wails, getting to her feet as swiftly as she can manage.

By now, the rest of her friends have already wrapped themselves in towels and brought some for Rosetta and Tiara as well. Rosetta tends to her roommate first and foremost, drying her off as best she can before gently wrapping her up, then hurriedly does the same for herself.

"Geez," she frets. "Why does something like this happen almost every day…?"

"Should we get the nurse?" Lavie asks.

Rosetta cradles Tiara in her arms for a moment, cupping her face gently. To her relief, Tiara is breathing slowly and normally, as she would when she's asleep.

"No," she replies. "I think she's all right." She feels as though she's had this same conversation before multiple times with multiple people, all because her princess is quite prone to such accidents, it would seem. "I'll take her back to our room and put her to bed," she decides.

As Rosetta hooks her arm under Tiara's knees and slowly stands, Emilia approaches her a bit timidly, which is exceedingly rare for the proud and poised noble.

"Um… Rosetta-san?" she says. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for this to happen. Really."

Rosetta smiles up at her reassuringly.

"It's all right. I know. Tia's a bit scatterbrained sometimes. We told her about your Energy Drain, but she must've just been so excited it slipped her mind."

"I see." In spite of the hand Emilia had inadvertently played in this little accident, she smiles. "Don't worry. She only touched me for a few seconds. It wasn't long enough for my Energy Drain to actually affect or take from her life force. Such a brief touch would only take her conscious for a while and nothing more."

Rosetta is admittedly relieved to hear that. Her stomach had been twisted with worry to think Tiara might have lost even a second of her life, and Rosetta had been unable to do anything about it. She breathes out slowly, glad Emilia had told he was much.

"I see. That's a relief."

Emilia fidgets a bit, looking away.

"I hope Tiara-san recovers quickly."

"Thank you."

With this awkward, but meaningful exchange, Emilia takes her leave to join her teammates again, and Rosetta's own teammates hurry back to offer their support.

"Take care of her, Rosetta," Lynette whimpers.

"If it gets bad, take her to the nurse," Ashley says. "Or call us. You don't have to do this alone, you know."

Rosetta smiles and dips her head.

"I will. Thanks, you guys."

They bid each other goodnight for now, and the other three return to the showers to finish washing their hair.

Rosetta brings Tiara back to the locker rooms where they'd pre-prepared their nightgowns in their cubbies. For the sake of convince, she uses magic to quickly dress both Tiara and herself, then uses a familiar warming spell to quickly dry them both off thoroughly. Tiara makes cute little tired moans in her arms all the while, but she doesn't wake. Rosetta fretfully cards through her bangs.

"Geez… Tia, you've gotta stop doing this. My heart can't take it…"

With a sigh, Rosetta begins carrying her back to the dorms, sheepishly smiling and explaining "she just fell asleep!" to every concerned passerby.

The hallways become empty as she reaches theirs, quickening her step just a little. Tiara makes another small sound, and when Rosetta glances down she finds her princess' eyes fluttering open slowly.

"Tia! Oh, thank goodness!"

Tiara blinks away the misty look clouding her vision until recognition sparks.

"Rose… What happened…?"

"You touched Emilia."

"Ah."

"Yeah."

"Sorry…"

"It's okay. As long as you're all right. How do you feel?"

"I'm fine! Totally fine!"

"That's a relief. You had me worried."

"Sorry. You guys told me about Emilia but I totally forgot…"

"It's all right. She said such a small touch with her wouldn't affect you badly. But still, from now on-"

Rosetta cuts off suddenly when a rush of lightheadedness assaults her, seemingly out of nowhere. Wincing, she drops to one knee, but makes sure to keep Tiara steady in her arms. Tiara shrieks.

"Rose? Rose?! Are you okay? What's the matter-?"

Now, it's Tiara's turn to worry as she reaches up to hold either side of her best friend's face. Rosetta's eyes have the same dizzy haze Tiara images her own had had earlier when she'd passed out. Her heart jumps into her throat.

"Rose-?"

Rosetta shakes herself off slowly, trying to let her vision refocus.

"Sorry… it's nothing…"

"Rose! This isn't nothing! Did you touch Emilia, too?" Tiara strokes her fingers gently across Rosetta's cheek, and Rosetta leans into her touch.

"No… This is probably just more aftereffects of Lavie's spell from earlier."

"Lavie's…?" Tiara tilts her head. "You mean the physical enhancement spell?"

Rosetta nods. "Yeah. Since it gives you a big physical boost when the spell is active, it drains you really quickly once it wears off. That's why I was so out-of-it during the game and had to sit out for a while."

"B-But you seemed fine after that!" Tiara frets. "So why is it happening again now?"

"Like I said, just aftereffects, or a delayed reaction." Though her brow is furrowed a bit, she offers a smile to reassure. "I'm all right. I just feel tired, is all."

"Rose…" Tiara sighs in relief, slowly wrapping both arms around her shoulders to pull her close for a brief hug. "I'm glad you're okay. But you're not carrying me the rest of the way back, then! I'll carry you!"

"E-Eh?" Rosetta swallows, clinging a bit more tightly to her roommate's back. "Th-That won't be necessary-"

"Am I hearing formalities?"

"N-Not at all- I-I mean, of course not... I just mean I could never ask you to do something like that-"

"You're not asking me," Tiara reasons. "I'm offering. Or rather, at this point, I'm ordering it." She eases back from their embrace and gives Rosetta a stern look. "Okay? This is an order, Rose. I'm carrying you back."

Rosetta feels her face heating up as if she'd just went form the bathhouse to a sauna. She quickly shakes her head.

"B-But! You only just collapsed a few moments ago yourself, Tia!"

"And I told you, I'm fine!" she pouts. "I can handle this much!"

"But I am much too heavy for you-"

"Are you saying I'm weak?"

"N-No! Not at all! I just-"

"Rose." Tiara cups her face again, making Rosetta look into her eyes. Rosetta can't bear it. She feels too warm already, and now with Tiara so close she really does feel like she might pass out, too. So before her heart can burst, she relents.

"Okay…"

Tiara beams.

"Then it's settled!"

"B-But-" Rosetta stammers. "Since I am older and a bit taller, maybe it will be easier for you if I'm on your back. I don't want you to strain yourself."

"Hmm, I guess that would be the best way. Though it's a shame, I kinda wanted to carry you like a princess, Rose."

"E-Eh-?!"

"But piggyback it is!"

Tiara now shifts herself out of Rosetta's lap and gets into a crouch, showing her back. She smiles over her shoulder and gives an inviting nod.

Rosetta's heart jumps around like a bouncy ball in an enclosed space. But she really does feel she won't be able to get up on her own, and she trusts Tiara when she says she's fine.

Therefore, after inhaling a deep, long breath, Rosetta slowly folds her arms around her princess' neck. Tiara reaches back to hold her thighs, moving back a little until their bodies touch.

"You can lean against me, Rose," she offers. "In fact, you're gonna have to if we want this to work."

"R-Right…" Rosetta swallows again, but after mustering up a bit of courage, she slowly eases herself forward, pressing her chest against Tiara's back. "A-Are you sure this is all right-?"

"Yup!" Tiara leans forward a bit more, encouraging Rosetta to rest her full weight against her. "Ready?"

Rosetta responds with a tiny nod.

"But if something hurts, please-"

"It's fine, Rose. You're always taking care of me, but I've got you this time."

Rosetta feels her heart doing all sorts of things in her chest, so she simply ducks her head and hides her face in Tiara's hair. Tiara braces herself and slowly starts to get to her feet.

Rosetta is worried at first that she might be too heavy after all and that they'll have to call this off. But to her surprise, Tiara stands without a hitch in spite of her added weight. Tiara straightens up as much as she can before turning her head, though she can't see Rosetta's face.

"There! How's this, Rose? Are you okay?"

"Y-Yes!" Rosetta lifts her face from the locks of warm red hair to give her answer, but then finds her own face just inches away from Tiara's. She can feel her princess' soft breath on her lips. Rosetta quickly hides her face again, and her cheeks must turn the same color as her roommate's hair.

"Okay!" Tiara says. "Don't worry about a thing! I've got you!"

So Tiara turns back to the hallway before them and starts walking slowly.

Rosetta's mind is a blank screen, empty and still, as opposed to the beating in her chest. She wills her heart to quiet down, because she knows all too well that Tiara can feel it. And Rosetta knows that's only natural, given how close they are right now. But even so, when Tiara confirms it out loud, it turns her into even more of a mess.

"Rose?" Tiara says. "Your heart's beating so fast. Are you nervous?"

"E-Eh? I-"

"Don't worry! I know I used to be pretty weak and sickly, but I've gotten stronger now! I can handle this much! I won't drop you - I promise!"

"Ah… that isn't why…" But Rosetta figures she should leave it at that. Of coarse, the real reason her heart is a mess right now isn't because she's nervous about Tiara dropping her - far from it. If anything, she's worried that her weight might be putting a strain on Tiara, even if the girl brushes it off.

But more than anything, Rosetta's heart is acting up because she has these feelings for her that she probably shouldn't have. After all, she was supposed to be Tiara's closest friend, someone who watches out for her. Going anything beyond that would only ruin what they have…

/But she's right…/ Rosetta peeks up from Tiara's shoulder to glimpse her profile. Her eyes are determined and set ahead, and her arms supporting Rosetta's legs don't wobble at all. /She isn't the same bedridden girl she used to be. She's gotten much stronger./

Rosetta tightens her grip around Tiara just a little, more for a hug than anything else. She closes her eyes, enjoying the final few moments of being able to rely on Tiara completely before they reach their door. Tiara can't wave her hand to open it, so Rosetta does it instead.

As the two of them finally enter, Tiara heads straight for their beds. But she pauses as she reaches them.

"Uh… I don't think I can make it up the stairs like this… Can you walk, Rose?"

Slowly, she lowers herself down so Rose can slip off her back and sit on the edge of the bottom bunk. Tiara sits beside her, rubbing her back softly.

Rosetta tries to stand herself up, but her legs start to wobble and her knees buckle in just seconds. Tiara catches her and carefully eases her back onto the bed.

"I guess not," Rosetta sighs. "I'm not sure why it's still affecting me this much so long afterward. I must be losing my touch."

"It's all right!" Tiara smiles. "We can train more and practice together!" She grins and makes a determined fist. Rosetta can't resist smiling back.

"Right." She makes a fist too, and lightly bumps it with hers.

They chuckle for a moment before a yawn overcomes Tiara, and naturally Rosetta yawns right after.

"Guess that means it's time for bed," Tiara sighs.

"I'll take the couch, then."

"No way! You can stay here with me again, Rose!"

"A-Are you sure?" Rosetta turns pink once more. Though she's already slept in the same bunk as her a few times since they'd become roommates, she feels like she's just being greedy at this point.

But Tiara clearly doesn't mind one bit.

"Yeah! Totally sure! I like sleeping with you, Rose. Do you?"

"Y-Yes! Of course!" She blurts out her response all too quickly, and Tiara laughs.

"Then it's settled." She removes her tiara and puts it aside, then lies down first, pulling down the blankets and inviting Rosetta in.

Rosetta whistles to turn off the lights before slowly lying down beside her. Her head feels instantly better as soon as it's resting against the soft pillow, and even though her heart is still throbbing, she's a little less nervous about sharing Tiara's bed now than she had been before. Just a little, though.

Tiara opens her arms and smiles, and Rosetta has no hope or want to resist her. She wraps her arms around her, feeling Tiara squeeze her back in return. Rosetta relaxes, exhaling and letting her nervousness go with it as she pulls her princess close. Tiara snuggles up against her chest, burrowing into Rosetta's collar like a baby animal seeking warmth.

"You know, Rose…" she mumbles. "This is just too comfy… I might have to ask you to sleep down here every night…" She tapers off, already falling asleep.

Rosetta pets through the girl's hair gently, bushing her cheek against her head.

"That would be fine with me," she murmurs. "Goodnight, Tia."

"Night, Rose…"

Tiara cuddles up and hugs her tightly, letting the calming sound of Rosetta's heartbeat lull her to sleep. Rosetta can feel hers too, and she likes to believe their pulses are perfectly in-sync. She closes her eyes and gives Tiara one more little squeeze, and then dares to press a small kiss into her hair.

And once again, they curl up close tonight and sleep peacefully.

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A/N: Every chapter is just ended in bed cuddles... like all my other fics ever... what else is new...

They never explained why Rosetta was so drained after Lavie's spell wore off, so I wanted to address that since it was a spell to physically enhance her, that as soon as it wore off it probably physically drained her a lot.