forum Schoolidoots (PRIVATE-ISH)

Started May 25, 2019 by @ShadeStar

tune

"Back to the nurse's office?" Lloyd asked, looking up at Belle.

"Yeah. Or maybe just home if you don't want to stick around here."

"I-I couldn't just leave school… that's against the rules, isn't it?"

"Well…technically yes but it's really not that difficult to escape." She'd done it a thousand times, it was actually quite easy.

"But I shouldn't…" Lloyd said quietly. "We'd get in trouble, and it would be completely warranted."

"Hey, I never said it was a good idea. I just said that it was an idea."

Lloyd nodded. "I… I would just feel bad about doing it…"

"You still feel bad about doing a lot of things, don't you?"

"Yeah… stupid feelings…" Lloyd laughed weakly, staring at the floor.

"There's the Lloyd I remember." She rolled her eyes with a smile.

"The Lloyd you remember has been broken apart by severe anxiety and overwhelming stress…" Lloyd smiled weakly, his eyes tired.

"Well, that I expected. But bits and pieces of him are still in there."

"Yeah, I guess…" Lloyd leaned his head against Belle's shoulder, the circles under his eyes visible on his pale face.

"When was the last time you actually slept? And I don't mean sleeping when you pass out."

"Dunno… it's hard to tell the difference sometimes. I work through the night pretty often." Lloyd yawned a bit.

"Lloyd, I don't know what's going to kill you first, the government or the exhaustion."

"Yes…" Lloyd muttered tiredly. "Or just myself. Who even knows anymore…"

"You're just a mess, aren't you?" Belle, I think you accidentally adopted him.

Lloyd nodded. "Very much so… I'm just… I'm so tired and stressed all the time, Belle. It's hard…"

"Lloyd, you need help. And we're willing to give said help to you it's just that you have a hard time accepting it."

"It's just… f-feelings again… I feel bad because you've got more important things to do than to help a useless, anxious coward like me."

"Lloyd, you of all people should know that I've got more time than I know what to do with. Helping you would be better for both of us."

Lloyd fell silent for a few seconds. "I… _{but I don't deserve it…"}

"I swear to God, if it was possible to physically slap sense into someone, I'd smack you right now. Lloyd, you absolutely deserve it. You need it."

"But… w-why? What have I ever done that would make me deserve anyone's help?" Lloyd asked quietly, his eyes shining with tears.