Archive of Our Own ^beta

Monomoko should not be curious about the students. Her job was to make sure the games are held and taken care of.

She was not inclined to interact with the students beyond what they have asked of her, nor was she willing to allow said students to pamper and befriend her.

However...

The rabbit had to admit that her conversations with...Purple were entertaining, even though she is also considerably pushy. Watching her long nights trying to scope out the Bleeding had Monomoko curious with how insistent she was on staying up so late, even when she made no progress.

Then there was Student 4, who made sure she was sat comfortably in his lap and pet her with soft, gentle hands. His hands were also quite hesitant, however, like he had never seen or even held an animal in his arms before. He is a curiosity, she will admit.

Speaking of the student, Monomoko had been watching him doodle on some stray paper on the floor for the last five minutes. It was currently midnight.

Monomoko should not be curious, yet she was.

"Hello, Ikeda Daiki."

The boy flinched at the sudden greeting, turning around to face the intruder. "Wha—...oh. Uhm. Hi, bunny."

She hopped over to sit beside him, as she observed what he was currently sketching. "I am a rabbit, not a bunny." Ikeda looked at her with the hollow, fuzzy eyes he usually got when he was...small, as she remembered what the others called it. "Is there a difference..?"

Monomoko thought for a moment. "Hm. I suppose there is not much difference. I've never considered myself as a bunny, though."

"Oh." Is all the boy said, before going back to his sketch. She recognized the person he was making. "Are you drawing a portrait of Tei Atsushi?"

That caused the boys eyes to light up, "Y–Yeah! It's, uhm, a gift for him for when he comes back. If...If it comes out good...but I can't get his eyes right." He pouted, erasing his left eye for—as she counted—the fourth time. "His eyes are really round, but they usually droop downwards when he's tired, and he's always tired, but I uhm...can't seem to get it right. I dunno..."

"It looks like Tei Atsushi to me."

"...No. It's not good." The boy huffed before crumbling the page up and throwing it with the other crushed papers piling up, grabbing another piece of paper afterwards. He began sketching again, but it confused Monomoko. "Your previous work of Student 14 was completely fine, yet you threw it away. You do not seem quite confident in your ability."

Ikeda glanced at her before focusing back on the sketch, "My dad always tells me that if it's not perfect then no one will want it so I...I really, really need this to be perfect for Tei so he will like it!" His soft voice growing louder with strain. "I don't...I don't want him to hate me."

Monomoko's ear flicked at the mention of his father, although she didn't understand why. However, she did know one thing— "I do not know Student 14's current thoughts about you, but I highly doubt he will continue to resent you for long, if he even had."

The sounds of scratching continued as Ikeda worked, only making a small hum of acknowledgment to her answer.

They sat in silence, sometimes interrupted by small grunts or shifts when Ikeda got uncomfortable with his current position on the floor. She wondered why the boy was so insistent on drawing on the floor, even with the provided desk in the room.

It couldn't feel good to be leaning so heavily on a fractured arm, especially with his body movement making it obvious to her that it was incredibly awkward. A lot of things revolving the student have peaked her interest, the one being how neglectful he was of injuries he's recieved. How Yaitabashi had to force him to get his brand rebandaged, or now, with how he constantly put unnecessary pressure on his arm.

"Do you not care about your injury?" Monomoko decided to ask, breaking the silence.

Ikeda paused his work, "h–huh?" He muttered, turning to her with a look of confusion plastered on his face. She glanced down at his cast. "Your arm. It will take longer to heal if you put too much pressure on the injury." The rabbit stated, "perhaps you should use the desk we have provided." She decidedly added, remembering the moments she would watch Tei ease Ikeda into doing something.

With effort, the boy pushed himself up from his laying position, instead resolving to sit in a criss cross. "Uhm...I'm not sure." Ikeda murmured, "well my–...I don't need a workspace, really, cause I–I work just fine on the floor. I'm used to it."

He was about to go back to drawing, but Monomoko pushed the pencil lightly with her paw. "Would you like to try the desk? I have seen the others work there, and they have found it quite more enjoyable than the floor."

It took a moment, with Ikeda looking between Monomoko and the desk, as if the decision was causing an internal dilemma within him.

Finally, he grabbed his spare papers and slowly stood up, placing everything neatly on the desk.

Ikeda pulled the chair out and sat down. It was quite humorous to see that even with the low rise chair, the boy's legs still dangled off, not reaching the floor. She knew if Purple was here, the girl would probably make fun of his height with a belting laugh.

Monomoko was taken out of her thoughts when she felt herself being pulled up by her scruff, before being plopped on the student's lap.

She shook her head, still a little frazzled by the sudden transportation. "What...was that for."

"Uh...S–Sorry..! I thought you might want to..Uhm, I dunno. Keep watching? So I..." He trailed off, resorting to nibbling at his ring finger—which she learned he did when nervous.

After her shock concluded, she decided to get into a more comfortable position on his lap. Or, as Purple called it, a 'loaf'. "Do not be sorry. I was simply not expecting it. You may continue your drawing of Student 14."

Ikeda stared at her for a few extra seconds until he ultimately went back to his sketch. Still, he kept glancing in her direction.

"Has anyone said how soft you are?"

Her ear flicked, "I...do not believe so. No."

It wasn't a lie. While she has been given pets by multiple people, they have never mentioned or implied her softness. "It's nice. I've never pet a bunny before...or really, I guess I've never pet an animal before. Are all bunnies usually as soft as you?" He asked, his feet swaying as he thought to himself.

Monomoko thought of her previous session, and of Student 2's pet tiger. While she herself had never pet it, the other students marveled in its softness, however that animal had been taken care of nicely by the student, it wouldn't make much sense for a tiger in the wild to have special shampoo for its use.

"I suppose it depends on the situation." She decided on, which got a hum from Ikeda. "I've painted a few animals before, for commissions. They look really cool, but I think I like bunnies the most."

"Really?" Her tone peaking interest, "why so?"

Ikeda looked back down at her, "because I like you!" His smile seemed genuine and bright, rather than the snarky one everyone hated.

Monomoko...did not know how to respond to that. It was not something she was expecting Ikeda to say, especially about her. Maybe Purple, but not Ikeda. The rabbit had dealt with being choked, kicked, threatened, and hurt, but she never realized how little she was dealt out kindness.

And maybe she didn't deserve it, not when she had gone along with the games. Not when she felt just as heartless as the doctors who created it. The mornings where she forced the students to participate in secrets being spilled, and punishments being handed out like desserts. Hurting them was just as much as her responsibility as it was the doctors.

Yet, Purple still claimed her as a friend. Ikeda still smiled and pet her, letting her watch him in action.

It was...nice. It felt really, really nice.

"Okay..." Ikeda finally says, cutting through the thick silence. "I like this one the best! Look." He took the paper and set it in front of Monomoko, waiting intently for her reaction.

It took her a second to fully rid her thoughts, but when she focused in on the artwork, she had to say she was impressed. The portrait looked like Tei Atsushi, from the way the clothing folds around his figure, to the two strands that always seem to stick up even after several brushes.

"Oh my."

He pulled the paper back up, "it's bad, isn't it? I'm sorry—"

"That is not what I was insinuating with my 'oh my'." Monomoko said, pushing herself up to continue admiring the portrait. "I meant it in a way to sound impressed."

"H–Huh?...You sounded disappointed." The boy placed the art back down at Monomoko's eye level, which she pawed at. "That was not my intention. The way his hair flows down is very accurate, I wouldn't have been able to recreate his image this well."

He giggled at that. "Well I mean...yeah. You have paws!" That caused a snort to come out, "you wouldn't be able to pick up a pencil."

"Ah...I suppose you are correct about that. Hah." And she hadn't. It would probably be more stable to use her mouth, if she had one.

"That's okay." Ikeda stated matter-of-factly, "I can draw for you! I like to draw a–and if you want to give someone a gift then—uh...well, it's a win-win situation. I dunno..."

She hummed. "I will have to think about it."

After the boy put his paper away, he picked her up—with both arms this time—and gently set her on his floor. "I don't usually like when people watch me draw, but you uhm...if you want you can...y'know. You can hang out in here."

"Perhaps." Is all she said, as she wasn't sure if he returned to his usual self, he would say the same thing. "I should take this as my exit, as I have important business to work on."

He nodded. "Okay. I might draw some more."

Monomoko stared at him for a second before speaking, "or you could also go to bed. If Tei Atsushi returns tomorrow, you want all your energy to greet him." That comment caused Ikeda to shrink in on himself. "I uh...well..."

"It would be beneficial to both of you if you are at your best state, correct?"

Ikeda looked around, like Tei would appear from the plane and answer for him. "Uhm...y–yeah!" He stuttered out. "I mean...okay. I can do that, I guess."

As the boy got into bed, she paid attention to him. He was already in his pajamas, which she assumed he changed out of after the incident with Student 3 left his shirt bloody, but the pajamas were also particularly oversized. Not even bothering to wrap around his frame, and his pants were tightened heavily, yet still slipped slightly.

"Hey uh..." Ikeda started, "uhm, this is kinda...embarrassing but c–could you stay? Just for a little?"

Monomoko paused, thinking about her options.

"...I can."

He smiled once again, snuggling deeper into the covers. "My dad probably would've said no...but you're nice. I–I mean my dad is nice but you're...uhm...nevermind. Goodnight."

She swiftly jumped onto the bed, deciding to take her seat at the edge within Ikeda's line of sight. All she answered with was a "hm," which seemed enough for the boy, as he finally shut his eyes.

As the rabbit watched his breathing even out, and his body slowly relax. She wondered.

Monomoko should not be curious, yet she was.