#I love her design i love collecting red-coded kids who are considered annoying in/out of canon but are actually so endearing

[laplacesdevil]

Since BBCR is coming on Friday, I decided to start a little comic series to celebrate that! If I plan my cards right, it should finish on the release or so! I'll be posting at least once a day up to the finish as well!

Today, Baldi invites you into his schoolhouse, and you run into one of the many inhabitants!

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[myselfinserts]

Underneath that laid back attitude, her’s really controlling and bossy.

Regi fell back onto the bed, letting out a groan of relief as he felt his entire weight sink into the mattress. The trip had ended with relatively no issues, aside from Allard being even more aloof than usual. Fielding had been escorted via separate transportation back to the dorms to have his things cleared. As it turned out, pissing off the current top of Support Design got you a one way ticket to expulsion. 

Regi wished he felt sorry for the guy, but he ran out of sympathy when he was forced into his contacts for the rest of the trip. He already put in an order for a new set, so hopefully they’d arrive soon. In the meantime, Rosine had no time to teach her classes this week due to work, so the students would be given a substitute, who would be focused on giving them proficiency tests in coding. 

Finally, something I’m good at.

Regi took out his contacts and closed his eyes, trying to get what little rest he could before he had to start studying again. As he slowly drifted off to slumber, his mind wandered briefly to his classmates, curious as to who would get a good score on those exams. 

Maybe it’s not fair that I have a leg up on all of them, he realized. I mean...it’s not like they all have an uncle with a vast collection of coding grimoires. Kind of feels like I’m cheating a little. Wish I could share this little piece with someone...

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Regi sat up and looked around. He wasn’t expecting anyone. Especially since he didn’t really have anyone to expect. Except maybe Blanch. Or Mary. 

He really hoped it was the former. 

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Cautiously, Regi got up and walked over to the door. But he didn’t open it. He didn’t have a peep hole here to check who was on the other side. Instead, he kept his hand on the knob and waited. 

“Who is it?” he called. 

“It’s...it’s Henri Didier” came a voice. “I’m here with Laplace.”

“He’s right,” Grégory added. 

“Can we talk?”

“Sure,” Regi said, slowly opening the door and expecting another punch to the face. To his surprise, however, the upperclassman was fidgeting in place, paper white skin looking a tad pink as his electric blue eyes darted everywhere but at Regi. Grégory stood behind him slightly off to the side. Both were dressed as though they were about to head out for the day. 

“Sorry to intrude after you just got back,” Grégory started. “I know it’s rude of us to drop by so unexpectedly, especially after a class field trip. But we thought it’d be best to stop by before we went to town for supplies.”

“That’s fine,” Regi assured. “What is it you wanted to talk about?” He let out a nervous chuckle. “Last time we spoke, you didn’t exactly seem all that keen on friendly chatter, Didier.”

Henri continued fidgeting, trying his best to avoidlooking right into his eyes. “I…I talked to my supervisor. He said myproject is still safe to continue as is. And that it could actually be good formy thesis if I could get the blueprints from you to compare to my work. Maybeeven use it in the presentation. So…Well, uh…I mean…”

Grégory let out asigh, patting Henri on the head to get him to calm down. “What my roommateis trying to do here is apologize for his behavior, and to ask a favor.”

“Y-yeah,” Henri stuttered, his movementsslowing to a halt. “I’m sorry for threatening you like I did. And takingmy stress out on you. That was…that was very out of line, and you didn’tdeserve that.”

Regi felt like he could collapse right then and there.Instead, he managed a smile. “Water under the bridge.”

Henri looked at him in shock. “Seriously? Just likethat? I fucking tried to scare you into dropping out.”

“No use in picking fallen petals off the ground.You can’t put them back on the plant, so it’s better to let new flowersbloom.” He lightly tugged on his ponytail. “I’m afraid I can’t giveyou the blueprints since I made it enraged and on the fly, but I could talk toMadame about giving you the fishing rod to analyze, if that would work. We’rekeeping it at her offices right now.”

“That…that would be great, actually. Thankyou.”

“No problem. Anything for a friend.”

“We’re not-”

“Ahem.” Grégory shot him a warning stare.“Henri.”

Henri chuckled nervously, starting to finally relax.“Okay. Sure. Friends or whatever.” He gave a slight shrug. “Why not? Not like I got many anyway...”

Regi couldn’t stop smiling. A friend. Finally, a friend in the same field. Someone he could talk to about inventions and the latest in design. It might not last long, given Henri would be graduating sooner than himself. But even then, for just a little while, he’d have someone he could call a friend in tech. That made at least three people he could count as friends here in Paris. Four if he counted Lisette, but he hadn’t seen her since their first meeting. He hoped he could count her too.

“Anyway,” Grégory said. “We’ll be heading out soon. You have my number, so just text me when you want to get together with Henri, okay? We’re still trying to get him a new phone.”

Henri gave a pout. “Not my fault that they don’t make phones that are quirk resistant.” He let out a tired sigh. “Some people don’t understand lasers.”

“Wait, lasers?!” Regi’s eyes went wide in excitement. “Do you have something like laser vision or laser fingers or something?”

“Uh...y-yeah. Laser eyes.” Henri’s face burned pinker. “Pretty weak though. Small, I mean. It’s only really good for smaller and more precise cuts on most materials. Even diamonds and the toughest metals. Not good for hero jobs but...perfect for this line of work.” 

“I can imagine! You must be amazing with it! I’d love to see it in action sometime!”

“Well...once I get a phone, I guess...I can call you when I’m working on stuff. Nothing major just...small stuff.”

Grégory put an arm around both their shoulders, giving both boys a loving squeeze. “It’s nice to see you both enjoying yourselves. It’ll be nice to spend time together more often. We should all get together for afternoon tea sometime.”

Regi nodded. “I’d like that a lot.” His eyes lit up. “Or how about dinner? My treat?”

Henri let out a groan. “Dinner sounds so good, but these errands will take all day.”

“What are you doing?”

“We’re going to the hardware stores around town,” explained Grégory. “The dorm father wants us to go get supplies to put in new doors with peep holes and stronger bolts. We’re ahead on our work, so we offered to go do the shopping while he finishes the paperwork.”

“He...is?” Regi felt his stomach flip. “Why the sudden change?”

“Some red-headed weirdo in horror movie tees,” Henri groaned. “Keeps looking for you and gets really damn bossy and annoying when we want her to leave.”

“Mary...” He let out a grumble, pulling away and lightly smacking his head on the door frame. “I’m sorry about my girlfriend. Normally she’s more laid back than this...”

“Well, it seems like underneath that laid back attitude, she’s really controlling and bossy.” Henri’s brow furrowed tightly. “You gonna be okay, kid?”

“Yeah, I’ll be fine. And I better just go find the dorm father and get my chewing out over with.”

Grégory gave him a pat on the head, letting his quirk soothe Regi’s mind. “Want us to wait for you and then you come with us?”

Regi smiled, slowly feeling calmer than before. “I’ll be okay. You two go on ahead. Sooner we anti-Mary this place, the better.”

“If you ask me,” Henri grumbled, “you should just break up with the stalker already and get a restraining order.”

“I have considered it,” Regi admitted. “But...hero politics back home complicate matters.” 

“That’s rough, man.”

The three finished their conversation and, after taking a bit to clean up, Regi made his way downstairs to the main office to speak with Monsieur l'Oie about his girlfriend’s behavior. No one liked a lecture from the goose man, but it was better to endure twenty minutes of honking rambles than to get kicked out of his only place of residence. He’d gladly be chased by a thousand of l’Oie if it meant Mary didn’t cause him to end up on the street.

Mary was another problem altogether. There was no way Regi could approach this subject with her. The moment he attempted it, he knew she’d cry and hold him tightly and force a kiss on him. And lately, all of her kisses tasted sour. He did not want that taste again. 

But as he continued to wander aimlessly around campus, he knew he had to take some steps now. It’d get worse otherwise. 

Why is this so hard?

Slowly, he took out his phone. 

> Hey, I’m back. And we need to talk.

> REGI! OMG, where have you been?!

> School stuff. Listen, you can’t come around my dorm anymore. The dorm father said he’d kick me out and report us both to the EHA if you keep showing up there.

> Oh god. I’m so sorry, Regi, I never meant to cause that much trouble. 

> I know. Look, can we talk about it later this week? I have some tests to do and need to focus on those. After that, you and me, a long talk about stuff. Okay?

> Okay. Oh! I forgot to give you the address of where I’m staying. Here, come by my room when you have time.

Regi let out a sigh, knowing full well Mary would probably only stop coming to the dorms. No doubt she’d still come by campus and bother him. He’d have to find someplace quiet to hide and study if he ever left his room. There was still a lot of information in his grimoires he’d have to study with no disturbances. 

Maybe I should ask Blanche if she’d let me study at her place or something... No, Mary would just follow me there. Last thing I want. 

Ping!

Regi looked back at his phone, smiling. “Speak of the devil. Or angel, rather.” He opened up the text from Blanche. 

Only to feel a punch in the gut. 

> Little bird told me you got hurt on the trip and didn’t tell the teacher. Made him really grumpy on the trip too. Naughty boy, that’s too reckless. Are you okay?

For some reason, Regi wasn’t too surprised. A little, perhaps. But not much. 

> Long story short, mostly okay. Wanna meet up for coffee tomorrow after class? Seeing you smile would make me feel better. 

> Your treat?

> Yep.

> Sounds good. Same spot as usual. 

“Good,” he whispered. “A nice coffee talk with Blanche will do the ol’ Renegade some good.”

Ping!

“Huh? Another one?” Regi opened the newest text, surprised it came from Tanith. “Oh right. Wasn’t she picking up her penpal yesterday?” He read over the message, eyes wide as he saw the photo attached. 

Tanith had taken a selfie, showing her with her new friend and Uncle Elbert sitting at the kitchen table. Marianne was pouring tea while Luci served some cookies, and by the looks of things, Elbert was in complete and utter shock. The young girl, who he could only assume was the visiting friend, was smiling coyly, her eyes hidden behind a pair of dark sunglasses. Shogi tiles were seemed to be no longer moving. 

> Uncle Elbert’s no longer the family undefeated shogi champ! Can you believe it? L’s really amazing!

“Thank god she stayed.” Regi replied back quickly that he was so happy for her. And to wish everyone well for him. He stared at the photo for a little while longer, taking in the smiles and joy radiating from the image. 

Slowly, however, his stomach began churning again. 

Mary...really should be there with them right now, like she’d promised. Not here chasing me as usual. And I don’t...I don’t think I want her chasing me anymore.

Do I really want to break up with her or...?

Regi shook his head. He needed to focus on one thing at a time. First, studying. Then the Mary problem. With a beat against his chest filled of determination, he turned back toward his dorm room and prepared to take on the proficiency tests. 

There’s no way I’m not getting the top score this week.