Tybalt was on his last dregs. It was nearly the end of the semester, which meant term papers, essays, tests, quizzes, reviews, and study groups. And not just his own. Business was booming. He had more stacks of other peoples' assignments on his desk at the apartment than he knew what to do with.
All of that meant, of course, that he was getting about two hours of sleep a night, and looked like the walking dead. It was a wonder that he didn't show up to class still in his pajamas.
He was on break. His next class wasn't for another hour, but he hadn't felt safe enough to run home and catch a nap, because he was positive he wouldn't wake up in time. So he had commondeered a table in the dining hall, where he was currently editing an essay on the history of sanskrit, and that was doing nothing for his attention span, or his exhaustion.
"I don't know," a boy in a letterman's jacket was saying to the boy beside him. "It's like he's fine, and then someone will say something and all of a sudden he'll just shoot out of the room like he has a nose-bleed or something. And it's all the time. He'll just get all red and leave."
Tybalt perked his ears, but tried to concentrate. He had to get this done, he'd promised it back by Friday.
"Maybe he's just a spaz."
Ty turned his head, resting his cheek on his palm. "It's a defense mechanism."
Both boys turned to stare at him. "Say what?" the second boy said.
Ty rubbed his temple. "A defense mechanism. When he gets overwhelmed, scared, stressed, or embarrassed, he shuts down. It's some kind of coping devise. Some people yell, some run away, some go silent, some fight. We all have them. It's an instinct thing, goes back to the neanderthals. It's comparative to how people play dead around bears-it's a way to survive."
They both looked at him for a minute and then the first one got angry. Maybe it was because Ty had sounded so bored, maybe it was frustrations with exams, maybe it was frustration with the roommate. Whatever it was, Ty had suddenly piqued a sort of quiet rage in the bigger boy, who slammed his hands down on the table and leaned down, glaring at him angrily.
"And how are you going to survive today? Because I'm about to put you in a world of hurt, Four-Eyes."
Tybalt's exhaustion had shortened his temper and he stood in a quick motion. "How about I just kick your ass?"
Both of the letterman-sporting boys looked him over: the black cap complete with loose curls, glasses, short stature, thin frame, and small hands. The second boy started to laugh, the first grabbed the front of Ty's sweatshirt. "You mocking me, Four-Eyes?"
Exhaustion cleared for a split second and Ty realized he was in a very bad place and that it was all his fault, but he couldn't back down or he'd get his ass kicked and lose all dignity. If he didn't back down, at least he wouldn't be a coward. He opened his mouth to voice a retort, when a familiar voice cut in.
"Tybalt!"
All three boys turned and saw Alice Evelinne, who was glaring at Tybalt. "Mr. Prentiss, we had an appointment."
Tybalt recognized the save and immediately swallowed and blushed as the other boy let go of him. "I'm sorry, Dr. Evelinne."
"I do not like my time being wasted. You were set to see me half an hour ago about your outline and when you make an appointment, I expect it to be kept."
"Yes, ma'am."
The other two boys were grinning stupidly, but neither Ty or Alice looked at them. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go, now. I won't have you taking up any more of my time than necessary."
Ty blushed brighter and quickly grabbed his papers, stuffing them into his backpack and flinging it onto his shoulder. He fell into step beside and slightly behind his teacher in an obvious show of subservience, and didn't look back or speak until they were out of the dining hall. Once they were clear, he sighed a little.
"Thanks," he said, not even bothering to keep the exhaustion and relief from his voice.
"Would you have just let them beat you up?"
Ty blushed a little. "I would have tried to fight back, but in the end, yes, pretty much. It was futile to start with, I just didn't realize it until after my nerves snapped."
"You look like shit."
"Thanks." Was now a good time? No. Not yet. He was still strung too tightly, he wasn't thinking straight. When he took what he'd found to Dr. Evelinne, he wanted to be calm and able to back up whatever he was saying. Right now, he wasn't even sure of what he was saying. He sighed wearily.
"Want to step out and get some coffee?"
"Oh, bless you, teacher mine," he said with a laugh. "Do they serve IVs?"
"I doubt the IV would help you much right now. What you need is to be bludgeoned upside the head so that you get some sleep."
"Sleep... I think I remember what that is... It's that thing that happens after that other thing that never happens to me... I think that one started with an S, too."
"Syphillus? Scurvy? Shingles?"
"Well, thankfully none of those have happened, either." He said with a little laugh.
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I originally was going to end this as soon as they got out of the cafeteria, but my sleep-deprived brain kept going, but I think I'll stop here with horrible diseases that nobody wants.