In a Manor of Speaking

Happiness

"The Host walks quietly out through the glass doors leading to the backyard. He keeps walking until he is beside Y/N, who is sitting on the grass.

"...The Host realizes this is the exact spot that Y/N Arrived in."

Y/N looked over from their position on the ground to see Host sitting beside them. They said, "Hello Host. What are you doing out here so late?"

"The Host could ask Y/N the same thing, but he won't because he already knows the answer."

Y/N sighed at Host's words. Host 'saw' them look back at the sky as they fell into a comfortable silence.

It was a little over four minutes before Y/N said, "Thank you."

"...The Host asks why Y/N is thanking him. He has done nothing besides sit beside them for the past four—his mistake, five minutes now."

Y/N smiled but kept their eyes to the stars as they said, "I wasn't just thanking you, Host. I want to thank everyone in the Manor, but I know I can't so just... shut up and listen for them, OK?"

Host smiled slowly as Y/N closed their eyes and sat backward, splaying out on the ground as they continued.

"I... I didn't have anyone before I came here. I was alone. No friends, no family, no... I just wasn't happy. At all. And I came here, and Bing found me, and I remember that first night he dragged me out here and we danced and—"

They cut themself off with a small sob. Host 'looked' over to see Y/N with their eyes now open and full of tears. They blinked them back and kept talking.

"I felt really happy. I felt happy, Host. And it wasn't just then, when Bing took me salsa dancing in the middle of a thunderstorm. It was when Yan and Eric were throwing flour at me and Yancy, it was when King let his squirrels swarm all over me, it was when Wilford laughed for thirty minutes at a joke I made."

Y/N was fully crying now, as they closed their eyes again with a huge smile on their face. "It was when Illinois and Bim finally stopped flirting with me, it was when Magnum first taught me how to tie sailor's knots, it was when Unus made me prank Annus with him. It was when Google let me help him untangle some wires, it was when Dr. Iplier allowed me to annoy him on his lunch break. ...Do you still remember that?"

They opened their eyes again and looked up at Host, who was mirroring their smile. "The Host remembers walking into the kitchen and witnessing Y/N on top of Dr. Iplier's shoulders, trying to make him walk back to his office blind."

They both laughed and Y/N sat up again. Their grin only grew as they said, "It was when you let me read in your office, Host. You have no idea how happy you made me. How all of you have made me. So thank you."

Host felt blood flow from his sockets, and he was careful not to let it drip onto Y/N as they pulled him into a hug.

They stayed like that for the rest of the night, and Y/N felt happy again.

"The last few months of being at the Manor had been the best of Y/N's life, and of the District Attorney's life. They hoped to have more happy moments like this in the future, as they drifted off to sleep in the Host's arms.

"...

"...The Host thanks Y/N for Arriving here."