maid • kaeya

xix

• third person •

It was as if time had stopped.

Adelinde had screamed Crepus' name. He sprinted towards her. The two of them collapsed to the wooden floor.

Adelinde clutched her so tight, her breath heaving, her chest rising and falling so fast, so rapidly, as if the Earth had stopped spinning for just that moment. Crepus winced, his eyes clamping shut at the impact of the ground.

Gods, she had caught her.

Gods.

Crepus heaved a breath, instantly falling to the floor like a starfish. Adelinde trembled in his lap where he had caught her, (Y/N) simply unconscious in her arms.

(Y/N) had fainted down the stairs. Adelinde caught her as she was falling, causing herself to lose balance. Crepus was quick to catch them both.

"Is she breathing?" Crepus asked with a heavy exhale. "Check if she's breathing, please."

"She's breathing," Adelinde confirmed, her hands still shaking. She clutched (Y/N)'s head, struggling to even maintain her own breaths. "Thank Barbatos. What just happened..."

Carefully, Crepus helped Adelinde up, lifting (Y/N) into his arms instead. He brought her over to the sofa, laying her down, tugging a fluffy throw over her body.

"She'll probably awaken in a second. Get her a glass of warm milk, would you, Adelinde?"

Adelinde nodded rapidly. "Y-yes Master Crepus."

"Thank you."

Once Adelinde had left to the kitchen, Crepus sighed with his entire chest, kneeling down before the unconscious (Y/N). Her entire body was loose, as if she were a puppet and someone had cut all of her strings. Crepus couldn't help his shaky breaths as he gently took her hand, stroking the back of it as he waited for her to regain consciousness.

Adelinde had soon returned. (Y/N) was still blacked out.

"Did she hurt herself?" Crepus asked, checking for any wounds or bruises. "Good job, Adelinde. Are you alright?"

"I think I managed to catch her in time before she got hurt. I'm fine, Master Crepus. Are you? You had quite the fall."

Crepus chuckled, his gaze settling upon (Y/N) fondly, noticing her eyebrows twitch ever-so-slightly. "My behind is a little sore. Haha."

"Lovely."

(Y/N)'s eyes slowly began to crack open. Both Crepus and Adelinde exchanged glances, patiently waiting for her to awaken fully.

She seemed to murmur something beneath her breath, clearly not in a conscious state of mind.

"What was that?" Crepus questioned, stroking away the hair covering her face.

"Mommy..." (Y/N) whispered. "Daddy..."

The glances Master Crepus and Adelinde exchanged this time were much more concerned compared to the ones before.

"It's Crepus," he corrected, patting her head. (Y/N)'s eyes narrowed. "Come on. Are you alright?"

Cautiously, Crepus helped her sit up, kneeling down before her to meet her gaze. Adelinde handed him the glass of milk, to which he helped her drink. (Y/N) didn't seem to react.

"I'm sleepy..." she mumbled, rubbing her eyes.

"I know... Were you sleep walking? You can talk to us, (Y/N)."

(Y/N) shook her head. "Can't... Everyone will..."

Crepus held her small hand, pursing his lips. "Will what..?"