𝐂𝐨𝐬𝐦𝐨𝐠𝐲𝐫𝐚𝐥 ✦ 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐤𝐚𝐢 𝐒𝐭𝐚𝐫 𝐑𝐚𝐢𝐥

𝖢𝗁𝖺𝗉𝗍𝖾𝗋 𝖳𝗁𝗂𝗋𝗍𝗒-𝖲𝗂𝗑

(I finished all my essays on time and most of my work has been completed sooner than anticipated, so here's a little something)

Caelus and March sat with Yun, doing their best to comfort the crying boy while the healers they'd called for checked in on M/n up in her room.

It'd taken a while to calm him enough to get an explanation for what happened, but at least the words coming out of his mouth were comprehensible now.

"She's been like this for days... sometimes she's just distant and quiet, other times she'll have these panicked fits..." Yun whimpered as he rubbed at his eyes, "She's in a lot of pain, and I've gotten medicine for her, but nothing seems to be working!"

"Don't worry, Yun, I'm sure the medicine will work soon. It may just take a while." March tried.

"I... I've told myself the same thing, but every time I look at her, I see y/n." the boy whispered, his breath hitching before he turned his panicked gaze to the two trailblazers, "M-Mom isn't gonna end up like my big sister, right? She'll be okay, right?!"

Caelus and March exchanged an uncertain glance.

'Don't you dare say it. It's already bad enough that you sent a picture of y/n's corpse to the Belobog chat.'

'It was to prove the authenticity of my statement.'

'Then I'll send a picture of your corpse to Kafka when you mysteriously drop dead in a couple days.'

Caelus visibly paled, "A couple days-?"

"Don't worry, Yun. Miss M/n will definitely pull through." March hummed with a determined expression as she grasped the boy's hands, "She still has you, so she'll find the strength to get better!"

Yun sniffled a bit, "Y-Yeah... you're right. Thank you, Miss March." he exhaled shakily, exhaustion in his gaze.

"You know, you ought to get some rest as well. March and I will look after your Mother, so don't worry!" Caelus told the Foxian boy, "We'll even help out with the restaurant!"

The boy inhaled, then exhaled shakily. "Thank you..."

"Ahem." the sound drew the trio's attention to the healer who stood by the staircase, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but may I speak with you?"

"Y-Yes! Of course!" Yun stammered, hopping up from his seat and pulling out a seat for the healer. She did not sit, merely staring at the seat for a moment before offering the boy a small smile.

"You can go see her now. She's in stable condition right now, and I think she'd like to see you. Besides, my partner had some questions to ask you." the healer pointed out to which the young boy nodded hastily.

"Right! I'll be going, then!"

He hurried up the stairs without another word and healer sighed quietly, looking at the two trailblazers.

"So... is she going to be okay?" March asked meekly.

"I believe... a spiritfarer should be called. Miss M/n is at risk of becoming stricken with mara, and the progression has been... devastatingly quick. There isn't much we can do." the healer murmured, interrupted by the screech of Caelus's chair sliding across the floor as he stood up abruptly.

"What?! You're joking!" Caelus snapped.

"I wish I was. She's been receiving treatment for days, right from the day she began showing symptoms, but they've had no effect due to how fast the mara has progressed. Cases like this are common in individuals who witness a loved one's death in a manner as brutal as Miss Y/n's — the result is always a visit from a spiritfarer or the individual inevitably becoming stricken with mara." the healer continued, hands gripping her clothing. Pain was evident in her gaze as she shut her eyes and bowed her head, "I'm terribly sorry."