A Lost Creation

Goodbyes

"Shut up." She grumbles. "You did it too."

"I did." He agrees, kissing the back of her head.

She goes quiet for long enough for Touya to foolishly close his eyes again in the hope for more sleep.
That is, until he feels her trying to pry his fingers open so she can put the coin he'd slid under her pillow last night into one of his hands firmly.

"What're you doin', Star?" Touya asks.

"I heard Tomura tell Zero we don't have much money, so you can have it." She replies, still struggling to open his hand.

He clamps his hand shut even tighter, refusing to take the money back.

"That's very sweet, darlin', but it's your money. I don't need it." He says, kissing her head again. "Use it to feed yer duckies or get some candy or somethin'."

"But I don't need it..." She says.

"You might not need it, but the fairies gave it to you for givin' 'em a good tooth to build with. Wasn't my tooth, hon. Keep your money, 'kay?" He insists. "You're a good girl for thinkin' about everyone else though. Spinner'd be proud."

"Dad." She whines in embarrassment.

He chuckles. He hadn't actually meant to use her little innocent crush against her that time, he just knew it was the kind of thing Spinner would do, too. Taking the loss for others gain just because they're nice people.

"I just mean 'cause he's a good guy, cuddlebug." Touya tries to reassure. He didn't need to add needless humiliation to her stress.

She responds with a grumpy 'hmph', but does stop trying to force the coin into Touya's hand, which counts as a win to him.
He lifts his head from his pillow and kisses all over her rashy cheek in a way that makes her try to strain out of his arms and whine again, Touya grinning against the inflamed skin on her cheek before letting go and relenting to the fact his day had to start.

"Come on then, let's get some of Tomura's magic medicine on ya face." He yawns, stretching his arms, chest and shoulders out.

"It's magic?" She asks. "My face is still itchy though..."

"Sure hon, he told me so himself." Touya plays along without really thinking about it and he looks at her in mind suspicion. "You been scratchin'?"

She pauses for a while which answers his question even before she verbally does. "...Sorry."

"Only hurtin' yourself darlin' girl." Touya replies, ruffling her hair a little rougher than usual. "The magic won't work if you keep scratchin'."

She grunts and swats his hand away, watching as he slides himself out of bed and grabs a nearby shirt to throw over his head.
As always, she's well behaved with him, letting him put the soothing ointment on her face while she sits on the counter.

They get about their day, both him and Zero trying to sneak some solid food into her diet. He manages to catch sight of her eating some blueberries while she learns with Zero, and then she manages to eat, and keep down one of Spinner's treasured protein bars later on in the day.

It has him feeling hopeful for when they have to part ways again and he has to leave her with Giran.

*•*

The next few days pass in a blur.
Star still isn't eating properly, but they managed to introduce small amounts of soup into her diet. They start with miso soup and then slowly try introducing noodles, too. It's not much, but it's something.

There's only tears, a small tantrum and reluctance to pack when Touya tries to encourage her to pack for at least a week.

And that was the best case scenario.