Marionette

Cosmos, Chapter Fifty - Kazoku [家族]

---=[Okay guys, there's a super-long authors note at the end of here, but it's important in regards to my continuing writing here on Wattpad. Please check it out and comment if you feel up for it]=---

Exhaustion was Amaya's closest companion, an elusive shadow that refused to vanish no matter how much she wished it.

The electric shock she had received from an unwitting Samuel had done more than just cause her to black out, Amaya noticed in the many minutes following the boy's fainting spell. Her body felt more sluggish, unwilling to follow her intentions with prompt response, and her chest felt unpleasantly tight for reasons she couldn't comprehend.

She decided since it was more uncomfortable than painful or alarming, that she would just try to ignore it for now and place her attention on other things.

Like most discomforts, it should disappear once she managed to forget about it, or after a night's rest.

However, the agitated redhead was something that couldn't be waved off with averted thoughts. It was impossible no matter how she tried for one main reason; Every time she came within his sight, his glare was upon her within an instance, and all she really could do was avert her gaze and pretend he wasn't there.

At least he had stopped bickering at her for her stupidity the instance she yelled at him to shut up.

The sun had begun to colour the skies orange by the time they left the house, once Amaya had ensured her siblings and Koko had dinner organized and she herself had showered and changed into pants and a jumper. The evil incarnate had decided to wait for her instead of wandering off ahead of time like she had tried to tell him.

She half wondered why.

But then again, considering his mood following her blacking out for those few seconds, she wasn't too surprised.

Amaya kept her gaze averted from Karma and his bad mood as they wandered down the streets and onto the train, sinking back against the wall next to the door. She stared out at the passing city-scape out the window opposite her, watching the sun descend past the line of buildings and stain the clouding skies topaz and garnet. It was a sight she was content to absorb herself within, and her companion appeared to leave her alone just the same.

Until finally, that familiar stop came along the line, and she was tugged out of her reverie by a hand closing around her own.

And with every step she followed once he'd released her hand, the more her gaze wandered.

Nothing had changed.

But then again, very little would over a period of three months.

It felt so strange to be back in this part of the city, to be walking those last few meters towards Karma's place.

It almost felt ... foreign.

Amaya's gaze trailed towards the old apartment building, tracing the telltale signs of age and wear that was so familiar to her.

Honestly... she missed that apartment.

She missed living right there, when things were so much easier. When the only things she had to worry about were what she was going to cook for the twins for dinner, or what she was going to get the evil incarnate for his birthday. Simple things that felt like forever ago. Things that didn't feel so heavy on her shoulders.

When she was so blissfully unaware that the actions of certain people connected to class 3-E would drag her right back to the darkness that lurked in her shadow.