Arknights: Dr.(Y/N)'s Riposte

22. W

Worries wash over (Y/N)'s face as void gradually sips into her eyes. He had not seen this side of her ever since the day he rescued her… desperation and solitude. 

Sometimes he forgot that people can be very different from one another, even the slightest. (Y/N) is indifferent from the others but, he prefers to be honest than being a deceiver… depending on the situation. Like Carren, Wiya also conceals her other sides. 

His right hand is cuffed to an alarm pole which means escape is not an available choice. In truth, the real question is… did he decide to escape from this? No, he did not, yet. A reason made him reconsider his decision, and his determination chooses to stay for their sake.

[Which leaves us both at fault… but we're not progressing anywhere if we kept blaming ourselves] - (Y/N)

He said with a soothing tone, ignoring the aching pain from his physical wounds. Patting Wiya's shoulder with his free hand, to bring her back from the negative she indulged in. 

The negation in W's expression is obvious but not specified in which category. Knowing her for quite some years, (Y/N) is aware of what she is currently feeling. He is not like some man who cannot cope with emotional affairs, so he would let this moment pass by. 

W's sudden shift in behaviour gave him some clues about that he could deduct. Even if she can be stoic, he is confident finding out about the truth behind all this. 

[...being ignorant of the facts within mistakes leads to more misfortune, more mistakes] - Wiya

(Y/N) felt unsettled hearing the lack of cheerfulness in her tone, and the tension suffocating him. Seriousness and monotonous voice was rarely her style, but she is still a human… an evolved one to be exact. There is no restriction on which emotion she could feel, but each comes with fair drawbacks. 

The sourness from this outcome that he felt, made him grit his teeth. Not because of her, but himself. Where before he promised to improve himself and help others to improve themselves, yet here, the woman in front of him is degrading herself because of his decisions. As if life is mocking his efforts.

His brain hurts from thinking of potential solutions to overcome this matter and move on to what fate has planned for them. If it turns out to be good, he will accept it, if it is bad, he has- no, he will change it. 

At this very moment, might be his only chance to change their destiny, as (Y/N) grabs one of W's shoulders with a firm grip. His smile is gone, replaced by a solid serious expression cemented with his deep determination. 

[I'm not suggesting to ignore our mistakes, but to learn from them] - (Y/N)

One of her brows slightly lifts as she slowly turns her face to him. Her eyes keep glancing away, trying to maintain eye contact but found it difficult due to her conflicted emotions. 

(Y/N) placed his hand on her cheek from her shoulder, thinking that this might calm her down. His small bold attempt caught her by surprise. Her body flinched a bit but quickly relaxed under his familiar touch. 

Filia's face came into his mind as if his heart is telling that this is stepping out of the boundary but, he has a reason to do it. To pull her out of the muddy void back into the bittersweet reality. 

[In exchange, to alter ourselves?] - Wiya

There is cluelessness is her tone and (Y/N) could recognise that. From what he had remembered, he did not bring up a topic about self-improvement to her, which indirectly indicates that this whole situation is partly his fault because of his unawareness. At the same time, causing him to feel angry at himself.