"...!"
Neuvillette could only look surprised as he stared at the person Aether was currently carrying.
Now he knew why he felt strange whenever he went out..
"Hey, Neuvillette! We managed to find the cause of the power thingy!!"
"I can see that..."
Clearing his throat, Neuvillette quickly composed himself and led Aether inside the Palais Mermonia.
He had to make sure his suspicion was correct before making assumptions.
As soon as Aether stepped foot in Neuvillette's office, he felt movement.
More specifically, on his back, where the unknown person resided.
He froze as he looked over his shoulder.
The person was finally waking up.
"Ah! He's waking up!"
Aether looked at Paimon, bothered by her sudden outburst.
"Shh!"
"..."
The person slowly opened their eyes.
Seeing the shape of your pupils only confirmed Neuvillette's suspicion.
You were just like him.
You slowly lifted your head and quietly looked around the room with a hint of confusion on your face.
"Where.... am I?"
Neuvillette immediately answered.
"You're inside the Palais Mermonia in Fontaine. May I ask for your name?"
"..."
You looked around the room once more.
You didn't panic. You just wanted to look at all these new faces.
You got off of Aether's back, and he backed away to give you some space.
"My name...?"
"Yes."
You dug in your brain for the little memories you had.
What was it again...?
You put a hand on your forehead, trying to recall just what was the title the people you once knew called you by?
"Hey, are you okay..?"
Paimon worriedly looked at you as she floated by Aether.
Not only was she worried about you, she was also worried about you suddenly using ominous powers that could possibly harm anyone.
"You don't have to-"
"Y/n."
"Huh?"
"Y/n. That's my name."
-
"What should we do with him?!"
Paimon whispered-yelled at Neuvillette as she crossed her arms.
Even though she "whispered", you could still hear her from the other side of the room, yet you stayed quiet.
Neuvillette thought about Paimon's question for a few moments.
What should he do with you?
Just by you being near him, you were unintentionally draining his power.
That's probably why you seemed more awake than before, yet you still quietly sat on the couch in his office and stared at the ground.
"Traveler. Weren't you telling me something about a..."
Neuvillette tried to recall the conversation from a while ago.
"A Serenitea Pot?"
Aether immediately furrowed his eyebrows as Paimon butted in once again.
"Yeah! That's where we sleep every night."
"..."
Aether already knew what Neuvillette was going to ask, and he didn't like it.
"May I ask for Y/n to stay with you for a while until I figure out what to do with Furina?"
"Huh?!"
Aether shook his head, holding back a loud sigh.
He was exhausted..
"...I only invite close friends to my home. Sorry. I can't."
Neuvillette nodded, understanding Aether's reasoning.
"I understand, but I must request your permission again."
This time, Paimon spoke.
"Why?"
"Because...."
Neuvillette looked at the h/c boy with an eerie feeling.
"I have a feeling that we are the same."
-
"And over here is your room!"
Paimon quickly opened the door and led you inside with Aether following closely behind.
In the end, he was convinced by Neuvillette to take you in.
"..Thank you."
"Mhm! If you need anything, the traveler's room is the second door to the left!"
You nodded.
You didn't know what to think of all of this.
Even though you were confused and slightly uncomfortable, you felt something you haven't felt in a long time.
Warmth.
Maybe it was because you were in someone's home.
It could also be because you were in a huge shard of ice for who knows how long.
Even though this feeling was comforting, you couldn't get comfortable just yet.
Especially since this wasn't your home.
"Okay, we're leaving now! Tubby is outside if you want to ask any questions!"
Oh, right.
The odd chicken.
Was it a chicken...?
Aether closed the door behind Paimon, only mumbling a small bye.
"..."
You were now left alone.
You stood in the center of the room for a few moments, not moving.
What should you do now..?
-
Commissions.
Commissions.
Commissions.
It never ended, and it even led to Aether having a stranger in his home.
The one place where he was supposed to be free of any burdens.
Right now, all he wanted to do was close his eyes and fall into a deep sleep.
In his sleep, he would have a dream.
A dream about him reuniting with his sister.
-
"......"
"...oooh..."
*Chop!* *Chop!* *Chop!*
Aether and Paimon could only stand in the kitchen doorway with flabbergasted faces.
It had been a few hours since Aether left his home, but he was now back, more exhausted than ever.
When he got home, he was expecting to go to bed hungry, but...
*Snap!* *Snap!* *Snap!*
"Woah..."
He wasn't expecting to see you..
Well-he was, but he wasn't expecting to see you cutting up vegetables in the kitchen!
And don't even get him started on the amazing aroma.
He didn't know what you were making, but it smelled heavenly.
"Oh, wow! It smells great!"
Paimon immediately flew next to you and excitingly watched as you continued to cut up vegetables and throw them into the pot.
You didn't say anything to her.
You seemed to be in a daze, which wasn't safe for a person holding a knife, yet you still quickly cut everything up.
You probably didn't even know that him and Paimon were there!
"..."
Aether walked out of the kitchen and then looked around the house.
The house.. It was spotless.
Everything was shining, and the laundry that Aether had been meaning to do was missing from the basket and neatly folded on his dresser.
Now that he thinks of it, even Tubby looked happier than usual.
Maybe this was why...
You were the reason that she was exploding with joy.
Aether sighed as he walked in the bathroom.
Maybe he'll take a shower while he waits for dinner to finish. -
...
.........
..................
"What..."
Aether stared down at the bathtub.
The bath was already filled with hot water and even had some bubbles.
There were also candles lit on the counter, making the bathroom smell like vanilla.
Aether dropped his towel on the ground as he stared at the bath with his mouth agape.
He then thought about the moments he complained about letting you in in his head.
For the first time in a while, Aether held a genuine smile.
Nevermind.
He can get used to this...