Hello! If you recognize this story, then yes it's me from AO3. Since I'm unable to use the same tags as I can on AO3, this is a chronic illness AU. I've decided I'll publish my story on both platforms to give it some attention after some encouragement. For those who are new to my story, I hope you enjoy the plot and the AU I've constructed. Please leave any feedback. If you want to view my story on AO3, or any other ones, my username is the same as this one (jianbird). Thank you for clicking and I hope you enjoy your read! (I know the centered dates are a little awkward on web, but don't let that bother you. They look perfect on mobile.)
This story isn't a tragedy. I'm striving for a balance between romance and hurt/comfort. The first chapter is a little slow paced, but it's important to Zero Two's past. Don't worry, it'll pick up by chapter two.
I intend to return to earlier chapters to revise them up. My writing, in the beginning, was a little choppy, so I plan to clean it up once this series has reached its end. I believe nothing is too difficult to read, but I agree it could be better. I've cleaned this chapter up, by the way!
TW: Mentions of suicide and abuse in great detail in the first half of the chapter until the first timeskip.
EDIT: Thank you so much to everyone who has supported this story so far. Your constant feedback means a lot. I've planned a lot for this story and I invest a lot of time into it, so I hope you guys enjoy 'Your Smile In Spring' as much as I enjoy writing it! Updates between chapters are slow – I usually update with one chapter a month because of the length and time I take to plan everything out and make everything as quality as I can.
December 20, 2020
3:28 PM
The frosty breaths of winter tickled her pale knees and kissed their icy lips against them. It caused her body to let out a small shudder as she held her red backpack closer to herself. When she breathed, it was visible to her naked eyes as a small, but dissipating fog of air formed in front of her. Winter always filled her with the most loneliness although she's unsure of why this was the case.
But, loneliness is an emotion she learned to endure more with every passing day and night. The young schoolgirl trailed down the snowy sidewalk which was her usual path home. She wouldn't return to elementary school until her three weeks of winter break was over with. Although, the young girl didn't believe she was missing anything either.
Her footsteps left prints into the white, thick layers of snow beneath her soles. They marked her presence and would allow others who walked behind her to know she existed.
To reach home, the student always had to cross a vivacious park and a tempting bakery that ran at almost every hour. The latter always had the smell of fresh bread, and other baked goods, oozing out from its open door. It would often let out a chime because of the bell tied to a beautiful and neat, dark red bow for the winter holiday.
It felt as if the bakery owners were taunting her most of the time since they knew how to make her stomach growl. The desperation always started whenever the sweet aroma reached her nostrils first. She swore she'll get her father to take her one day and then, she'll order the biggest cake they served.
One day for sure.
Her footsteps ceased when nearby laughter caught the attention of her red ears. It came in a feminine chorus, in fact, which told her she was not only listening to one person but a small group of people. When the child turned her head, she saw four beautiful girls enter the same bakery her mouth watered for. They were tall, dressed in uniforms, and appeared to be much older than her, so she assumed they were all in high school.
But her hunger subsided once she realized the aura those girls carried. It was the same carefree and happy aura she found in a lot of other normal people and it made her feel sick to her stomach. Suddenly, she didn't feel like eating baked goods anymore.
The child looked away from what she couldn't have with contempt and continued down the snowy path. When a cold breeze chilled her arms, she held the straps of her bright red backpack closer to her sides.
The girl pretended she wasn't the only person under-dressed for the frigid season. No, it was more of the fact she no longer cared. She donned a skirt that hardly reached her knees, leaving the rest of her pale, bare skin exposed. It would have been likewise for her arms if she hadn't worn her uniform blouse as a jacket. At the least, she also had a thick, bright red scarf wrapped around her neck loosely.
It wasn't only to keep her warm though. The scarf acted as a comfort device more than anything else. She's gotten so used to the low temperatures that her body has become desensitized to it by now.
Once she made it to the suburban area of the city, she neared her own neighborhood. That's when golden, glistening fairy lights from neighboring houses enraptured her immediately. Her eyes followed their soft radiance and beautiful glow. They lit up shrubs, bushes, and the structural homes they draped across. Other lights even flashed with assorted colors in a timed pattern.
Her other neighbors even spruced up their front yard with store-bought decorations. Meanwhile, other houses took it down a notch by hanging a wreath up on their front door for simplicity. At some point, she even passed by a poorly built snowman that still looked perfect in her eyes. Her father would never want to build one with her even if she asked.
Every house looked so warm and full of life. They told a story without her having to know anything about the strangers who lived behind each door. Sometimes she wished those doors would invite her inside too.
That's when an abrupt craving for something she's never eaten before hit the child's taste buds. She wanted to know what fruitcake taste like. Everyone in her class indulged in it every Christmas but her. She didn't even know what cake tasted like. Was it soft and fluffy, or did it melt in your mouth?
How she wished her mother was here with them, so she could experience Christmas like normal families. The little girl knew if her mother were to walk through their door one day, her father would finally stop crying. He described her mother as the warm sun after a dark and rainy storm. She sounded nothing like the mistake she was. Because her father didn't set up portraits around their place, she's only seen one photo of her mother in her entire life.
Their resemblance was uncanny. In the photo, her mother had the same emerald eyes as she and beautiful, pink hair that stopped down to her lower back. The young girl figured her similarity to her mother is what made her father angry with her all the time.
She only found out the truth behind her mother's passing during one of her father's fits. He had them almost every day, so she's learned how to understand his slurred speech. A doctor diagnosed her mother with a type of leukemia. Around that time, her mother also learned she was pregnant with her. When advised to terminate her pregnancy for proper treatment, it's obvious which her mother chose.
She only existed in this world because of her own mother's selflessness.
The only thing that connected the girl with her mother was the thick, red scarf around her neck. Her belongings weren't in their new home, but she found one thing her father forgot to discard. She liked to imagine the scarf's warmth mimicked her mother's own, but she'd prefer the real thing any day.
The girl had so many more questions about her mother, but no one to confide in. The other members of her family never came around, so it's always been her father and herself. He never liked to talk about her mother either. Whenever the child pried in the past, he always reacted angrily. This forced her to stop asking questions altogether, but that didn't mean she stopped having them.
He told her regularly she was the reason he was in pain all the time. He consistently reminded her she was the reason his wife was dead, and it has shaped her to believe him. She's the monster that took away such a precious and valuable life. If possible, one day she wanted to help ease her father's pain and make up for all she's done.
She had no place in this world.
Her father still didn't accept her, and she understood it was because she's a bad person. Because of her fear of hurting others, she's never experienced what it's like to have friends. Her classmates were afraid of her. She refused to socialize with anyone and if they did, the words she used with them were often too harsh. It hurt how no one wanted to get involved with her, but these things were meant to happen.
Later, the young girl's frustration with herself turned her into the monster everyone saw her as. She didn't obey reasonable orders from her teachers. She yelled back and became physical with her classmates who talked badly about her. Her teachers eventually left her alone entirely since she behaved better undisturbed. No one wanted to bother with someone as troublesome as her.
Eventually, she made it to the small apartment she and her father lived in. Her father never greeted her with a loving smile or genuine questions about her day. Therefore, she thought nothing was unsettling about this afternoon. Once inside, she planned to greet him herself and receive his small, irritated grunt. It was a tasteless response, but the bit of communication still satisfied her.
He usually never spoke to her or approached her unless he was angry. If it was one of his worse days, she saw his fists. It always left her with pain, but she believed she deserved this.
She walked inside with her shoes on, leaving a trail of snow particles across the dirty carpet. Her home had no house rules, so this was okay of her to do. The elementary-schooler slipped off her backpack with her father already on her mind. Even if he never checked in on her, she always wanted to see him.
The television was on and turned to a random channel she knew her father didn't watch, so she thought that was odd. The volume was also lower than usual although no one sat in the empty, brown and worn out chair across from it. Her father was always in that spot, mesmerized in something she could never find the appeal in. In his right hand, he usually held his cold bottle of beer.
But today, there was no one in the living room for her to greet.
She was curious as any child would be at this point. The girl checked the kitchen for her father, but there were only the lights that often flickered in and out. The bathroom and laundry room followed to no avail until she was in front of his bedroom door.
It was open by a few centimeters, so she assumed her father had to be inside. He was most likely in the middle of his usual deep nap. He took those a lot and only woke up for dinner, or another cold drink.
Without a second thought, she pushed her tiny hands against his bedroom door. A familiar, loud and eerie creak filled the small apartment as she did so.
"I'm home, Papa-"
But nothing prepared the child's innocent eyes for the sight right before her. In the middle of the room was her father's body hanging from the ceiling. A leather belt tied to the ceiling fan held his lifeless body by its neck.
His daughter let out a shrill cry.
December 24, 2020
4:02 PM
She was ten years old when she lost the only person she had in this world.
It took days to part with the place she once considered her home. She never had such a place, to begin with, and this traumatizing event reinforced that. She's always been an unwanted thing in this world.
With no place to turn to now, the young girl found no need to continue school. So, she never returned from winter break. She only sought food when the emptiness in her stomach made it difficult to walk. She slugged around her thin body in her dirtied, tattered clothes. While she was in the woods, the thorns from shrubs nicked more than her pale skin.
Albeit the physical scars could never amount to ones created inside her heart.
The clouds above her turned a dark, greyish color and started its gentle melody, but she didn't immediately seek shelter. The pitter-patter of the rain was the softest tune she's ever heard in her life. For whatever reason, its serenity calmed her.
She loved the gentle waves of the rain. It not only kissed the Earth's surface but also the dry skin on her face and every exposed part of her small body. It was as if the Earth knew of her troubles and tried to soothe them all if only for a moment. The girl closed her eyes, relishing in the way the rain painted her as if she were its personal canvas. Or a tiny, insignificant speck.
She had no qualms about walking around in the rain, enjoying the feeling of the Earth's affection that much. It was the young girl's only way of feeling free from her burdens. But then, there was a loud, but distinct rumble from above that her cut joy short. It seemed she wouldn't be able to bask in the sky's love much longer.
Finding a nearby unoccupied park, she carried her thin body over to it and found a tunnel to sit inside. As soon as the girl situated herself, she curled up into a ball. Her knees pressed against her chest and her arms enveloped her legs. This was to offer herself some warmth until this storm carried itself out.
Unlike other children, she was never afraid of the loud and thunderous cries from the sky. However, the child was still smart enough to not walk around freely when a rainstorm was on the brink of thunder.
As she rested her chin against the dip between her knees, she also listened to the surrounding sounds. She thought of how the sky's screams mimicked the ones she wanted to yell out herself. If the sky and she were to engage in a yelling match, who would be louder?
A corner away from her on the opposite street, an overtaxed man returned from yet another wearying day at work. You could assume this man was in his mid-fifties for the wrinkles boring deeply into his skin. There were also the signs of late nights underneath his brown eyes.
He displayed a short, deep brown head of hair coupled with a few strands of grey hair. They broke out at various areas of his head because of his age catching up to him. The expression he carried on his face showed he was a man of business despite his fatigue look. He wore black, formal pants and a white lab coat with a small oil stain above his left pocket.
A yawn that's been itching for release pushed its way up his throat. Every day, this man worked as a scientist until his back ached. His assistant always tried to pull him away from his projects, but the man followed his own rules. His company recently felt deserted since most of his employees were on Christmas. A large holiday that quickly showed its face before he even knew it. The best way the man could think to spend the evening before Christmas was by visiting an old friend.
Yet...
"Sheesh. If I'd known it would be this bad out, I would've told them to pick me up out front," he grumbled, holding his black umbrella up over his head.
Checking the time on his wristwatch, he learned he still had two hours to make it to his destination. He doubted his friend had much to do today but showing up at his doorstep unplanned was burdensome on its own. Nonetheless, showing up at his doorstep at a late hour.
It would also be best to get this out of the way before the roads iced up overnight. That aside, he still had other things he wished to do with his day. Such as the work that needed his undivided attention.
As he turned the corner, the man noticed there weren't that many people outside today. It was probable no one wanted to be out on a rainy day, but it was more likely everyone still had their noses in their work. Jobs were even busier during the holiday. He could tell how humid it smelled this dark evening from breathing in the thick and damp air. It didn't bother him though.
There were more important things to think about than the weather.
He continued to walk down the familiar path which would lead to the intersection he agreed to meet his driver. He was already conjuring ideas to add to his current project in his head. The man could hardly wait to sit down in his office the first chance he received. The only reason he wasn't in the vehicle right now was that he needed to give his bones a chance to stretch out from time to time.
He often got cramped up after a long, tiring day and he was afraid it'll come between him and his work one day.
The man crossed the road opposite from the soulless park to his right. There wasn't a single soul accompanying the popular area from the quick glance he spared it. What parent wanted to bring their children to the park during a rainstorm like this, anyway? His mind returned to its deep thoughts and mentally ran through his schedule for today.
Then, a glimpse of a fast, moving blur from his peripheral made his footsteps take a sudden pause. The small puddle of water underneath the soles of his black and polished work shoes rippled. Was his vision finally betraying him? He squinted in the blur's direction hoping his eyes weren't cloudy.
But it was most likely a small animal or a figment of his imagination since there appeared to be no one at the park.
It couldn't be a child, or else the happy exclaims from a little voice and eruptive giggles would reach his ears. Yet as he was about to look away and continue with his day, he caught something that proved his eyes weren't that old. Even without a trace of sound, he could tell someone was over there. With his interest now piqued, the man took an unplanned turn and headed towards the moving human.
A couple of more steps closer confirmed the small appearing human was a child. The child sat alone inside the playground's tunnel which he assumed was to act as a shelter. A child shouldn't be out here in this kind of weather when it was hardly even safe for himself.
He tried to close the distance between him and the child to get a clear view of her face. However, the man noticed every step he took, the other took a careful slide back. They were recoiling from him.
Ah, am I scaring her?
Well, he didn't need to get any closer to tell the child was a young girl. Her long, loose pink hair cascaded down her sides and ended a few inches past her bum. The absence of the light hitting the inside the tunnel still kept her face hidden.
"I won't hurt you," The man reassured her, as he held up the hand not wrapped around the handle of his umbrella.
He wasn't too confident his effort to win her trust would be successful. He's never had a personal encounter with a child until now. That meant he was even unsure of how to talk to one. Other people's children weren't his expertise.
He took another cautious step forward while his eyes trained themselves on her. He half-feared she'd jump up and bolt the second he got too close and that'd be a headache for him. But as he expected, the girl scooted back even deeper into the tunnel. He wouldn't be able to reach her without crouching down and putting his arm inside. Even for someone inexperienced with children, he could tell how awful an idea that was.
Despite the difficulty of this situation, it wouldn't be enough to make him waver. Now that he's spotted her, he couldn't leave her behind. Hopefully, she could talk.
"A kid shouldn't be alone in this weather. Where're your parents?" He continued to make conversation with the child.
His feet guided him to the entrance of the tunnel which he laid his free hand atop of. His other continued to hold the parasol over his head, catching every hard droplet of rain.
Did this girl come to play at the park by herself, or was she waiting for her either of her parents to pick her up? If the latter turned out to be true, he'd feel easier about leaving the child to her business. She was smart for keeping dry by staying inside the tunnel.
He leaned down now to peek at this child's face. She didn't make it easy for him since she was desperate to hide from him. One slow and close observation was enough to alarm him that this wasn't an ordinary child. While she was a stunning young girl for sure, her appearance made her seem as if she belonged to no one at all.
She had mangled hair which looked as if she hasn't brushed it in several weeks. Its color had a dirty brown tint to it which could surely look a lot more lovely and iridescent if washed. There were other factors that caught the man's attention too.
Untreated cuts, scrapes, and bruises were all over her legs and arms. While some were old, others he could tell were still fresh. Her emaciated cheeks weren't spared either. The paleness of her face made her appear malnourished from what he could see. Her skin was peeling off her knuckles too.
This wasn't normal.
Swallowing his disbelief, for now, the man continued to inspect what he could in silence. The girl's clothes looked unwashed considering the various stains on them. It was accumulated dirt if anything. She wore a scarf around her neck, but its dull redness told him the color was once livelier. The man could also smell the child from here and concluded she hasn't had a proper bath in too long of a time.
The little girl smelled as if she's been living outside for her entire life. That shouldn't be the case since she's merely a child. It was a parent's responsibility to look after their offspring, so, where were they?
He wanted to believe someone would beckon her over at any moment and she'd happily run into their awaiting arms. Yet all the physical signs pointed towards abandonment. Has she been struggling all alone for all this time? He was afraid to stomach how long.
An exasperated sigh left his lips.
In his head, he debated over whether he had time for this lost, vulnerable-looking child? The man glanced at his wristwatch again and then checked his surroundings. However, he didn't realize he needed to keep his defenses up to check the time. He doubted someone who looked so frail could act harmful towards another person. Not until he barely dodged a small rock that came sweeping past his head.
What?
The rock landed somewhere in the wet gravel behind them. While it was small, it would've given him an injury had it not missed its target. He felt surprised by her clumsy act of defense. She hadn't said a single word to him yet, but that's the first thing she does?
His attention returned to the child to observe her better this time, but that's when he saw the enmity on her face. Her narrowed, emerald eyes churned with fire and animosity he never imagined a child could hold.
...No.
With a closer look, the man realized this wasn't pure hatred at all, but a mask for her ugly fear. He's seen this emotion in tons of others before considering how many people he's met in his long life. She was doing everything to get away from him despite her fears undoubtedly gripping her. How was she still fighting?
You taught children the dangers behind strangers, but this defense mechanism wasn't from lessons about safety. What could she have gone through to resort to violence instinctively? From an onlooker's point of view, she could be nothing but a bratty kid. However, ignorant people don't understand human behavior as he does. He's spent years studying it closely.
At the moment, helping her understand his intentions was his priority. He wanted to reach out to her within the goodness of his heart, but he also felt curiosity over how she ended up like this.
Another rock came flying at him, but this time he failed to avoid the threat. This resulted in it thumping him in the middle of his forehead. A heavy and throbbing sensation reminded him this little one wouldn't be an easy one to get through to.
She didn't intend to give him any mercy, so he had no choice but to use his umbrella to block the rest of her assault. Much to his own relief, the supply of the rocks piled up at her side eventually decreased. The girl only realized this once her fingers grasped onto air rather than another rock.
For a moment, he'll be able to breathe. To have already accumulated rocks at her side, she came prepared for this. Judging by her actions, she didn't trust others easily. Now that she no longer had any rocks, he hoped she wouldn't flee the scene. Otherwise, there weren't any promises he'd be able to keep up with someone of her youth and smallness.
The man felt grateful seeing her stay put though. The girl looked down at her hip before her shoulders slumped in defeat. With some hesitation, she finally spoke up for the first time since he approached her.
"...I have none," the girl mumbled.
His eyes widened when he realized the child was finally answering the first question he asked her. So, she was a lost and wandering orphan?
"I see."
He didn't press the child for more information. Instead, his lips formed a thin line as the cogs in his brain turned. He was trying to think of the best way to approach this subject lightly. The man's been in many stressful situations before but none like this.
As he pondered over this, the child's harsh eyes softened into a deep recognition of sorrow. He could see many things in those beryl eyes of hers. Hopelessness, deep pain, but more than anything, loneliness.
Another adult could've ignored this disheveled child as soon as they found out how rude she was. Yet something inside his heart longed to do something for her. This time it was for a reason larger than his genuine curiosity in her. A sympathetic sigh dragged its way out from his mouth.
There was an internal conflict at first, but he finally came to his resolve. Although, he didn't know if this would be his most rational or irrational decision ever.
December 24, 2020
5:47 PM
"Welcome home, Professor Werner," greeted his two female housemaids in unison with a half-bow.
The two women were in their early forties and have been by Werner's side for at least ten years and counting. Faint teal and chestnut brown eyes shifted to the tense and disarrayed young girl by his side. He understood their confusion without them uttering a word.
Meanwhile, his guest's eyes were jumping everywhere in the room. Her feeble fingers snugged her scarf closer around her neck before she buried her face into it. It was plain to see she wasn't adjusting to the unfamiliar setting too well. She looked so frantic as if she expected someone to hurt her at any moment. Werner was afraid she'll consider turning back around at the last minute.
It was a miracle he got her to come with him at all. It didn't take much because humorously, the only 'trick' he needed to pull was to promise to feed her. Unfortunately, he didn't come to that conclusion right away. She surely didn't make it easy for an old geezer like him either.
Somehow, the problem child got away from him and climbed up into a tree. Then, she refused to come down despite his worried concerns over her injuring herself. The way she sat atop the thickset tree branch and swung her short, blotched legs back and forth nearly gave the professor a heart attack. The girl seemed accustomed to doing wild things such as that.
He was only happy she didn't fall down, or else he'd have a larger problem in his hands. If he'd known food would make her put aside her distrust so fast, it would've been the first thing he brought up. With a child this malnourished, he couldn't imagine how long she's had to walk around on an empty stomach. He'll get to his promise immediately then.
He skipped introductions since he believed he owed no one an explanation. All he needed from them was to look after her; not understand why she was here.
"Get her washed up if you could. I believe no one has taken care of her in several days," He told his housemaid named Mayuki.
She was several years younger than he was, with beautiful, deep brown hair tied up neatly into a bun. She's the one who owned the capturing set of faint, teal blue eyes.
For her attire, she wore a light grey dress that stopped two inches below her knees. A white apron tied around her waist accompanied the dress with white cuffs on her short sleeves. The woman beside her, named Sawako, also wore a uniform identical to hers. Their postures even matched one another with their folded hands against their laps.
"Right away, sir."
They bowed once more and waited for the child to join them, but she didn't. The girl still felt wary of these strangers since didn't know their true intentions. Even as the corners of Mayuki's and Sawako's lips lifted upward and radiated a warm and kind glow, she didn't budge. Not until a gentle push on the back made her take those two reluctant steps toward the two women.
Feeling irked by this action, the child glanced over her shoulder and shot her perpetrator an icy glare. The old man remained unfazed by the younger's attempt to intimidate him though. It would take a lot more than that to get a real scare out him. Although, she pulled one over him earlier with her reckless stunt.
"Come on," Sawako whispered to the child, placing a comforting hand on her shoulder. The child flinched in response to Sawako's physical contact, but that could be out of instinct.
His housemaids left in tow with the child and he watched their backs as they walked down the hall. He watched them long enough to see the child take a small step to the side as if trying to evade Sawako's touch. Werner looked away from the three once his eyes couldn't perceive them anymore.
With a tired grunt, he relaxed for the first time this evening. He must meet up with his friend some other day, but Werner believed the inconvenience was worth it. Somehow a non-business trip to see an old face ended up with him having a roughed-up child in his care.
How odd but fascinating this world could be sometimes.
Werner made a turn for his large living room and slowly took a seat down on his couch. This offered his sore back immediate relief. He ignored his tall, slender butler who followed him here, waiting for an order from his master. Werner felt so used to their lingering presence he felt no unease with them around. Although, he knew Itsuo wouldn't rest until an order spewed from his mouth.
Werner had no personal needs or business matters he wished to take care of yet. Usually, he worked in his laboratory until his sleepiness interfered with his progress. But the unruly child he met today was filling his thoughts instead. It was rare of him to have something he prioritized more than his beloved research.
"Have two large plates of last night's dinner prepared at the table," he ordered Itsuo who stood at the side of his couch complaisantly.
"And some green tea for me," Werner added. The thought of the liquid warming his taste buds as he unwound sounded pleasant. It might also numb the soreness in his wrists and lower back.
Itsuo responded with a nod before he went to heed his master's request. Werner closed his eyelids and rested the back of his head against the lenity of the cushion. He listened as his butler's shoes made descending clicks in the background. Whenever he became this exhausted, he recalled how convenient it was to have other people work for him.
He also had this benefit back at work with his younger assistant, Nana, who was a nice, respectable woman in her mid-twenties. She was excellent at her job despite her age and minuscule experience. Although, the woman took her job too seriously; he believed.
It was useful to have someone there to keep him on schedule. This meant meetings and other events that required his presence. That was the downside to being an important public figure. He worked as a scientific engineer and constructed bullet trains worldwide.
His work did not start there though.
At one time, he only constructed military vehicles as tools of war for his country. He composited the armor plates with nanoparticles which were different back then. It was fortunate he had what Japan needed, or else he might have not seen such a high demand for his works. Yet as the war died down, so did the initial purpose behind FranXX Corporation.
Now he focused on his man-made transportation which ran on hydrogen fuel cells. Engineering was something he took joy in, but there was only one downside to his success. Whenever people requested his presence at events, it upset him since it took him away from his work. But he kept a respectable image for himself by showing up regardless of his feelings.
"Your tea, sir," Werner heard from beside him, causing the man to open his lids. Although, his butler's footsteps already alerted Werner of his return.
"Thank you, Itsuo," he replied, accepting the small silver plate supporting the small and dainty China teacup.
His fingers gripped the handle and took it from the other's hands. Then, Werner allowed its remedying flavor to flow past his lips and greet his taste buds. He could feel the warmth that steamed from the liquid, untying every coil in his body. The first sip threw the man into a momentary bliss.
"Ah..."
Yes, he has been in need of that. It was always nice to have a cup of freshly brewed tea as soon as he came home. Unfortunately, a distant yell that tore through the walls disrupted Werner's peace.
The hairs on the back of his neck stood up, but otherwise, he did not make a huge reaction towards the sudden dismay. Instead, he shared a quiet look with Itsuo whose blood had drained from his face. However, he also understood what he had to do, so he regained his composure quickly.
"Go check it out. I'll join you soon," Werner instructed the other.
"Right away, sir," Itsuo replied with a fleeting bow before ambulating quickly towards the scene that awaited him.
A regretful sigh left the scientist's mouth. He was already feeling dread over what kind of situation could have arisen now. It couldn't be anything dire since he owned a fair amount of security around his manor. This meant the problem could only be with the ill-mannered girl he brought in today. He felt reluctant to even stand up from the couch since he had already gotten comfortable. As always, something always needed his presence even in the comfort of his own home.
His feet wended its way down his hall and turned the corner leading to the master bathroom. He could hear a muffled commotion from behind the door, but Werner should have taken that as a sign to not enter. Nothing prepared him for the chaotic sight once he did. In front of him stood the dirty child and his three servants, in the most extraordinary situation ever.
It didn't take him long to assess the scene before him. He now understood the nature behind Sawako's yelp. The unnamed, insubordinate girl was sinking her teeth into the poor woman's arm. Meanwhile, Itsuo's hands were at the child's sides, trying to pry her off Sawako. However, the girl was stubborn and kept a firm hold. Mayuki only stood there with her jaw slacked open in shock. After all, the woman was witnessing the assault unfold right before her eyes.
Werner didn't know what led up to this unsightly position, but he wouldn't ask right now. Instead, he closed his lids and made a silent apology towards his three servants for the trouble. He reopened his eyes to the sound of more struggling. Itsuo pulled the ferocious child away from Sawako and tried to hold her back with his arms.
The girl didn't seem intent on doing that despite her threatening glare and heavy breathing. Werner thought she looked rather pitiful with her dirtied feet and hands instead.
With a glance to the side, Werner made sure Sawako wasn't bleeding. Fortunately, she wasn't, but a visible bite mark indentured her pale skin. He couldn't tell how deep the bite was yet, but it didn't look like much from where he stood. As long as her teeth hadn't broken into her skin, there was nothing to fret over. Further examination would later tell him if it was serious or not.
It was good she wasn't bleeding since Werner didn't get his hands on the child's medical records yet. He didn't know if she carried any serious diseases, so this reminded him to have her examined by a doctor later.
"Sawako, have that bite looked at," Werner advised her calmly.
He suspected Sawako would only need disinfectant and a bandage wrap before all was well again. But Sawako's adamant personality may not allow her to follow his suggestion.
"But–"
The injured woman protested like Werner suspected she would. She was still acting as if she had a handle over the situation, but he wouldn't go for that.
"I'll handle it from here," he reassured her.
He understood Sawako didn't want to burden him with the tasks he assigned to her. What was he himself if he couldn't handle his own matters though? He was foolish for believing the girl would be obedient enough to listen to people she met a few minutes ago. He should've expected her hostility.
Sawako sauntered past him while holding her injured arm off to the side. Once her footsteps were distant enough, Werner's eyes laid on the center of the whole disarray. As she fumed at each of them, her fingers gripped the sleeve of her worn out shirt and pushed it back over her shoulder. It must've slipped off while she was resisting Mayuki and Sawako. Or, them attempting to strip her for her bath led to their wrestle.
That was the purpose of a wash though, no?
Yet the way the child's clung at her shirt as if someone would threaten to remove them again told another story. In her mind, she must take this as some form of attack against her. Has a caretaker never bathed her before? The possibility of that being true didn't sit well with him.
He could see how nudity left a sense of vulnerability on a person, however.
What a handful.
How was she to get clean if she refused help? Perhaps the girl would feel more comfortable washing herself? That should ensure avoiding any further conflict. Hopefully, she wouldn't drown herself in the tub by accident if he depended on her ability to wash up alone. She remembered how to bathe, right?
"Mayuki, Itsuo. Come. Let's leave the child to her bath," Werner told them, ignoring the hesitant stare the two adults shared since they complied.
Once he was the last one left in the room, he spoke to the young girl once more without turning his body around to her.
"We'll leave a spare set of clothes for you by the door. Retrieve them when you're finished," he said without thinking about how they had nothing to fit her size.
There definitely were no other children living among his manor. He hoped Mayuki or Sawako could pull out something from their wardrobe. Werner slowly shut the two old, russet-colored doors behind him as promised. A creak reverberated against the dark vanilla walls and filled the emptiness of the hall.
The man stood in his place for several quiet seconds instead of immediately leaving her to herself. He waited for something with his eyes shifted to the ground as if the house would tell him its long history. Once he heard the water gently shift around from the other side, Werner sought its next destination.