previous chapter: lumine goes after bennett alone while thoma looks for aether. mastermind signora tries to falsely accuse lumine of possessing a delusion in order to whisk her to snezhnaya, but that plan goes south when lumine reveals her innate abilities. once backup arrives, signora resorts to attempted murder.

That had been a wild dream. Though it usually frustrated me to forget the details, I was upset to have actually remembered everything that happened this time. Only in my imagination had Bennett's life been threatened. Drowning in freezing water was the worst part, and after hearing how much Aether hated Signora, of course I fabricated a scene of him cutting out her eye.

Here, in my bed, I was safe. More than that, blankets warmer and softer than ever were comfortably wrapped around me. They also felt heavier, but my body was half asleep, after all. I snuggled into them with a content sigh and tried to recapture what remained of my slumber. If I got lucky, a happier dream could erase all memory of the Signora nightmare.

I almost didn't question when the blankets shifted to provide better comfort, but then I heard it. A set of soft inhales and exhales—not my own. I held my breath to confirm and listened even harder. My ears picked up a faint heartbeat.

Slowly, I opened my eyes and discovered why none of the morning sunlight reached my face. A wall of chest blocked the rays from view, and a blush crawled up my cheeks despite the shadow. With how my body curled in and our arms tugged each other close, it was too difficult to crane my neck upward.

Despite not seeing his face, I knew it was Thoma as evidenced by the dog tag necklace he always wore. Even without that clue, I could just tell it was him. The gentle care of his embrace, his lingering scent, the soft mumbles in his sleep—it was all Thoma.

On the chance this was also a dream, I didn't want to wake up. Then again, none of my dreams had felt this real before—except for the last one. Unless…that had been a reality.

My heart pounded, both because of Thoma's body pressed against mine and due to the realization that last night was real. Why else would he be here, in my bed, keeping me warm? Some may say staying overnight was overkill, but I wasn't about to complain.

"Are you awake?" Thoma whispered, his voice slightly raspy.

Had I been obvious? If he thought I was still asleep, then maybe we could keep cuddling like this. The guilt of deceiving him, even in the name of bliss, would distract me too much.

So, I opened my eyes once more and said a simple, "Hi."

"Good morning."

"You stayed the night?"

He began to shift around. "Am I making you uncomfortable? I can go if—"

Before he could move away, I pulled him closer—or tried to. My body was the one drawn to his.

"No, this is nice," I said. "I'm honestly surprised my brother isn't challenging you to a duel because of this. How much did I miss?"

"Once you passed out after being terrorized by Signora, our priority was checking your health and making sure you got dry. You weren't hurt anywhere, but you wouldn't stop shivering even after warming up." Lingering worry tinged his voice, and he brushed a hand along my hair. "The only thing that helped seemed to be body heat. Believe me, Aether gave me plenty of grief when I offered to stay."

"What about Bennett? Signora kicked him pretty hard."

"He had a broken rib and a mild concussion. The staff took care of him like it was their usual routine. None of the Fatui sustained any life-threatening injuries, so the task force guards escorted them away."

"Including Signora?"

As much as I didn't want to think about her anymore, it would be an unpleasant surprise to run into her on campus with no warning—not that she'd be up and walking anytime soon. Keeping her distance would be in everyone's best interest.

Thoma nodded. "Especially Signora—Aether personally handed her over."

Of course, he had. If Aether ever got the opportunity, he'd probably escort Signora to her own execution. Either that, or he'd do the honors himself.

"There's something else," he said. "A bit of good news and a bit of bad news—which do you want to hear first?"

I'd rather not hear the bad news at all, but we might as well get it over with. "Bad news."

"Childe also sustained an injury."

My stomach dropped. Thoughts racing, I wished for a time machine that could take me back to yesterday at the gazebo. That fake Delusion was trouble incarnate, but Childe knew what he was getting into. If I had been with him, would he have acted with more caution? Just how badly was he hurt?

"Childe brushed it off completely the moment you and Bennett were brought in. He only asked about how you were doing." Thoma paused at that before addin the rest. "The good news is that he managed to deactivate the prototype Delusion alongside Kaeya and Professor Kreideprinz, but not before it tried to self-destruct."

Though it was a relief to know the danger was eliminated, the good news didn't bring me much consolation.

"Normally, an incident like this would require a proper trial before determining the guilty party, but there was enough serious evidence to send the Fatui back to Snezhnaya immediately."

I sighed. "It could have been better—or a lot worse—but at least the whole incident is over."

Thoma shook his head against the pillow. "Not quite. Last I heard, Aether is to meet with the headmaster today to answer for his…actions."

Would he be punished? I saw no wrongdoing on his end even if blinding Signora was technically unnecessary. In the heat of the moment, Aether had said he didn't care what Dain would think, but he's gotten a chance to cool down since then. I knew how pressured he felt to be perfect. If Dain was slightly disappointed…

No sooner had I made a decision than I said, "I'm going, too."

"You don't have to. It's no question that you were a victim in this whole situation, and no rules were broken on your end. If anything, your good faith deserves an award…if Signora had actually been in danger."

I cringed at the reminder and realized I was somewhat of a hypocrite. Not long after I had chastised Huffman for misplacing his trust in verified villains—I did the same thing on an arguably more extreme level.

"I'm sure it'll be helpful to have an extra witness report," I explained. "Plus, Aether might need someone in his corner. He deserves an award more than me."

"Do you want me to come along?"

"You've done so much already," I said with my voice muffled as I snuggled close for a quick hug. "Thank you."

As much as I wanted to stay like this, the day must go on. Aether was likely nervous, Childe was recovering, and the tavern fire also weighed on my mind. Thoma returned my embrace, making it harder to leave. Eventually, we both slipped out of bed, and he tidied the blankets before releasing a sigh. There was heavy reluctance in his words when saying goodbye.

"Stay safe," he said.

"The headmaster's office is hardly dangerous."

"Still, stay warm."

I smiled. "If I ever get cold again, I know who to go to."

Thoma wavered by the door, looking at me as though he were afraid that I would disappear into thin air. After watching me drop into a frozen pond, I couldn't blame him for being anxious. Just as he turned the knob, I stepped forward to grab his wrist. Pulling him down and lifting my chin, I sent Thoma off with a kiss that held gratitude, comfort, and so much more. The room felt empty with him gone.

With an agenda forming in my mind, I quickly changed into day clothes. Since Signora had the grace to be a menace right before the weekend, there were no classes to worry about. First, I had to see Aether. He didn't open his door when I crossed down the hall and knocked.

"Who is it?" he asked just as I was about to turn on my heel and switch course to Dain's office.

"Your favorite person in the whole wide world."

"The door's unlocked."

And it was.

Aether stood in front of a mirror, fussing with his hair and readjusting his outfit. His fidgeting hands dropped when he saw me, and he attempted a genuine smile before it sagged with his shoulders.

He asked, "How are you feeling?"

Clearly, I was doing well enough, so I returned the question with a pointed look. "How are you feeling? I hear someone has been summoned to see the headmaster."

"Right." His lips pressed together and resumed observing his appearance in the mirror. "It's no big deal."

I raised an eyebrow. "Right. You don't care what he thinks."

Aether nodded but then his hands clenched, and he released a slow breath before saying, "Maybe a little. It's stupid."

I wished my suspicions had been wrong, but that confession solidified my resolve to help him face Dain.

"You saved my life. The least I could do is have your back in case he tries to give you twenty years of detention," I said jokingly before turning serious. "It's not stupid to be nervous, and you have me to lean on in case the pressure becomes too much."

Father figure or not, the dynamic between those two shook my brother's confidence more than I liked. Dain's title as headmaster easily commanded respect and elicited some intimidation, but after having a couple of mildly bewildering conversations with that man, I could stand up for Aether without being too fazed.

He opened his mouth and, judging by the opposing look on his face, prepared to argue. Before he could get a word out, I pulled him away from the mirror and out the door.

"You don't have to do everything alone, you know," I said.

Visibly conflicted, Aether sighed as we went to see the headmaster. Mimicking him, I sighed to lighten the mood and managed to sneak in some banter, easing his stress by the time we reached the closed door of Dain's office. When he hesitated to knock, I did so for him.

Aether cleared his throat and announced, "It's me."

The response was immediate.

"The door's unlocked. Come on in."

Aether entered first, leaving me to catch up after noticing the similarity in their responses. Contrary to how tensely my brother carried himself, Dain casually sat in the small lounge area with a book in hand and a spread of tea on the table. He looked up, no sign of being surprised to see me tagging along, and gestured for us to sit.

Dain closed his book and assessed Aether with a stare. "You were quite busy last night."

"Not on purpose," Aether said. "I had to clean up a mess started by Signora."

"Are you certain you didn't play a hand in making the mess? Your only responsibility was to notify the task force of any suspicious activity."

"You read the report. The Fatui wreaked havoc on the local tavern, smuggled in a volatile device, and assaulted Celestia Academy students." Aether tallied each offense with his fingers. "They deserved a fair punishment."

"Fair punishment is not to be determined by you, Aether. Fair punishment is corresponding with their superiors in Zapolyarny to discuss a proper consequence. I expect you to know better."

"Zapolyarny allowed Signora to come back as an envoy even after she disgraced herself and got expelled. I couldn't allow her to get off easy a second time." Aether lowered his voice once it reached a level above acceptable. "If I hadn't been there, she would have killed Lumine."

"Have you already forgotten your experience in Fontaine? Celestia Academy does not mete out judgment by the hands of vengeful vigilantes." Dain's tone went from informative to chastising. His words dripped with disappointment, but that attitude shifted the moment he turned to me. "Since the victim in question is in the room with us, is it true? Would Signora have killed you had it not been for Aether's intervention?"

This was my time to shine—to make Dain see reason with Aether. With a good sense of the situation, now all I had to do was vouch for my brother. Unfortunately, if I were to respond to Dain's question honestly, the answer would be no. I proceeded in my own way, not giving the full truth.

"She tried to frame me for wrongfully possessing a Delusion."

My statement hung in the air for a moment before Dain said, "So, murder was not the goal."

Not originally. It was only after Aether showed up that she truly became violent. From an unbiased perspective, sure, my brother may have been in the wrong. Knowing what I know, neutralizing the threat—Signora—was completely necessary. Also knowing what I know, Aether could have been the one to commit murder and show no remorse.

"She still wanted me dead," I said fiercely. "It doesn't matter if it was the task force or Aether that showed up, she'd find a way to lure me onto the ice and sink me in that pond. We can't say for certain that the task force would have rescued me in time. I'm literally living proof that Aether made the right choice."

Signora was lucky to have her life spared on the account that mine was still intact. That was a fact, though not one I could bring up.

Dain nodded slightly, and I had hope that it meant he accepted my words. "Even so, I don't see how preventing your drowning resulted in Signora losing an eye. Would you say that was an accident or another one of Aether's choices? Regardless of what you claim, I doubt she'll stay quiet about the matter."

"Yes, she will," Aether snapped.

I cut him a warning glance. Did he not realize the most important thing right now was damage control? It seemed that Aether's hatred for Signora trumped all insecurity in front of Dain, but boldness fueled by temper blinded him to reason.

"To answer your question," I jumped in to say before Aether dug an even deeper hole for himself. "It was neither an accident nor a choice. Her casualty was the result of an inevitable battle."

A small lie. Would they really take her word over mine? With all the evidence stacked against her, I didn't think so.

Dain didn't say anything to that. His silence paired with a calculating stare almost had me sweating. Aether looked to the floor as though it was the most interesting thing he'd ever seen in his life. The moment stretched on forever. Could Dain tell I altered the truth? Was he waiting for me to come clean? At least this was better than him laying full disappointment on Aether.

"Does that answer satisfy you?" I asked in case he was lost in thought.

Dain's eyes traveled to the portrait of Halfdan that hung on the wall as if he were looking to his deceased friend for guidance. He then sighed deeply and gave a polite smile.

"Thank you for the insight and—apologies for not mentioning this sooner—I am glad to see you are alive and well. It can't have been easy to rehash such a traumatizing event so soon after it happened."

"Most of it feels like a bad dream," I confessed. "But it certainly helped to have others there to support me—especially Aether."

"And because of that, do you expect me to give him a lighter sentence?"

I sat a little straighter. He saw right through me. Aether lifted his gaze with acceptance in his eyes. What should we expect to hear? Dain didn't seem like one to offer favoritism, not even to his adopted son. Because it was so hard to get a read on his thoughts, my mind jumped to the worst. Suspension? Expulsion?

"From what I can tell, you do not regret inflicting excessive harm on our guests," he said to Aether—who neither confirmed nor denied. "I believe you require time to reflect, but that is troublesome considering your self-appointed busy schedule. For the next month, you are suspended from all extracurricular activities."

That's all? I fought to keep relief from my face. Aether, however, looked stricken.

"I understand," he said stiffly.

Okay, maybe it was a bigger deal to him than me—someone who wasn't in a single club. Being the popular, influential socialite he was, it would be bad to suddenly have no participation in the month leading up to the Welkin Festival. Still, better than an expulsion.

"Since those student organizations will be missing a member," said Dain. "I advise that Lumine fills that position. Extracurricular activity is necessary for a healthy student experience, and there is only so much that the greenhouse can offer."

Hang on, I quite enjoyed the simplistic greenhouse life. Besides, Aether was in a million different clubs, and that crossed the line of school-life balance.

I shook my head. "Oh, thanks but—"

"Don't mention it. After hearing your testimony, I now have full confidence that Zapolyarny cannot challenge the verdict that Signora is guilty. Enjoy your time at Celesita Academy to the fullest." His smile was one degree warmer than before, and I found it difficult to shoot the idea down.

That's how our meeting came to a close. Though Dain invited us to stay for tea, Aether quickly declined, and I wouldn't bear the awkwardness of tea time with the headmaster alone. With that, Aether was out of his seat as if it were on fire. Right as I was about to close the door on our way out, Dain had one more thing to say.

"Ad astra, Lumine."

The academy's motto.

I didn't think much of it as I caught up to Aether, though the phrase lingered in my mind when I double-checked he was okay—distraught about the club thing but otherwise not nearly as shaken as he anticipated.

Ad astra. To the stars. Short, simple, and a bit ironic considering Celestia Academy's past. For an institution to make dealings with the Abyss Order and then cling to prestige linked with the heavens—it's almost laughable. It also made me wonder.

What did the real Celestia make of all of this?

hope everyone pulling for eula/klee/weapons have had good luck! i save for fontaine :) apologies for the 3 week hiatus. i was going through it