Kismet || Yuno

40: Resurface

Third Person View

"Nezetta,"

The silver-haired girl looks over her shoulder just as she was about to leave the Silva residence, spotting her eldest brother standing in the middle of the common area, their mother's giant portrait right behind him. He frowns a little at her and held his hand out in front of him for her to reach.

"Come for breakfast." He said. "You've done nothing but train yesterday, and you came home late. Nebra told me that she didn't see you eat dinner too."

He had been having extra training yesterday, too, but he remembered to take care of himself. With Nezetta, however, he cannot say that she has the same kind of self-care that he possesses. His younger sister tends to overwork, blame herself, and push herself further past her limits as her mode of distraction from her devilish thoughts. He finds it as an unhealthy way of her coping with her problems, and it had been affecting her in the long run.

Nozel doesn't want her to fall ill just because she didn't take good care of herself. It was his duty as the older brother to make sure that she is alright and healthy. If it wasn't him, then he could only hope that someone would be. Nezetta is a pretty stubborn girl and she could care less about herself if it means that she could protect those she holds close to her heart.

"Maybe Nebra didn't see me walk in the kitchen at midnight." Nezetta pulled a weak grain, waving a hand as her way of showing him that she is alright to make her lie believable. Though, Nozel already knows her too much to be fooled by her antics. He folds his arms over his chest and nodded his head to the side, where the way to the dining area.

"Nebra had the chef stay in the kitchen last night to see if you would go there. He said you didn't." He sighed. "Just eat breakfast before heading back to training. Don't beat yourself up too much."

In defeat, Nezetta goes to follow his brother to the dining area, finding no means of escape from him anymore. She would rather not waste time arguing with him, anyway. Agreeing to his terms will give her the benefit of leaving quicker rather than when she starts an argument and hopelessly loses against him.

"Have you talked to that wind mage?"

Nezetta noticed how her brother would refrain himself from calling Yuno a peasant and insult him in her presence. It almost made her laugh, but she didn't let it show or else he'd kill her.

"No,"

"You should talk it out." Nozel looked over his shoulder to glance at her. "Whatever problem it is between you two."

"It might be better if he stayed mad at me." Nezetta shrugged, but her voice gave away that she was not too fond of her suggestion either. "That way, he'll be safe. None of us will have to suffer."

"Those who fear that they will suffer are already suffering because of their fear."

Her shoulders tensed at his advice. Slowly, Nezetta lifted her eyes off the ground and found her brother slowing down to walk the same pace as hers. "Nezetta, you don't even realize that you're suffering all along, even before you met Yuno."

She can feel a lump forming on her throat as Nozel told her all that she needs to know at such an early time. What she thought she was keeping at bay was actually swallowing her being slowly as time goes by.

~Flashback~

"Zetta, you're so slow!"

"You were cheating!"

"Am not!"

A young Nezetta, around six-years old, glared back at her brunette friend. She fixed her wet hair, squeezing the excess liquid that stayed even after she resurfaced from the lake. "A race to the other side of the lake is obviously unfair." She said. "Especially when your power is to manipulate water."