Reverie [The Distortionist x reader]

Chapter 23

(Art by GHOST themselves)

Stuck in the spotlight brighter than

The smile no one ever saw

-----*-----

You were able to return from the prison around midday since you and Stia embarked on the journey at around dawn, when the sunlight just started brushing through the clouds. Now, you're walking home from Usaha Street. And by home you mean truly home, not to Stia's place. That, of course, triggered pessimistic thoughts to break up your more focused mind's eye. But whatever, you have to face this eventually. [S/N] would become even more emotionally separated from you if you took too long, and as Stia said, strong bonds in your home reality are important. Besides, you miss Esther's presence.

You needn't knock, instead reaching into your pocket to snag the keys. On your whim, the door creaks open. Before lugging the items you took from home back into their rightful place, you leaned in to try and see beyond the entrance hall - is [S/N] home?

It's impossible to tell if she is by peering into the house, so you continue as if you're certain she is. Almost-silently, you set the dry umbrella you'd taken back into its tall basket. You take off the shoes you'd just gotten shined before coming home, just so [S/N] wouldn't complain, and set them beside Esther's much smaller shoes.

Mentioning shoes, that is the perfect way to know that [S/N] was, in fact, not home! Her outing shoes are missing from the row. She didn't take Esther, though, since the girl's shoes are right there beside yours.

You call further into the house. "Esther! Esther, where are you?"

Shuffling rips your attention away from your voice and to the ground below you. Missy is running towards you, and once she gets to you, she runs between your legs. You're glad you closed the door before taking off your shoes. But anyway, it seems like Missy's running away, so that means she's probably escaping a child with a tendency to pet roughly, that being Esther.

Sure enough, the little girl rushes into the entrance hall, stopping short once her eyes grace you. "Auntie?" she whispers.

The lost expression she's donning and the incredulous word tug at your heartstrings. "It's me, Esther...!"

She slowly starts walking again. With one movement, she starts running toward you, almost knocking you over with the force of her tackle-hug. "Auntie!" she cheers. "You're back!"

"I am," you confirm with a sad little smile, lowering yourself to embrace her back.

"Ma told me that you were working for a long time," she states. "Did you get your story done?"

Looking away, you say "Not yet, darling. There's still some things I need to finish, but I'll do so whilst coming back home, alright?"

"Okay!"

"Where's Mommy, anyway?" You unwrap your arms from her small body, placing your hand on her cheek.

"She went to have supper with her friend!"

"Which friend?" Your mind cycles through the possible people. However, it turns out you'd be completely wrong, since Esther says the following:

"I think it was Harry."

Your lips part in a mild shock. "Henry, you mean?"

"Yep!"

Standing up, you figure you should've thought of him. They weren't really friends last time you checked, but maybe they became closer while you were away? Or maybe Henry just wanted to vent about you to your own sister. Who knows.

"Auntie," Esther whines, edging from contentment into her upset mood. "I'm hungry."

"You are, huh?" You jump out of the train of thoughts that's driving around your mind. You know it'll make you crazy to keep puzzling on what Henry is going to tell [S/N] and vice-versa. Instead, you choose to focus on Esther. "How about I take you to a restaurant?"

"But isn't it too much money?"

"Not tonight, it's not! C'mon, get your shoes and coat on. We'll go to your favorite, that Italian place, capiche?"

"Hm, okay! Thanks, Auntie."

-----*-----

"Is the food good?" you ask, propping yourself up with an elbow on the table for two.

"Mmhm!" Esther hums through a mouthful of pasta.

Seeing her happy is a stark contrast to what you think she's been feeling while you've been away, and that gets your smile to melt and your head to lean further onto your hand. You ask a question. "How have you been while I was away?"

She gulps down the pasta and furrows her brows, thinking. "Hm... I wanted you to be back, Auntie. Oh! Could you talk to Ma? She was sad too."

"She was, huh..." You sigh. "It's complicated, Esther."

"Just try your very best!"

You shift to sit up straight and try pathetically to smile. [S/N]... "I will, just for you. But only if you finish all your food and don't throw any away."

Esther nods and shoves another forkful of spaghetti into her mouth, the sound of her tableware joining that of all the other customers. The ambiance music of a band playing lulls your mind into a state of deep-running thoughts. It would take quite a while to fix your relationship with your sister, especially since you can't prove that what you're experiencing aren't delusions. Plus, you're pretty prideful, not wanting to give in and "admit" you're just schizophrenic. Why can't she see that it's just better to live with it to keep social standing and your job? You can't give those up.

However... Across from you is her offspring, a little bundle of happiness ever since she came into this world. She doesn't understand the complexities of your lies and life, but paradoxically it makes things easier. With her, it's all simplicity - tasty spaghetti, bedtime stories. Peering at her content expression, you make yourself a promise.

You would protect and dote on Esther, no matter what.

-----*-----

"Auntie... I'm tired of walking."

You look down at your right hand, which is laced with Esther's. "Hmm." Calculating how much farther there was until you two get home, you see that it wasn't far. You stop walking, your shoes no longer hitting the sidewalk. "How 'bout I give you a piggyback ride?"

"Yes!" she exclaims. Extending her arms up, she nonverbally asks for your assistance. Giving her just that, you lift her up and swing her onto your back. She's getting a bit too heavy to keep doing this, so you'll let her enjoy it while it lasts. First, you make sure she's secure, then you half-stumble and half-run, letting her sway a bit, making her squeal.

You're huffing from the exertion but you keep going with a grin. "Choo-choo! Next stop, home!" you play, having your footfalls hit the ground in quick succession, the breeze hitting your sweating neck in a nice thermal shock.

This doesn't go on for long since your house is closer than you'd first thought. Any other time, you'd keep giving your niece a ride until you were safely inside, but just one thing made you skip to a stop.

Henry, with his arms crossed, stationed outside the front door.