Degretys

Beside

Time: August, after the break-up with Baptiste

Despite following Robotnik's rule about expecting and not expecting, taking care of Lumi turned out to be... not entirely what he expected. Believed it would only end with her being treated like a child. He was making sure she ate, took care of her hygiene and moved a little rather than non-stop lying in bed, on the couch or on the floor. The sight of Lumi being in a state had such an effect on him that he literally took to his heart helping her get back on her feet. Except it hadn't occurred to him that this also meant dealing with her ways of de-stressing after a fresh break-up. More than once he had to block her access to alcohol and more than once had to drag her out of clubs or pull her off the edge during reckless dances. When she crossed the line, he temporarily moved into her another house, where she was currently living, so he could keep an eye on her as often as possible and talk her out of any irrational techniques for dealing with a broken heart.

On a side note, Lumi's another house is often mistaken for an apartment building because of its exterior. In fact, it's a five-story, newly constructed building that stands out from the less attractive apartment blocks and tenement houses of the Old Town that surround it. In other words, it's simply a modern townhouse.

The man tried to encourage her to let out what was burdening her. After all, he's a person who understands her like no other. He is always there to support her. He's the one to whom she confesses everything that is bothersome to her. That "everything" would be everything if she could find the strength to explain to him the situation with the Argents. But this topic became so uncomfortable for her that she didn't want to discuss it with anyone.

In spite of acting like a teenager who resents everything and goes against prudence, she was actually grateful for Shadow's commitment, patience and understanding. Was drinking in the attention he was giving her over the past week. On the contrary, she had no intention of burdening him with her problems. That was about her relationship and her future, and Shadow didn't need to be involved. But he was already privy and many things will certainly change. And is it for good? She wasn't sure about that. Yet she was sure that she was torn between receiving the man's attention and keeping him at a distance.

Shadow thought it was a good decision to move in with Lumi rather than, for instance, take her in with him. Not only was the girl relieved to receive straightforward company, space also played a significant role. It's not just about peace and a pleasant atmosphere, for Lumi a blissful element is a lot of room. Unlike her friend, she has splendor and big sized furniture among her walls, and therefore all rooms must be large. It's not like the black-haired girl purely and simply likes what's big. She also enjoys small things, but the thing is she doesn't like emptiness and tight spaces.

He placed a cup of warm, aromatic juice with the flavor of forest fruits on the coffee table in front of her. This is one of her top three favorite beverages. Then he sat down next to her on the dark mint colored sofa and watched her with concern. Her eyes were swollen from days of shedding afresh tears of defeat and fear. That sight pained him. Lumi doesn't cry over trifles, so he knew the situation needed to be improved. Although couldn't do much at the moment because didn't know all the details yet. He had to be patient until Lumi decided to explain to him what had led to the physical altercation between her and Baptiste.

''How you do it? You don't live with anyone, no one's waiting for you when you come back... You have no one. How you stand it?''

He was surprised at the question. Glanced to the side, deciding on the best answer, then took a deep breath and looked back at the heartbroken one.

''At first, it was a little... weird. Unpleasing, may I say? But I got used to it pretty quickly. True, I sometimes fall into melancholy when I realize that I have no one to share my home with. However... it doesn't bother me that much. In a way, I even feel good 'bout it, because I have peace from everything and everyone. I have a place where I can calm down and close myself off from the world.''