Soft Spot → Sylus

Again And Again

Ascending the stair of the basement, you glare at the bright light shining from above, adjusting to the brightness. You catch sight of the twins, Kieran walking towards the main door while Luke lingers a bit longer behind the couch, watching you and Sylus, before he too, walks out of the living room. It's just you, Sylus, and Theia, still on the couch like you had last left her.

"What were you doing down there?" Sylus starts with an offensive tone. His grip on your forearm remains tight as his right hand reaches for your chin, forcing you to raise your head. Red. All you see is red as you stare into his eyes, his right eye particularly radiating a soft glow.

You're struggling to form the right sentences. This is exactly what you fear. There's no way you can excuse yourself out of this situation, so the best way to respond is with the truth or stay silent.

You chose the latter.

Staring into his red eyes, you can tell that he's seeing through you ― he already knows the answer, he's just waiting for you to admit it. "Cat got your tongue?" his brow furrows, face inches apart as he waits. "I have no temperance for traitors like you," he flicks his hand away from your chin, his grip loosens from your arm. Even so, he stands his ground, looming over you with hatred reflecting in his eyes.

"I'm not betraying you, I promise!" you reach for his hands, keeping him in place with a loose grip. "I let my intrusive thoughts win. And, I was feeling emotional, talking to him... I only wanted to bring some food and leave him right after, but I got carried away while talking with him."

A brief chuckle left Sylus's lips, "Did you even thought of me when you thought of feeding him? The person that kidnapped our daughter?" he stands still, letting you grip his hands. Maybe he's giving you a chance?

"Of course, I did! I thought you wouldn't like that―"

"Then, why did you do it?" Sylus cuts you off. Your gaze falters to the floor for a moment, the regret settling in. "You knew full well that I'd hate it if you did anything with that man, even if he was your brother."

Silence ensued between the two of you, even the ticking of the antique grandfather clock standing in the corner of the room becomes silent, as if he's witnessing everything that happens before him quietly. But, you maintain eye contact with Sylus ― or, at least try. His eyes glare, piercing into your soul, hiding the bitter sadness through veils of anger.

"I'm sorry," you whisper, tightening your grip on his arms. "I know it's wrong, to pity our enemy. And, I'm very, terribly, sorry."

Sylus's gaze softens the slightest, but he still wears that facade. It's very unlike him. Casually, the man turns on his heels and walks towards the sofa. "I trust you, sweetie. I really do," his voice, though steady, sounds broken, in a way. "You should rest early. I'll be here if you need me," he sits on the sofa, pulling Theia into his arms to cradle the small baby.

You want to argue, but knowing Sylus, whatever he says is final, so it would've been pointless to argue. With a curt nod, you make your way towards the hallway, receiving ominous glares from the framed pictures hanging on the wall, before finally entering the bedroom.

It's a lonesome night, for both you and Sylus. While you spend the remainder of the night locked inside the bedroom, Sylus tends to Theia in the living room. He quickly realizes that he shouldn't have said that though, as he has little to no idea about Theia's schedule; when to feed her, when to change her diaper - he always trusted you to do all that. But, it shouldn't be too hard to guess when though, right?

Sylus would spend the remainder of his nights cradling Theia in his arms, watching as her bleak expression remains the same for hours on end. The defeaning silence only worsens the situation as Sylus is engulfed in his own thoughts, letting his mind drift from reality. Questions of what ifs, how tos, why nots, fills his mindspace. It feels unusual, considering the fact that he doesn't usually let his thoughts become so crowded by taking action with whatever issue is at hand. But, currently, he can't really do much but wait.