Marionette

Cosmos, Chapter Forty Three - Yōsuru [擁する]

For the first time in what felt like months, Amaya felt a smile threaten to spread across her lips in spite of the darkness that tried to pull her under.

The pit of corrosion inside of her ate away bit by bit as she let Samuel cling to her like a life rope, gnawing incessantly against the wafer thin threads that had begun to pull the pieces back together.

However, as her head lowered and she felt herself begin to slip, she felt a hand gently rest against the contour joining her neck and left shoulder, and warmth graze against her back. She didn't need to ask who it was, didn't need to look to know as she felt the floor shift ever so slightly. He just carefully set himself down there on the floor with them, with no words escaping him as he gently eased her back to lean her weight against him.

Karma didn't utter a single complaint no matter the length of time they had been sitting there. He didn't even give any indication that he was bored, or even shift to pry Amaya from her brother's grip. The gentle caress of his hand against the top of her head on the odd occasion was all that she needed to know that he was sitting there with them for her, and her alone.

And that act alone helped ease the clawing corrosion away.

'Grubs up!' Muramatsu's voice had eventually called through the house, bringing the sudden echo of rushing footsteps from upstairs, presumably belonging to Reiko.

Amaya let out a small breath as she gently shook Samuel's shoulder to nudge him more aware.

But of course being the clingy and rather stubborn boy he was, Samuel refused and snuggled more into her chest.

So, she did the one thing that felt rather natural, which was to pinch the side of the boy's face and pull, earning a startled yelp in response.

'Owwww! That hurts!' Samuel whimpered as he tried to pry Amaya's hand from his face.

'Dinner's ready. Stop being rude and go.' Amaya instructed.

'Okay...' Samuel mumbled as he was finally released from Amaya's pinching hold to scramble to his feet. The frantic tapping of running footsteps leading out of the room was the only sign that the boy had listened, bringing her to let out a faint breath.

The energetic voices of Terasaka's posse in the rest of the house rung pleasantly enough in a strange way, and yet she ran her hand over her face wearily as she tried desperately to get her thoughts in order.

'Are you alright?' She heard Karma speak softly against her right ear, startling her within an instance as she quickly lowered her hand to tug her shirt back over to cover herself properly.

'Y-yeah, fine.' She mumbled, reeling from the sudden shock.

She'd honestly forgotten that he was even right there for a moment.

He didn't respond at first, though she felt his breath shift against the side of her neck, as if he was straightening up slightly.

'Who were you talking about?' She heard him ask as she tried to discretely force the buttons of her shirt back together again, with moderate success. This just had to be one of the most awkward situations she'd ever been in, and she was starting to feel quite uncomfortable at that moment.

'His mother... Elanor, I think.' Amaya admitted.

She received no response into the matter, though Karma certainly had heard her. He just shifted so he was crouched to her left with a small frown present across his face. She could see the curiosity there in his gaze, none the less.