The Unwanted Wendigo [ManxMan]

Chapter Sixteen: Finding Answers

[Warning: Implied talk of Mpreg. It's not really directly mentioned, but it is kind of discussed.]

~Chapter Sixteen: Finding Answers~

"Not today, Wenderson."

Though it is tempting, I do not stick my foot in the way of the door when Cyra softly closes the door in my face. Maybe I should have, as she still seems so dejected and broken-hearted from the loss of her father, and this might be a time when she needs someone to talk to. However, at the same time, she looked like she needs to be alone.

And some people handle their grief better when alone, so maybe giving her a few more days will help.

Though, by a few more days, I really do mean only a few more days. Because while I understand that she is still grieving and that people should have time to learn to deal with the loss, letting her stay in this same, depressed state cannot be good for her health. And if her siblings are content to leave her like this - likely because they are still dealing with the loss themselves - then I will be the one who drags her off to the library, if need be, as there is a difference between grieving a loss and dwelling on all the things that should have been said, could have been said, and never did get said. Hopefully, she is just grieving, but I need to be certain she is not somehow blaming herself or losing herself to an infinity loop of denial.

Soon, but not yet, I decide, huffing slightly before walking off down the hall towards another set of rooms in the Royal Wing. When I arrive at the doors, though, rather than knock, I just open one and step inside because if they really did not want interruptions, then they probably have a lock on their door that they could utilize. And if I happen to walk in on something, then it is entirely their fault for not expecting me.

They should know to expect my random appearances by now.

However, rather than happening upon my favorite couple in some embarrassing position, I just find Atasah sitting on the couch while hunched over a whole bunch of papers with Nero nowhere in sight. The demon does not look up when I close the door behind me or even when I walk over to him, but the moment I sit beside him on the couch and poke him in the side with my finger, he startles so badly that the papers in his hand go flying. I pause, as that was definitely not the reaction I was expecting, but I cannot help but grin when his face turns an adorable shade of embarrassed grey.

If I concentrated really hard, I could probably hear the racing of his pulse, but I instead settle for watching his hand fly up to his chest, either in an attempt to calm his undoubtedly pounding heart or just to make sure his heart is still beating. "Wendy," he chokes out, "what-what are you doing here?"

"Valentin and Giselle don't understand how good my hearing is, so I'm giving them some privacy," I inform him, tipping my head over the back of the couch to look up at the skylight - does it still count as a skylight if there is no sky underwater? - above our heads.

"Are they arguing or something?" Atasah asks, and I blink slowly before tilting my head just enough that I can give Atasah a look that probably says very little with my mask on. Fortunately for him and me both, the demon seems to catch on a second later, though, as he immediately starts rubbing a hand over his eyes. "Never mind. That's-yeah, I get it."

Snorting softly, I roll my head so that I am facing the skylight again. After a moment of silence, though, I lift my head to look at the papers spread out on the coffee table in front of us. "What're you doing?" I ask, because this all looks very official, but Atasah is also only a prince by marriage, so unless he is helping Nero, I am not sure what he is doing with what looks like files on a bunch of different people.

Atasah glances at me before joining me in looking at the papers on the table. "I'm in training to be the next Captain of the Guard during Felix's reign, but I only started training for the position a few months ago since this transition wasn't supposed to happen for at least a couple more years. And until I have more training, I'm stuck learning from afar during large, important events like this so the current CotG doesn't get distracted," he explains, leaning over to pick up the papers off the floor.