The Truth Seekers - Etrian Odyssey: Untold

Chapter 12

Author Note: ETRIAN ODYSSEY 5!!! How much money do you think I have, Altus??? Jesus Christ…

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Even within the safety of the mansion, in the middle of town, it was still hard for Jarrett to switch off and relax. His instincts and reflexes were always on high alert, listening to any sound, even in his half-asleep state.

When he heard the door to his room slowly open to allow a dim light to enter, Jarrett woke up fully and turned to look. Although not alarmed, he was a little bit surprised. Galyn was peering into the room, dressed in her usual nightly attire (aka, that simple but somewhat slinky white shirt that seemed to amplify her long legs) with her hair free from its short ponytail.

“Galyn?” Jarrett questioned as he sat up in bed. “Something the matter?”

“No, I was just checking up on you, I suppose,” Galyn said as she pushed the door closed and leaned her back against it, her hands folded behind her. “Have you gotten any sleep?”

“Some,” Jarrett replied.

“How’s your head?”

Jarrett barely suppressed a wince when he recalled how he received a minor injury to his forehead. He, however, promptly stopped himself. He couldn’t afford letting his mind wonder again, forcing him to head-butt something hard. And he couldn’t very well tell her that it was kinda her fault…

“I’m fine,” Jarrett answered her question quickly and tried to change the topic of conversation. He had a feeling that there was something else that Galyn wanted to say or do. “Is there something bothering you?”

Galyn looked at him for a moment, her violet eyes quite expressive despite the dim lighting. She then pushed away from the door she had been leaning against and crossed the distance between them in order to sit on the edge of the bed near him.

“I just wanted to thank you, for everything you’ve done for me,” Galyn unexpectedly said as she clasped her hands together and pressed them in-between her knees, staring at the floor. “Today, in the labyrinth with the others…I didn’t realise how lonely I was. After what happened to Cypress, I pushed everyone away. I just…”

Jarrett pushed back the blankets and shifted so that he, too, was sitting on the edge of the bed next to Galyn. “Were afraid of losing someone else?”

Galyn nodded her head, her hair falling past her ears before slowly turning to look at him shyly, yet seemingly grateful at the same time. “I don’t know how you managed to slip past,” she whispered. “But I’m glad you did.”

Jarrett remained silent, but felt a smile tug at his lips. He felt glad as well. When they first met she wanted nothing to do with him, but he could sense that she was damaged and lonely – and determined. It was her determination that first drew him to her, but now it was her dedication to saving lives. And her silent kindness. She was helping people, not for the praise, not for the recognition, but because she wanted to stop their pain.

“With you here with me, I’m certain that we can save the patients at the clinic,” Galyn continued as she unconsciously moved closer to him, their shoulders pressed together. “I wasn’t sure before, but I am now.”

“Yeah,” Jarrett murmured as the two moved closer still. “We’ll stop anyone else from suffering.”

Tilting her head ever so slightly, Galyn smiled softly. “You’re an amazing person.”

Jarrett gave her a lopsided smile. “I could say the same to you.”

She appeared happy to hear that, going by the small smile and light flush to her cheeks. She looked away shyly, gazing at the floor. However there seemed to be something gnawing at her.