Ephemeral Affairs [MXM]

The Many Worries Behind a Smile

When the morning is still very young, Alosrin feels Niowei climbing down his bed and returning with a much heavier body.

"Take him to the other bed," Alosrin turns over and closes his eyes tightly.

"B—But... But daddy's so cold and lonely on the chair," Niowei rolls around the bed to get her mother's attention. "Can't daddy sleep with us for a bit, please? Mommy, please?"

Alosrin sighs and hugs his daughter gently, "No. It doesn't matter how many times you ask me. No means no."

"Why? Daddy is a good person," the little girl pouts, pushes her mother away, and climbs onto her father's lap. "Mommy is not being fair."

"Daddy's okay. Just sleep with mommy and daddy will go back to the chair," Niltiocles pokes his daughter cheek since he is still not very comfortable with the idea of being a father.

"No!"

Niowei grabs onto both her parents, "Why can't we sleep together? I want us to sleep together like Maeve and big brother and Nisara."

Alosrin pulls her close to him, "Yllathanise, if you really want to, we can sleep together for today. But only for today, alright? I don't want to spoil you too much."

"Mommy doesn't even spoil me enough," Niowei purses her lips and then smiles gleefully.

She pulls her father next to them and put the cover on them.

Niltiocles and Niowei snuggles with each other joyfully as Alosrin returns to his detached expression.

He never plans to give Niltiocles any hope because he is certain that this is not the same man he fell in love with.

And when Niowei does one of her pretend sleeping, Niltiocles who is unaware asks Alosrin, "You think my feeling is not genuine because I was told that I had feelings for you a long time ago, am I right?"

Alosrin answers nothing and turns to face the other side of the room.

"If I somehow I gain those memories and make them my own, will I be the same Niltiocles that you knew? Or that wouldn't change anything?"

"You should be grateful that I haven't kill you myself," Alosrin answers without any callous or frankness.

Niltiocles stares at the gentle face of his daughter and gains a spur of encouragement, "What is so great about him? He left you and your daughter? I'm here having done no wrong to either of you."

"By existing you have."

"You know, at first I didn't know what to do with your bitter attitude toward me; but if you're going to act like this towards me, at least tell me why. What happened?"

"I have no obligation to tell you anything. If you don't like it, leave," Alosrin tugs the cover toward himself.

Niltiocles pulls the cover back, "No. You do have an obligation to tell me or else I won't leave you two alone."

"In what world do I owe you an explanation?" Alosrin jumps out of the bed and moves to the next bed beside them.

"In this world, you do!" Niltiocles follows him, "How can you be so mean and rude to someone without telling him why?"

When Niltiocles tries to climb onto the bed, Alosrin pins him down with the black arrow against his throat.

"So you hate me this much?" Either faces show fear or pain.

"Is that a guess?"

"Yes, it's a guess because I can't tell if you hate me or him."

Alosrin returns the black arrow to its spot and moves to a corner of the bed, "You don't need to guess. You should already know that I hate you both."