Nocturne of Nightmares (Fanfic)

Chapter 11

"Something's definitely up." Subaru said, voicing the thoughts of the four others in the room with him.

Ray walked over to the bed and sat down, cradling his face in both hands.

"I couldn't get anything from my mum, either." He told them.

"Oh, is that why you went out for a call?" Leila asked.

"Yeah." Ray answered.

'Ray and his mum must be close if he felt like he could ask about such a sensitive topic.' Leila thought.

"Maybe I should try to ask my parents too." Leila said.

'My parents don't know that I'm aware of being adopted.'

Subaru turned the chair so that he's facing the four of them.

"You don't need to." Ray said as he put his hands on his sides and threw his head back, as if to stretch. "My mum said she didn't directly adopt me from the orphanage."

"Meaning?" Mina asked and Ray sighed.

"There was a middleman in the process." He said. "She didn't know anything about the orphanage because someone else handled it for her.

"Does this mean we've hit a dead end?" Nalalie said as she placed a hand on her chin in thought.

"We still have to try." Leila encouraged. "Lives are at stake. We can't just give up now."

"Wait, where's the loudmouth?" Ray asked.

'I assume he means Thoma.'

Ray looked worried for a moment, but when his eyes met Mina's as she responded, he immediately tried to hide it.

"He went home to ask his parents about his adoption." She told him.

Ray clicked his tongue, somewhat annoyed.

"Seriously, that guy just can't stay put." He muttered and Leila couldn't help but smile at his reaction. "What are you laughing at?"

"Nothing." Leila said as she kept the smile on her face, eyeing him knowingly.

"Whatever's going through that head of yours, you're wrong."

"What? I didn't say anything."

'Even if he doesn't say it, I'm sure he's worried about Thoma' 

Mina lifted a hand to her mouth in an attempt to hide her smile as she laughed quietly at the interaction, something Ray took notice of but chose to simply glare lightly in response to.

"Anyway, how about we hit the library?" Ray suggested. "If the internet is no help, there's always good old fashioned print. We might find out something there."

"Right, I'll leave Thoma a message to meet us there." Leila said. 

****

The group made a quick stop by the animal clinic where Mina dropped off Zeus since there was finally a free kennel for the German Shepherd to stay in, before they arrived at the library and found Thoma waiting for them outside.

"Thoma! Did you wait long?" Leila called out to him as they approached.

"Nah. I just got here, actually." Thoma replied.

"So, how'd it go?" Ray asked, referring to his chat with his foster parents.

"Say whaaaat?!" Thoma said as he locked Ray's head in his arms. "What's this? Were you worried about little old me?"