The mysterious aura of the room was changed as the sun took over the sky. The soreness was still there, though. Sunny had hoped that the month of rest had been exaggerated, but now he knows that it was the other way around. A month was the best-case scenario. With the sunlight passing through the windows, he was finally able to see everything correctly. Sadly, from him, it was a little too much. Wishing that the curtains could listen to his will and protect him from this overbearing light. But there was something else that he was preoccupied with.
-"Now. Right arm. Up..."
Did he really need to be bare-chested in front of this stranger?
He had expected that Ashe would be the one to come, but he had guessed wrong. Standing here was a woman. An exhausted-looking one. Her blonde hair was styled in a bun with a long hairpin passing through and through. Her half-closed eyes had dark rings under them; Sunny couldn't see the color of them. Not only that, but her skin was almost paler than his, which was an exploit on his own. Even her clothing style was dull. Lacking life, purely efficient. Her age was unknown; she could have been in her early twenties or her late, late forties.
Following her demand, his arm rose up, and another demand was shared. How long will this darn test take anyway?
-"Left arm. Up..."
The checkup kept going in silence, an awkward one for him at least. When finished, he didn't ask before putting back on his shirt. The lady stood up and didn't move for a long moment. Looking at him without saying a word, Sunny just looked at her in return, and the awkwardness returned. He didn't dare to say anything, but the cold woman seemed to wait for something.
Had he done something wrong? Did she want him to present his excuse?
Right now, he was defenseless; she could simply strangle him and snatch away his last breath, and he wouldn't be able to react.
Like an emotionless doll made of flesh, the woman tilted her head to the side.
- "Questions?"
Oh.
The mysterious aura of the room was changed as the sun took over the sky. The soreness was still there, though. Sunny had hoped that the month of rest had been exaggerated, but now he knows that it was
She was waiting for him to see if he wanted to ask questions. His reaction was enough for her to wait a little longer; after all, Sunny was holding his head with one hand, in thought. Yes, he wanted to ask something. Normally, he wouldn't even try to talk to her, but her look... It reminds him of the outskirts in some way...
-"Why is- No...How is my body clean?"
He had lived in the sewer for years, and now he didn't smell at all. The feeling of sweat and filth was gone, and his current clothes were not actually his. So what happened? Did someone help him to take a shower? If yes, he would surely bury his head in the earth. He wasn't some kid anymore!
-"Memory. Sanitize and clean. Needed for treatment."
Well, that explains the "clean body" part...
- "What happened to my clothes?"
-"Took them. Wash and sew. Return when finished.
Sunny was left perplexed by the situation. How could she look so cold and distant and speak about good things like they were nothing? Was it so banal in there? He was thankful for her. The more he spoke with her, the less indifferent she looked to him. If he was honest with himself, he would like to say that he liked a little how their discussion was going.
-"Who will sew them? And who helped me put those clothes on?"
- "Me. Me."
- "...Can I ask for your name?"
The change of tone was like tearing a mask apart to reveal a truth. Yes, he liked how it went, but what he likes more is something true, real. He might be a bit of a liar, but that doesn't mean that he likes the lies of others. If he wants to talk to someone, the least he wants to ask is to really talk with them. Not just asking questions like they were not people. He was better than this. Better than those who see him like a simple rat to die. Than those who didn't help him for the last two years and even before... Better than those who abandoned his mother when she asked for help.
And the woman seemed to be taken aback by the change, as a little smile appeared. She looked already much younger while emoting.
- "Name's Jeanne."
-"Mine is E...Sunless. Thank you for everything you have done for me until now, Jeanne."
From what she had told him, she was the one that took care of him. She healed his wound, took care of his belongings, and was now seeing if he was well and sound. Maybe it was a lie, but even if it was one, he had to play their game and show respect. For once, he had to doubt. Because compared to his life in the Outskirts, the person in front of him might actually not lie to him.
The air was less heavy, less gloomy. More vibrant with life with just this small interaction. Jeanne's smile only grew as he spoke those words. Her veiled eyes were slightly more open, and Sunny could finally see a glimpse of her feeling.
She had beautiful golden eyes, beaming with so much care and love. If Ashe had the aura of a sweet grandma on the facade, Jeanne here could only be described as a loving mother. And yet, behind all this pure feeling, he could feel a hint of... sorrow? It was like she was happy to have this moment, but it could have been even better. Was it he that had done something?
The doctor looked more and more joyful and full of expression; Sunny couldn't comprehend why. Until a little giggle rang out, he was looking at her like an idiot, absorbed by her presence. He had missed it too. This feeling, this gaze of pure love that a child should receive from a caring mother. With her, it felt logical.
His guard was up with Ashe; everything about her smelled like a lie. But with Jeanne, it was like he was talking to another lost soul in the sewer. One who had helped him before. Someone from his side of the world. Like the Caretaker who had died a few weeks ago, giving too much of her food for the children.
- "No need to. Helping is my life."
This answer only shook something inside of him that he disliked. And Jeanne seemed to have noticed it, but he was already speaking his mind. With her, nothing was forced or pressed; he felt a bit like his old self for the first time. His mom's education was coming back from far away, values that he had to discard to survive.
- "Yes, I need to. I know that if I do everything I can to help someone and they take it for granted, it would hurt me... So yes... I'm thanking you, Jeanne. And I refuse any refusal from you!"
She looked at him, immobile for an instant before closing her eyes, a sincere smile appearing with a bright laugh. Not a mocking one, or at least, not one destined for him. Her voice seemed to give more warmth to the sunlight that was illuminating the room. A child giving a lesson to an adult with a serious look and an innocent voice—how could someone not react to it?
'Maybe, the use of a curtain was not needed...'
-"You're right. Your feeling. Can't tell if I deserve them. Thank you, Sunless. You're making my day."
Looking at her watch, she took a long breath. Taking back her role with a less relaxed tone, she needed to move to her next task. She even looked a little sad when she spoke after that.
- "Good recuperation... Don't leave bed. Starting tomorrow. Try to walk. With help. No negotiation."
Smiling a last time, she moved in the direction of the door. Opening it, a voice suddenly rang with a surprised and yet happy tone.
-"My oh my, what happened to you, Jeanne? You look gorgeous. I missed that smile!"
-"... Milady."
Quick and efficient, the coldness was returning. A "hello" and a "can you move, please?" in a single word. Sunny could only hear a sigh before someone moved and Jeanne disappeared into the corridor. And a moment later, a "familiar" face showed up. Looking perplexed, she walked toward the boy.
- "Sunny, my dear... Tell me your secret; how did you manage to make her smile like that?"
Saddened a little by her early departure, Sunny was now in a weird mood. Jeanne seemed to not be on good terms with Ashe, so his response was scornful. The enemy of my doctor is my enemy...or something like that.
-"How could I know? I asked her some questions, and after that she even laughed a little."
To his surprise, the dean looked taken aback. Was his attitude this surprising? Mimicking the doctor's reaction from before, Sunny tilted his head slightly to the side. A silent question of her reason here. Yes, he was the guest; he should have shown respect, but he was like this... A heartless machine built to survive when needed. He couldn't allow himself to be trapped by her play.
But to his surprise, the reason behind her shock was something else.
-"I was afraid you wouldn't even listen to Jeanne; 'seemed like my warning was all for nothing."
-"What warning ?"
-"One where I tell her not to push if you were not cooperative. Not that I needed to explain that to her to begin with."
Well, he couldn't really be offended since she was on point. If Jeanne would have tried to touch him, he wouldn't have hesitated to push her away the same way he had done with Ashe the night before.
-"Did you sleep well, my d... Sunless?"
He frowned without noticing it. She was changing her tactic since he wasn't responsive to her sweet talk. He knew that he was surely taking it too far, that she was trying to be on the same page as him, but he... he was just unable to not be angry at her for everything she would try with him.
She was moving toward him and stopped at the distance that she had the night before. Looking at him, reflecting on her option, she murmured...
- "Don't be shy; tell me what's on your mind, child."
Sunny stayed motionless for a few seconds before his eyes slowly moved to meet the woman's gaze. His jaw was tense, so his first words took a moment to be spoken.
His voice seemed far more exhausted than just before.
-"Why should I?"
Silence took back her throne in this shining room. Suddenly, for him, the sunlight felt less warm than before. Ashe's expression was unreadable. Not that she was expressionless, but just that it was just a combination of too many different things. Hate, disgust, pity, sadness...? All those were simple guesses in a brain-shaped puzzle.
Seconds passed, the discussion was paused, and Sunny wouldn't indulge himself to please her selfish wish.
-"Because not knowing your feelings might impact your ability to recover. And consequently, it might make your time here unpleasant for you and, more importantly, for those you may interact with."
This coldness in her voice, a sound of disappointment. Now she was honest with him. No more gentle lies, just the truth: yes, he was a guest, but he was nothing compared to those who work under her. This place was not and never will be his home.
With that on the side, Sunny's lips curled slightly upward. A dark expression covered his face.
-"Fine. I'll tell you what I have in mind."
His eyes narrowed as he was challenging her gaze.
-"I don't trust you or any of your words. I don't know you, and you want me to be "happy"? What did you know about me? Who says that I want that? You want me to call you "Grandma"? Like we're some kind of family? I already have one family, and I have lost all of them. So don't you dare imagine that you can replace them because you saved me. Don't count on me for anything... Don't hope for anything. I won't make any trouble here until I'm feeling like I can go. After that, I'll leave."
Sunny was hoping that with that, he wouldn't be killed. After all, he was denying his very reason to be here. Ashe was looking at him with the same expression on her face, her eyes slowly reaching the floor as his remarks were taken seriously.
As she was taking a slow breath, her composure quickly came back. She was not as energetic as before, but at least her face was not screaming any negative emotion.
-"Since Jeanne didn't warn me about any restrictions, it means that you're on the right path for a good recovery. So, it also means that I can show you around."
...
....
- "Huh?"