.

.

.

Ei

"What a shame."

You were taken aback by the amount of blood that was flowing out of his body. It wasn't stopping. Her sword pierced right through him, how much worse could it get? Scaramouche fell to the ground as she drew her sword back to her with no mercy.

You

"No..."

You moved slowly toward Scaramouche. You were the one in disbelief now.

Ei

"We had a deal, N/N."

You

"Deal or not, isn't he still your son?!"

Ei

"!.."

She was all too familiar with that voice. You rushed up to Scaramouche and flipped him over. He was panting fiercely, eyes were enlarged, and his brows were furrowed.

You tore your mask off, letting Scaramouche know that you were there for him. Though, you let Ei see your face. 

She knew.

Scaramouche

*Cough*

You

"No, no, no..."

You lifted his ragged, bloodstained shirt - the shirt you gave him. His chest wound was large but not deep. But, the wound on his stomach... 

It was a disaster. 

You weren't sure if you could save him.

Scaramouche

"Y/N, Y/N, no!"

You

"I'm sorry!"

Scaramouche yelled in agony as you tore a piece of your shirt off, placing heavy pressure on his wound. He screamed, wailed, and bled out. It was a catastrophe.

You

"I know, I'm sorry... I know it hurts..."

Ei was watching everything go down, she was just as shocked as you were.

.

.

.

Ei

"Get the nurses."

Tenryou Commission Soldier

"But my lady-"

Ei

"That was an order."

Tenryou Commission Soldier

"..."

Ei

"What are you waiting for?! Get them now!"

Kujuo Sara

"My lady, was this not the objective?! Why are you choosing to keep him alive?!"

Ei

"It hurts me to see Y/N crying."

Kujuo Sara

"And Y/N is N/N, the same person who set your dear city on fire! Kill them both for all I care!"

Ei

"Sara, enough."

.

.

.

Scaramouche

"Y/N..."

You

"Yeah?"

Scaramouche

"I... I- Can't-"

You

"No, no, shh... You're fine. You're going to live."

Scaramouche

"It hurts all over... Y/N, I don't want to die yet."

He told you with a trembling voice.

You

"You're not going to die, Scara... It's okay. Once I heal you up, we can sit down together in the living room and drink kuding tea! Your favourite. Though I find it way too bitter, I'll still drink it with you."

Scaramouche

"Ku... Kuding tea?..."

You

"Yes!"

He was grasping a piece of your ripped clothing as you continued to apply pressure to his dreadful wound. It wasn't working. The blood didn't stop pouring. It trickled from his back and stained the grass around you.

Scaramouche

"We can drink kuding tea..."

You did your best to convince yourself that all was well and that he would survive. Your heart ached so much, warning you that he will be gone forever shortly. You tried to smile and talked about kuding tea with him.

You

"Yes, Scaramouche, we can drink kuding tea. The brand that comes with the pastel green box is the one you favour, I know that for sure."

Scaramouche

"Mhm."

He nodded and his grip loosened on your clothing, his hand dropping to the ground. He turned his head to the side and stopped panting, eyes barely open.

You

"..."

"Scaramouche?..."

Scaramouche

"..."

No response.

You

"... No! No!- He's going to die!"

You wiped that smile off your face and completely lost it, screaming and panicking with no idea on how to save him now.

Ei

"Over there, hurry!"

They came just in time - Perhaps too late.

.

.

.

-TWELVE HOURS LATER, A BIT PAST MIDNIGHT, TENSHUKAKU-

Ei

"Hey-"

You

"Don't talk to me."

Ei

"I know you're angry-"

You

"No shit."

Ei

"Y/N, can you-"

You

"No."

Ei

"But-"

You

"Go away."

Ei

*Sigh*

You cut her off, refusing to listen to what she had to say.

Scaramouche was being operated on in a different room at Ei's residence. You were standing just in front of the room, hoping to see Scaramouche. It had been twelve hours since then, and everything ached. 

You sat on a chair, hugging your legs firmly and curling up into a ball. Ei sat next to you in the chair, and you turned your head away from her.

Ei

"I just-"

You

"You just want to talk?"

"I don't want to talk to you."

Ei

"Y/N, please. Let me know what happened. I was worried sick."

You

"Don't lie. You were probably happy I was gone."

"I mean, I was happy when I didn't have to see your face anymore."

Ei

"... Did Scaramouche teach you how to speak in this manner?"

You

"Did someone ever teach you how to be a good, loving, caring mother?"

Ei

"..."

You

"That's right. Stay speechless."

Ei

"So that's where you went? To the fatui?..."

You

"No, they kidnapped me."

"I'm glad they did."

Ei

"... How-"

You

"How did I escape? I bombed their place and brought Scaramouche with me because he deserves better. A lot better."

"Any more questions?"

Ei

"I just... Want to know why you didn't come back. I never would've thought that you were N/N, it didn't seem like you."

You

"Oh trust me, I would've run far away from you before if I had the chance."

"You still don't get it?..."

"I never wanted to work for you. I only stayed because it was the only 'home' I could live in."

Ei

"..."

You

"Now leave me alone."

She sighed and walked away to attend to other problems. 

.

.

.

-ANOTHER 12 HOURS LATER-

You were still sitting in the same seat, struggling to stay awake. After an entire day, you began to suspect that the nurses were simply withholding unpleasant news from you. Your eyes were barely open, and you leaned forward, about to collapse, but you jolted awake.

You were startled awake as the door creaked open. You pulled yourself out of your chair, nearly falling over as you gazed at the nurses' expressions.

It was just awkward silence.

None of the nurses were speaking to you.

You

"... What?!"

You yelled, scared that he was really gone.

Nurse 1

"You tell them."

Nurse 2

"What- Why me?!... I don't want to speak to them."

They both mumbled and whispered to each other.

Nurse 1

*Sigh* "Y/N?"

You

"..."

You looked at both of them confusingly.

Nurse 2

"He's ready for you."

You shoved them both out of the way and raced into the room.

.

.

.

And there he was.

He was lying in a comfortable bed, a blanket covering his lower body with several bandages wrapped around his torso. You walked fast but not hastily; you didn't want to frighten him.

You

"Hey..."

You sat by his body at the edge of the bed, smiling.

Scaramouche

"Y/N?..."

You

"I'm here."

He attempted to sit up, which was an extremely dumb idea given that he had just been stabbed.

You

"Woah, woah, careful!"

He stretched his arms far out, trembling and far too feeble. You leaned forward and took in his embrace being mindful of his frail body.

You

"Hey, you're not dead."

He laughed.

Scaramouche

"Yeah... I'm not."