331 Opening up on his own terms?
Winter Break Arc
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(POV: Akashic Records)
After the death of Ravenna, Lumiere was trapped within the confines of his room, unable to face the world outside. For two long days, he had remained secluded, his gaze fixated on the ceiling as though searching for answers that lay hidden within its cracks. Every passing moment seemed to stretch on endlessly, the weight of grief etched into his tired, baggy eyes. His messy long hair bore the marks of restless nights, and the scent of neglect clung to him, having forsaken the very act of self-care.
He hadn't spoken a word within that time span.
One would think he'd already become a corpse.
In the midst of his desolation, a petite and adorable wind spirit, Sylph, fluttered into existence before him. Her presence was a gentle reminder of Lumiere's responsibilities, and her expression mirrored her concern for his well-being.
With a slight hesitation, she mustered the courage to address her forlorn master.
"Uh... Master Lumiere," Sylph spoke softly, her voice wavering with trepidation. "You should, um, eat something..."
Lumiere's indifferent response barely masked the turmoil within his soul.
"Huh?"
He blinked, momentarily taken aback by the unexpected interruption.
"I suppose," he mused, his voice void of its usual vitality. "It's not as if I'll die from the lack of sustenance, but I suppose you're right, Sylph."
He'd been staring at the wall so long he could easily tell another person the number of cracks and black spots it had.
He had grown bored of it.
His movements were slow and deliberate as he ascended from his seated position, his hand unconsciously clutching at the dress he bought for Ravenna. Its presence provided him some peace, a fragile connection to the woman he lost. Finding strength in her fleeting fragrance, Lumiere trudged toward the door, wrenched it open.
The snowworks festival was still ongoing, with or without him.
However, it was the final day.
Lumiere's gaze shifted to the plate of food left by his caring students.
They didn't exactly know what was going on with him, but they wanted to give their support nevertheless.
With the plate in hand, he retreated back into the suffocating solitude.
Silently, Lumiere seated himself once more, his movements mechanical and devoid of the usual "life" that had defined his presence. Slowly, methodically, he began to consume the simple fare before him. An awkward silence echoed between Lumiere and Sylph.
"Uh.."
She didn't know what to say or how to act.
"Master, are you okay?"
"Yeah..."
"You're sure?" she asked.
"Yeah..."
"Don't you want to talk to someone else...?"
"I'm already talking to you, so doesn't that count?" he told her.
Sylph twiddled her fingers. "I mean like, Lady Serena, or maybe..."
"No." His response was straight and flat.
"B... But," Sylph stuttered. "Maybe they can make you fe..."
"Make we what? Feel better? Don't be stupid..." he told her.
Sylph lowered her head slowly and frowned a bit. As for Lumiere, he continued eating.
KNOCK! KNOCK!!
After savoring a few more bites of the meager meal before him, Lumiere was interrupted by a persistent knocking at the door.
His brow furrowed in annoyance, but he was unable to drown out the sound.
"Professor Lumiere?" it was Anastasia?s voice.
And Luna?s, "Professor? Are you there?"
Of course he was, he had nowhere else to go.
Reluctantly, he set his plate aside and rose to his feet, his movements slow and heavy.
Approaching the door with a sense of detachment, Lumiere decided to ask, "Who is it?"
He knew who it was, but still chose to ask.
Anastasia's voice carried through the door, tinged with concern.
"It's me, Anastasia, and Luna?s with me."
Her words were followed by a hesitant addition from Luna herself.
"Yeah," she said.
A sigh escaped Lumiere's lips, betrayed by his attempt at nonchalance. "What could you possibly want?" he asked with a plain voice.
Anastasia's response was gentle, her concern palpable even through the barrier of the door.
"We noticed the food we left for you was gone, so we thought you might be feeling a little better. We even made a special stew for you, if you'd like to try it."
"It's fine, I don't want any..."
After Lumiere said that, it frustrated Anastasia even more.
The fact he didn't open the door.
The fact he chose to speak with them without making any sort of effort at a visual interaction.
It was too nerve-wracking.
But Anastasia tried to remain calm— simply because she didn't know what exactly had him this way.
"Can we..." she placed her hand on the door knob. "Talk?"
"No." A straightforward reply as easy as breathing.
Frustration twisted within Anastasia, manifesting in the force with which she pounded her fist against the door. "Why won't you just talk to someone? It's not that difficult!"
Her voice quaked with irritation and concern.
It was as though her efforts to reach out seemed to fall on deaf ears.
And it did, because right after, Lumiere returned to his initial position.
Luna, on the other hand, remained calm despite the mounting tension.
Folding her arms, she sighed softly before offering a more measured perspective.
"It'd be easier if we knew what was bothering him... Then, maybe we could help."
Anastasia's teeth ground together in frustration, her voice trembling with raw emotion.
"That's the painful part! We don't even know what's wrong, and it's tearing us apart. I wish I could just break down this door!"
Her words were punctuated by the sound of her fist colliding with the unyielding wood.
Luna shrugged in response.
"Even if you did that, there's no guarantee it'd solve anything. Lumiere needs to open up on his own terms."
Anastasia clicked her tongue in annoyance, her frustration bubbling to the surface.
"Sigh, I guess you're right."
The two ladies took their leave.
This allowed Lumiere the chance to eat in silence for another one hour. The food wasn't much, but his slow paced eating made it seem like it was a buffet of some sort.
"Uh, master?" Sylph called again.
"What..." Lumiere asked, a bit annoyed.
She stumbled on her words again, "Are you sure you're okay?"
"..."
"M... Master?"
Finally, Lumiere answered with a weary voice, "I'm tired..."
And truly, he was, there was nothing worth wasting time for.
He could normally manage the death of anyone, but what made things difficult this time was the fact that he didn't treat her well enough.
He didn't make her last day, special enough...
KNOCK! KNOCK!!
Someone else was at the door.
"Go away." Lumiere sighed heavily.
"Step out now!" Lucilia shouted.
Her voice left no room for negotiations.
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