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"Hans, who is at the door?" A sweet voice came from inside the house, making the three of them flinch for a second.
"...Come inside for now," Hans spoke slowly, as if he was spitting out the words.
He turned his back without waiting for an answer.
Ashen and Lapis exchanged a brief glance before following him in.
Not even three steps in, and Ashen came face to face with his own mother, who stood there petrified at the sight of her son, who had been absent for half a year and had now appeared in front of her, looking all fine.
The father and sister took the role of spectators, so it was up to Ashen to break the oppressive silence.
Sadly, he was just as petrified as his mother right now.
Back in Seravelle, there wasn't a day that he didn't think about her and how much he wanted to see her at least one more time.
But now that he was in front of her, the guilt and self-loathing he tried to bury came back at full force.
Do you deserve her warmth?
Do you deserve to be happy after all you've done?
Are you even worthy?
Like devils clawing their way out of hell, insidious voices attacked his mind, paralyzing him each time he tried to draw closer, to accept her comfort, to bask in her motherly embrace.
'Yeah… It'd be too shameless to ask for forgiveness after all the pain I've inflicted.'
Her snow-white hair, once silky and smooth, now hung dull and lifeless.
Her jazel eyes were red and swollen.
Her innocent, almost childlike face had become worn and haggard, a permanent frown carved across it.
Every detail was a knife to his soul.
Just as the shame of standing there threatened to drown him, he was suddenly engulfed in warmth.
Looking down, he saw his mother hugging him tightly… just like his sister had done earlier.
"My baby… you're finally back…"
A heavy, suffocating silence settled in, broken only by her shaky whispers.
Ashen stiffened as her arms trembled and tightened around him.
She pressed her face into his chest, muffling her voice… but not the quiet sobs that escaped her.
Hans stood a few steps away, fists clenched at his sides, jaw so tight it looked painful.
His dull pink eyes burned with emotions that flickered between fury and relief, not sure where to settle.
For now, he could only watch his wife release months of grief and worry. He felt that if he moved or spoke, he would ruin the moment. So, he just watched... for now.
Lapis, beside him, wavered between stepping forward and staying back, unsure whether to comfort her mother or give her space.
But the sight of her mother's tears broke her hesitation. She stepped forward, then wrapped her arms around both of them, burying her face into Ashen's shoulder.
The warmth was overwhelming. But to Ashen, it only made the guilt worse.
His throat tightened. His hands hovered awkwardly, torn between returning the embrace or staying frozen in that awkward hover.
He was utterly confused. The only thing he knew was that he didn't deserve them.
Ironically, his father's reaction was the most comforting, even if it was the coldest one.
His mother pulled back just enough to meet his eyes, her tear-streaked face searching his.
Her trembling hands rose to cup his cheeks.
"You've become so fit," she murmured, her voice cracking. "Have you been taking care of yourself? Have you been—"
She stopped, swallowing hard.
The real questions lingered in the air: Where were you? Were you hurt? Did you even think of us?
But she didn't ask. She didn't need to. She could see in his eyes that this wasn't just some rebellious phase.
Step.
Hans finally moved. One heavy step forward.
"You have five seconds to explain yourself before I throw you out myself," he said, voice like gravel dragged across ice.
The words were harsh, but the way he immediately backed off when his wife glared at him, despite her tears, betrayed the truth.
He was worried too.
Ashen opened his mouth, but paused when he saw the shift in his mother's expression.
The sorrow, the exhaustion, the relief… all melted into something far more stubborn.
Her grip on his cheeks tightened.
"You," she declared, suddenly firm, "are grounded."
A beat of stunned silence.
Then Lapis snorted.
To her own horror, it turned into wild, half-hysterical giggling.
Hans's eye twitched. Ashen just stared, bewildered, as his mother nodded and hummed in satisfaction. As if that settled everything.
"Mother… I'm not twelve anymore..."
Ashen gave her a hopeless look. His little sister's laughter only made it worse.
"And I don't care anymore!"
With terrifying resolve, she grabbed his wrist and dragged him toward the kitchen.
"You're eating. Now. And then you're telling us everything."
Hans exhaled sharply through his nose, muttering something about "going too easy on him" before stomping after them.
"Honey… you can't just brush it off like that..."
"Hans, I'm not brushing anything off! I'm just delaying! He's still going to explain himself… right, Ash?"
"Yes, yes!" Ashen answered a little too fast. He knew better than to argue with her when she used that tone.
"But Akidia, shouldn't he… I don't know, explain things now?" Hans grumbled, walking behind them, an amused Lapis tagging along.
"He's not going anywhere, Hans. Stop being so impatient, will you? I haven't seen my son in half a year!"
And still… he was losing the argument.
On that front, he really should start taking notes from his son on how to deal with Akidia.
Just like that, the tension cracked.
The storm wasn't over, not by a long shot.
But for now, at least, Ashen was home.
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