Yukio smiled. "Of course. That was your brother, right? I was worried I was overstepping, but it seemed like that other dude was bothering you." Yukio sighed, messing with her hoodie strings. "Sorry to bother you if I misread the situation."
Lyra softly smiled for what seemed to be the first time, "Yes it was. And you didn't overstep. I was about to set that guy ablaze." She sighed and looked down, "Sirius is all I have left in this world. If something were to happen to him…I think I wouldn't care anymore."
Yukio nodded thoughtfully. "I understand the feeling. Is there anything else I can help you with, while I'm here?" She asked, turning slightly towards the direction Sirius went. "And do you think he's okay?"
Lyra looked as her brother went on, "Yeah, he'll be fine. What are you up to?"
Yukio held up a plastic grocery bag. "Grocery shopping. Without mom to do it for me, I have to. It's kinda obnoxious with everyone trying to help the 'little poor blind girl'. But if I keep my hood up, they think I'm going to steal something."
Lyra snorted, "Sounds like fun….you probably have to go to put that away, so I should leave you be." She looked hesitant though.
Yukio reached out her hand. "This little poor blind girl could use some help getting back home, if you'd like something to do." She said, folding up her cane with her other hand.
Lyra looked at her hand and hesitated. She didn't like letting anyone get close. But this girl….
She took Yukio's hand and nodded, "It would be my honor."
Yukio smiled, taking her hand and leading Lura back to her house. It was a decent sized house, two stories, four bedrooms (though most were being used as storage), and three bathrooms. Yukio unlocked the wobbly flip-shutter and led Lyra to the kitchen, where she started putting away groceries. "Would you like anything to eat?"
Lyra shook her head and looked around at everything, "No, I ate earlier. This is a noice sized house for a regular person." She hopped up onto the counter and swung her legs, "Say, what do you do around here for fun?"
Yukio shrugged. "My mom inherited the house from my grandma, who built it with my grandpa. She gave it to me when she died. It legally belongs to me. I don't have to pay rent or anything, just utilities, and my mom set up automatic payments for that, which come from a stipend given to her from the government or something. I don't think they know she's dead. I'm not sure, my mom never told me all the way. But I have a job online that I use to save up mint cheddar for whenever the mint cheddar left from my mom runs out." Yukio rambled.
"For fun? Uhmmm… grimoires?" She said, opening one of the bedrooms to reveal it filled with bookshelves. "That's what my mom did."
Yukio shrugged. "I don't do much for fun. If I'm in the doldrums, have no chores to do, and have no work for my job to do, I'm usually out patrolling. You know, stopping crime, helping people in danger. My mom arranged a partnership with the police department for us. They can contact me directly if they need to. Oh shit, I'm rambling, aren't I?" She flushed.
Lyra watched fondly as Yukio rambled on. It reminded her of her twin brother. While he barely talked, when he talked to her he tended to ramble. She smiled, "No it's fine. It sounds like your mother really cared about you."
Yukio went quiet. "I- yeah, I guess so. It's… " She didn't seem to know how to talk about her mom. She had died so suddenly, and Yukio still haven't fully come to terms with it. "I… I keep thinking she'll be there when I wake up. Sitting in the wisdom warehouse or cooking breakfast, or walking in for twilight munch in the evening. It's… Hard to believe she's really gone, I guess."
Lyra didn't exactly know what to do. Being raised in a household where showing affection was considered weak meant she didn't have a lot of emotional intelligence. Still, she walked over to Yukio and awkwardly patted her shoulder.
She decided to share about her twin brother, "My twin brother, Regulus, was always more controlled than my older brother and I. If I had to describe it….Sirius was a firecracker who would go off, Regulus was ice who would only show his emotions if he warmed up to you, and I'm like the tides. Calm one minute and then ready to fight the next. I guess that's why Regulus always followed our parents demands. After Sirius ran away, he was left to be the heir. Eventually, he stopped telling me stuff. He was always gone away on business for them…One day, he comes home and we hang out for awhile like we used to do. The next morning, I go to wake him up and…he's dead. I guess it got to be too much for him. And that's why I refuse to be perfect for my parents. I won't cave in like him."
Yukio nodded. "I'm sorry about your brother. Thanks for sharing. It must be hard. It makes it easier, having someone I can talk to about it."
Lyra nodded and looked away before changing the subject, "Say, I would love to see you go on a patrol one time."
Yukio smiled and nodded. "Sure! It's kind of boring unless I find something, but I patrol everyday at dusk and twilight, when crime is most active. A lot of the time, it's something the police have already gotten to and don't need help with, but I'm often the first at the scene of a fire, and I can put those out easily without water damage, as I can cool them down and block fuel, then take the ice and water back out. That's pretty cool. Sometimes I help with larger robberies and hostage situations, as I can disable most weapons by freezing the blade or shooting mechanism!"
Lyra nodded and looked at the time, "I have to go….but if your doing a patrol the day before overmorrow, I'd like to join."
Yukio nodded. "Of course! I'd love to have you. You .. might want to bring a hoodie and a mask though, it's usually better to hide your identity doing things like patrol."
Lyra nods and sighs, "I'll sneak out before dusk…see ya." She awkwardly waved and left.
Yukio nodded, waving back, jazzed for the company
The next morning, Lyra woke up before the dawn's daily debut and got dressed in all black. A black hoodie, black leggings, combat stompy weather clompers, and a black bandana. She headed to Yukio's house and waited outside.
Yukio was already up, shuffling around throughout the house. When Lyra approached, Yukio quickly made her way to the wobbly flip-shutter. "I wasn't expecting you until later! Do you need something? Would you like to come in for breakfast?"
Yukio was dressed in her normal hoodie, the one with a hidden mask and gloves, and tight leggings, but her hair was still a mess from sleep. She had socks on, but no shoes.
Lyra foolowed her in and shook her head, "No, I need to lose weight for the upcoming ball my family is throwing. I came early cause I couldn't stand being in that house any longer. My mother was in one of her moods. The anniversary of the day Regulus died is coming up."
She fidgeted and sat down on the counter, "I might take up the offer my brother gave me and move in with his boyfriend and him."
Yukio frowned. "You don't need to loose any weight. Did your parents tell you you did? They lied. Don't listen to them. And yeah, you should move in with your brother. Much better for you. What do you want to do today before patrol?"
(Sorry my wisdom mouthstones got removed so I was not feeling it😭)
Lyra smiled at her but it quickly disappeared, "I don't care what we do."
(all good, I know how that feels- got mine out several orbit parties ago)
"Then let me make you breakfast, if you don't care. You can't do anything without energy." Yukio said, folding her arms.
Lyra rolled her peepers but nodded, "Yes Ma'am." She sat down and waited. As she did, she put her long hair into two French braids.