It doesn’t take Zye very long to make it back to the apartment after that. Park, proceed up the stairs, and halfway down the hall to his door. Zye is already tugging his boots off by the time he’s locking back up. The helmet thuds on the ground as he drops that as well.

All before taking long strides over to the couch and collapsing next to Xerxes. The boy glances over at Zye before returning his eyes to the screen.

“I…I’m about to beat the first chapter. It’s harder than the first game.”

Zye gives a hum while slouching against the cushions. “I’d say you earned to take it home then. But first, finish that and grab me the other controller.”

Xerxes can’t hit the button to pause the game fast enough. His eyes are sparkling with excitement as scoops up the other controller and hands it to Zye. He expertly has Zye into the game and ready to continue before Zye can even prop his feet up on the table.

Sinking into this comfortable feeling, being near someone that doesn’t have disgust for him, has all of the tension slipping away. Together they whittle away the rest of the day until he has to send Xerxes back home; just a few doors down.

---

The next day is far from relaxing. Much like all the rest. Every day is a hectic sprint to the finish line.

Zye is up early, at the crack of dawn in fact, to get down to the hospital the second visiting hours are allowed. Which is easier said than done considering how tired he is. It doesn’t help that he skips a meal and takes his medicine on an empty stomach. He’d rather spend time there than waste it eating.

The young woman at the front desk gives him a nod as he walks toward her. She smiles and tucks some of her hair back behind her ear. “Dr. Len is already waiting for you.”

“Thanks.”

He doesn’t pay her much mind. A friendly smile and a nod are all he can manage today. Zye stifles a yawn. The walk to Dr. Len’s office has Zye on auto-pilot until he gets there. He rubs a hand over his face as he comes to the open door. The older man seemingly senses Zye and partly turns in his chair.

Dr. Len is a thin man with wisps of white streaking through dark brown hair cut short around his ears. A pair of glasses sit on the bridge of his nose, sliding down ever-so-slightly as he regards Zye. “You’re early today. Sleeping okay?”

Zye steps into the room and nudges the door closed. “Yeah, fine I guess.”

“And you’re still good to come in Friday for your appointment?”

“Yup.” He replies while taking one of the extra seats in the room. “I’m not here about me, though.”

Dr. Len lets out a sigh. He swivels in his chair and scoops up his tablet. The translucent blue screen shifts as he flicks his fingers across it. “Lyra is barely stable. However, the progression has slowed tremendously. I believe it’d be a good time to attempt the new treatment.”

“And it should help?”

“I’ve had several other patients respond well to it. They’ve had signs of slowing the disease to where it’s barely noticeable. As well as perking back up and stabilizing.”

“The ones that don’t?” Zye asks as he leans back in the chair.

His eyes always level right with Dr. Len’s. There’s no flinching or cringing away from the truth of the matter. Everyone is on borrowed time. But for a Chroma? Someone must have broken the hourglass because the sand is leaking faster.

Dr. Len stands and gestures for them to leave. “If you’re asking if they’ve gotten worse, they haven’t. This trial so far has either worked in varying degrees or not at all.”

Following his lead, Zye begins to follow Dr. Len through the halls to where patients are kept. To where his mother’s room is. To any other visitor, these hallways must seem agonizingly similar. But to Zye he knows where he is. He’s been down them so many times he’s lost count. Dr. Len stops before the door.

“Talk it over.”

“No…It’s fine. Go ahead and try, just let me know how much.”

“Zye, I told you not to worry. We have programs that can take care of the cost to a large degree. I wouldn’t let Lyra go without treatment even if you couldn’t pay.”

He gives Dr. Len a nod. “I appreciate it.”

Dr. Len watches Zye open the door. There are words catching on his tongue, something he wants to say so badly. Still, he lets it slide and instead walks away. It allows Zye to slip inside of Lyra’s room. He shuts the door as gently as possible, unsure if she’s asleep or not. Zye moves in a slow stride over to her bedside where she’s raised slightly.

It’s always hard seeing her like this. The younger mother that raised him shouldn’t be lying there unable to take care of herself. He knows she’d still be with him if it weren’t for how bad the pain has gotten. In fact, he wouldn’t mind taking care of her. There’s just no way he can. Not anymore.

There in the hospital bed, she seems so small and frail. Especially when she’s under several blankets. Even the normally rich browns of her skin have grown pale and ashen. He’ll always be thankful to those that tend to her here. Especially the young nurse that braids Lyra’s hair every night; long black hair tied into one thick braid that’s draped over her shoulder.

The toe of his boot catches the chair at her bedside. The noise is piercing to him yet it barely stirs Lyra. Slowly, she turns her head in his direction. A smile crosses her lips. “Still trying to sneak up on me, sweetie?”

“N-no…I didn’t know if you were resting or not. I have time so I could have waited.”

“I’ve slept enough. I’d rather spend time with you.”

She scoots over while patting the bed. Zye is more than happy to sit on the edge. Even more so when her hand reaches out to grasp at one of his. The smile that lights up her face brings him more joy than anything else. Finally, she opens her eyes and shows him the gaze that looks just like his own; purple iris fading into tinges of bright cerulean.

“Don’t tease your mother. Closer so I can touch you.”

He gives a laugh and leans forward. The second that he does he lifts her hand, placing it on his cheek. A pleased sigh slips from her lips. Slender fingers tremble as they brush up into his hair and guide him down to her. Her voice lowers to a whisper. “I’ve missed you, Zye. Are you taking care of yourself?”

“Yes ma’am. Three meals a day and plenty of sleep.”

She taps at the back of his head. “Don’t lie to me. Just because I can’t see you anymore doesn’t mean I can’t tell when you’re lying.”

Zye continues to dip down, leaning on one arm, until she has him laying partially against her. His cheek rests against her chest. All he can hear are the shallow breaths and the beats of her heart. It brings him both comfort and agony. The heavy weight settles onto his chest all over again.

Lying there, he clings onto her as if she’s the only thing that’s real. He lets her comb her fingers through his hair. She can sense his unease. She can feel the way his breath shakes against her. Touch is all she truly has left and it’s heighten more than ever. Her only gift at the moment.

“Len says you dyed your hair again.”

“It’s just the bangs,” he says after swallowing past the lump in his throat.

“What color this time?”

“Pink.”

A small laugh as she tousles his hair. “My favorite color. Is it that one shade I like? Like the dress I had?” Zye nods against her. A hum slips from her at that. “Len and I were talking yesterday. He says you look just like your father.”

Zye pinches his eyes shut. Memories he’ll never have float through him. A man he’s never known personally yet feels as though he does. All thanks to her. It has his emotions filling up to the brim far faster than he wants. Comforting each other is fine. He likes this. But he doesn’t want to be weak in front of her now. Not when she’s up against so much.

Even so, he still feels like he could fall asleep right then and there. No matter what she always puts his soul at ease. That one part of him finds solace somewhere in it. All the while the despair is ripping at his heart.

It only gets worse when he hears it. There’s a stumble in her breath, a choke on a sob that she doesn’t want to let out. Her fingers still against the nape of his neck. She can’t keep it down and struggles to push him away. Zye immediately sits up as she draws her hands against her face.

“I-I’m so…sorry. I-I didn’t want this for you.”

The way her voice breaks makes him want to crumple in on himself. After all, he feels the opposite. She only has this pain because she has him. All of those extra worries and fears that have piled on her shoulders over the years can’t have been easy.

Zye gently pulls at her wrists. The tears continue to stream down her face and redden her eyes. He gives a small scoot to get closer. Once he has, he pulls her forward against his chest. Immediately, she wraps her arms around his middle and holds on tight. Her tears wet his shirt as he holds her.

“I-I was so s-selfish! Oh God…Zye, I’m sorry.”

He rubs small circles on her back. “Don’t be. I’m glad to be here. Dad wouldn’t have wanted you to be alone, right?”

She clutches onto him tighter. Sobering up but still emotional, she’s almost ashamed to have broken down in front of him. “I…I didn’t want you to suffer like this.” Lyra lifts her head with a pleading expression. “Please, please don’t be scared to ask for help. Let someone help you.”

Zye pushes her away ever-so-slightly. He lifts the edge of the blanket and brushes away her tears. He makes sure to raise his voice so she can hear him better despite how it wants to crack. “I promise.”

“What a way to start visiting hours. Sorry…” She says with a short laugh. Settling back against her pillows, she slides over more and pats the bed. “You’re not too old to humor me are you?”

He does as she asks with a grin. “Of course not.”

Lying down beside her, he turns onto his side with his head on her shoulder. Her arm, of which is beneath his neck, lifts up so that her fingers can comb through his hair once more. The other hand is reaching over for one of his. She’s eager to have her hand clutched onto his that is so much warmer and larger than her own.

“It’s getting long. Are you going to get it cut?” she asks, referring to his hair.

“No time. I’d rather be here when I’m free.”

Lyra sighs softly. “What about your friends? I haven’t seen Callua in so long now. How’s she doing?”

“She’s fine. Busy lately.” He replies while closing his eyes. The comfort dares to lull him back to sleep. At least a nurse will wake him before lunch so that he can make it to work on time. It all runs like clockwork on these days.

“Sweetie?”

He gives her a small hum.

“It’s never that I regret being with your father or having you. I cherish every moment.” She smiles and leans her head against his. “I do miss when you were smaller. At least then you’d talk my ear off.”

“I’d rather listen to you now. You have more to say, Mom.”

“You bet I do! Even when I’m with your father again you better keep an ear out, I’ll be yelling at you all the time on what to do.”

Zye tries to steady a breath and choke back the tears. He quickly tries to change the subject. “I’ll tell Callua to come with me next time.”

“Thank you… Now, how should I repay that kindness? Do you want me to sing to you?” The question is responded to with only a squeeze against her fingers. “Hehe, if you fall asleep again I’m not going to wake you.”

Regardless, she takes a deep breath and relaxes. The soft humming begins and in an instant, he’s out like a light. The words are something he hears even in his dreams or when he’s alone. The soft lullabies from his childhood urge him into a deep sleep with no nightmares or running from troubles.

As she said, Lyra doesn’t so much as twitch once he’s fallen asleep. She settles in and finishes her song. Only then does she let her fingers still in his hair and her eyes slip close despite already not being able to see.

“I love you, my little starlight.”