it was a classic pot called the kettle black. she eyed him a moment, and then nodded.

”thanks.”

so, what now? she had a drunk matias silph in her house, on her couch. she didn’t feel like she could tell him to leave. part of her found that she didn’t want to, anyways. not really.

in fact, part of her wished she did have a beer or three.

echoed from the motel that first night he’d appeared, she asked finally, ”how the fuck did you even find me?”

MATIAS SILPH

there weren’t really any houses around. just a bunch of trees. they were on the outskirts, under the veil of woodland night, no less.

she stared at him and shook her head, resigning, and figuring it would stay a mystery as last time.

then, his words made her heart swell and sadness settle in her belly.

”would you have ever gone back to find me? if i hadn’t come to hoenn?”

she wasn’t sure she wanted to know, she quickly realized. no contact had been part of the plan—and it had taken her five years to break it. it had been too long to be away from him.

but finally, she’d realized, things were not meant to be. feelings weren’t shared, never would be, and that had to be okay.

biting the inside of her cheek briefly, she inhaled, ”sorry. don’t answer that,” and stood to walk to the kitchen.

MATIAS SILPH

she hadn’t been fishing. it had merely gotten the better of her, in a moment, and it’d immediately been too late to pull it back from existence.

her frown was turned away from him, still facing the fridge as it opened. the words that followed would have hurt regardless of what they were. truly, she’d decided she hadn’t wanted to hear them.

but now, they, too, were in the air, and in her head. in her chest, prying.

”i know.” no, she didn’t. ”that wasn’t fair. i’m sorry.”

she lingered there in the light of the fridge far longer than she typically would, unsure what she was looking for.

MATIAS SILPH

inwardly, she felt like a piece of paper being compacted into the fist of a god. like her chest was beginning to cave in from shriveled support—but it wasn’t. she was fine.

she shut the fridge door, and turned around. her head shook no, lips pursed and brows raised a little as though none of it meant anything.

”that you had a life of your own.” she should have made the same for herself. ”it’s great. i’m happy for you.” 

MATIAS SILPH

she stared at him, immediately knowing the answer. it had taken her too long to find purpose here, and then… was vengeance even a purpose to live for, now? at least kanto was filled with less strangers. she could have been happy. somehow.

how had she been so dumb?

saying nothing, she shook her head in a way that was too vague to be much of an answer, and walked around him, back towards the living room.

MATIAS SILPH

she was dodging. she’d only done this kind of thing forever—just not to him. pacing back into the other room, she reseated on the couch, chin in the palm of her hand. staring.

”she’s five.” and she drank water, too, like a normal person.

she snorted lightly. ”you’re so dumb.” her head shook. ”it’s on your tab, now. you owe del two juice boxes. don't forget.”

MATIAS SILPH

sage shook her head again. she was doing a lot of that this evening. at his request, she stared at the floor. did she want him to? not particularly. was she going to turn him out into the dark woods, where it had already been a miracle that he had not already gotten lost that night? … no, she supposed not.

”fine. but you have to sleep on the floor. this is my bed.”

MATIAS SILPH