Family bonding

At sunrise, I heard some voices coming from sis's room. It was strange cause, it's always locked out.

Outside the room I heard Mom and Dad arguing with Azrael, I quickly hid to eavesdrop.

"This room is maintained..but brother told me that sis lives in the Gold level region. Care to explain the reasoning behind it."

"Azrael, It's for emergency when she returns back."

"Emergency? What do you mean Dad? You don't know when she will return."

Azrael's voice was gradually losing its emotion, giving a strange eerily cold vibe.

I really wanted to beat him for acting that in front of our parents, but deep down I knew how important sis is for him, that's why I couldn't get the courage to face him at the moment.

"It's nothing like that. She is there, trying to protect the citizens. She is not strong like Arc but she is still sufficient on her own."

"You didn't answer my question, Dad. Do you know when she will return?"

"Azrael, this isn't a tone to talk to your dad with!!"

"Mom…I just asked a question, just tell me the answer, I would stay put."

At last, as if finally giving up Mom answered, I don't think that's it's the best option but I should respect their decision.

"We don't know…Ok..we don't know when she will return. She is busy there, when she will get free time. She will return, don't worry."

"Ah..nice..so you are telling me, my ever so sympathetic sister left her daughter to you guys to take care while she is playing hero."

Mom and Dad went silent, Azrael picked up a photo from the nearby desk. Photo of our sister, her husband and 15 year's old Edith.

"This photo was clicked here, from the backyard. Edith looks 14-15 years old, they all lived here."

"That's right, we all lived here like a happy family."

"What happened to that family, Dad? "

Dad immediately made a cover up story, I wanted to give him a thumbs but I knew he won't fall for such petty tricks.

"Your sister saw some kid getting orphaned by those creatures from that day onwards, she made a vow to defend normal people from these creatures."

"What a bunch of bs? You really think I would buy that, try something else. You guys."

"Watch your tone, just because you have returned after many years doesn't give you any right to talk to us that way."

"I'm not talking with you guys in a high tone. Am I now Mom?"

"That's the problem, your voice is detached."

Holding his head, Azrael said, "Ah… let me guess, sis is gone somewhere and you guys don't know anything about it."

Both Mom and Dad, even me, flinched at his reasoning.

"Let me add something else, Brother-in-law died because of some reason. Sis was depressed, she was not able to properly nurture Edith, so she left her and moved from here so as to not have a bad impact on her mental health. She usually contacted you guys from time to time but from some months or years, maybe weeks, she has been missing. Isn't she"

I was surprised and so were Mom and Dad, this guy is frighteningly intellectual.

"Wanna say something? Or should I take your silence as a yes."

"..."

"I will take that as a yes…I really didn't want to be right though. I'm not even angry at you guys or Arc. The person I care about the most is sis. So, you guys knew I would crash out. Forgive me... please."

"That's what we thought, but you are strangely calm."

"Dad..that's what i thought too, yet currently I'm disgusted by myself even more. I don't feel a thing..i don't know if sis is alive or not yet I don't feel a thing, pain, sorrow, guilt, regret or even revenge no such emotions are currently clouding me."

I really had nothing to say, he doesn't feel anything? About sis of all people. I knew he was the detached type, still this one was a shocker for me. Seemingly Mom didn't take to heart, I mean even sis won't.

Mom sat on the bed and gestured Azrael to sit on her lap, she slowly started to caress him.

"The fact you think this much, says that you do feel something. There is no need for self hate, you dummy."

"Now I know why guys didn't over react when I arrived, Arc told you about me. But besides that the much bigger reason is that you guys are used to losing people, first me then brother-in-law and lastly sis too."

He knew I told them, I really felt like a child who was caught doing mischief.

Maybe he will annoy me as revenge, I should not hit him for 2 days as an apology.

Dad sat beside him, held his hands and said jokingly, "It's also because we are old, we have seen the world."

"That's a real old dialogue Dad, and it loses its effect when the people saying it look 30+ only."

"Should we take that as a compliment?"

"Of course it is."

"But you ignored it, like there was no reaction from you about it."

"You were not the only one with information."

He got information, but how? Maybe he did some research when he was with Junia. Maybe I should ask her, but that would prying him privacy. I should leave it at that.

"Then did you know about Riya too?"

"No..I couldn't get anything about sis."

I left them to their demise. Azrael will do something for sure, I need to keep an eye on him.

I left for my room, I needed to sleep.

Later on..

I woke up around 10 am, Mom had made some delicacy that Azrael enjoyed. Literally just Junk food, still that guy can't gain weight.

I did my daily routine, brushing my teeth, taking a bath and doing some exercises.

Azrael also joined me to exercise. It's always fun to have a training partner.

I don't really need to do such mundane stuff, especially bathing and brushing. It's just that they are habits that make me feel human….mortal to be precise.

"Brother, today is my first day at work. Can you please drop me at my workplace?"

He said that with twinkling eyes. Of course I just nodded, not humouring his antics.