Night settled over the Fear Foundation in quiet layers of light and shadow. Neon veins traced the massive structures below, glowing softly against the surrounding forest, while distant training grounds pulsed with Tenebris-lit movement. From the hilltop overlooking it all, the world felt distant, like something Seijuro was observing rather than standing within.
He sat with his arms resting loosely over his knees, the cool grass pressing through the fabric of his clothes. Wind moved gently across the hill, carrying with it the low hum of generators and the faint, familiar scent of bread drifting up from the lower levels,
Tomorrow… the dreamcatcher exam, 6 months of training, am I actually moving forward, or just surviving…
He closed his eyes. Ren's voice surfaced uninvited. His mother's tired smile followed close behind,
I want you to see this… both of you…
The grass shifted nearby, "You're further out than usual."
Seijuro looked up. Ruma stood a short distance away, hands tucked into the pockets of her hoodie. The faint glow from the Foundation below caught along the edge of her hair, strands moving gently in the wind. She didn't wait for a response before sitting beside him, leaving a small but deliberate space between them. Close enough to feel her presence. Far enough that neither had to acknowledge it, "Couldn't sleep?" she asked,
"Didn't really try," Seijuro replied. His gaze stayed forward.
Ruma followed his line of sight, eyes resting on the lights below. "Is it because of tomorrow."
He nodded once. For a while, neither spoke. Ruma adjusted the sleeve of her hoodie, fingers brushing absently against the ring on her hand. Seijuro shifted slightly, knees pulling in closer without him noticing "I feel like if I mess it up," he said eventually, "it means I wasted everyone's time. Captain Frank's and Lisa's."
She turned her head toward him immediately, "You're not a burden, you know? There's other people that don't exactly progress. Even if you don't pass, there's retries."
The words landed firmly. No hesitation. No room for doubt. Seijuro glanced at her, then looked away again, jaw tightening,
"It's not about that, I'll have to wait even longer if I don't pass tonight!" He admitted.
Ruma exhaled softly through her nose. "Is revenge the only reason you're here?"
He frowned. "Yeah, it is. I want those bastards dead."
"Is it worth it," she said. "All of this?."
Seijuro bristles, his face contorted into a scowl, "Of course it fucking is!" Tears prick the corner of his eyes.
She paused, studying him, not intrusively, but with the calm focus she brought to everything,
"Your Tenebris is restless," she continued,
"It doesn't leak the way it used to, but it hasn't settled either. The cracks are still there."
Seijuro rubs his eyes against his forearm, his fingers curling into the grass, "It still hurts," he said quietly. "I thought by now it wouldn't."
Ruma nodded once, slow and measured, "Pain doesn't work on schedules."
She leaned back slightly, palms braced behind her. "You've been forcing yourself forward without stopping to breathe. That helps you survive. It doesn't always help you heal."
He swallowed, "I want them to see me tomorrow," he said. "My mom. Ren. I wanted them to know I made it this far."
Ruma didn't answer right away. When she did, her voice was steady, "They already do."
He turned toward her. She tapped two fingers lightly against his chest, brief, precise, as if she'd thought better of doing more, "Every step you take with them in mind matters," she said. "That doesn't disappear because you're scared shitless tonight."
Something in his expression shifted. He reached up quickly, brushing beneath his eye with the back of his hand. Ruma didn't comment. Instead, she reached into her pocket and handed him a neatly folded cloth,
"Thanks," he murmured.
She nodded, eyes returning to the horizon.
A gust of wind swept across the hill, tugging at her hoodie and sending Seijuro's hair loose around his face. He tucked it back without thinking. She noticed, then looked away a second later,
"Come on," Ruma said, standing. She dusted off her pants and held out her hand. "If you stay out here any longer, you'll be half-asleep during the exam."
He hesitated, then took it. As she pulled him up, she added casually, "And if you start crying harder, I'll have to report that you confessed all of that under the moonlight."
He nearly tripped, "W-what? I… I didn't…!"
She let out a short laugh, immediately clearing her throat afterward. "Relax. I'm joking."
"Your jokes are dangerous," he muttered,
"They're effective."
They started down the hill together.
After a few steps, she said, "You'll do fine tomorrow."
He glanced at her. "You sound sure."
She shrugged. "I wouldn't be here otherwise."
That earned a small smile from him, the kind that surprised even himself. As the lights of the Fear Foundation grew brighter below, the weight in his chest eased, not gone, but manageable. For tonight, that was enough. Tomorrow could wait.