Chapter Text
A broken puppet, a fragile star
The night was peaceful and quiet, everyone was asleep while the stars shimmered above a young sumeru Akademiya student known as layla who was slumped over her notes in the courtyard. Her eyelids would flutter from exhaustion, until she collapsed onto the bench drifting into a sleep but not before mumbling out a small word “i…just want..to make them proud” she mumbles before passing out for the night even if it rain.
From the shadows, stood wanderer watching arms crossed he was never meant to linger since he was on a midnight walk but seeing her on the bench in the rain and hearing what she said, made his gut twitch. He scoffs a bit, muttering as he walks towards her sleeping body. “Pathetic as always crushed beneath books and work she is even too weak to stay awake such a fool” he walks closer until he froze seeing next to her notes was a photo of her and nahida standing together with the words written make her proud. It hits wanderer hard, reminding him of what he was, he sighs before picking her up and her notes knowing how important those notes were for her.
He carries Layla to his house and dries her with a towel before laying her onto his bed under the cover.. He sat down next to her watching as his mind wandered thinking of his past and how he wanted to make his creator proud. Just when wanderer could get lost in his thoughts he felt a small hand grips his own making him snap out of his thoughts. Looking down he stiffens seeing her hand around his gripping it so tightly almost as if she was begging him to stay. He was about to take his hands back until she heard layla sleep talk he leaned closer to hear what she was saying “D..don’t leave me mother please..i-i’ll be better i promise don’t send me away” she mutters out tears dripping from her closed eyes.
Wanderer swore he wouldn't care about others feelings but hearing what she said and the tears reminded him so much about his past which made him shiver without a thought he reaches out and gently wipes her tears before laying next to her letting her cling to him. Wanderer sighs thinking his gone soft but seeing Layla and the photo it hit him hard maybe layla was just like him. Wanderer takes off his hat before turning off the lights and falls asleep holding Layla in his arms.