Miraculously, he had managed to postpone the specialized test until a further date. It had taken quite the pushing from both Virginia and him, but all things considered, the officials had folded pretty easy.
He was back in his apartment now, sifting through the things he needed and things he did not. He had told Silas to do the heavy lifting, take the heavier stuff like the tables, chairs, couches to the pickup that was waiting for them in the road.
Aris looked at his mountain of clothes, his brows furrowed slightly, a pang of guilt tugging at his heartstrings because he wouldn't be able to take all of them.
In the end, he had packed four bags full of clothes, one bag with his cosmetics, and another one for his miscellaneous items.
He zipped the last one and sat back, looking at the pile of items that he had decided to keep.
Then he looked at the larger one, the one he'd have to leave behind.
He let out a sigh.
The apartment was quiet as always when he stepped out.
Quieter, maybe.
The bareness of it a little strange now that all the furniture was gone, the walls too plain, the corners too clean. His gaze moved across the room, one last look at the place he had called home for the last year and half, whispering a quiet farewell under his breath before stepping out with the bags in his hand.
Things were already finished downstairs.
"Everything's done?" Silas was leaned against the large pickup, arms folded against each other, looking far too pleased with himself. There was an easygoing grin on his face, a little too bright for Aris at the moment.
A thought quietly surfaced on his mind.
The man looked like a puppy that had just been told it did a good job.
He was only missing the tail...
"Yeah," Aris cleared his throat. "We're just waiting for my manager now."
Silas didn't seem particularly concerned by the prospecting of more waiting.
"Manager huh?" He said lightly, "That was quite fast."
He shrugged.
"Circumstances called for it, I'm borrowing her."
"Ah," He nodded. "Temporary."
Aris nodded. "Yup."
He sounded surer than he felt.
Silas pushed himself off the truck, stretching his arms over his head with a quiet groan. "So what's she like?"
Aris paused.
"Competent enough." He said after a moment, explanations wasn't going to get him anywhere anyways.
Silas gave him a look that said he wasn't entirely convinced. But for once, he didn't push, deciding to stay silent as the time passed.
The quiet hum of an engine whirring reached his ears as a black sedan turned the corner into their street. The vehicle gracefully came to a stop right behind the pickup, and the driver side door opened.
Lyra stepped out like she had never left his life in the first place.
Same posture. Same composed expression. Not a strand of hair out of place, like the world had the decency to arrange itself before she stepped into it.
Her eyes found him immediately.
Something softened in those withered eyes of hers, a flash of an emotions alien to him passing through.
Then she was back to her usual, unreadable self. Like nothing had ever happened in the first place.
"Young master."
"Lyra."
No hesitation, just acknowledgment to the urgency of the situation. Whatever she wanted to say to him, it was going to have to wait.
Silas glanced between them, interest sharpening slightly. "You two already look like you've had a conversation."
"We have," Aris said.
"We haven't," Lyra corrected calmly, stepping closer. Her gaze flicked briefly to the bags, the truck, then back to him. "But I've been informed."
"The residence in the crown district have already been arranged" She said, then pointed to the pickup. "Will this all the belonging you'll bring over?"
Aris nodded.
"Great," She briefly glanced at the tablet in her hands. "I'll arrange for someone to bring it over, will your acquaintance be accompanying us, young master?"
Aris turned to Silas, letting the pupp- ...Man, make the decision himself.
He hummed in though for a moment, before coming to a decision.
"I'll pass," He said, throwing the key to the pickup to Lyra, who caught it in one precise swipe.
He turned to Aris, and to his surprise, pulled him into a tight hug.
It was... quite unexpected.
Aris stiffened for half a second, caught off guard.
Silas didn't seem to notice, well at least he didn't show any signs of noticing.
"I'll come visit sometime else." He said, letting him go just as quickly as he pulled him in.
Aris exhaled, something in his chest shifting to a side that he didn't want to investigate right now.
"Don't bother,"
"...yeah yeah," He waved, then turned and walked away.
The idiot didn't even look back.
"Shall we?" Lyra prompted.
Aris blinked, the moment slipping past him as he was pulled back from his thoughts.
He turned, giving her a nod.
The car left just as unceremoniously as it arrived, the street as quiet as ever as Aris left it behind, possibly forever.
He gazed at it as they turned around the corner, a small sigh escaping his lips as he left his quiet life behind.