Relic of Death, Aftermath

The clicking of a lock being unlocked, followed by the creak of the apartment door opening fills the environment as both Leo and Arlo step into the place they've both been calling their home for a time now, the familiar ambience in front of them makes both feel safer and more relaxed as some dog barks can be heard from the balcony and the two canines come running towards their recently arrived owners. The bigger one jumps on Leo that was starting to carry the bags inside, making him stubble back for a moment, almost dropping everything he is carrying as he lets out a relieved giggle to see that everything is still in place which fills him with a sense of stability, well needed after such a long week with so much anxiety involved.

"I've missed you to Bigodes" - he responds, scratching the head and neck of the brown patched dog that is trying to reach to lick his face.

In contrast, a smaller black dog runs towards Arlo that crouches down as he sees it, picking it up as the puppy gets within reach, starting to caress it gently as he picks the black dog up, hugging it close while petting him with a smile.

After both dogs quiet down a bit Leo finally finishes carrying their bags inside, leaving them near his bedroom entrance.

"Arlo, you must be tired from the trip, go take a well-deserved shower and put something clean and comfortable on, while I prepare us something to eat, ok?" - Leo says, as he goes to open his closet and takes out some comfortable-looking clothes from it, gesturing to Arlo to take them as the pink-haired one starts approaching him. - "And don't worry you won't have to wear weird hospital dresses and have weird tasteless food from now on." - Leo lets out a slight gentle smile as he looks at Arlo that takes the clothes from him. - "I'll make sure of that, just go get comfortable and relax, you deserve it." - Leo declares as he watches Arlo nod softly in response and make his way to the bathroom, closing the door behind him.

Leo waits around for a few minutes, taking stuff out of the bags and organizing its contents back on the house, and as he hears the sound of water coming from the bathroom he starts making his way to the kitchen, opening his fridge to check its contents and upon a few moments wondering what to make he decides on a ramen bowl, starting to take out the needed ingredients for it and placing them on the kitchen table.

Upon realizing that his owner is in the kitchen, the bigger dog starts going around him in circles to call the blue-haired boy's attention

"Human! It is time! Get the premium food ready!" - the dog barks, Leo being able to clearly understand it due to him being half-dog in a sense himself.

Leo responds by letting out a slight giggle. - "Okay, okay I got it, I'm going Bigodes." - he answers, going over to a higher-up cabinet and taking out a sack of premium dog food, he then goes over to two dog bowls displayed on the opposite side of the kitchen, pouring in both of them a generous amount of food, which both dogs start devouring right after and he hears a muffled "Thank you" coming from the bigger one.

With that done Leo starts skillfully preparing the ingredients that slowly come together to make a delicious-looking ramen bowl with steaming hot broth, some greens, a steamed egg and some generous pieces of pork laying on top of the thick golden noodles as the smell of homemade food fills the hair. Right as he finishes putting everything on the table he hears the click of a door and looks over to see Arlo getting out of the bathroom, now with a more relaxed semblance, that makes so a smile traces Leo's face.

"The food is done, you can come to eat now, Arlo." - Leo announces, making Arlo that had just sniffed at the air as a light food smell reaches his nose, turn to Leo and start going over to the table and sit on a chair opposite from his friend.

Arlo's eyes shine as he stares into the delicious-looking ramen bowl in front of him, feeling his empty stomach rumbling as he picks up a set of chopsticks.

"Itadakimasu" - Leo thanks, joining his palms, which Arlo follows by doing the same before both start attacking the food in front of them.

As Arlo takes the first bite he pauses for a moment his eyes widening, feeling the familiar favours pleasantly fill his mouth, after what was for him a really, really long time.

"Is it good?" - Leo, that had been waiting to see his friend's reaction, asks while chewing his own food.

Arlo looks at him for a second, energetically nodding affirmingly at his question with a pleased expression, going to take another bite right after.

Arlo finishes his bowl first, the clinking of his chopstick hitting the table signalizing Leo of this, Arlo lays back on his chair now with a full belly as he feels the temperature of the broth warming him up from the inside.

"Do you want some dessert? I think we still have those Canadian waffles I bought." - Leo questions, and Arlo gestures affirmatively, starting to get up.

As Leo is still finishing his bowl, Arlo goes over to the cabinet where he takes out a bag of unopened waffle cookies with a maple syrup filling, and as he is about to reach to get some plates he turns to Leo, that has his back turned to him, still eating, and Arlo opens his mouth as if he is about to call out to his friend, but, no sound comes out. Arlo's expression drops as he reaches for his throat with his free hand, a feeling of distress starting to wash over him, which he does his best not to be consumed by, shaking his head as if to shake the bad thoughts off his mind.

As Leo finishes his food he feels Arlo poking his shoulder.

"Yeah?" - Leo question as he turns to see Arlo holding out a plate with the Canadian-style waffle and a side of vanilla ice cream. - "Oh, thank you." - Leo smiles softly at Arlo, taking the plate and spoon out of his hands as Arlo goes over to sit at his usual place.

Both quickly finish the dessert and Leo gets up starting to take their plates to the kitchen to be washed, Arlo responds by starting to do the same, when he is interrupted by Leo.

"I'll take care of it, don't worry. Go lay down and put some anime on, we have some episodes to catch up on." - Leo suggests, reassuringly in a gentle tone, Arlo nods in response, making his way to the bedroom as Leo finishes cleaning up.

After he does so Leo starts making his way to the bedroom where some familiar music could be heard, which he recognizes as the opening theme of one of the anime they had been watching together, but as Leo enters the room and gazes upon Arlo he notices something that he had definitely been made aware of before, but that he hadn't had time to process until now, due to his mind being so full of various things throughout all the time they had been away.

He notices that the t-shirt that he himself had bought Arlo a few months ago and that, before they left for their previous mission, used to fit perfectly on his friend now seemed a bit oversized, following how much weight Arlo had lost due to the circumstances that he went through, which makes Leo stop at his feet, the gentle smile he had on since they had gotten home slowly disappearing from his face, as his eyes go wide starting to water slightly.

As Arlo is about to look over the direction of quick steps coming towards him, he is met with the feeling of someone grabbing at his stomach, as a teary-eyed blue-haired boy leaps towards him. Arlo gets slightly startled by Leo's sudden action and a confused expression fills his face for a moment, right before turning to concern as he hears some muffled sobs coming from the person hugging him tight.

"I'm so sorry, you shouldn't have gone through this, you shouldn't have to have suffered like this, if I just had not fainted maybe things would be different, maybe we could have shared the burden maybe everything could have been better. I'm so sorry, I'm sorry Arlo, you don't deserve this, you have been through so much, I'm so sorry." - Leo starts mumbling non-stop between sobs as he tightens his grip at his friend's waist with every sob, the blue-haired's body starts shaking as crying and incomprehensible apologetic whimpering fills the room.

After passing through the initial shock Arlo looks down at his friend with worry as he once again tries to say something, to try to console him, but no sound comes out, which make makes a gloomy and troubled expression fill his face, making so he ends up by reaching out to Leo's head, petting it gently with one hand as the other lay on his shoulder, stroking it softly, making so Leo's sobs start becoming less erratic.

After a few moments, Leo raises his face, which is now red and wet, from his friend's stomach reaching for Arlo's hand that was laying on his shoulder and pulling it towards his face, which Arlo responds by caressing it, whipping off a tear that was wetting Leo's cheek while pushing his friend's face up gently, making so Leo faces him, consumed by sorrow, while Arlo tries his best to give him a reassuring smile.

Seeing that his friend trying to comfort him, Leo tries his best to keep his sobs, nudging his face into Arlo's hand and burrowing himself in it, holding his friend's hand close, as if he never wants to let go of him ever again, shutting his eyes and focusing on the warmth of Arlo's now even bonnier hand that is against his cheek as he tries to compose himself.

After a few moments, he lets go of Arlo's hand, looking slightly away from his friend clearly still bothered by what happened in the mission. Arlo responds by reaching out for Leo's shoulder once again, pulling him gently for an embrace, this time from both ends as Leo burrows his face into Arlo's chest hugging him back as Arlo tightens his grip around him.