The room fell utterly silent for a few seconds.
Perun inhaled deeply, slow and steady, before finally saying,
"We'll… talk about it later. Let's finish breakfast first."
They both focused on their plates again. The awkward silence pressed between them like an invisible wall. Forks scraped lightly, cups clinked, but neither spoke. Vaelor kept glancing at Perun, as if trying to understand the human in front of him, while Perun avoided meeting his gaze.
A few minutes later, they finished eating. Without discussion, they cleaned the plates and set them in the kitchen sink. The small apartment felt warmer now, but the heaviness between them wasn't gone.
They returned to the dining table and sat across from each other ,the same spot where they had eaten moments before. Perun rested his elbows on his knees, fingers laced together. He seemed to be searching for the right words.
Finally, in a slow, low voice, he began.
"My family…"
He swallowed hard. "No one is left."
Vaelor's eyes widened slightly, but he stayed quiet.
Perun continued.
"My father… he was addicted to alcohol." His voice tightened. "Always drunk. Always high. He didn't care about anyone never cared about how his actions hurt us."
He looked down, staring at a spot on the floor.
"That's why I don't… like him. But—" Perun hesitated, a bitter half-smile appearing for a second. "He still cared about me. In his own messed-up way. So I can't hate him completely, no matter how much I want to."
He rubbed his thumb slowly against his palm, grounding himself.
"My mother was the opposite. A strong believer in God. She wanted me to be like her faithful, disciplined. Always reminding me of everything: homework, festivals, medicine, even stupid little things I used to forget."
A faint warmth entered his tone.
"She was loving. Caring. The kind of person you don't appreciate until… until they're gone."
"And I had a dog. A stray. He used to follow me everywhere. Sometimes even to school. Teachers got annoyed but I didn't care."
A small, pained laugh escaped him.
"He was the first one I'd see in the morning. The last one at night."
Perun's voice lowered to almost a whisper.
"Now… there is no one left."
The words lingered in the air, heavy and fragile.
Understanding the weight of Perun's words and wanting to gently pull him out of the heavy atmosphere Vaelor leaned forward with a slightly clumsy, hopeful smile.
"Well… would you give me a tour of your city?" he asked, tilting his head just a bit.
Perun blinked, caught off guard. His expression twisted somewhere between weirded out, confused, and amused, as if he couldn't decide whether Vaelor was joking or genuinely interested.
"You… want to see Norus City?" he asked.
Vaelor's smile widened, almost childlike. "Yes. If that's okay."
A second of silence. Then Perun exhaled softly — part surprise, part acceptance — and nodded.
"…Fine. Let's go."
But as soon as Vaelor stood up, Perun noticed his clothes again: a long greyish coat with blue and yellow embroidery and tight black pants. It looked like something pulled straight from an ancient warrior court or some distant kingdom. If Vaelor walked through the streets like that, people would either think a movie was being shot… or that some new festival had suddenly started.
"Wait, wait—no way you're going out dressed like that," Perun said, walking to his cupboard.
He rummaged around and pulled out a white shirt with red stars drawn messily across the front.
"Here. Wear this. At least you'll look… somewhat normal."
Vaelor took the shirt, holding it delicately like a sacred offering. "The markings… are these the symbols of your clan?" he asked with full seriousness.
Perun snorted. "Dude, that's fabric paint. I drew those when I was feeling overjoyed."
"Oh." Vaelor nodded as if receiving deep wisdom. "A relic of your youth. I will wear it with honor."
Perun facepalmed. "Just put it on."
After a few minutes and after Vaelor spent an unnecessarily long time adjusting the collar as if preparing for a royal ceremony they stepped outside.
The warm morning air greeted them. The occasional bark of a stray dog.
Perun walked to the back of his house and pulled out his old bicycle. The paint was chipped, the bell slightly crooked, but it still worked. He swung his leg over the seat and looked at Vaelor.
"Hop on," Perun said, giving him a small nod a wordless sign.
Vaelor stared at the bicycle like it was a mythical creature from another realm. Carefully, he placed one foot on the rear stand, then the other, steadying himself with both hands on Perun's shoulders.
"Is this… safe?" he asked.
"No," Perun replied dryly. "But it's faster than walking."
With a push of his foot, Perun started pedaling. The bicycle wobbled at first under the unexpected weight, and Vaelor let out a very undignified, startled sound
something between a gasp and a tiny yelp before regaining composure.
They began their ride toward Norus, the road unfolding ahead of them, the wind brushing past, and something light almost hopeful settling between them.