After the recent encounters with Sebek and Lilia’s tsums, Silver suspected his own tsum must be out there somewhere, waiting for its turn to make an appearance. What he was not expecting, however, was to wake up one morning and find a whole trio of his doppelgangers sitting on his bed.
But they aren’t tsums. Sitting astride on the pillow next to him are three tiny, humanoid creatures with silver hair, white skin, and eyes a curious blend of blue and purple. One creature is dressed in the Diasomnia dorm uniform, another in the school’s PE uniform, and the third in the white lab coat and green goggles that students wear for alchemy class. Each one is no bigger than the palm of his hand.
He wonders if they’re stuffed animals, or perhaps some playthings his father had left on his bed as a prank, but quickly discovers that isn’t the case when the creatures stand up and scatter as he reaches out to touch them.
Still half-asleep, Silver hastily gathers the three little oddities in his arms and calls Lilia and Sebek to the dorm lounge. He stops by Malleus’s room on the way and goes to knock on the door, but can’t bring himself to lower his raised fist onto the wood. He continues to the lounge, not wanting to disturb their young prince.
Lilia leans over and picks up one of the creatures - the one dressed in a tiny Diasomnia uniform, hat and all - and it lets out a startled squeak as he raises it into the air.
Sebek twists his face into a grimace. “Blech! It squeaked! Not only do they physically resemble rodents, but they sound like them, too.”
“Did you just call me a ra-”
“Wait, is that a tag affixed to its back? Is there something written on it?” Sebek asks. He points to a white strip of paper peeking out from underneath the creature’s coat.
Lilia turns the creature over in his hands and brings the tag up to his face, reading aloud the miniscule text as he squints.
“It says… Nui..guru..mi? Nuigurumi? I’ve never heard of such a thing.”
Lilia looks up at Sebek and Silver, and both boys shake their heads in bewilderment.
“You guys haven’t either, huh. Hmm…” Lilia turns the creature in his hands this way and that, looking over every inch of it as though searching for some hidden clue that might unravel this mystery. “Well, for the time being, I say we just keep an eye on them. Just like we did when those tsums appeared.” Lilia sets the creature down on the floor and it toddles over to hide behind his legs, staring up at the three of them with unblinking eyes.
“I think that’s a good idea, father,” Silver says. Sebek crosses his arms and huffs, “Of course it’s a good idea, you twit! This is Sir Lilia we’re talking about! Legendary general of-“
“Anyways,” Lilia interrupts with a laugh, “We’ll need to figure out what to call these things. “Nuigurumi” is a bit of a mouthful, but I think “nui” would work just fine.”
Before Silver can open his mouth to voice his agreement, Sebek lets out a cry and starts clawing at his back.
“Augh!! Silver, unhand me at once!!!”
Sebek spins on him like a panther.
“I know that!” he spits. “Clearly I was referring to the miniature Silver that’s presently crawling around on my back!!”
Silver sighs and plucks the nui off the other boy, but it quickly wriggles free from his grip and jumps down to the floor. It races over to join the other two nuis clinging to Lilia’s legs.
“Hmph! Wretched little things…” Sebek mutters.
“How about this: Just so we know who’s talking about what, w’ell call this little one “Dorm Silver”, this one “PE Silver”, and this one “Lab Silver”? Does that sound alright?” Lilia offers.
Sebek and Silver both nod, frowning.
“Why must those creatures insist on accompanying Sir Lilia everywhere he goes? It’s vile. Do they not understand he requires his personal space?”
“Yeah, it’s a real shame.”
Lilia, with the nuis in tow, had announced he’d be eating lunch with a few of his classmates so they could work last-minute on some group assignment, and Silver and Sebek agreed to wait for Malleus at their usual table. Sebek rips a massive chunk out of his turkey sandwich and chews noisily as he glares at the nuis from across the cafeteria.
“And why are they so determined to do every little thing for him? Look, now the one in the gym uniform’s trying to pour Sir Lilia’s tomato juice for him! As though he were but an infant! Do they not realize he’s more than capable of tending to his own needs?!”
“Reminds me of a certain someone.”
“Whoever that may be, I should hope they’d learn to cease with such unsightly behavior!! It’s truly maddening!”
Sometimes, Silver just can’t tell if Sebek is joking or not, and he doesn’t have the energy that afternoon to try and find out. But Sebek is right, the nuis havebeen hovering around his father nonstop the past few days – taking turns riding on Lilia’s head and shoulders any chance they can get, and happily fetching black licorice and other snacks for him from the dorm kitchen while he games.
And they haven’t just been doting on Lilia. Silver didn’t need to chastise his father for picking up the tv remote with his feet again that morning, for Lab Silver knocked the device out from between Lilia’s toes with an angry squeak before Silver could even say anything.
Although Silver’s been enjoying the short reprieve from having to keep an eye on his father’s antics, he’s also been perplexed by the man’s behavior the past few days. There are moments when Lilia grows so quiet and so still that Silver wonders if he’s still even there, and he’ll look over and see his father cradling the nuis in his arms and rocking them with a gentle sway.
Something tugs at Silver’s heart when he sees his father smiling down at them like that - with all the warmth and reassurance of a childhood summer. But he doesn’t know what that “something” is, can’t find a name for it as he’s plunged once more into that same broad expanse of emotions his father has pulled him down into countless times before. He gropes blindly through the water, desperate to find his answer, but his pale hands are empty each time he surfaces.
Silver blinks away the heat threatening to build in his eyes and turns his head, scanning the cafeteria for that familiar shock of brightly dyed hair.
When Malleus comes over to their table a few minutes later with his lunch tray in hand, he notices Silver looking at something in the distance, his thin lips pulled into a frown. He asks if something is the matter, but the boy doesn’t turn around as he quietly replies that everything is fine.
Malleus follows the line of Silver’s gaze and smirks. “Heh. Are you jealous of all the attention those little creatures are getting, perhaps?”
Silver whips around and stammers, “I-It’s not that! It’s just… I’m not sure, really. I’m just not used to seeing father act so… mushy? I guess.”
Malleus’s smirk melts away into a soft smile. “That’s just how he is with infants. He was like that with you, too, you know. He still is, if you ask me.”
Silver feels his face grow hot. He ducks his head and pokes listlessly at his salad.
By the time Silver gets back to the dorm that evening, only the green glow of the candles lining the hallways lights his path. I bet everyone’s retired to their rooms already, he thinks to himself as he walks through the dimly lit corridors. He hadn’t meant to stay out so late - his study session at the library was going so well until that familiar pull of drowsiness began whispering its temptations into his ear. The sun had long set by the time he finally woke up.
Silver stops before his room and pushes the door open with his free arm, careful not to spill the books and papers he’s balancing in the other. He starts to reach out for the light switch, but stills his hand midway. There’s someone in here. Squinting, he tries to peer into the mass of shadows that stretch out before him, but he can’t discern one black shape from the other.
He unclips his magical pen from his belt and holds it up. Three sets of beady, auroral eyes reflect the light radiating from the pen’s gemstone.
“Ah, it’s just you guys. I apologize, I didn’t mean to startle you.”
Silver reseats his pen and flicks on the light switch. The three nuis stare back at him from where they sit on this bed.
Silver thinks back to the past few days. This must be the first time he’s seen them away from his father; they’ve been glued to his side ever since they appeared. Concerned, he sets down his school materials on his desk and pulls out his phone.
I found the nuis in my room. Is everything ok?
It doesn’t take long for Lilia to message him back.
Yes, pop music club meeting is running late. Can you look after them for me until I get back?
Silver responds that it won’t be a problem, and he can feel his lips tugging up into a smile after Lilia sends a slew of hearts and bat emojis in reply. A quiet squeak pulls his attention from his phone, and he looks down to see the three nuis gathered forlornly at his feet.
“What’s wrong… Ah, are you sad because father’s not here?”
“Don’t worry, he’ll come back eventually…” And then after a moment, he adds, “He always does.”
The nuis squeak happily, and Silver motions for them to follow as he heads to the door.
“Come, I’ll make us some coffee and we can wait for him together.”
