Work Text:
Uapyota was doing her best not to lose her temper. The Shetona woman glanced across the table at Shunye, her younger brother halfheartedly scooping up spoonfuls of stew from his bowl only to take tiny sips and return the rest uneaten. Meals with him had become so damn quiet lately.
The light clatter of utensils set her teeth on edge and she tried to fill the uncomfortable silence with terse conversation. "How were things at the Apothecary today?" she asked. It was really the only thing she could ask since it was all her brother appeared to show any energy for.
The man's shoulders shrugged. "Much per usual, I suppose; made a few sales today."
A soft thumping filled the house as Uapyota's foot tapped against the floor in leporine irritation before culminating in her fist hitting the table with a loud BANG! Her brother's ears tilted back and he briefly flinched; but those red eyes, their father's eyes, stared distantly back at her.
"How long you do plan on keeping your sun hidden, brother!?" she snapped.
"W-what do you mean?" the other Shetona asked with a quizzical tilt of his head.
"I remember when you came to my doorstep 50 years ago covered in ash and clutching those blue shards in scraped and bruised fists. It took me days to coax out what had happened, that Oheesha and your child had perished. We mourned a full summer for them both, but we promised each other that you would find your way again." Uapyota felt a twinge of guilt seeing the pained expression overtake Shunye's face at the mention of his First Family…his only family in nearly 100 years. And yet her tongue could be kept still no longer.
"But you haven't kept your promise. You are a skilled healer and Tural would benefit immensely from your skills if you were to take the Shetona journey again. The Apothecary was the right place for a season, but now I fear that it only obscures your light. No, not just obscures it, smothers it!" her voice was sharp, desperately trying to cut through all the walls her sibling had put up to reach his heart, his kind, tender heart that had been so grievously wounded all those summers ago.
She was fully standing up from her chair, hands tightly gripping the table. She wished her brother would scream at her, cry, do anything but maintain that dulled spirit which had overtaken him. However, her passionate outburst was not returned as Shunye gazed down at the floor, a hand over his chest. "I'm sorry, dear sister. Until the mystery of the Azure Tears is solved, I fear I shall never be able to fill that emptiness Oheesha and Shehatya have left." He took a few more sips of the broth before getting up from the table.
"Thank you for the meal, Uapyota. I have some things I need to take care of at the Apothecary and will hope to see you there sometime…" he said quietly before leaving like a shadow chased away by sunlight.
The Shetona sunk back down into her chair with a frustrated sigh, too angry at the moment to try and make amends. Perhaps her words had been needlessly harsh, but they came from a desire to see her brother happy again. She could already see the signs that the business was going to suffer another blow soon, its current gatherer on in years and likely to retire. Despite all his talent, Shunye could never seem to find the right partner that could match his standards, a problem further exacerbated by a dearth in quality local supplies as of late. She would still provide her usual custom by purchasing supplies for her home, refusing to abandon her sibling, but she could only hope this finally changed something.
Otherwise, she feared, he was fated to a life half-lived for the rest of his days.