Just look at me

Upon getting no reply, Aria sighed. She bended wind to draw away the curtains so that moonlight flooded in the room.

"Joseph. . . . Just come in already." Aria called out again. Again no response. She frowned. What was going on with this boy? Aria wondered as she tried one more time, "Don't make me come out there."

Upon hearing this, Aria smiled to herself as she felt Joseph climb down from the tree, but she wanted to punch him once he began to walk away from the recovery ward in the direction of the castle. "Damn it, Joseph!!" Aria muttered before she began preparing herself to go out the window herself. But she had only managed to open the window and lift herself a little when Joseph appeared on the windowsill. "Lay your ass back down!!" he snapped as he climbed in and closed the window with a loud thud.

"Keep it down. Miss Anhao will wake up otherwise." Aria said as an involuntary smile spread across her face and she lay herself down again, making sure not to hurt her wounds.

"That definitely won't be the worst." Joseph muttered as he loudly pulled out a chair and sat down with a thump. Aria winced upon hearing the noise. She waited for a few seconds to make sure Miss Anhao wasn't awake before turning her eyes to the very grumpy boy sitting beside her bed, arms crossed across his chest.

"Why do you look like someone broke your favorite toy?" Aria finally spoke, a chuckle leaving her lips.

Joseph looked at himself and realized he actually looked like a sulky child right now, with his pouty face and stubborn posture. He cleared his throat and fixed his expression before once again looking out the window.

Aria sighed. So he wasn't willing to start the conversation. Of course he wasn't, that boy was as stubborn as a bull. "Don't you have anything to ask me?" she tried.

Joseph remained still as a statue and Aria continued, "You do, don't you? I bet you're bursting with questions." Aria smiled as she saw Joseph's eyes move a bit. "But I'm not gonna answer anything, unless you ask it out loud." she continued.

Aria had thought that should have done it. Joseph wasn't one to not initiate a conversation, at least not when it came to her. But this time it was a little different, he didn't say anything, though it was clear he wanted to.

"Okay. Looks like you don't have anything to ask me." Aria said, her voice sounding weirdly sad. Even she herself hadn't come to realize it, but she had kind of gotten used to having Joseph around. He literally was there every time anything happened.

Aria wanted to continue her efforts, but she soon realized she was in no condition to, she was dead tired after a very long day, and her whole body ached with fatigue as well as the injuries. So she made one last attempt. "Joseph. Please. Just at least look at me." she said, her voice coming out all wrong.

Upon hearing Aria's voice all breathy and cracked, Joseph's neck instinctively started to turn towards her. But he checked it at the last minute and kept looking out the window.