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waywardstation · 2 years

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Heart Full, Bowl Empty

Chapter 2 - Dinner

Winter is approaching Hisui, and everyone is prepared for the upcoming harsh months. That is, Akari thought so, until she attended one of the Pearl Clan’s communal dinners with Ingo.

It becomes increasingly clear to Akari that the clan is struggling to keep food on the table, and she might be part of the reason why.

Ingo makes sure Akari is able to have dinner, and has a place to sleep for the night.

Or, read it here on AO3!

Enjoy!

Chapter 1 is here

————

While Ingo was already running strings of words through his head, trying to figure out what he would possibly say to Irida, Akari glanced around at the tables, connecting her eyes with a few curious gazes that rested on her.

“Now, seats often vary, but we usually designate ourselves to the same tables,” Ingo briefly removed his hat to brush snow off of its brim. “Usually, I seat myself somewhere over here…”

Before Ingo could properly lead Akari through the rows of tables, however, a voice the warden had been dreading, but expecting, spoke up.

“Ingo!” Irida called out as she approached them.

She had pounced on them faster than he had anticipated.

“Ah, Lady Irida!” Ingo began as he turned to her, mentally running through the jumbled script of explanations he had haphazardly put together in his head. “I hope it is alright that Miss Akari… joins us for dinner?”

Irida’s expression did not betray any traces of irritation at the proposal, but Akari could not find any hint of warm reception to it either. Ingo saw confusion beneath it.

That sting of guilt from outside scratched up Akari’s spine again, gently, but irritatingly.

“Well, I thought Lady Sneasler was waiting outside to take her home?” Irida cocked her head slightly.

“She, ahem…departed,” Ingo cleared his throat. A few heads were starting to turn in their direction, curious as to why the clan leader was speaking with a warden who had a non-clan member at his side, and why all of them looked stiff.

“It wasn’t her fault though, the storm got really bad!” Akari tried to help explain. “She had to go back to her kits!”

A moment of hesitance.

“…and I took too long to get back to her.” Akari added as she tried to fill the uncomfortable silence, sounding incredibly remorseful as she folded her arms behind her back. “I’m sorry.”

Irida glanced at the entrance of the hall, hearing the wind and snow whistle through the crack of the doors. She understood the importance of a noble’s choices; it was their duty to serve them by appointing wardens, after all. And she knew how important this litter was for Lady Sneasler, with Ingo having reported months of repeatedly trying and failing to have kits. And with the low sneasel population already…

What this situation was telling her, was that Akari would now have to stay for dinner regardless.

“Alright,” Irida reluctantly responded as she mulled the circumstances over, momentarily glancing over her shoulder at the tables as she broke her eye contact for the first time in that conversation. “Well then, um, excuse me…I’m going to have to discuss some things with meal prep in the back.”

Two of the three people in the conversation truly understood just how hard that discussion would be, but all three of them felt guilt in some way or another.

And while they were a distance away where people probably couldn’t hear unless they were straining to eavesdrop (which Ingo assumed some where), the whole conversation was happening a bit closer to the tables than Ingo would have liked.

“-It is alright, Lady Irida,” Ingo interrupted as he put his hands on Akari’s shoulders as a silent indicator, letting her know that he could take over from here. “She arrived with me, and I failed to ensure her timely departure. I will take care of it. Miss Akari, I often station myself over there. You may take a seat, and I will join you shortly.”

The girl's eyes followed Ingo’s finger, now pointing at one of the tables in the back end of the mess hall. It was easy to pick out, being one of the only vacant spots left.

Akari didn’t want to be sent out of a discussion she felt she was so involved in; it was about her, after all! But she didn’t want to cause any more issues than she already had, so she followed Ingo’s orders, and went to sit at the table, moving through the rows.

The few clan members who were situated at the table greeted Akari, brief but genuine, before returning to their conversation. The two members at the end must have been parents, as there was a child sitting next to them. Multiple years younger than Akari and in a pearl clan hoodie a little too big (much too big) for him, the kid seemed to be a toddler. He stared at Akari and grinned, and she returned a more awkward smile of her own so as not to ignore him, before turning her attention to Ingo and Irida.

With how loud the room was, multiple conversations going on at once, it was entirely too noisy for Akari to overhear anything Ingo was saying to Irida on the other side of the room. But she could see it was a civil argument of sorts.

Irida spoke with a firm but worried expression on her face, undoing her previously-crossed arms to put a hand on her hips as she gestured to the tables. Ingo rubbed the back of his neck as he looked down, as if attempting to explain something.

Irida’s expression softened as she listened to him speak, before appearing to express concern. Ingo paused for a moment, before he seemed to suggest something. He slightly grimaced, as if he knew Irida wouldn’t like it.

And it seemed she didn’t, as the worried expression immediately returned. She gestured at him with protest, but Ingo raised his hands up to stop her and keep talking. She saw him readjust his cap as he talked, which he did often enough, but Akari had also come to recognize it as a telling sign of nervousness. He must have been explaining his point though, as Irida once again softened, but this time with a look of defeat. She shook her head at him, and Akari saw her mouth “ok” in a small string of words, the only word she was able to decipher in their conversation, before she turned to retreat into the mess hall’s food preparation area.

All of this over one more plate? Akari knew they had come very late, but was it that hard to prepare one more?

With Irida handled, Ingo turned his attention back to the table, to see Akari had been watching the whole time. She didn’t attempt to hide it or quickly turn away like most would, instead doubling down by shooting him a suspicious look. Ingo visibly sighed, and made his way through the rows of lively tables, over to Akari.

“What was that about?” Akari asked Ingo before he had even fully sat down next to her.

“No need to worry about that,” he answered her without a second of hesitation, adjusting himself on the bench next to her, and intertwining his fingers together on the table. “Just know they have arranged a plate for you for dinner.”

Akari glanced back at the kitchen entrance Irida had disappeared into, then back at Ingo, trying to figure it out for herself.

“Everything’s all good in the kitchen?” Akari offhandedly wondered.

“Yes.” Ingo assured her, a one word answer.

That seemed like much more trouble than it should have been.

What had gone on in that conversation?

“Now,” Ingo was quick to change subjects, jumping to another train of thought. “The storm outside, I expect it will be running on its tracks all night. I would not be surprised if it picks up even more speed by the time we finish dinner.”

How could the storm get even worse?

“A passenger’s safety is important, and takes priority!” Ingo continued. “ You are more than welcome to take a detour, and rest at my station until morning, Miss Akari.”

Once again, he was offering hospitality without skipping a beat.

Akari’s eyes brightened some. She’d get to stay with Ingo?

She only ever got to lodge at Ingo’s place in the settlement when things seemed to go very wrong though, like when he got seriously sick, and she stayed with him to help him get better.

Thankfully though, while this situation wasn’t exactly cheery, it was much less severe than that. And really, she hadn’t thought that far ahead on what she’d do, or where she’d go, once dinner was over.

But…

Something about the offer bothered her.

“You don’t mind?” Akari asked, as if she possibly had any other options to turn to. “I mean, I’m sorry. I’m intruding on dinner, and now I’d be taking up space in your own home too-“

Akari was beginning to feel like a pest, the more she thought about it.

“Of course not. It would be reckless to have you depart for your station in weather such as this.” Ingo reassured her. He could see countless safety violations in the simple act of going outside the settlement’s grounds alone. “And, your company is always welcome. You are never intruding.”

The last sentence is what comforted Akari somewhat. While she still felt like she was indeed intruding, she was reassured that ultimately, Ingo genuinely wanted her to come with him.

Always the one to look out for others, he had always been kind to her like that.

“Thank you, Ingo.” Akari smiled as she looked down at the table. She was incredibly grateful, but her guilty conscience found it a bit easier to accept the offer without looking him in the eyes.

————

It had been almost half an hour since Akari and Ingo had arrived with supplies, having come around the time dinner was supposed to be served.

Needless to say, people were becoming a bit restless.

Listening to the clan members grumbling to themselves about the wait, guilt seemed to collect in Akari’s stomach like a rock.

Dinner was only late because of their late delivery, after all!

“You think they blame us?” Akari whispered to Ingo, growing a little restless herself as she readjusted her spot on the bench.”For dinner being late?”

Ingo had been listening to conversations on and off for the past hour, as he was sure Akari had been too.

They certainly did.

“Not all of them,” Ingo tried to give her the reassurance he was sure she was looking for, without lying. If she had been reassured at all, her face didn’t show it.

Thankfully, the two were spared from any further judgment. The buzzing conversations in the room died down quickly as Irida entered the mess hall once again, uttering the few words everyone had been waiting for.

“We are so sorry for the wait, but dinner is ready! A lot of hard work was put into it; we hope you enjoy it!”

Clan members who had been back in the preparation area started entering the mess hall, setting down various dishes, plates, and bowls on a table near the front. The sounds of chatter around the room started up again with vigor, now excited to start eating.

Akari noticed all the children, as well as any considerably older members, got up from their tables and headed towards the front of the room. The younger kids ran while the teens hurried with a bit more composure. The elders were the only ones to casually walk as they continued their conversations with each other, perfectly fine with being at the end of the line.

The child who was at their own table jumped up with a squeal as one of his parents nudged him, and he scurried over to join the others, and get in line with his friends.

“Youngest and oldest eat first,” Ingo explained, pointing to the table with all of the food laid out, plates and bowls ready to be taken. “You can head up with them. They’ll hand you your meal up there.”

A brief, weak wave of indignation washed over Akari for a moment. Was she being grouped with the kids? Those children over there who were running around each other and squealing in line?

“Well,” Akari stood up, straightening out her uniform as she stepped over the table’s bench into the aisle. “The really super old people are going up too! So you gotta get in line with me!”

Ingo let out a quiet, but amused laugh as he shook his head, a thin smile on his face.

“Very funny,” he playfully pushed her shoulder with a firm hand, nudging her towards the growing line. Akari laughed at her own joke as she finally complied, moving through the rows to join the back.

Truthfully, Akari still felt a little indignant as she took a place behind those already waiting, too focused on comparing herself to the children playing around in line further ahead of her. That was, until she noticed Lian and Calaba take up the end of the line, waiting a few people behind her. The two were loosely locked in a conversation; without Calaba’s basket of big plants to make for a more imposing silhouette, she was around the same height as Lian.

Ingo hadn’t gone up with her, and she didn’t see Gaeric in line (or Palina anywhere). Perhaps being younger, or an elder preceded being a warden in this instance.

Akari gave a wave to them both and a smile to get their attention. Lian returned a friendly greeting, but Calaba’s acknowledging head nod was a bit delayed.

“Hey Akari!” The boy gave her a grin as he peeked out of the side of the line to see her better. “It’s surprising to see you here!”

“So you are joining us for dinner,” the older warden mused, instead watching from where she stood as she folded her arms. She didn’t put in nearly as much effort to act as warm as Lian did, but it did not come across as unfriendly. It was more like she was confirming suspicions than anything. “We watched you go through the doors quite a few times before dinner.”

“Yeah! Staying was sort of a last minute thing, though…” Akari rubbed the back of her neck as she explained to them, in an effort to dispel any incorrect assumptions. “I was helping Ingo gather for tonight, and got, well…stranded here while bringing it back with him.”

“Well, an extra helper means bigger stock for the next day, and I’m on gathering duty tomorrow with Lord Kleavor, so you made my job a bit easier!” Lian replied with a gracious smile as he tipped his hat back out of his eyes. “Perhaps you could help me tomorrow if you’re looking for something to do!”

“Now Lian, I’m sure she has her own plans for tomorrow!” Calaba nudged him in the arm, making the younger warden laugh as his hat slipped back over his eyes from the movement.

“Kidding, kidding!” Lian adjusted his hat once again, but the playful tone didn’t leave his voice. “I’m kidding! But the offer’s still there..!”

“I’ll think about it,” Akari smiled, throwing Lian her best nicety for ‘absolutely not’. “So…you all take turns gathering?”

“Well, each warden has a day of the week set aside for them to go gathering,” Lian explained flatly. If Akari didn’t know any better, she would say that line sounded rather practiced.

How come she hadn’t ever seen any of them gathering before though? Did she simply always just happen to miss them?

Akari didn’t have time to dwell on it though.

“Enough of that talk,” Calaba brushed the subject away with a wave of her hand. “We’re here to enjoy the result of gathering, not talk about it! And it seems you’re next in line to appreciate your labor, young lady!”

“Next!”

Turning her head to see there was now a gap of space between her and the serving table, Akari realized she was next and was holding up the line, having got caught up in the conversation.

“Oh! Sorry!” She blurted as she took hasty steps forward to the table, breaking away from the conversation. “It was nice talking to you both!”

“Likewise,” Calaba smiled as she moved with the rest of the line, Lian beside her.

In front of her was a number of plates, all prepared the exact same way, and with more being brought out of the kitchen to replace taken meals. They each contained a bowl full of what she assumed was soup, with a variety of additives on the side, some she recognized from the kitchen earlier.

Akari didn’t want to hold up the line more than she already had though by inspecting the food (and chance looking rude or picky), so she grabbed a plate and mug of water closest to her, thanked the clan member overseeing the table, and smiled again at Calaba and Lian as she passed them to head back to her seat.

Akari quickly made it back, setting her food on the table as she sat back down next to Ingo.

The other members at Ingo’s table had struck up a quiet conversation amongst each other, Ingo included, but it was sustained enough between the others that the warden was able to break off, turning his attention back to Akari as she sat down.

“Ah! Apricorn soup tonight,” Ingo commented, looking over his shoulder at her plate.

Her plate consisted of…well, she didn’t know what. But she could identify a lot of the ingredients that made up the various foods.

A roll of bread accompanied a small amount of jam preserves - Akari recognized these as the bread and jelly from earlier in the kitchen. Various roasted berries sat off to the side; they were prepared plain, simple, and quick, having been from the stock Ingo and Akari brought in late. The once-empty, hand-carved wooden bowl now contained hot soup, still steaming. It was more viscous broth than anything else, but stirring it around, Akari could see scraps of meat mixed in with slices of boiled sand radishes, as well as chunks of medicinal leeks and plump beans…probably prepared quickly and plainly as well, for the same reason as the berries. No doubt some crunchy salt had been added to help with the flavor.

“Is that what this is?” Akari questioned as she picked up her wooden spoon, and held up a spoonful to further inspect the muted orange broth. “Apricorns?”

“Indeed!” Ingo confirmed as he glanced at the roll off to the side of her plate. “The bread consists of apricorns as well.”

“Really? I didn’t know you could even make bread out of those things,” Akari picked up the gritty roll to briefly examine it as she waited for her soup to cool a bit. She took in the fact that most of the meal consisted of the hard-shelled fruit. “Pearl Clan must really like apricorns.”

“The fruit is common, and a variety of recipes can be made with them.” Ingo replied, half-dodging Akari’s comment as she took another spoonful, still steaming - this time blowing on it, before cautiously sipping on it.

Hot!

But also good!

The broth was creamy with enough salt to keep it from tasting too sweet, and clashing with the boiled meat and vegetables. The broth’s flavor was somewhat plain, but very earthy, despite being made from a fruit. Akari had never eaten an apricorn before, always opting to instead carve pokeballs from the shells and toss the fruit to her Pokémon, but it truthfully tasted very close to what she would have expected.

Akari scooped another spoonful from the bowl, taking less cautious sips. She would have much preferred to slurp from the bowl, but she was a little more self-conscious of her manners here in the Pearl clan hall, and opted to use the utensils they gave her.

It was a comfort to finally get something warm in her stomach; traversing through the Icelands with Ingo had left her feeling the beginnings of numbness from the cold, but the soup was working to warm up her core, thawing the chill that had settled in.

Several spoonfuls in, Akari thought it was good, but the taste was simple enough that she felt like she’d get tired of it rather quickly. It didn’t seem like Pearl clan felt the same way though, what with all of the different apricorn recipes-

“Is it alright?” Ingo questioned Akari, noticing the mixed emotions on her face as she continued to sip on the soup. “Do you not like it?”

“No, I like it!” Akari refuted, as she stirred the bowl around, looking for more chunks of radish and meat - it seemed she was fishing out all of the contents from the broth rather quickly. She tried to think of how she would describe the taste of this new dish. “It’s very, uh,…apricorn-y.”

“That’s a good way to put it,” Ingo agreed with her as she picked up a few roasted berries and bit into them, in an attempt to cleanse her palate. The flame-roasted texture of fruit flesh, mixed with the juice a bite produced, certainly refreshed her.

As the last of the older and younger clan members took their plates and returned to their tables, the remainder of the Pearl Clan rose from their seats, heading to take their places in line, and lengthen it once again.

Akari initially didn’t notice, too invested in her food, until the few clan members at their table rose to go join the line, taking the table’s sounds of their conversation with them.

Akari paused for a moment, chewing on a gritty chunk of sand radish as she hovered over her soup bowl, watching them leave.

Ingo didn’t get up, however, and still sat comfortably next to her, resting crossed arms on the table as he leaned forward. With his chatting group all standing in line, he sat quiet, gazing at a particular empty spot on the table.

“When do you get to go up and get your plate?” Akari turned to Ingo with a mouthful of boiled radish and beans, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. “Do wardens go last or something?”

“Well-“ Ingo cleared his throat as he tapped his fingers against his still-crossed arms.

The answer to Akari’s question stuck in Ingo’s throat as she took another glance at the line, to see Gaeric take up the back with Irida. She waited to see if more people would head up, but no!

They were the last in line!

Looking around the room, it was confirmed that everyone else was either sitting down and eating with a plate in front of them, or standing in line about to get their food.

Even some of the clan members who had been helping out with preparing and handing out meals were starting to leave the handouts table, and move to sit down and eat their own portions.

Was Ingo just trying to be polite, and make sure everyone else had gone before him? He tended to fall into such habits. But he wouldn’t get anything if he didn’t move!

“Hey!” Akari pointed at the line of patiently-standing people. “Everyone else has already gone! You should go before they close the line!”

“Miss Akari,” Ingo fumbled beside her, acting like he had words stuck in his throat that didn’t want to come out. He dipped his head slightly forward, as if gravity would help pull them out.

He knew she would put up a fight about this, no matter which way he framed it. He was mostly stalling to make sure she got as much food into her stomach as possible, before they got to a certain point in this conversation. She needed it.

“I…hmm-“ he momentarily stopped in his tracks. “…My schedule does not indicate a refuel for tonight.”

Akari, who had picked up her soup bowl to begin slurping the last of the broth, sputtered on the contents.

“What?” She asked him, putting her practically-empty bowl down as she put her full attention on him. “What do you mean?”

Ingo uncrossed his arms, opting to interlace his fingers instead while sitting up in a more alert posture.

“…Ah, not enough was prepared ahead of time,” He said simply. He omitted the last part that would have completed the sentence…with a guest in mind.

Ingo had finally met Akari’s gaze while he answered. While it seemed like he had a hard time maintaining it, it was a good sign that Ingo was telling the truth.

The other clan members at their table finally returned and sat down with their plates, still having a hearty conversation and laughing. The discussion cut off Ingo and Akari’s own, with one of them directly addressing Ingo and asking about his opinion on letting swinub and piloswine into the hot spring after winter, when their second coats begin to shed heavily.

“How about it? Rema and Hectar said only if we designate someone to clean it up!”

“And we both said it should be you!” Another clan member, presumably Rema, intervened in between bites of apricorn bread. “You’re the one who started asking in the first place!”

A burst of playful jabbing and arguing broke out, before the questioner spoke up.

“Well hang on! Let’s see what Ingo says first!” They tried, making Ingo huff with amusement.

And so, with that, Ingo was pulled away from Akari to join in on their conversation, leaving her with more questions than answers as she stared at her empty soup bowl.

Not enough? What did he mean not enough?

Couldn’t they have just made one more plate? Was it really that much work? Akari remembered seeing the plates in the kitchen, already half-prepared by the time they came.

…surely, Ingo and herself didn’t arrive that late, did they? Was it that hard to account for one extra person?

But she was the extra person, and she was eating! If they didn’t have enough for one more person, why was she-?

Akari side-eyed Ingo, still without a plate, and a gaze that avoided falling onto the meals of those he was speaking with.

She swallowed thickly, realizing what he had been talking to Irida about now. Why didn’t she see it sooner? She was so hungry, she supposed she didn’t think about it.

The room was filled with a lighthearted atmosphere, people talking and laughing, enjoying each others’ company as they ate.

Except for Ingo.

Akari quickly enough joined him on this, now looking down at what was left of her plate-no, this was Ingo’s plate. It always had been.

She glanced back at the warden, head turned away from her as he still talked with the group of clan members.

She could see the expression on his face was one of amusement and interest as he continued to converse with the others, but under the table, hidden from the others, she could see his hands tapping together, as if he had nothing to look forward to, and was waiting for dinner to end.

He should be eating.

Akari made a face at him, knowing he couldn’t see it - why did he always have to be so well-mannered, and put everyone else first?

He wouldn’t have to do this if she wasn’t here!

She could certainly eat more, but the soup had been more than enough to sate her hunger for the night, she decided. It was now sitting like a brick in her stomach with the rest of her guilt, anyways.

Ingo was half-paying attention to the repetitive conversation, still on the topic of who should take care of heavy-shedding Pokémon in the hot spring, when he felt a hand tug on his sleeve.

The warden completely disconnected from the already-unengaging conversation, briefly gazing over the side of the tattered collar of his coat and down at his arm, before meeting Akari’s gaze.

“Is everything alright?” He asked, immediately concerned something was wrong. He hoped she wasn’t going to ask for seconds, possibly finishing the meal already. He knew it already wasn’t much, but they couldn’t just-

“Well,” Akari started, moving to grasp the edge of her plate. “The soup was good, but now I’m full.”

She pushed the plate over, nudging it in front of Ingo.

“And, I was wondering if maybe you wanted the rest?”

Ingo observed the plate she pushed over; the bowl was empty, and some of the roasted fruit had been eaten, but she had left the apricorn bread roll and preserves untouched.

The aching cavity under his ribs jumped at the idea, saying yes, take the food. But his manners told it to be quiet - of course she wasn’t full - and let him pass it back. Even though Ingo appreciated the thoughtfulness of the gesture, he knew a simple bowl of soup was not enough for a growing teenager who needed nutrients, and she was just trying to find an excuse to share with him.

And he was responsible for her.

“I…appreciate the offer. Thank you,” Ingo told her, before moving the plate back towards Akari. “But I assure you, my cab is alright. You can go ahead and finish it.”

Akari frowned as she stared at the untouched bread and berries, jostled with the movement of the plate as it was pushed back in front of her.

Of course Ingo would resist! He never did give in to compromises like this easily.

No matter, she would keep trying.

“Your ‘cab’ should really consider letting some passengers board,” Akari tried some of his own strange train lingo in a lighthearted mocking tone, in an effort to humor him.

She picked up the bread roll and gestured with it like it was an action figure.

“Like Mr. Bread! He’s uh…late for work! Let him board so he can get to his super boring meetings on time!”

Akari held the bread out to Ingo, who looked at it, then her, with an unconvinced expression. Her efforts to use train terms were commendable, at least; coming from a time where they were familiar, she was the only one who seemed to use the terms correctly.

“My cab is not taking passengers at this time,” Ingo maintained with a strained tone, gently pushing the roll away from himself, back to her. “I insist, Miss Akari, I do not need a refuel at this time. It is alright.”

Akari placed the roll back on the plate, her antics snuffed. This would be a little harder than she thought. But she would not give up; he needed to eat!

So fine! If joking around didn’t work, she could be petty.

“Well, if you don’t have the rest,” Akari started as she leaned against his arm, a non-serious tone in her voice that both masked her concern for Ingo, and gave away that she was about to get impish with him. “And if I don’t have the rest, then I guess it’s all just going to go to w-“

In a move that surprised Akari, Ingo made a quiet, odd noise through his teeth that cut her off. Akari could see him subtly but quickly scan the others as leaned closer to her, attempting to box the conversation in.

Thankfully, the adults were still deep in their conversations, and the child beside them was too busy smearing preserves from his plate on his face as he ate it with his hands.

“Miss Akari, even in jest, I advise against entertaining that idea. The Pearl Clan is vehemently against…wasting.” The words hurried from his mouth, just barely quiet enough for Akari to hear amongst the chatter in the room, with the last word being almost inaudible. It was almost like the word itself was accursed.

This struck Akari; usually when she pulled acts like this, Ingo would simply sigh and put his hands on his hips, or huff a laugh as he shook his head, before he did his best to play along, or relented to her antics.

This was different. It was not what she was expecting at all, and frankly, the different reaction perturbed her a little bit - she sensed she touched on something a bit sensitive.

Ingo seemed to pick up on this after reading her expression, as his shoulders slumped.

“Please do make an effort to eat the rest,” Ingo’s tone shifted some, still a bit quieter than usual as he took up a more relaxed position, and smoothed out his coat. “It’s your dinner.”

“But, it’s not my dinner,” Akari risked pushing the conversation further, having dropped the playful act in exchange for a more genuine approach. She did not move to take the plate back, leaving it between them. “This was yours. I ate most of it already, isn’t that good enough? I’d feel better if it was shared, and you had the rest.”

Ingo said nothing, his features tight. She had eaten most of the meal already, which he was glad for, but he wanted her to have all of it; she had worked hard with him today for hours, and she needed to earn back what energy she had spent.

“And if it really is so important that nothing gets left…” Akari decided to be risky and prodded the embers of the subject again, lowering her volume considerably so others couldn’t hear. “…someone has to eat the rest of it, and it won’t be me.”

Resilient at the best of times, stubborn at the worst of times.

“-Alright.” Ingo finally caved with a rushed hush, seeing that she was playing dirty. He couldn’t get around this, he decided.

To Akari’s relief, he hesitantly reached over and pulled the plate back in front of him. “…Thank you, Miss Akari.”

Despite it originally being his plate, Ingo was acting as if he was taking a portion of her fair share.

Akari simply leaned back against his arm, happy that he had relented and taken the food.

Even if he had put up a fight about it, it was clear he wanted to eat, and despite his best efforts, it was even clearer Akari would not have any more.

Best not to waste it.

Akari watched as he picked up the bread roll and turned it over in his hands, hesitating a moment.

“Mr. Bread is now boarding,” Akari resumed her joking from earlier, trying to get that lighthearted atmosphere back. “But he’s missed about seven of his super important meetings already.”

This time, Ingo fell into the more usual reaction of shaking his head, wheezing a quiet laugh. It relieved Akari to see the strain of the situation had loosened.

“Sounds like Mr. Bread is going to lose his job,” Ingo finally played along as he pulled the crumbly roll apart, using one of the bread chunks to scoop up the fruit preserves on the plate.

Akari relaxed further against Ingo’s side as he finally took a bite and chewed. His joking with her put her at ease, as did the fact that he was now eating something. She reserved potential conversation for now, to let him eat. And with how tired she was from helping Ingo gather for half of the day, she relented to the tiredness. Letting herself rest against the larger warden, the soft layers of his coat and tunic cushioned her.

Closing her eyes, she did not catch Ingo eating the tough, tasteless cores of the roasted berries, along with the rest of the fruit.

She had also failed to look at anyone else’s plates besides the child sitting across from her, to notice that not everyone’s portions were as well rounded as theirs. Nor did she ever realize cores were absent from their plates as well.

Dinner went on as usual, Akari resting against Ingo as the loud ambience of the room droned on, various conversations mixing together cheerfully, until designated clan members started coming around to collect the empty plates.

There was practically nothing left to clean off of them.

————

It had been about an hour since dinner was served, everyone deciding it was finally over after much conversing, and enjoying the evening together.

Pearl clan dinners were always like that, utilized as a time of day to catch up with friends and share stories, and just enjoy company. It would have gone on even longer if dinner hadn’t been served so late.

“Miss Akari,” Ingo gently nudged the girl with his shoulder as she still rested against him; she was not entirely asleep, but it was clear she had let herself drift. “Dinner has ended, it’s about time we leave.”

Akari sat up straight as she blinked her eyes, looking around. Several groups still sat at tables, but some were gone already, with lingering clusters of people hung around near the door. The tables were free of plates, bowls, and cups now, and a few clan members were going around snuffing out the hall’s many candles and lanterns.

“That went fast,” Akari offhandedly remarked, dragging her legs over the side of the table’s bench to stand up with Ingo.

The doors to the mess hall opened, and people slowly left the warm interior to venture out into the bleak, cold snow. As Ingo and Akari returned goodbyes to various Pearl clan members and wardens who waved them off, it quickly became apparent how much worse the weather had declined since dinner.

“Brrr!” Akari shivered as she held her arms, trying to pull her survey corps uniform closer around herself for warmth. It didn’t help much at all, she helplessly continued to shiver. “I didn’t think it could get much worse than it had earlier!”

“When one doesn’t think it can get any worse, the Icelands enjoy surpassing expectations.” Ingo commented with the authority of personal experience as he stepped beside her, holding onto his hat with one hand to keep the weather from snatching it up. The warm light from the mess hall’s open doors illuminated them from behind as Ingo held open the side of his frayed coat, noticing her shivering. Akari gratefully took him up on his offer, retreating into it.

“Thank you,” expressed her gratitude as she hugged him, sinking into his warm tunic and coat.

“Now! Onward to our final destination for the night!” Ingo’s clear voice was heard over the storm as he gently directed her to walk in the same direction as him, turning to trudge up the hill towards his home, against the harsh snowfall. “We must consider sleep to be well-rested for tomorrow.”

As they trudged up the hill, the conversations of the surrounding clan members heading to their homes died down, becoming more distant, and fading with the snowstorm.

Though the fading sounds of conversation were replaced with occasional bouts of low rumbling, heard every once in a while as they trudged through the snow flurry. If Akari didn’t know any better, she would say that was part of the storm itself.

He was still hungry?

“Ingo, is that you?” Akari asked him after another instance of the sound, but she already knew the answer.

Ingo only cleared his throat at the straightforward question, continuing to press on through the snow.

Why did he have to try and hide it from her?

“I know you’re still hungry!” Akari pressed. “A roll and some berries would never fill me up, and I’m smaller than you!”

“I am fine, Miss Akari. My cab is satisfied, my engines are adequately refueled, and I-“

An embarrassingly loud groan from Ingo’s stomach interrupted their conversation to refute him, causing them both to stop talking.

The apricorn bread roll and berries had not ‘adequately refueled’ him at all, as Akari suspected.

Ingo grimaced, pausing momentarily to press a hand against his tunic. Akari glared up at him from within his warm coat, as the growling ebbed off into an uncomfortable stretch of quiet.

Somehow, the silence between them was worse. Akari said nothing, but she didn’t have to for Ingo to feel her despondence, having caught him in a lie.

“Ahem…” Ingo cleared his throat as he glanced to the side for a moment, averting Akari’s knowing eyes. He tugged his cap down by the brim, clearly discomfited - he did not know how to excuse that. “I…apologize for that.”

Normally, Akari might have laughed, elbowing him and taking a light-hearted jab at his expense with a joke. But this time, the situation left her feeling more guilty than anything.

After all, she felt that this was her fault.

If only she had gone back with Lady Sneasler when Ingo originally offered!

With a sigh, Ingo started treading through the snow again towards his home, trying to leave the situation behind. But Akari kept close within his coat, dragging the situation right along with them.

“I’m sorry,” Akari plainly offered, a mere two words to summarize her gripping conviction. She did not elaborate on whether she was expressing regret over staying for dinner, or for Ingo’s current state, but truthfully it was used like an umbrella term, meant for a bit of both.

“I will be alright,” A cloud of warm air came and went amongst the snowfall as Ingo huffed through his nose. His gaze stayed set on his home, now visible up the hill. “It was only one meal.”

That’s how it always starts.

Ingo of course seemed forgiving enough over the situation, mostly wanting to drop it and move on more than anything. But he opted to keep his hand against his belly as it continued to churn miserably, regardless of his feelings or forgiveness.

And that kept Akari’s conscience from allowing her to accept his forgiveness.

————

Ingo opened the door to his home for Akari, who hurried out of his coat and into the warmer interior. The warden followed, promptly closing the door behind him so as not to let the snow and cold become another guest in his home - the settlement’s homes were plenty sturdy and insulating, but with an rarely-used hearth and an owner who spent many nights in the highlands, it was already cold enough.

With the closed door came the absence of the already-weak ambient light from outside. Ingo fumbled around in the darkness for a moment, making his way to his table.

“You may take the bed,” Ingo spoke to wherever she was in the room as his hand searched for his lantern on the table. “I will instead make up a spot on the fl-“

Ingo should have known better though. When he finally lit the lantern and illuminated his empty, single-room home, Akari was already pulling down a handful of extra blankets from his shelves next to his bed. And he had quite a lot for her to pull from; Pearl clan folk really loved their thick winter blankets.

“It’s ok!” Akari huffed, dropping the heavy blankets onto the floor next to Ingo’s bed. “I’m already getting this set up for myself.”

The warden watched her for a moment, before shaking his head with a look of disapproval, but understanding; he knew she wouldn’t budge, and he had no energy for a battle he already knew would be uphill.

“If that is what you’d like,” Ingo slipped his tattered coat off, folding it haphazardly on a chair beside the table. His hat followed after, set down near the lantern, before he went back to the door and gently nudged his shoes off by the wall.

Ingo suspected Akari had hurried into his home first to beat him to it, as if she knew he would say such a thing. Was he so predictable, that she could now expect when he would make such offers?

Indeed, Akari had, and she was glad Ingo didn’t seem to put up much of a fight on it. She had already technically taken his dinner from him, and felt guilty enough about that. To take his bed too? She couldn’t imagine doing that!

Plus, she felt a night on the floor would be much kinder to her back than Ingo’s - she would always wake up fine enough after spending nights sleeping out on the ground of Hisui’s wilderness, but Ingo always had to do some (quite painful) morning stretches when he did the same thing. She suspected it didn’t help his habitual slouch.

But still, Akari preferred a soft resting place when she could get one. She smoothed out the pile of soft, bulky blankets on the chilled wooden floor of Ingo’s home, before going back to the shelf to look for a pillow, or at least a pillow substitute.

“When I get up tomorrow to depart for my station at Jubilife Village’s training grounds, you may return back with me.” Ingo offered to Akari as he made his way to the other side of the room. “I often depart at sunrise.”

He must have seen Akari’s resulting face of displeasure at the thought of such an early rise, because his frown softened.

“I apologize, I know it is early. But I must leave the station by then, in order to stay on track and maintain my schedule.”

“-no, it’s ok, I don’t mind!” Akari hurriedly reassured him as she stood back to admire the handiwork of her now-finished makeshift bed.

Hmm…she still needed a pillow.

“It’s just that I think your ‘early’ is much, well…earlier, than my ‘early’.”Akari explained as she pulled one of Ingo’s thinner blankets off of his shelf, having not found an actual extra pillow to use. She ran her hand across the surface. This one looked suspiciously like abomasnow fur, shaggy, clunky, and white - but surprisingly soft, and it smelled faintly of old pine.

As she folded it up to somewhat resemble a pillow, she wondered how the Pearl Clan was able to get fur from such an imposing Pokémon. Did abomasnow shed? Surely, Pearl Clan weren’t fearless enough to hunt abomasnow, given how wary they were with Pokémon…were they?

She placed the folded blanket down as she disregarded the train of thought, patting it flatter to make it an acceptable substitute for a pillow.

“If you are not up by then, I will wake you when it is time to depart, if you’d like.” Ingo offered. “Tomorrow starts early, but the schedule is thankfully laid-back. It can allow for plenty of rest.”

“Then tomorrow, can we go to The Wallflower for potato mochi?” Akari added. She loved going to The Wallflower with Ingo after his days at the dojo’s training grounds, but for now she was a bit hurried to suggest relief to him.

Oh how Ingo wished they had a plate of the stuff in front of them now.

“Yes, we can,” Ingo returned to the lantern on the table, snuffing out the only light source in the room. With the absence of the light, the previously orange-glowed coziness that filled the room dimmed to a colder, blue darkness. “But for now, we must consider sleep, as the time for departure tomorrow will arrive quickly.”

Akari moved to her makeshift bedding, before nudging her shoes off and undoing her satchel from around her waist, placing them both beside the bedding. Pulling the heavy blankets up to wiggle under the soft, warm layers, she reached into the satchel beside her to click open a pokeball nestled inside.

Out emerged Ember, Akari’s faithful quilava; in the dark room, the hot spots lining its back glowed faintly.

“Hey Ember,” Akari gently pet her companion, and with a yawn, she crawled under the covers of Akari’s blankets to snuggle up next to her.

Akari had made a habit of sleeping with Ember beside her; it was comforting, and the gentle fire-type was a natural heater - something Akari valued most nights, but it was especially treasured in the cold Icelands.

While Akari snuggled with her warm companion, Ingo slipped off his tunic and folded it at the table, retiring to his own bed in his thick insulating underlayer. The girl heard him let out a sigh of relaxation as he settled under the covers, moving his weight off of his feet, and onto the bed.

It felt good to finally lie down in a soft bed after gathering all day in the rough highlands. Even sitting in the mess hall hadn’t been as nice; the benches were rough and had no backs to rest against.

“Goodnight, Ingo,” Akari snuggled further into the thick, Mamoswine-fur blankets with Ember as she glanced up at Ingo’s bedside.

“Goodnight, Miss Akari,” the warden returned from his place in the bed. A following shift in the covers indicated he turned onto his side, which seemed to be his favored sleeping position.

It told the girl it would be best to let him sleep now, rather than keep talking (not like she would, though…it’s rude to keep talking after you tell someone goodnight!). So she pulled her blankets up to her nose and sunk her head into her thick substitute pillow, letting the insulating fabric warm her and Ember up, protecting them from the colder atmosphere of the large room.

————

As the night drifted on, creeping towards early morning at an agonizingly slow pace, Akari stared up at the high, open ceiling from her spot on the floor, Ember pressed beside her.

She still had not fallen asleep.

The windows softly illuminated the walls of the otherwise-dark room with squares of ambient lighting, dulled more than normal from the snowstorm that beat down on the settlement outside. Thankfully, the thick sturdy structure muted the storm on the other side, leaving the room in a cozy, drifting silence.

Well, it was mostly silent, except for the loud, incessant noises Ingo’s growling stomach had been making ever since they both went to bed.

And from the occasional sigh of annoyance in between, or soft creaking of the bed as he readjusted his position under the heavy covers to try and get more comfortable, Akari could tell Ingo was unfortunately still awake.

From the inattentive way he moved and muttered to himself, Akari figured he thought she was asleep by now, unable to hear him - after all, she had stayed silent, and it had been about an hour or so since she bid him goodnight.

But how could she get to sleep? With every shift or sound of discomfort he made, the knot of guilt only wove itself tighter in Akari’s chest, keeping her awake.

It was hard for Ingo to get to sleep on an empty stomach, but it was harder for Akari to get to sleep listening to it.

She saw that Ingo had an audio player next to his bed - an appliance from the rifts that she had given to him a while back to help him sleep. But he hadn’t turned it on, most likely so as not to disturb Akari’s sleep.

But she wished he had turned it on, as it would probably help her sleep better in more ways than one - it would help dull the sounds that were keeping her guilty conscience up.

But, Akari said nothing. She didn’t want him knowing she was still conscious and listening; she knew it would probably embarrass him to no end if he did. So she just laid there, quiet from within her warm bundle of insulating blankets.

Another exhausted shift of the covers broke the short-lived silence.

Another empty growl followed soon after.

Another exasperated sigh wearily completed one more cycle of the restless pattern.

Akari wanted to cram the snow from outside into her ears.

Instead, she opted to finally move, and slowly pulled the blankets over her head, careful not to make a sound. She quietly slipped further under them in an attempt to block the guilt-inducing sounds, and sleep.

She found that Ember was thankfully sleeping, nestled up next to her as she pressed her head into the blankets to muffle the sounds. At least under here, she could attempt to focus on her own thoughts.

Why did Ingo have to give up eating dinner so that she could get a plate?

She had seen that the food was practically all prepared beforehand for a certain expected number of people, and Ingo and herself had honestly arrived pretty late.

But couldn’t they just simply make one more plate? She was only one more person!

And why was Ingo so insistent on keeping her from saying anything out loud about not finishing food? His reaction had concerned her.

Did it have something to do with a tradition involving the responsibility of inviting non-clan members? Or something with pride in their food preparation, that prevented them from quickly throwing something together in a rush? Maybe they simply just had strict rules about wasting food.

Was that why every single conversation she had had with someone tonight seemed so strained, or forced?

Whatever the reasoning was, Akari just knew that Ingo was the one who was paying for her choices, and she hadn’t meant for that to happen.

And Ingo didn’t have to try and hide from her the fact that he was hungry. She knew he was only human, and had limits just like everyone else. But she didn’t like that he was hungry right after dinner, and it was because of her.

She really should have gone back with Lady Sneasler, when Ingo gave her the option.

Akari closed her eyes as she sunk her head further into the comforting blankets.

She would right this tomorrow, somehow.

————

“Ingo, why is Akari still here with you?” Irida asked as Akari did what the warden had asked of her, and headed for his designated table.

Something closer to worry than anger was heard in the Pearl clan leader’s hushed, private-conversation voice, but both were present. Appearing comparable to a puffed-up rufflet, she uncrossed her arms to gesture to the crowd of tables, a move that caught a few passive glances. “I thought you said Lady Sneasler was going to help take her back! We can barely manage as is, especially with what’s been happening! You know that!”

“I sincerely apologize, Lady Irida, it was entirely unscheduled. As Akari explained, Lady Sneasler was stationed outside, waiting to take her back, but by the time I went to return Akari to her, she had already departed. The weather was unfavorable, and I suspect she had to leave in order to reach her kits in time.” Ingo began to explain as he broke eye contact, rubbing the back of his neck in a sheepish manner; he knew things were tight just as well as anyone else right now.

Especially with what was happening as of late.

But he did not want to place the final blame on Akari. She didn’t know.

“I do not blame my noble, she did what I would have wanted of her, and departed to ensure the safety of her kits, even though it left Miss Akari stranded at the station. And I found I obviously could not turn her away; there was no other option. I am well aware of the…’situation’, Lady Irida, but she is not. I could not tell her.”

Understanding of Ingo’s predicament settled into Irida’s features as her bristled look softened some.

Of course! How could Akari, a non-clan member, have known? Especially when she had worked so hard to make sure her clan kept such issues under the surface, away from any possible prying eyes and assuming minds? Ingo had made sure to keep it that way, just as she requested of all of her clan, and she appreciated it - especially with someone he was as close to as Akari.

But it didn’t wash out the worry that still clung to the leader’s frame, puppetting her to shift her weight from one foot to the other as she stood in place.

“Well,” Irida began, switching tracks from accusation to reasonability. “How should we handle this then? Akari is a guest here, but we didn’t prepare enough for an extra plate. And to be honest Ingo, I don’t think we can. I know, it’s just one more plate. But things are stretched so thin as it is. We already had to pull from some of tomorrow’s stock. We can’t…mhm…”

Her voice trailed off, but Ingo knew she didn’t want to end that sentence with ‘give her an empty plate.’ She couldn’t. Ingo was well aware of how hard it was for Irida to deal with the reality of things concerning their provisions, considering how severely such problems shaped her upbringing, and rushed leadership position.

But things were better now.

Still far from great, but better than they had been.

“Lady Irida,” Ingo spoke up after giving his clan leader a time to continue if she chose; his expression was one of hesitance, only wincing more as he carried on. “If I may suggest a compromise I have been considering; Akari arrived with me, unannounced and not allowing time for anyone else to make due preparations. She is my responsibility in this situation, not yours, or anyone elses’ in the clan. So, let me take care of it.”

He paused a moment, as if already knowing her reaction, and he braced for it.

“Allow me to forgo dinner, if it means she receives a plate.”

Immediately, just as Ingo had expected, Irida flared up again at the proposition, but it came from a place of concern.

“Ingo!” She made a gesture a bit more grand than she probably meant to, catching the attention of a few clan members at the table closest to them. She caught on, and quickly hushed her voice further. “I cannot have you just-! You…wardens are important! Your jobs are strenuous-!”

Ingo’s frown deepened as Irida went on, but his eyes expressed emptathy; her stammering habit was beginning to pepper her speech. He didn’t mean to stress her out so much.

“As is, there isn’t much, you can’t start skipping meals! Winter is just starting, I can’t have people skipping meals already! We can’t go down this path, or people will get sick again! We can’t have you get…get sick, and- look, maybe I can-“

“Lady Irida,” Ingo attempted to slow her down as he held his hands up, both so clan members would stop looking, and that Akari wouldn’t get suspicious - he had become aware she was watching the two of them talking, and while he couldn’t do much to hide their body language, he hoped she couldn’t read lips. “It is alright. I assure you, I will not get sick. It is just one meal. Akari is our guest, and one who has been of great help to our clan; she even helped gather the food we brought in…but she is also a child, and we make sure the children always eat. How can we make her the exception to that? Especially after what she's done for us?”

These words of reasoning appeared to move Irida back to a more logical mindset, and she seemed to take them into deep consideration. But Ingo could tell she was not entirely convinced; she’d need one more push.

“…Please tell me you had something earlier today at least,” Irida pried, clearly trying to weigh such an important decision.

Ingo quickly reviewed the day in his mind. He’d had a late breakfast with Lady Sneasler, having foraged for themselves before gathering the provisions they’d found for tonight.

He knew that wouldn’t be good enough for Irida.

“Yes…I already ate something shortly before departing to return back here.” Ingo reached up to readjust his hat by the brim in a nervous manner, lying through his teeth all the while. “My cab is sufficiently refueled.”

Not only was Ingo terrible at lying - his nervous habit of readjusting his cap by the brim was a giveaway - he also hated doing it, especially towards his clan leader, who he had immense respect for. But making sure Akari got something was of utmost importance to him; being a growing teenager, he felt she needed it more than him. And from the way the snow was rushing down through the darkness outside, he knew he would have to provide her with shelter for the night. And he would not have her going to sleep hungry.

He was unsure what Irida would choose to do if he didn’t offer this, but this way, he was easing her stress and giving her an easy out of a hard situation, as well as guaranteeing Akari a meal.

After holding his breath for an answer, Irida’s features expressed something akin to reluctant acceptance, and she shook her head, finally moving her gaze off of the warden.

“If you’re sure…ok.” was all she told Ingo, turning to go back into the kitchen. “I’ll let them know Akari will get your plate.”

Relief loosened Ingo’s stiff figure as he watched Irida enter the kitchen, but with her back turned to him, he hadn’t seen that the worry still did not leave her face.

Irida knew Ingo was lying to her, it was clear as day; she knew Ingo had spent all day gathering, and would never take something for himself out of the provisions he had gathered for the settlement.

But she did not want to drag that conversation out long enough for other people to start listening. It felt awkward for her to call a bluff on someone who was older than her, despite being the clan leader. And as a guest, (particularly one who had done so much for the Pearl Clan) Irida had felt obligated to offer Akari their best hospitality, despite having none to actually provide.

However, Ingo was trying very hard to give her an opportunity to do so. And while she didn’t particularly like it, she saw the importance of the compromise as an opportunist, and would not waste it.

Irida disappeared into the kitchen, to let the working clan members know Akari would be allowed to take a plate, and to not expect Ingo to come up for one.

Relatively satisfied with how the conversation had ended, Ingo turned back to see Akari watching, and guess how much of that she had figured out.

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