The dining hall of Twilight Manor was filled with noise and warmth. Long wooden tables stretched across the room with various dishes of food piled high and cups filled with all sorts of drinks for those with picky tastes.
Magic stone chandeliers hung overhead, casting a golden glow that made the space feel less like a fortified home and more like a very large, but also very rowdy family home.
Yuji entered the hall behind Riveria and Tiona. Heads turned towards them, some curious, some wary and the ones that accompanied him on the way up from the expedition were filled with gazes of gratitude. Whispers rippled out from those cut off from the loop, but having heard rumors from the ones that had returned.
"That's the guy from the expedition?"
"He one shot Bete? Like, really?"
"And without Falna?"
He took an empty seat near the middle of the table, being one of the few free spots left open, with Tiona plopping down next to him. She grinned and dragged a plate of food across the table, putting it in front of him. "Eat up, Yuji! You've earned it."
From across the table, Bete sat with a mug in his hand, taking a big drink from it but casting a glance at Yuji from over the brim of the mug. Their eyes locked for a moment before he turned away.
Finn sat at the head of the table, with Loki sprawled out in an ornate chair beside him like she owned the place… which she did. Although it was typically normal for the head of the household, or in this case, head of the Familia to take the seat of honour, Loki preferred to be on the side.
… The true reason being it was easier for her to slip away and sneak up behind some of the girls too busy eating to pay attention to her.
Aiz sat two seats down from Yuji, eating quietly and politely, seemingly deep in thought over the events of their expedition, but something else also seemed to be weighing on her mind.
Riveria and Gareth sat near the end of the table by Finn, keeping an eye on the younger members who were already beginning to be half drunk and laughing too loud.
Yuji stayed silent, quietly absorbing the atmosphere and he ate in silence, responding back to small talk that others directed towards him occasionally.
Everyone was tired and didn't want to get into lengthy conversation if they could help, rather to just turn in for the night instead.
That didn't stop Tiona from recounting their encounter with the Flame Rocks and the hours they spent battling the swarm of monsters, waving her arms around wildly and knocking over Lefiya's glass. Tione teased her sister mercilessly until they challenged one another to an arm wrestling contest, but both were shot down by Finn quickly.
Yuji could even spot Bete looking excited for a moment, eager to join in on the competition before it sizzled out.
Every so often, the more curious and admittedly drunk members of the Familia would throw him a question, "Where'd you learn to punch like that?" "You really have no Familia?"
"Training and fighting. No Familia." He replied to each question, keeping them short and succinct.
Although Loki had been roaming the dining hall and trying her luck on the less aware members of her Familia, she still kept Yuji within the corner of her eyes, constantly watching him.
When the plates were mostly clear and the younger members started drifting off towards their bedrooms, she clapped once, rousing those still idle to turn their attention to her immediately.
"Right! Time for the adults to talk. Finn, pinky, my office. Let's go!" She announced, standing up and swiping a bottle of liquor to bring along with her.
Finn stood without protest. Yuji rising smoothly and nodding to the rest of the table. Aiz watched him go, with Tiona giving him a thumbs up behind Loki's back and Bete snorting.
The three went deeper and higher into the Twilight Manor, with Loki's office being on the highest floor of the central tower. Entering, he couldn't help but think it was smaller than what he expected.
Shelves were stuffed with scrolls, books and other smaller knicknacks. The walls were lined with beautiful paintings depicting Orario and a large portrait of their Familia's estate.
A wide desk was situated at the end of the room, a large window spanning half the entire wall and peering down at the dark backyard below. A pair of couches and armchairs were placed in the middle of the room with a coffee table in between, mainly for Loki and her guests to talk in a less official manner.
Loki went behind the table and plopped herself down onto the plush chair, the glass bottle she held clinking against the desk as she put it down.
Fiin sat on one of the chairs in the middle of the room, making himself comfortable as he waited in silence, a faint smile on his face.
Yuji stood by the side, looking over the interior of the room and the various paintings she had, giving him a better understanding of her character.
"Sit, fossil." Loki said, taking out an intricately designed glass cup from behind her desk and pouring herself a drink. "You're making me nervous looming like that."
Yuji turned and took a seat opposite of Finn, feeling his body sink into the plush armchair, crossing his legs and propping his head on his left arm.
"You knew?"
He looked towards Loki, who merely grinned at him and took a drink. He glanced towards Finn from the corner of his eyes and Pallum merely shrugged.
"Don't blame him. He just had a slight suspicion, but I merely confirmed it for him." She got up from her chair and sat down on the couch next to Finn, opposite of Yuji.
"I can get a vague feeling of it, but nothing too certain. So, how long?"
"..." Yuji stared at her blankly for a moment, before slowly closing his eyes.
"Stopped counting after 400."
Loki whistled while Finn's eyes widened slightly, before he cooled his expression just as fast.
"Can all Gods and Goddesses tell, like you?"
Loki lifted her hand, tilting it left and right, "Ehhh, not really? It depends on a few factors, like what domain (expansion??) they govern and how much time they've spent mingling with souls on a limited lifespan."
She put her drink down and explained a bit further, "I'm a pretty big deal back up top, so I've been at this game for longer than most. I could vaguely tell you're older than you look, but I was off by 50 years or so in my own conclusion. When you've spent time with other Gods who have lived for over a millenia, you develop a sort of sixth sense for it."
Yuji opened his eyes and looked at her, before nodding, both in understanding and thanks to her explanation.
Loki smiled back before adding on, "So, what are you then? You're definitely not human. Well, at least not pure human. Arghh this is giving me a headache… I know you feel half human, but the other half is just gnawing at me. I can't place my finger on it."
She scratched the side of head in frustration, before her eyes lit up, "Aha! That's what it was! Say, did your dad by any chance get funky with a spirit or demi spirit?"
Finn opened his mouth wide, looking at Loki with a shocked expression on her face before turning to Yuji. Coughing into his hand, he turned away, quietly muttering to himself, "Everyone has their tastes…"
Before Yuji could speak up, Loki shook her head again and spoke in the same frustrated tone as before, "Which still doesn't make sense! Spirits can't have children in the first place."
Yuji watched on before sighing, "To be honest, that's probably the closest thing you can relate me to."
Loki stopped her actions and looked back up at Yuji, waiting for him to continue, "Let's just say that my… birth wasn't conventional." Something dark glinted behind his eyes but disappeared just as quick before the two caught it. "I can't go into specifics, and I don't want to, but wouldn't it be possible through the use of magic?"
Loki thought for a moment, lifting her hand up to her chin as she thought, tilting her head to the side, "Well, I guess? There are all sorts of magic out in the world, and Spirits are one of the most powerful and skillful users of it, even outclassing the elves in that regard. There's a reason why Spirits are loved by the Gods. There were even old accounts of people referring Spirits as being part God, which is untrue of course."
She briefly shrugged before her eyes gained a more intense and serious look to them as she shifted her poster, "Look, I don't know what your plan is from here on out, Finn already gave me a little breakdown while you were showering. But whatever it is you decide to do, do not let the other Gods and Goddesses find out about this."
Finn nodded solemnly at her words, already able to imagine the sort of chaos that would ensure if it got out what Yuji was.
"Don't worry, I don't plan on announcing to the world what I am. I've lived this long so far, haven't I?"