After I found mom, I didn't tell her what happened. She'd probably get really mad at me. So, I just stayed silent, until we went to get ice cream. Hey, come on, ice cream is good. You'll even admit it, yourself. 

I never, ever wanted to see him again. But I couldn't help but think about how hurt he sounded and looked, how he didn't even try to stop me from leaving. Maybe I should have apologized. Maybe I shouldn't have judged him so harshly. Maybe it really wasn't his fault. 

While thinking about all that, I just nudged the ice cream with my spoon. I know I was being weird, but I'm weird when I think too deeply. 

Mom noticed, of course. "Lily... are you all right?" She stops eating, and pays attention to me.

"I met my dad. He says it wasn't his fault, that I was born. This true?" I muttered. Didn't want anyone else to hear this. Mom looked worried, hiding something, maybe. 

"Yes." Mom seemed all of a sudden tired and ashamed. "It's true. It's my fault, all right? He didn't agree, but after it was over...? Neither of us admitted it because it was too embarrassing. Nobody believed a girl could act that way. So when people did hear about it, they blamed him, and, well. He never really told the truth to anyone." She sighed in a tired, embarrassed way. 

"Look. If I can see him again, if he wants to see you again, maybe you can stay with him. If both of you agree, of course." 

***

We knock on the door of the place. Professor answers again, this time just a little less cheery. 

"Oh. Lily. Lys is a little... moody right now. He says he apologizes for his actions, and hopes that you still would like to see him again. He's... he's thinking about life again." He sighs. "Usually when he does that, he ends up getting depressed. Let's hope to Arceus that there isn't blood on the floor when we go up there. I mean, if you'd like to stay for a while." Mom agrees, and Professor lets us in. The two of them- Mom and Professor, I mean- chat over a cup of tea. 

Meanwhile, I wander around the place. I look at the rooms, which are very nicely decorated. The wallpaper in some rooms are red, some rooms blue. The loft was also very nice, except for once thing. There he was, splayed across the floor, staring at the ceiling, a depressing aura radiating throughout the room. 

"Oh," he speaks to me, but doesn't bother to move. "It's you. I'm sorry for traumatizing you, I am. If you don't want to talk to me, I understand that. I'm depressing and weird, and people like you probably don't like me. It's okay, I get it, not wanting to talk with someone." 

"I'm here to ask you if I could live with you for a while." He turns his head a little bit. Then he smiles a little bit. Something tells me that smiles from him are going to be rare around here. 

"Let me stay up here a little bit longer. Just maybe... maybe three hours or so?" I tug on his arm and he gets up, faking being annoyed. Instead, we talk for a little while downstairs-- but he didn't talk to mom. Looks like they've got a long way to go before they put their past behind them.