Flower Amongst Thorns [Boy x Boy]

Chapter 9

Artios instantly flinched when the blinding summer rays directly hit his face without any warning.

However as soon as his eyes adjusted to the light he was faced with Ivy, who was staring at him owlishly with a concerned and uncertain look.

It was a weird contrast from the  cheerful expression he always had on, literally all the damn time.

At one point the thief was even convinced that stupid smile of his had been permanently drawn onto his face.

Guess that theory turned out to be wrong...

"You looked like you were having a bad dream, are you feeling okay?" The eighteen-year-old asked, gently brushing the older's arm in what was meant to be a comforting gesture, "You can talk to me if you want..."

"It's nothing." Artios shook the small teen's hand off coldly, not caring to elaborate any further as he got off the picnic mat and started folding up their blanket, avoiding all eye contact.

The younger eyed him for a couple seconds, still unconvinced but lost on how else to make the swordsman feel better.

What just happened couldn't have been nothing.

Ivy had woken up to Artios tossing and turning with a pained expression on his face.

The teen was unsure of whether to wake him up or if that would only make it worse, but as soon as Ivy finally came to the decision to rouse him, the thief's eyes opened up on their own.

However what surprised him the most was what came next. The man's expression.

He had looked like he was about to cry.

Ivy had never seen that much emotion on his face before and it scared the teen, because it had to have been something really bad to get such a reaction from the man.

"Do you need a hug?" Ivy held his arms out.

"Uh, no thanks." Artios responded, continuing to arrange their supplies into the bag-pack without even looking in the Ivy's direction.

"It will make you feel better..." The younger tempted, shuffling closer.

Suddenly, without warning, the swordsman swung his sword out and stopped with the tip just under Ivy's chin without looking away from the task he was performing. "If you come any closer I will decapitate you."

The teen went completely stiff for a few seconds before letting out a startled shriek. It had taken him a couple moments to process what had just happened.

"Hey! What the heck?! What if you actually killed me or something?!" Ivy yelled.

"Then I wouldn't have an annoying brat constantly nagging me, when I clearly have nothing to say." Artios answered casually.

"Gee, sorry for trying to be a good friend." The eighteen-year-old commented sarcastically before heading to pick up his clothes from where they had been left to dry last night.

That made Artios stop in his tracks.

"We gave you a home when nobody else was willing to take you in, we welcomed you into our family with open arms! I shared my room with you! Why are you doing this?!" The child weeped hopelessly.