Flower Amongst Thorns [Boy x Boy]

Chapter 13

The fourth day went similarly, with Ivy and Artios covering an adequate amount of ground, while arguing over stupid things.

The younger had wanted to stop by when he saw a bunch of children playing tag, and before the swordsman could even say a word in protest, he had already disappeared to join them.

Typical.

"Art! C'mon! It's fun!" Ivy called out to the older, who was leaning against a wall in the shadows, waiting for the other to finish so that they could leave.

"I'm good. I'll scare the kids anyway." He answered gruffly.

"You won't! They don't care, they just want more players!" The small teen argued, "You guys, do you mind if my frie- Art joins us?"

Artios didn't know why, but he felt a pang in his chest when Ivy corrected himself. It was most probably because of his outburst two days ago.

He remembered the hurt look on the younger's face when it happened, and while normally he wouldn't care, for some reason this time he felt bad.

"No!" All the children screamed loudly in response to Ivy's question, harshly jerking him out of this thoughts.

The thief had forgotten how energetic children could be. Annoying.

Just like a certain someone.

"I'm still good." Artios said.

"You're just scared you'll loooose!" One of the children taunted with her tongue stuck out towards where the man was hidden.

All the other kids took that as their cue to join in and hurl insults at the thief.

"Yeah!"

"Loser! Loser!"

"You're a crybaby!"

"Scaredy cat!"

"Who are you calling a scaredy cat?! Do you know who I am?" The swordsman yelled back, his ego finally taking control of his patience.

Ivy cackled at that.

"You are all going down!" Artios warned, before running into the open field and catching all the kids within two minutes flat.

"Who's the loser now?!" The swordsman teased in a mock whiny voice at the child who he distinctly remember was eagerly provoking him earlier.

The kid stared at him blankly for a second before bursting into tears.

"Crybaby!" The older continued, sticking his tongue out.

"Art!" Ivy whisper-shouted incredulously, pulling him away by the arm.

"He started it!"

After that they gave the children some of the candy they had bought, while Ivy apologized profusely and forced Artios to apologize too, even though he didn't even do anything wrong.