Lyfers: Amnesia

Chapter 24 - Interlude: Wings

 – How can you manage such a schedule?

– Don't ask me that, I have no ideas... But hey, there's something on your left!

– Wh-...

A week had passed since the meeting at Ether ENT's, and after days of boxing practice, Dove still managed to prank him during their training. In a chuckle, she threw a restrained, playful punch into his jaw, to which he retaliated by a quick swipe into her legs, making her fall laying down. They both began to laugh wholeheartedly as he sat next to her.

– See? Gotcha, this time, he said, amused.

– Nah, you just found a way to pretend you didn't fall for my trick!

– No way, you're the one who fell. Gotcha, I said.

– So unfair.

She smirked, looking up at the boxing club's ceiling, losing herself in her thoughts for a moment. Her habits drastically changed since that day; Atlas' intervention radically overthrew her plans. While she wanted to choose the illegal side to be truly free of all the restrictions she imposed herself during all these years, Amnesia's leader had something else in mind, and decided to have her give a try at the two sides... In the same time. She was continuing her studies, but left her job at the cafe to enter the trainee program as well as to practice martial arts, switching between the two activities every days, with only Sunday to fully rest. It was exhausting, and she couldn't deny it, but nonetheless, this opportunity to be twice as useful enthralled her, and the allowance Ether was giving her made the tiredness worth it.

– Hey, are you dozing off?

Sphinx's voice brought her back to her senses; he was standing up and offering her his help to wake up. She took his hand and got on her feet in a light chuckle.

– Just a tiny, tiny bit.

– Hold on, your day-off starts in some minutes. You just need to work your series, and you're good.

– You're a ruthless teacher.

– You'll thank me when you'll be a boxing champion.

He smirked and raised his guard up, signaling her it was time to get back to it. She giggled, getting into position too, and started her series, punching him thrice with the right fist, twice with the left, and sending a kick into his stomach, that he easily stopped. When he let her leg down, it was her turn to protect her face with her forearms, and to receive the hits he sent her. She dodged some, blocked the others, but when it came to catching his foot in the air, she missed her escape, and his badly-balanced kick hit her side, tossing both of them to the ground. He landed right above her but managed to slow down the fall with his arms, avoiding to headbutt her as their face nearly came into contact. The sudden proximity between them got them blushing, and the few seconds they stood like this felt longer to them. He finally sat back, cheeks entirely red.

– I-I'm sorry, he stuttered, I missed my kick...

– N-no, I should've stopped it! Y-you were right, I guess I need more training...

She woke up, reaching her hand out to him with a light smile, and he got on his feet with her help, smiling back.

– That'll wait until Tuesday, you did great enough for this session.

– Really?

– Really.

She happily nodded at him, leaving the ring to grab her water bottle, opening it to drink a considerable amount out of it. She then turned to look at him, while he grabbed a towel to wipe out the sweat from his forehead.

– We're walking back together like usual, right? She questioned.

He rejoined her, putting the cloth around his neck, and chuckled, blushing yet again from what he was about to ask her.

– Well, I was wondering if you could accompany me somewhere, first.

– Sure! To where?

– This is a surprise.

He smiled, and changed the subject before she could interrogate him more about this.

– Hey, first one into the showers?

– First one!

In a laughter, they dashed out of the room to the corridors, racing until they got to the showers. They had to slow down when they arrived next to them, as the tile floor was made slippery by some spilled water. He touched the door first, giggling.

– I won yet again!

– That's cheating, you were closer to the hallway than me!

– If that can ease the pain of your defeat!

They shared another laugh, before taking off their shoes and entering each a stall.

The feeling of the fresh water onto her skin relaxed Dove after so much exercise, and when she got out of the shower, she felt way less tired. She had gotten clothed first and was drying her hair when Sphinx came out, putting his bag onto his back and joining her.

– Shall we go?

– Yeah!

They left the club, and the night's cold breeze delighted them. They began to walk into Dufferdale's neon-lightened streets, side by side, watching their surroundings with a peaceful expression and appreciating the comfortable silence reigning between them. A few minutes later, Dove eyed him.

– You still won't tell me where we are going?

– Don't be so impatient, we'll be there soon.

And after they passed under a bridge, the urban scenery suddenly changed: they reached the side of the large river that was separating the city in its middle. Seeing that, the young woman couldn't refrain her wide smile, delighted by the idyllic view, the fresh scent, the way lights were reflecting onto the dark water... She just arrived, but already loved that place. In a chuckle, Sphinx caught her hand, and in a jog, leaded her closer to the edge. They sat down into the dewy grass.

– This is so beautiful, she cheerfully exclaimed. I didn't know there were spots that pretty in Dufferdale.

– That's my favorite one. You can see the stars quite well, too.

At his words, she laid down to stare at the sky. Yet, that was when she looked at him that there were stars into her very own eyes, and she brightly smiled at him.

– Thank you for showing me this place, Sphinx.

– Thank you for coming with me.

He answered the smile, before taking a deep breath to give himself some more bravery, then leaned in to be closer to her.

– There's something I want to tell you, Dove...