The Humanity's Strongest & The Graceful

"Safe With Me"

Sixteen Years Ago:

The morning light peaked through the curtains of Tessa's room, which had awoken her from her peaceful sleep. Tessa rustled her long ebony curls with one hand while the other moved the blankets off so she could begin the day. After rubbing the lingering sleep out of her sky-blue eyes, she looked at her calendar, tacked on the wall above her headboard. Her eyes widened when she realized what today was. It was her birthday. Today, Tessa and her mother, Vanessa, would go to the Underground to check on patients, then spend the rest of the day with Levi and Kenny. She squealed when she quickly jumped out of bed and began to get ready. While picking out her clothes for today, Tessa danced around her room, trying to contain her excitement for today's activities. After getting dressed, Tessa tied her long curls in a tight braid with a white ribbon at the end, just like she did a few times before. While Tessa finishes the final touches, she hears Vanessa in the kitchen, "Tessie, will you come here?" Vanessa asked from downstairs.

While Tessa was sound asleep in her room, Vanessa had woken up early to prepare the special birthday dinner they would have with Levi and Kenny. It was what Tessa wanted to do after they checked on their patients in the Underground. Of course, Tessa didn't want to leave them out of her birthday celebration, so she and Vanessa stayed up all night to bake sweet treats to give to them. Vanessa finished wrapping the last of the sweet confections and smiled at how pure her daughter's heart was, which made her remember when Kenny told her the people called Tessa a radiant light, and she agreed with it because it was true. It was also another realization when Kenny learned about Levi's nickname for Tessa, which he conveyed to Vanessa a few nights ago, "Do you know that Levi even has a nickname for Tessie?" Kenny had asked, and Vanessa raised a brow, "Oh? What is it?" She asked, and Kenny smiled, "He doesn't know that I know, but he calls her Angel. I believe it fits her because of her kind heart." He confessed, and Vanessa nodded, "Angel fits her perfectly." She agreed before she looked at Levi carrying Tessa on his back, "Let Levi be the one to tell her, so that means no teasing him about it, Kenny." Vanessa warned, only for Kenny to smile at her before they watched the two children laughing ahead of them. While they watched the children, Vanessa couldn't stop smiling at how Levi was with her daughter. It surprised her how different Levi and Kenny were in personality, but when it came to her and Tessa, they showed how they were alike because of how protective and treated them with such care. Vanessa and Kenny knew Levi had a crush on Tessa, which didn't stop them from embarrassing the young children.

The sound of a bedroom door opening snapped Vanessa out of her thoughts in time to see her beautiful nine-year-old daughter skipping into the kitchen. Tessa's ebony braid bounced off her shoulders with the white ribbon tied into a perfect bow, and her smile lit up the room as she continued skipping around the table. Vanessa held her hand out to spin her daughter, "Happy birthday, Sweetheart," She said while dancing with Tessa, "Are you excited for tonight?" She asked, and Tessa nodded with a beaming smile, "Thank you, Mom, and yes, I am! How much longer is it until we get to leave?" She asked as they finally stopped twirling to inhale the savoring smells wafting in the air. Between the baked sweets to the honey tea, then the roasted meat made Tessa's stomach growl, but she ignored it as she went over to grab an apple from the bowl. While Tessa washed the apple and knife she would use, Vanessa sighed as she went back to wrapping the bread, "Soon, Sweetheart," She answered, "You know, Kenny is coming to get us, right?" She asked while placing the loaf in the basket.

After drying the now clean apple, Tessa began to cut it, "I remember, Mom. I'm just excited to spend my birthday with Levi." She admitted, and Vanessa raised a brow, "And Kenny, right?" She asked, and Tessa gulped before she turned around for her mom to see her blushing cheeks, "Y-Yeah, and Kenny too." She says before handing a sliced half of the apple to Vanessa, which she took and toasted their slices before eating them. The mornings Tessa shared with her mom were her favorite tradition because they would toast with whatever was in their hands before starting their day. After their pieces were gone, Tessa helped her mom finish prepping for tonight. While Tessa was sketching a new drawing, Vanessa continued packing the basket. It didn't go unnoticed by her about Tessa's reddened cheeks because she knew Levi wasn't the only one to have a crush. Vanessa thought it was sweet how Tessa and Levi pretended to glance at each other whenever the other caught them. Kenny never missed a chance to pick on them about it, only for Vanessa to smack his arm. With the basket now organized and Tessa's lists completed, Vanessa could sit down and join her daughter in the sketch that had her attention. They got lost in the design as they waited for Kenny.