TBATE: My One and Only

Prologue

Arthur Leywin finished buttoning up his blazer as his azure orbs stared at his image in the mirror. He was clad in the Xyrus Academy's Scholar Mage Uniform; his auburn locks tied up in its usual knot. Today was the start of the academy's first semester.

And he was all but eager at the moment.

Why, you may ask?

He peeked over his shoulder and eyed his self-proclaimed best friend, who was fixing his hair, with annoyance, as the bespectacled teen shrugged innocently, flashing a faint smirk as Arthur remembered how he was rudely awakened from his slumber.

Bah, remembering how he woke up made his eye twitch. But he shouldn't really be complaining much, knowing he couldn't break out of his terrible habit. Subconsciously, his mind drifted to a certain elf princess, and the many times she woke him up.

"Papa's thinking about Mama~"

He was snapped out of his brief reverie as he turned to the fox-like dragon curled up on his bed. Sylvie threw him a teasing smirk, much to his chagrin.

"No, I wasn't. I don't even know who you're talking about, Sylvie. Do you mean Mom?"

"NO, Papa! I mean Mama Tess!" Arthur's eyes widened for a moment before a blank look appeared on his visage, earning a snicker from his daughter."Oh Papa, you can't hide it from me. It's not wrong to think about Mama! I'm sure she's thinking about you too!"

Okay, now Arthur was feeling some heat on his cheeks. Well... He couldn't deny her remark. As much as the reincarnated male wanted to say that was impossible, he couldn't.

"Hush, you. Or I'm not giving you any meat later." Arthur threatened with a playful smirk.

He chuckled as he watched his daughter's eyes go wide as plates as she pleaded, "No, not my meat! I'll stop teasing now, Papa!"

Sylvie held back saying "for now" as she attacked her Papa with puppy dog eyes.

Another chuckle escaped Arthur as he patted her head. Of course, that was an empty threat. He wouldn't do that to his beloved dragon daughter... Though he really wished she would cut on her stealing the meat from his meals.

"Hey, you good to go?" Elijah spoke up as the auburn-haired boy turned to his friend.

"Just about." He grinned and adjusted his collar. "How do I look?"

Objectively speaking (and without a certain writer's bias), he looked pretty darn good in the bluish-grey blazer. But a sheepish smile crossed his visage, knowing that he'll soon be wearing a different outfit.

Elijah simply stared at him with a raised brow. "Good? Acceptable? Sharp?"

"Only those things? I think you're missing something else, my friend."

The glasses-wearing mage scrunched his nose. "Do you want me to say that you're handsome? Or simply to hear that to satisfy your ego?"

Arthur's lips curved into a grin as he placed the boy in a headlock, giving him a good ol' noogie.

"Obviously the latter!"

"Gah, stop that!"

"Come on, just say it! I'll say you're pretty handsome too! Heh, you probably prefer a girl saying that to you, no?"

As Elijah struggled to get out of his friend's hold, little Sylvie sighed at their antics, yet a small smile graced her face.

After a good minute or two, the duo finally settled down as they panted silently. The little dragon hopped onto Arthur's head when they heard a knock on the door.