TBATE - Making A Much Lighter Path

Chapter 19 - Show Off

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'It's Mama!' Sylvie's head shot up from atop my head.

I ignored my bond, looking up at the night sky illuminated by countless stars as i spoke out loud.

"You know, you could've killed him if i didn't disrupt the spell."

Just a few meters away to my left, the familiar voice responded. "I was going to cancel it once he passed out. Besides, I know you were going to handle it."

"Oh, now you leave it up to me? What stopped you from doing the same this morning after the ceremony?" I snickered.

"..."

I walked towards the figure that was leaning against the wall of the building, her face and other recognizable features masked by the shadow of the starry night.

By her silence, I could already picture what sort of troubled expression she had on her face. I stood in front of the figure, close enough to see her face, but she was looking down so I could only see the crown of her silvery gunmetal hair that seemed to shimmer in the moonlight.

"Hmm"

"..."

"I'm sorr-Oww!"

The awkward atmosphere surrounding us instantly dissipated as she head-butted my chin.

Of course, i pretended and burst into fake laughter as I rubbed my throbbing mandible. "I think I heard my jaw dislocate just now."

"Shut up." Tess massaged her head too as she continued to look down her shoulders began trembling and I heard a sniffle.

I squatted down so i could see my childhood friend's face. "Tess. Are you crying?" I teased, gently wiping her tears with the inside of my sleeve.

"I-It's because it hurts..." She sniffed, her eyes continuing to avoid mine as she let me wipe her face.

"Did it hurt that much?" I softened my voice as I stood back up, gently patting the place where my head hit her.

"Yes! It hurt a lot!" Smacking my hand away, she buried her face in my chest, wrapping her arms around my waist as she began crying.

The seconds seemed to elongate as I felt her body tremble from her erratic breaths and hiccups. I looked back at the night sky, feeling my face burn as I clumsily returned her hug.

"I-I th-thought you h-hated me." I could barely make out what she was muffling with her face still buried in my chest in between her sniffling

"Even if there are times when I get mad at you, I would never hate you, Tess," I said gently.

"I-I don't want that."

"Don't want what?"

"I don't want you to get mad at me either!" she mumbled into my chest.

'heh, sure' i thought, my insides were smirking at the view in front of me. 'who would've thought, that an average teenager like me can make an elven princess cry'

But i am too prideful to apologize. "Then don't do such things in the future, i guess.."

"..yes, i wouldn't do it again" she replied, smiling.

"How about you call me master when we're alone, hmm?" I said jokingly with a smile as well, a sarcastic one.

"Yes, master"

"..."

"Art! You should've seen everyone's faces after you-oh my heavens..." Elijah, who only saw the shaded outline of my back, came running towards me, until he spotted who I was with.