Strawberry Milk {a short story}

I Cynthia

Dozens of people descended on us. Around them magic, vibrated in the air like bees ready to sting. It was a sight that hunted chills all over my body, a sight that made my heart thump and adrenaline rush through my veins. Instinctively, I set my magic free and the shadows beside me rose like an army of undead. My army.

I was ready. I was born for this. I was so sure, that I was the perfect mage. I had dedicated my life to be useful to my country. It was my duty. My promise. My life.

Nothing would have changed my mind.

Till I caught eye of the silver emblem on my enemies' blue uniform. The silver moon on a cloudless sky. The emblem that was also pinned onto my blue uniform. The one I received from my country.

I was pretty sure that not even heartbreak was close to my feeling in that moment. That snaping sound at the back of my head, as my heart set out and didn't start beating again.

The first thought to spring into my mind was, "Wasn't I enough?" the second was "What did I do wrong?" and only then I thought "Shit." Stupid wasn't I?

"Dodge!" The scream reached my ears just a second before a body threw itself on me. We crashed into a pile of junk – god, was I grateful for all that training – and rolled three times before we stopped. My shadows immediately covered for us, defending against all the incoming attacks the best they could. Attacks from my country, my people, the people I fought for.

Was this a mistake? Did they confuse us with anyone else? No. They did see the sliver emblem. They would never swap it with a golden one. What the actual shit.

"Off, Win." I punched him at his chest, but he insisted playing the shield for me. His black hair sticked around his dirt covered face. Blood mixed with the ashes on it, matching his earnest expression.

Still, he gave me his usual eyeroll. "Give me a second Thia, some people think before they head into a fight."

I blinked at him, he blinked back at me. That audacity. 

We couldn'thide the grin bubbling up. It wasn't much of a smile but enough to give both of us the strength to stand up and face... our enemies.

I elbowed him. "Jerk."

"I'll give you jerk." He elbowed me back, but his smile already twisted into a serious expression. What the fuck is this, his face screamed. The first time, his confusion didn't delight me.

"Thia."

I gave him a nod, not breaking eye contact. And then I waited.

His body tensed up. His jaw tightened as his eyes turned ice blue. It took him a whole second longer to reply, a whole second to nod back. It was barely visible to the eye, but I never missed it, his concern and hesitation. 

If I would had been any other person, I wouldn't have chosen him as my partner. Too cold, too cocky, too much of a stereotypical soldier. We mages hated soldiers like him. But I knew, if it was me on his side, he would cherish my life as his own.

So we headed into the battle against our people. But it was fine.

Because he had me and I had him.

There was nothing more we needed.