TBATE: Art and Tess's Second Chance

Chapter 25: Birthdays and Gifts

Arthur Leywin's POV:

'How did I end up like this again? I've fought the greatest beings in this world, yet I was no match for my mother when she asked me to do this again!' I voiced my complaints to my purple companion.

'Your literally greeting people at the door for your sister's birthday, it's not really that bad princess. Or does the mighty Godkiller think that this is beneath him?' Regis mocked me from my core as I welcomed another family into Vincent's humble estate with a friendly smile.

'I'm more worried about what Tess will do considering multiple parents told their daughters to talk to me or ask me for a dance later,' I shuddered, merely thinking about her potential actions sent a chill crawling down my spine.

After a grueling twenty minutes of welcoming more and more families to the party, I was finally relieved of my door duty by my mother who told me Ellie would be coming down in five minutes. I took my place next to the Twin Horns and Tess, linking my arm and hers as we waited with bated breath for the birthday girl to show up...well most of us were.

"It seems you enjoyed your time flirting with all the female guests that arrived," Tess hissed with a smile that didn't reach her eyes as she squeezed my arm hard enough to fracture it.

"You know I only have eyes for you princess. Besides, I was the one who said I didn't want door duty, but you know how my mother is when she wants something. She wasn't going to stop until she got her way, especially on days like this," I countered as I unlinked our arms so my fractured bone could heal before taking her hand in mine so the girls at the party would know I was taken.

She pouted since she had no other cards to use and decided to snuggle up closer to me as if to mark her territory over the other girls present. The Twin Horns laughed at our antics as I was about to tease her more, but the announcement that my sister was about to come down interrupted my bullying-I mean fun.

Soon my mother and sister could be seen at the top of the stairs. My adorable sister was walking hand in hand with Sylvie who was leading her. My mom covered her eyes from behind her so she couldn't see all of us at the bottom, ready to surprise her. El had her hair styled with her usual two cute pigtails and was wearing a white knee-length dress that frilled out at the bottom giving her the look of a princess.

My mom nodded her head and lifted her hands off her eyes as we all screamed 'Happy Birthday' in unison startling the birthday girl. Her eyes shined with pure joy and she balled her fists and jumped up and down in an excited manner. Sylvie walked with her as she joined her friends and introduced her to all of them. All the other guests started mingling as the band started playing some calm melodic music.

I mostly stayed near Tess and the Twin Horns as we talked about our dungeon dives or about the Wall that was still undergoing construction. I would greet anyone who came to talk to us and introduce everyone so they could all share my pain of having to be social. Anytime one of the female guests approached me I would pull Tess closer and introduce us together so I wouldn't be dragged into any unnecessary dances, this seemed to calm her raging jealousy, at least for now.

Soon enough my rosy-cheeked father took to the small stage and grabbed a microphone to give my mother some much-needed stress, "Attention everyone! We appreciate you all coming out this fine evening to celebrate my beautiful daughter Elenoir's birthday party. I'm very proud of both of my children and it would make me the happiest father in the world if they would share the first dance of the evening!"

I could see my adorable sister's panic instantly, she froze in shock thinking she would surely be embarrassed, more so than my father already had with his slightly intoxicated and impromptu speech. My mother who had joined us a little while ago to stand next to the Twin Horn was shaking her head wondering how she ever fell for my father.