TBATE: Art and Tess's Second Chance

Chapter 26: School Restart

Arthur Leywin's POV:

"Wakey wakey, big brother, it's time for school!" These were the words that rang in my ears as I was jerked awake by my little sister's elbow, or rather, her mana-reinforced elbow drop.

"Good morning El, but seriously, you need to find a gentler way to wake me up in the mornings, or better yet...let Tess wake me up instead," I heaved out as I recovered from her attack.

"I don't know what you're talking about big brother. Now wake up Tess then change into the uniforms that are on your dresser before coming down for breakfast, and hurry before mom has to wake you two up herself," She warned us.

She left with a hop in her step while humming a little tune as if she didn't just use me as a wrestling dummy. I looked to my left and saw a sleeping demon-I mean-my lovely partner sprawled out, half on me and half on the bed. Sylv, Regis, and Splint were nowhere to be found so they were probably already downstairs indulging their stomachs.

"Hey gorgeous, it's time to wake up if we're going to make it to school on time. We don't want to keep Director Goodsky waiting, do we?" I asked the sleeping beauty next to me while running my fingers through her silky smooth hair.

"What if I'd rather just stay here with you instead?" She responded playfully snuggling up closer to me.

"Then I'd stay, if that's what you really wanted," I replied instantly, but I knew she wanted to see Cynthia so she was going to get up.

She slowly lifted herself up with a yawn before falling down onto my lap again. I chuckled at her childishness as I rolled her off of me, stood up from the bed, and stretched. She was going to pout since she was denied a cuddle session but decided to ogle at me like a piece of meat instead. Now that we were getting older again, we were finally starting to...develop, and she seemed to be enjoying the development of my muscles and body a little too much.

"Are you just going to stare at me and drool all morning, or will you get up and get ready?" I teased, "If you don't get up soon my mom is going to wake you up herself, and I definitely don't recommend that," I shivered imagining being pulled out of bed by my ear and thrown into the tub.

After leaving Tess a blushing mess, I made my way into the restroom to brush my teeth, Tess joining me once she had finally recovered from my verbal onslaught. When I finished, I stepped into the shower, covering myself when Tess tried to take a peek, and washed up quickly. Wrapping my lower body with a towel, I stepped out of the shower and traded places with Tess so she could get washed up. Being the gentleman I was, I didn't even consider peaking at her when she had finished.

'Don't look, don't look, don't look,' I repeated like a mantra as she walked past me in only a towel.

She started to change in our room while passing my uniform to me in the restroom. Since Goodsky couldn't miss an opportunity to make me stand out, Tess and I were given special uniforms to show our 'special status' at the school. Instead of the gray and white uniform that Tess would wear or the black one I originally wore, our outfits were bright white with golden and black trim on my jacket and pants and on Tess's blouse and skirt.

I sighed as I looked at our uniforms in the mirror, if I thought it was difficult to blend in with the black DC uniform then this white one would make it practically impossible. Tess only laughed at my pain as she was used to the attention. We turned to face one another and styled each other's hair, her simply pulling my hair back in my usual style and me styling hers just like she used to wear it at school. I combed out her hair first before putting it in a long ponytail then did a single braid down one side.

"I knew we were going to stand out, but this is ridiculous. That old bird is doing this on purpose," I sighed as we started making our way downstairs hand in hand.