Darksteel

Chapter 16; And just when you think you know everything...

Asta couldn't believe what he was hearing; Nico had been a girl this whole time? This was the moment when he should ask one of his deep, thought provoking questions to get to the root of the situation.

 Finally, he settled on, "Huh?"

Brilliant. He was quite stellar at asking question at this point, now wasn't he?

 Nevertheless, Nico blushed, "Sit down," he-- or, rather, she-- said, "And I'll tell you what I should have told you days ago."

 Dumbly, Asta sat on the edge of his bed, wishing he had a cup of tea to help him process all this. Tea... and possibly a scone or three as well, for it was all ver confusing and confusing situations tended to make him hungry.

Still, he did not move from his spot when Nico began, her voice almost shy. "I did this for Blue." she said, wringing her hands together, "He was the only family I ever had, and when he was Chosen to come to Adalain, I knew I had to get in as well; I was well aware he couldn't make it there without me, but it wasn't as if we had much of a choice in whether he went or not. And one day, he was simply... gone. Gone, with only a note from the Academy telling me where they had taken him. And even though I knew it was impossible for a girl to enter Adalain, I knew I could not abandone Blue, so I simply cut my hair and dressed in boys clothes when I went to take the entrance exam. Thankfully, I recieved a high enough score that they admitted me, no questions asked."

 Asta could only listen intently, not daring to ask anything as the girl continued.

 "Blue almost didn't recognize me when I found him here, yet once he realized what was going on, I made him promise not to tell — I couldn't risk being found out and sent to Arbour Academy. So I stayed here and protected my brother and kept him company." She then ran her hands through her shaggy hair, "I had to cut my beautiful, black curls off but it was worth it... for Blue."

Asta squinted at her, trying to imagine Nico with long hair and feeling himself blush slightly when he realized she would be quite beautiful.

"So that's why I've never seen you in the shower room." he said.

Nico flushed red, dipping her eyes to the floor. "Yes, I always came in later. I could never change clothes if you or Adar was in the room either. "

"So there was no scar?"

"No. But that rumor gave me an excuse at least."

 Asta shook his head, a thousand different feelings and thoughts rushing about in his head up until he wasn't sure WHAT to feel at that moment. 

Was it betrayal, because she hadn't told him sooner? Admiration, because of all that she went through for her brother? Anger, simply because she had not told him sooner-- though, he supposed, she had a good reason not to,

 Mostly, he just felt confused and a little bit hungry.

 But just as he was about to say something, the wardrobe doors suddenly flew open and Adar came tumbling out onto the floor, falling face first.

 "Bloody heck! My beautiful nose!" he wailed, grimacing.

Immediately, Nico sprang up from her spot on the bed, her face going ghostly white while rushed to her side, his hands shaking in both fear and anger.

 "How much did you hear?" Nico demanded.

 "What? About you actually being a girl? Oh, all of it," Adar replied, sitting up and rubbing his nose. "It's amazing what one can hear in a wardrobe."

"What in Tirus were you doing in the wardrobe? " Asta demanded.

Adar gave him a look, "I was reading."