ALL NOVEL Stop hating yourself!
"Do you really not ever get tired? I am not complaining but still, I barely have seen you exhausting yourself."
Lying on the bed with no space to pass through between their naked bodies, Luna asked in a curious tone as she enjoyed the warmth pressing against her body.
After their wild session which went on for quite a long time and were elevated from the bath to the tea table before the final round ended up on the bed.
It was Luna who in the end had to accept her defeat since she felt numb everywhere with such never lasting fierce attack from her not-so-gentle darling.
She admits that she likes it that way but the problem was her pride which has been shattering for some time whenever they engaged in a love-making session. She always concedes early.
"Having such a beautiful girl as my partner, it will take a lot more to make me tired."
In response to her innocent query, Austin just caressed her bare back as he spoke in a whispering tone.
And in actuality, with time Austin's stamina has been improving which made him astonished as well. But now, he knows the reason behind his rigorous growth.
The night sky has been nearing dawn with the early canaries chirping merrily which echoed vividly in the room as the silence prevailed for a short period.
"Hey, Austin…"
With her head still resting on his chest, Luna whispered his name with her gaze unfocused and mind in a slight turmoil which Austin was able to sense.
"Hmm?"
"That witch….told you something which I am not aware of right?"
Luna still could clearly remember the Time Barrier in which Amanda shrouded herself and Austin in after the discussion of his system was over.
It was just for a tenth of a second but Luna saw something transpiring which she felt nothing less than distressing.
She was aware of how Time Barriers work but had yet to entirely master them. It goes without saying that Luna could not breach such a barrier with her current strength, more so when the castor was none other than the oldest Witch in existence.
She knew that Amanda conveyed something to Austin that the latter didn't tell her or Saya about. And that was enough to make Luna feel anxious and nervous.
But as she primarily thought…
"There was nothing like that, Luna. I got to know everything which you and Saya also heard."
She knew Austin for the first time lying to her and she didn't like it. It was clear from the way his body stiffened even for a second or how he took his time to respond.
She knew that his eyes would also betray his words if she tilts her head in his direction and asked him to confess the truth.
She had ways to pry into his mind but Luna was not going to use them.
She respects Austin's decision and knows that it should be something Luna shouldn't be aware of, that's why Austin was left with no choice rather than to hide the truth.
"Hey, Luna… "
Intertwining his fingers with hers Austin slowly raised their hand which gave Luna a spot to keep her eyes on, as she heard him continuing.
"Do you believe in me?"
"More than anyone. You are the only person I can blindly put all my trust in."
Her answer came right after which contained not a single ounce of hesitation. And Luna meant what she conceded. Austin felt it and did not doubt her words.
Both of them knew why Austin was asking such a question but they had their distinct reasons to not talk about it.
Austin silently gawked at their hand or to be precise Luna's well-sculpted fingers which were unblemished and porcelain as ever.
But something was missing…
"I was thinking…why don't we get married?"
___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___ ___
On an open grass field, the slow breeze of early morning was making it almost impossible for a normal being to stand straight without shivering and seeking out for shelter.
Yet in such condition, a raven-haired youth was swinging his great sword without an ounce of discomfort or fatigue even though he was practically bathed in sweat.
With his torso wrapped in bandages and loose pants on his lower body, Kyouki practiced his sword skills while using the technique that old Hachi taught him.
His growth was evident but not enough since his mana reserve was stanant as ever and it was making Kyouki agitated.
His powerlessness was yet again proven in the Labyrinth and Kyouki hasn't been able to rest ever since. He just… couldn't forget how cowardly he just stood in a corner while relaying all the burden over Austin.
He no longer has dreams of acquiring Luna's heart since he knew he doesn't deserve her by a long shot. But this feeling of rivalry with Austin doesn't fades.
Kyouki no longer loathes Austin but himself since it was Kyouki's own powerlessness that he always made it seem that Austin was evil and he was on the side of justice.
Kyouki was delusional and that blindness left him hanging at his spot while everyone leaped forward, for a better future.
Luna was already out of comprehensibility. Vanessa also left to attain something in her life. Even Sicily and Lilia had gotten proficient in their skills and had actively worked on their weakness in Kyouki's absence.
He just… can't tolerate his own existence.
"Stop that, Kyouki."
A stern voice pulled Kyouki out of his reverie as he found himself frozen at his spot for who knows how long.
Turning himself to the source of the voice, he found Sicily standing there with her gaze narrowed and annoyance written all over ger face.
"Sicily… Ah!"
Without warning the girl walked forward before she wrapped her hand around him while she felt her cheeks heating just upon feeling his bare body.
Kyouki was startled since he never found Sicily so assertive before. But he didn't dislike the feeling, so wordlessly he let go of his sword and also wrapped his hand around her thin frame.
"Stop abusing yourself, Kyouki. It hurts to see you like this… You have no idea how your thoughts and actions influence me and Lilia."
Kyouki sighed inaudibly since he knew how caring his teammates were toward him. It made him gratified and slightly burdened as well.
He liked this feeling to be cared for by someone but it makes him feel miserable whenever he fails to respond to their expectancy or the emotions they carry.
Sicily felt that Kyouki was still troubled about his progress so she suggested the plan that her father preferred some days ago.
"You are worried because of your slow growth, right?"
After separating herself Sicily wiped the moisture off her eyes as she saw Kyouki nodding with a dumb look on his face.
It was quite an adorable sight.
Collecting herself she held his hand as she spoke in a determined tone.
"Then let's go. It will be either us dying out there or coming out stronger than ever. It might be risky but I am certain that you will never feel the same way you are right now."
___ ____ ___ ____ ___
A/N: - Characters would scatter and new ones would be introduced. The ending is not so near but with the completion Labyrinth arc, the beginning of the end has initiated.
Drop a comment if you are liking the story so far~