Chapter 27: Confessions
"Do you like him?" Yukino asked a distraught Azami who seemed to be chocking on air.
"W-What did you say again?" Azami blurted out nervously, the question had stuck her deeply – and she knew the answer. She wanted to say yes, but that would be admitting defeat, she was supposed to hate him. "Not really." She lied.
"Oh, I actually thought you liked him…" Yukino's eyes widened for a split-second before a soft, almost serene smile flitted over her face. "I'm glad." the young mage shifted her gaze from Azami to the changing scenery outside the window. "Because, I won't have to compete with you." she added in hushed tones.
Azami's mind took a few seconds to register what her friend has just told her. "Y-You're not serious are you?" she croaked. 'No, it's not possible only an idiot would fall in love with him…' she thought. "But he's a total klutz, a pervert and he's—" Yukino interjected, "But he's nice, kind, honest to a fault and also cute in his own stupid kind of way." she said dreamily.
She was right, and Azami knew it. Nevertheless, she had to dissuade Yukino from even thinking of him in that kind of light, for her own good. Azami wondered if that was the only reason.. "You shouldn't even think it. You deserve better." Azami told her sternly.
The smile never left Yukino's lips. Azami swallowed hard as she eyed the mage, Yukino was in every aspect, beautiful. She felt worried, how could she compete, Yukino was sweet, kind, the type of girl any guy would want for a girlfriend. "It's alright, I know what I'm getting myself into—" Yukino brushed her bangs away from her face. "—and besides, I trust him enough."
Azami snapped, why was she being so… uncooperative. "He's a damned perv! Don't even go—" Yukino's smile faded as she turned to face Azami. "You like him, don't you. Confess." she said her eyes downcast.
"Lie to you?" the alchemist-trainee repeated with a look of disbelief on her face. Was Yukino accusing her of lying? Azami thought of the idea as preposterous, and it would be, if only it wasn't true. Azami noticed Yukino's shoulders shaking, the girl's dainty hands rolled into a fist.
"Yes, you like him too. Don't you?" Yukino said once more, her voice shaking and lips trembling.
"N-No!"
"Azami you're such a bad liar."
The alchemist-in-training cringed. 'If only you knew…' she thought. Azami avoided Yukino's gaze by staring at the floor, the conversation was becoming uncomfortable. "You like him don't you?" Yukino asked again.
Azami shook her head vigorously. "No."
"Yes." Yukino countered, her voice seeping with venom.
"No!"
"Yes!"
"I said no!"
"Admit it!"
Something in Azami snapped, she slammed both fists unto table attracting the attention of a few people passing by. "Yes, damnit!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, face burning with anger and embarrassment. "I do like him! There, happy?"
Yukino broke into a fit of giggles. "Gotcha." she said in between gulps for air. Azami's eyes widened, she noticed a small group of people looking at her. She quickly shrunk back in her chair with embarrassment. The fact that little Ms.Perfect had tricked her was, simply, unthinkable.
Yukino tried her best to hide a smirk. "Your surprisingly gullible." she told the now angry Azami.
"You got me good." Azami replied in a calm fashion. At least she'd keep a cool composure and at least Yukino was just kidding. 'Or was she?' the thought sprung itself into Azami's mind.
Yukino's hysterical laughter died down and again she stared out the window. "Most jokes—" she took in a deep breath "--are half-meant though."
"Rae come back here!" Lei called out, not bothering to hide the aggravation in his voice. His pleas seemed to fall on deaf ears, the crimson haired vixen darted in and out of the crowd only returning to Lei with a bundle of silk clothes in hand and an angry merchant behind her.
"Would you buy em for me?" she begged him in the sweetest voice. Lei wanted to say no, but in Morroc, the price for thievery was a hand, sometimes a limb and other times everything else that mattered. "How much?" he said spitefully.
She traced her fingers along his chest, her face inching closer and closer to his. "It's…" her hot breath and scent made him even hotter than he already was under the desert sun. Lei's eyes widened in shock as she felt her hands grope his ass, with a wink she had stolen his wallet. "I'll pay you back, promise." she told him.
Rae bought the goods leaving Lei with a pocket much lighter than it was before he came to city's market square.
Lei skimmed through the little money left in his wallet. "How can we get back to Geffen if you keep spending all the money I get on food and clothes?"
"Maybe it's because—" her smile faded, it was the first time Lei saw her frowning – really frowning. "I want to stay here a bit longer, at least here you, notice me."
"I-It's not like that."
"Yes it is." she grunted.
The two remained silent, that is until an all to familiar voice sprung up from behind them. "We toss aside our well earned vacation for this?" Azami hissed.
Lei's eyes widened, he turned around and something heavy hit him. "I missed you!" said the girl who had him pinned on the ground. He blinked at the two amethyst eyes that were staring back at him. "Y-Yukino?" he mumbled in disbelief. The girl blushed and stood up.
Azami helped the both of them up, smiling. "So what have you been doing?"
Lei hooked his collar with a finger. "Stuff." He replied.
Azami's brow shot into the air. "Stuff?"
"How about we get a bite to eat?" Rae offered. Both girls looked at each other nodding. "Yeah, I didn't really eat much on the train." Azami stated, her stomach growling at the same time.
Lei stared at Rae for a second, the girl had a sad look on her face. He approached her and handed her the clothes he just paid for. "Do you still want that piggy-back ride?" he asked. The girl's features lightened up. With a smile she nodded vigorously.
"Hey, Lei… What's with those clothes?" Yukino asked.
Lei scratched the back of his head. "It's kinda complicated; you know how those more prominent guilds have those Kafra's…"
"Yeah…"