*A week ago, a day apart from the canceled vacation*
Silvana visited her employees personally so she could give them their souvenirs. It's Amitie's turn. And she invited Sil to room.
"Go ahead, Ammy." The harlequin grinned. She could not wait for the blonde to open it.
"Okido, Sil! Boy, this has to be something special." Amitie ripped off the wrapping paper.
Amitie made no noise. But her eyes and mouth did widen. Sil chuckled, covering her mouth hole. Amitie was cuddling the life-size Wolf stuffed animal. If Sil got hugged like this she'd be in a hospital bed. "Like it?"
"I love it!~❤"
"I knew you would." 'Score one for intuition.' Sil did feel a bit jealous.
"What's his name?"
"Her. He's a her. And she doesn't." She replied as she walked up two. Stroking the wolf's head while Amitie puppeteered it to be timid. "I won her from the custody of some carnival guy and a mime." Sil took the reigns of the puppetry. "She's a very lonely wolf." The animal held her heart while Sil rubbed her cheek against the snout. "She's also vewy cuddwy." *Quick cuddle* "And desperately needs someone to cuddle every night."
*Wolf whine*
"Can you help her?"
"Uh-huh!"
"You sure?"
"Heck yeah!"
"You'll give her the love and attention she craves?"
"Of course!"
*Giggle* "Then give it to her!"
Sil tossed the toy over into Amitie's arms. Amitie spun. Both girls had a lot of joy here.
"We're gonna be great pals!"
*Wolf lick*
*Giggles*
Chapter 42: Sil's gift
*Still a week ago, later that day*
Sil sat right next favorite person in this world and any other. On a bench in the park. Sil took Sig's big red arm and wrapped it around her waist. She did not care that it was bug infested. She leaned her head against his shoulder as well.
He was struggling what to say to her. He knew her well enough to know if he outright said that she's this openly affectionate towards him.
'I wonder if she knows everyone thinks we're a couple… Is she still thinking me and Arle were an item and that's why she obviously holds back asking? I hope she still likes me this much in that case. She likes me a lot more than Arle and Ammy. I don't even know that was possible…' He smiled looking at Sil's peaceful. He didn't mind it one bit.
Whatever their social status and diverting interests were. She's at peace when she's like this with him. And Sig liked her presence as much as her.
That's why it stings so much when Silvana talks that she'll go mental, as a joke or no. Losing bug friends stung enough. He had lost Sil to death a few months ago. He doesn't wanna imagine if he outlives her again, along with his other friends. Like Amitie and Arle. Honestly, he's happy she's still willing to be with him after she died from eating his meal.
Silvana and Arle… Sig let out a moan. No matter how well his unemotive face hid it. He can't deny it to himself that he feared that meeting as much as Silvana did… A big chance he'd lose one of them and if Sil was the one who survives she'd be ostracised and be even worse off then when she found him and whacked him on the head with a frying pan.
He had it in his head from time to time that he was being cruel for being so kind to her… He never voiced it. He can't help but keep helping Sil to separate herself from her old self.
"Something wrong?" Sig subtly snapped out of his thoughts. He looked to see Sil's mask looking concerned.
"Huh?"
"Something troubling you, Sig?"
"No."
"Don't lie. You usually don't make those sounds."
"Hm… I think it's better I'd keep it to myself."
"…If it's about me, please stop worrying. Please? Hell is not so bad as people say it is."
"Okay…"
"Keep holding as tight when you did, though."
"Like this?"
"Perfect~"
Sil kept leaning against Sig like she did. But she wrapped her arm around Sig's waist too.
Sil waited many minutes before finally giving Sig's his souvenir. Though, calling it as such is underselling it. She was sidetracked before when she melted in Sig's clawy grasp. She wriggled free. "I gotcha something while I was in Zeri." She searched her pockets. Don't worry she didn't lose it.
She opened the box.
Sig's eyes widened a lot by Sig standards. He even flinched a teeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeny bit.
"Pretty necklaces." Sil smiled at his answer. "You remembered what they mean." 'Maybe not fully, if you're gonna say what you think you're gonna say, Sil.'
"One for me for me. One for you."
"Which one's for me?"
"The ruby rhino beetle's for you. I feel that represents me well enough?"
'Definitely not fully…' "Okay. And you take the stag beetle?"
"Uh-huh. It's sapphire~"
Sil put her necklace on and tucked it in her shirt. It would get tangled in her normal outfit's green bow tie string. "When I looked at it I was reminded at you. And you know how my worries wash away with you around…" Sil twiddled with her fingers. "And the idea that you doing the same… Well… The idea gets me warm and fuzzy. I wanna see if it does so in practice."
"I'll wear it for you. Though, I'll forget sometimes. I feel."
"Sig, I know you well enough to not put it past you." *Chuckles* "Sorry."
"It's cool. I'll try."
"I know you will."
Sig put his necklace on over stop his shirt. "I like it a lot."
The two sat cozily once more next to each other.
"I can't afford anything like you give me…" Sig lamented.
"Sig… You know I don't care… I just reminded you that being with you puts my mind at ease (usually). That's the greatest thing I could hope for." Sil demonstrated by being more affectionate than she already was.
"I still wanna give you something." The half-demon boy scratched his head.
"Sig. You. Don't. Have. To."
Sig made a slightly annoyed noise response. He pushed the mask downwards.
"EEE!" Sil yelped from the confusing action and the confusing thoughts she got from it. She couldn't see anything. "Oh~❤" She was put to rest when he kissed her forehead. Her actual forehead, not her mask. He gently pushed it back so Sil could see his cute, subtle smile through her eyeholes. She blushed.
"Ugh, can you believe that?"
"Nuh-uh. How could that stoic cutie love that clown?"
"I know right? He could do so much better."
"She honestly likes Pierrot way too much to wear that."
"At least Pierrot has talent."
Etc.
A group of shallow gossipy teens passed by as they made sure they weren't subtle about their intentions. It ruined the moment for Silvana. Sig put his hand on her shoulder.
"Don't listen to them."
"Don't listen to them."
"You first!"
"No, I think you should go first. That's all I got to say on it. You're you. I'm not ashamed of you."
It helped, she smiled through the harsh words of those mean girls. She ruffled his head. "You just went first, dummy."
"Huh."
"And I know. I was gonna tell you the exact same thing. I'm not ashamed of being a clown." She did sigh. "But it's not my species… In Zeri I went as… Not a clown. What I life I live that I can say that and it would be normal." She playfully chuckled. "But it was so nice~ I could walk around in whatever I wanted. Not be stuck in something to justify wearing a face covering mask without it seeming suspicious…" She does love her job. She knows it, Sig knows it.
"I don't know how to help you there…"
"I'd be happier if the last past hour happened without a mask… Minus those girls. In public, in case that wasn't clear."
"It was."
"Good."
"…I know this won't help but… Uncle's gonna bowl and Mr. Amitie's Dad is out of town. I'll come if you come."
"Sounds fun, I'll come. Can you promise me something?"
"Sure."
"My birthday is coming up soon. And-"
"But isn't that next-"
Sil put her finger on his lip. "The day I moved in is my birthday now."
"Doesn't that-" Some pressure was put his lips. He was quiet.
"I'm an orphan. Not uncommon not to know their birthday, so I changed it. They can't travel between worlds, they can't fact check." She let go of his lips. "I don't want any questions when she arrives, that's why."
Sig smiled. 'Maybe the two will be alright, after all.' "What do you want for your sixteenth?"
"Nothing special. No date, no dinner. I want to be alone with you on my birthday, I wanna be close with you in my caravan. Just some quality time. No mask."
"Sounds great."
"Thank you. You're the best, Sig." 'Hopefully, I've mastered that lovely accordion song by then.' "I gotta go. I still have to find Hohow."
"Wait." Sil stopped standing up at the half-demon's request. With his deadpan face, he pinched the Clown's nose.
*Honk* "Snnrrk. Hahahahaaaa! Thank you, Mr. Comedian. Seeya! Heehee."
Author's Notes:
Amitie's wolf isn't gonna become a recurring element. Don't worry. Her main use is bed decoration.
Next up: Sil's cleaning up her home while she pretends Arms talks back again.
