Chapter Four: Sugar Rush
Years Ago
"Hey Yunan what's love?" asked a twelve year old Dahila, golden orbs stared seriously at the male who sat across the table.
"But a word?" the magi answered back without hesitation, only to earn a scowl of the girl.
Her eyes narrowed at him "Don't avoid the question Yunan! That's not nice" Dahila lectured with a slightly bratty tone, catching his attempt point blank.
Yunan blinked for a moment at the child, she always seemed to caught him off guard like that. It had been five years since he had found Dahila and Delmar in their bloodied nightmare. Within the period they've lived together, he noticed a very unique ability the girl seemed to possess. Dahila, no matter who or what, is able to detect whether a person was lying or deceiving her in any shape or form. Like this instant, she knew he was trying to divert from her question. He suspected it was a talent she had since birth from those special eyes. It made since, connecting it to the reason of Delmar's killing the villagers.
The Golden Eyes of the Tanith Clan. Frightening or gifted, he wasn't sure which one the two were.
Due to this, Yunan knew there was in no chance of lying to Dahila or Delmar. They all had a completely open relationship, no lies, no tricks.
He low-key sweatdropped at the childs' question, wondering where it came from. "What brought that up Dahila?" he questioned the girl back.
The girl quickly gulped down a healthy mouthful of tea "While I was in Reim the other day! Something was making my stomach turn icky and this girl asked if I loved someone".
Yunan smiled faintly at the innocent explanation to why she wanted to know such a thing. He remained gentle in his manner, approaching the subject with a parental caution. "Your heart is telling you that there's someone you love".
"Huh?" Dahila blurted loudly.
He giggled softly at her reaction "When you love someone, your heart flutters as if butterflies are inside you", Yunan explained while a finger pointed to his chest.
The girl's eyes widened in dismay "What! There are butterflies living in my stomach! Gross! Gross!" she shouted, hands wrapped around herself in disgust of having insects inside her.
Yunan sighed "No Dahila, it's just how people describe the feeling of love when you see that special person" he reworded in hopes she would not understand what he'd been trying to get through.
She placed on finger on her lips, eyes stared upward "Oh! I see... That means I love Muu!". The girls' childish outburst caused Yunan to choke on his tea, coughing a couple times.
"Alexis? Why him?" he asked in question, even though the magi knew the two often trained together in the city. Still, it didn't stop Yunan from worrying about this young girl developing such feelings for someone much older. Then again...
Innocent determination to explain herself lit piercing yellow eyes, a finger pointed towards the ceiling "Because my chest goes 'doki doki' when I see him! So that has to be why, right Yunan?" she shouted seriously, small hands gestured in front her chest to expression in actions how her heart felt.
Blue eyes stared at the girl for a moment, his shoulders began to tremble. She watched him with curiosity as he laughed softly, finding how she came up with her own explanation for what love was comical. Children are such treasures. "Listen closely Dahila" he began, holding her undivided attention "Yes, love can be something you feel but it can also be something you can't live without".
Dahila's head tilted "Huh? I don't get that at all Yunan" she admitted with a sweet voice.
The magi sighed faintly, how can he explain such a complex thing to a child? He parted his lips, a finger pointed upward "For example, I love you because I can't picture my life without you in it" Yunan's lips curled, a smile so sweet lit his features to the point of blindness "Does that help?". He asked, a hand outreached to her, his thump gently whipped away a droplet of tea that remained on her chin.
Golden orbs widened, her heart ached terribly hard inside. It was worse than the ones she'd feel around Muu, much worse. The emotions encouraged a sickly feeling to rise in her stomach, butterflies. Dahila's breath paused in her throat, finding herself unable to mutter a single word. Small body seemed to become paralyze from the almost angelic image of Yunan before her and it all happened within seconds. At that moment, she felt it, how love actually felt. She didn't like it, the intense emotion was too much. She wanted to run, far away.
Yunan noticed the change in Dahila's mood, his smile faded. "Is everything alright Dahila?" he asked with a gentle voice.
The girl nodded, her purple hair swayed in tone with the motion "Yeah... I'm going to play with Delmar" blurted Dahila quickly, getting up from the table to escape.
He blinked nonchalantly as the sounds of her frantic steps were silenced after the door opening, Yunan sighed in unspoken dismay. "What am I going to do about that girl..." said the magi aloud, a hand covered his forehead.
The fear of raising such a child and guiding her in the right direction, it wasn't a burden, just worrisome. His head dropped onto the wooden table in surrender "Raising children... is tiresome...".