- You're not angry, right?
William rolled his eyes, hearing the same set of words coming out of the blond's mouth again, uttered between attempts to calm Odd and muttered complaints.
- You did what you had to, Jeremy. - Aelita replied, not taking her eyes off her laptop screen, which she had fortunately left after the morning attack at the factory. - We'll worry about the rest later. Any news from Ulrich or Yumi?
- Nothing. But they must have hidden well, judging by...
- That's why I could go look for them! - the outraged brunet interjected, wrestling with a small diskette he was told to disconnect and reconnect about ten minutes ago. - I'd be more useful there than here.
- The supercomputer doesn't detect their signal; they could be anywhere. The sooner we fix the error, the sooner we deactivate the tower, that's more important!
- But...
- You're doing fine. - Aelita reassured him, to which Dunbar gritted his teeth and resumed complaining, but only in his mind.
Jeremy also fell silent, for a moment observing the data entered by the girl before hanging up and turning to the pink-haired one.
- Do you think I could have...
- No. - she replied immediately. - She's definitely in Lyoko. Besides, look. - she nodded toward the supercomputer. - Someone is near Odd, and they're not Xana's monsters. It must be her.
- You're probably right. - he sighed. I just don't understand what went wrong.
- You executed the program flawlessly, so maybe it's a result of the update. Anyway, we're halfway through fixing it.
- I just hope nothing devirtualizes her before we're done.
When Jeremy called her around ten to inform her of the specter attack, she agreed to stay in the room, convinced that they had everything under control. When William took her to the factory a few hours later, she believed him when he said she would get all the necessary information as soon as she entered the virtual world.
And there she was, alone in the middle of emptiness, and whatever they had to tell her about Lyoko didn't reach either of her ears. She didn't believe they would leave her alone, but since no one responded, something must have kept them occupied – and she couldn't do anything about the frustration building up with each silent second. Once again, she was thrown into a whirlwind of events she didn't understand, even if this time it was her own decision. Now the task of finding Odd fell on her, and even without that, the mission was terrifying enough.
She was disappointed with herself. For some reason, whenever it came to Della Robbia, her brain shut down, and her legs automatically followed him. She had never behaved like this before, but no one had risked their life for her like he did.
A favor, she thought.
It was just a favor; she wanted to help him as he had helped her, but apparently, the whole universe was against it. She was angry that she hadn't prepared better; she could only blame herself for not pushing them against the wall, just in case of a situation like this. She wanted to save a friend, and she turned out to be useless again. Although she was convinced that the lack of communication wasn't her fault, she also knew that good intentions alone wouldn't be considered if she returned to the factory empty-handed.
She wondered if she would get a weapon if she found all those blocks, but the reasonable voice in her head suggested that it probably wouldn't work that way. Nevertheless, she moved forward, heading towards the dark, tall structure in the distance surrounded by a red glow; apparently, it was the tower William mentioned, and if it was there, Della Robbia had to be nearby.
Her cat ears twitched when she heard a strange, squeaky sound. She cautiously peeked out from behind a rock to see the source of the noise and immediately understood why they called the monsters that. They didn't notice her, and she retreated among the rocks, not wanting to change that.
Several more minutes passed, and there was still no sign of Jeremy, and no magical level-up appeared above her head, giving her a sword, staff, or something similar. She was defenseless in the virtual world, searching for a needle in a haystack. If Charlie found out about this, he'd probably hang her.
- What does this mean?! - she exclaimed as a sharp tone echoed in her ears, diverting her attention from negative thoughts. Was it Odd? It had to be Odd! - Is she here or not?!
She quickly reached a dead-end from where the blond's voice was coming. She took a step back, looking for irregularities in the rock that she could use to jump to the other side. Troubles or not, she didn't intend to go back and cover the whole way again. She approached a slightly inclined boulder and experimentally dug her claws into it. Although the wall was mostly smooth, it had some shelves she could use. But first, she had to reach them, and since she was a cat, she should be able to climb, right? It turned out to be easier than she initially thought, and it certainly helped that she could grip not only with her hands but also with her legs; without that, she probably wouldn't have lasted long.
My condition is a joke, she complained in her thoughts as she jumped to the other side, her chest rising and falling rapidly. She looked around for a familiar face, but apparently, he wasn't there, and she couldn't hear his voice anymore. She didn't want to call him, afraid of attracting unwanted attention. So she circled one of the rocks until her gaze finally met the figure lying against the wall.
At first, she was glad to see him. Then she thought life wasn't fair as her eyes wandered over the purple and yellow lines of his suit before returning to his familiar blond hair. It was incredible how ridiculously handsome this guy was for his own good. She watched him straighten up in his place before his scattered eyes finally focused on her silhouette. However, instead of smiling at her, as she expected, the guy froze in place.
- Odd? - she spoke up but didn't approach, confused by how angrily he blinked.
- Alex? Is it really you? - he revived, raising a hand in her direction, although the grimace on his face indicated that this small movement cost him more than he would like to admit. Nevertheless, he sent her a weak smile, watching as with each step she took, the dark spot turned into a slightly clearer shape, with elements of purple and green in the background. - Did I die and find myself in heaven?
- These codes must really be messing with your head, huh? - she scoffed, kneeling beside him. She bit her lip, concerned, reaching out her paw towards him before stopping, and her arm dropped. - How are you holding up?
He didn't respond immediately, conflicted between lying that everything was okay and the truth that he felt like going to sleep and never waking up. So, he shrugged before his head dropped onto the digital sand.
- Average.
- Do you...? - she hesitated. - Can you see?
- No, I... - he hissed, then made an effort to lift the corner of his mouth before opening one eye. - Everything's just spinning... - he paused and sighed deeply, suddenly irritated. - Yeah, I'm talking to Alex. I thought you already figured that out.
- What? - she furrowed her brow, and then an invisible light bulb lit up above her head. - Oh, so you do hear him? I started to think it was just a joke.
- No, everyone usually hears him. - he fell silent for a moment. - He says he doesn't know what your avatar can do. Very helpful, Jeremy. - he snorted and grimaced, probably in response to Einstein's answer.
- Well, what can you do? Since we look the same, maybe we do the same thing? - she suggested.
- What? You're kidding! - he widened his eyes, focusing first on her face and then on the girl's cat ears before nausea attacked him again. He tilted his head back again, trying to focus on breathing to suppress that horrible feeling. Only then could he continue; - Damn, I didn't look closely before. Now we absolutely have to deactivate this tower; I need to see you!
- First, you have to tell me how to fight.
- It's simple, you'll manage for sure; you have to raise your hand and imagine you're shooting. - he wanted to raise his paw and demonstrate it to her, but the limb quickly returned to its place, not really following the orders of its owner.
- I have to... imagine.
- Exactly. - if he caught disapproval in her voice, he decided to ignore it. - Not bad, huh?
- Yeah. I think so. - she replied, then focused on her hands.
She clenched her lips and did exactly what Della Robbia told her; she concentrated on creating... something, some kind of projectile. She shuddered when the purple light unexpectedly shot out of her hand and forcefully embedded itself in the rock opposite. As she approached the target, she saw that her creation looked a bit like a crystal or a spike - sharp on both sides and incredibly fast. When she raised her hand to touch it, she noticed that the green strip on her thumb had given way to black.
- And how is it?
- Does your weapon have any limits? - her tone was cool and factual, a bit like when she solved problems with him in Hertz's classes.
Della Robbia knew that it meant she was deeply contemplating something, and he quickly learned to respond to her then.
- Yes, but I used to have much more. - he announced, and her attention returned to her paws. It seemed she had eight shots. When her gaze shifted to the purple object, she noticed that it seemed to be slightly paler than before (or maybe it was just her imagination?). - Now that you've figured it out, I have good news for you. Jeremy says you can practice on blocks.
- Sure. I'll try to do it as quickly as possible. - she promised, although it was the last thing she wanted.
- You'll manage, Kitty. And don't worry about it too much; destroying monsters itself is really great fun! - he reassured her, as usual picking up on the tremor in her voice. When she looked at him, she saw him looking at her from under half-closed eyelids; he looked a bit like he had just woken up from an afternoon nap, not from an agonizing state less than an hour ago. - If you lose all your life points, you'll safely return to the scanner.
- And what will happen to you then? - she muttered, feeling bad about how much she couldn't help but think and worry, unlike him, who could just act. - Doesn't the fate of you and the others depend on whether I get you to the tower?
- It does. - he admitted, tilting his head; although this time it might not have been intentional, considering how exhausted he was. - But you'll manage.
- How are you so sure?
- Intuition. - he replied with a slight smile.
- Yeah. - she snorted with displeasure before heading back towards the tower, where her first virtual enemies were waiting for her.
When she stood in front of the mission's target, she took a deep breath, trying to pull herself together.
Approach this logically, she thought. She had seven shots, and in front of her were three blocks, all set close to each other. If she was fast enough, she would surely manage to destroy at least two before they started shooting at her. It wasn't that difficult; she could do it.
She focused, taking advantage of the element of surprise. She shot the first dagger straight into Xana's eye before the monster exploded, leaving behind a cloud of pixels. The purple dot remained, embedded in the ground just below the tower. The blocks spun a few times before they started shooting lasers in her direction; one of them hit her arm. She was surprised that she didn't get knocked out of the game, but apparently, more was needed to devirtualize her. She ran to the other side to get away from Odd's location, attacking another opponent in the meantime, destroying the second enemy. Her projectiles were fast enough, and the monsters were large enough that she didn't need to be the most accurate and experienced shooter to be effective.
While the girl was destroying Xana's monsters, the blond boy had to clench his teeth with all his might not to tell Jeremy to shut up, who was panicking behind the computer screen. He didn't want to distract Alex, and he was grateful that she couldn't hear what he was saying. She was already nervous enough, and the additional pressure would probably completely destroy her confidence.
The third block turned out to be a bigger problem for the dark-haired girl when, in addition to ordinary lasers, it started shooting some strange, blue beam at her; no one had mentioned this before. She hid behind one of the mounds, trying to catch her breath, and when she ran out from the other side, the monster hit her left hand, which, after a moment, froze. She frowned, trying to respond with an attack, but when she looked at her right hand, it turned completely black, except for small purple marks whose meaning she hadn't figured out yet.
Another laser, this time red, hit her chest directly and pushed her towards a rock, hitting her back painfully. She struggled to get up and quickly looked towards the monster. She saw a swirling red as it charged the laser, and anger heated her chest.
No. There was no way she would lose now.
She muttered under her breath, curling the greenless fingers into a fist and closing her eyes. She opened them immediately when she heard a whooshing sound, and all four daggers twitched before flying towards the girl. One of them hit the monster's side on the way back, interrupting its attack, and when the dark-haired girl spread her fingers again, they had the familiar patterns.
Understanding lit up in her eyes. She looked at the overturned monster, which desperately wriggled its legs in the air, and quickly took another shot, knowing that she wouldn't get a second chance like this. Then she looked around for any other alien form in the area, and when she saw nothing, she focused on her hands, including the one that was frozen by ice a moment ago (which apparently disappeared when she fell). She was impressed with how much this weapon was... surprisingly in her style.
- How's it going, Kitten?
She bounced when Odd's voice pulled her out of her reverie, and she looked around in panic; blinked when she saw no familiar blond mop, although she heard him as clearly as if he were yelling right into her ear.
- I did it. I think. - she mumbled, and a shiver ran down her spine when she heard his quiet, raspy laughter.
- So come here and help me get up. - he said, reminding her once again that he wasn't in the best condition; actually, if she hadn't seen him with her own eyes, she wouldn't have guessed that something was wrong from his voice alone. It was amazing how quickly he recovered; or rather, how well he pretended that it was the case.
- I'm already here. - she announced when she stood over him, and her silhouette cast a shadow on him. He forced himself to open his eyes, and only then did he wink at her before saying,
- Sunshine, I'm still paralyzed. - he said, pretending not to see her disapproving face.
- Don't make me wonder if I should leave you here.
- You wouldn't do that. You like me too much. - his words turned into a muffled groan when she grabbed him under the arm, first helping him to sit up before moving on to the more challenging part. - Damn. - he spat when his knees wobbled under his weight.
- You're so heavy. - she hissed, adjusting her grip, trying not to hurt him more than necessary; although in this case, it was at least difficult.
- Sorry. I have some... numb limbs. - he confessed, and she helped him take the first step. And then the next one, and the next one, and the next one.
Most of the time, they were silent; the girl's eyes carefully scanned for any dangers, while the boy was entirely focused on not losing consciousness.
- Has it improved even a little? - she asked when they were only a few meters from the tower.
- Let's say so. When you came, the buzzing in my head stopped. - he grunted and looked at her from under his brows, raising the corner of his mouth. - Apparently, that's how you affect me.
- I think it should be the other way around. - she smiled. - So I'm not sure if I should take it as a positive.
- In this situation? It's a damn blessing.
She chuckled softly in response, but immediately stopped when she noticed him trying to pull away.
- I can't enter with you, can I?
- No. - he swayed before he clung to the dark surface with his claws. He looked at her face, hoping to see gratitude in his eyes for all the help. He wanted to thank her, should have thanked her (apologized), but he didn't. - I hope I'll see you in better quality soon. - he said only before he lowered his gaze and disappeared in a circle of white rings.
She furrowed her brows, allowing herself a quiet sigh of relief when he disappeared from her sight. She did it; she helped him. Now, he would finish the whole Xana attack, and, she hoped sincerely, he would feel much better. Her role was fulfilled, she could return to the Earth.
The problem was that she didn't want to.
She stared at her own hands, with shining eyes and growing excitement. She bit her lip, cursing Odd for annoyingly accurate judgments, but damn, he was right. She handled the mission, the fight was fun, and her weapon was amazing; everything here was amazing, even for her, who was the biggest ignoramus when it came to admiring landscapes.
And not only were these views captivating. As if on cue, she remembered the situation with Charlie and groaned softly, embarrassed. Her imagination began to suggest those intrusive thoughts and images, and she couldn't help but wonder what it would be like to be his girlfriend.
- Alex? Can you hear me? - Jeremy's voice appeared out of nowhere, making her jump at least half a meter off the ground.
- Damn it, Jeremy! - she squealed embarrassed, as if caught in the act. - You scared me.
- Sorry. I'm glad I can hear you. - he confessed, his voice filled with clear relief. - Aelita and William helped me fix the connection. I don't know what happened, but the computer didn't want to detect you.
- Everything's okay. Odd told me what to do. - she shrugged, although he couldn't see it. Because he couldn't, right?
- I see. Tower deactivated. - he said, and only then did the girl notice that the scattered parts of the wall in the upper part of the structure began to return to their place, covering the intense red glow. - I think I can...
- Wait, Jeremy. - blond boy interrupted, and his silhouette brightened as he descended to a lower level of the tower. - Leave me in Lyoko.
- What? - he muttered before quickly adding. - Oh, I understand. Do you want to regenerate in the tower?
- Yes. I don't want to come back so quickly, not this time.
- Are you sure? It's a bit dangerous.
- Nothing threatens me in the tower. Please, Jeremy. - his legs started to go numb again, so he lay down in the middle of the platform, annoyed, cursing his own helplessness. - Why don't these codes give me more strength? It doesn't make sense!
- Last time I checked, you weren't artificial intelligence.
- Not even intelligence. - William added.
- He's right. - Aelita spoke up, rolling her eyes at Odd's offended 'hey.' - I mean the tower and the fact that you'll devirtualize yourself if you want to.
- I can stay with him. - Alex offered, grimacing at the thought of confronting Charlie.
She didn't feel emotionally strong enough to talk to him today, and she didn't want to leave this place so quickly. She had a strong feeling that she wouldn't be able to come back here soon.
- And aren't you supposed to go back to your friend? - William sneered, clearly amused. - Or do you want to spend more time with...
- Don't even try to finish that. - she warned, and if she weren't in a virtual world, her face would probably turn red; with shame or anger.
- What's going on? - Odd said confused; as far as he remembered, these two didn't talk to each other.
- Sure, after all, you should talk to him, right? - Dunbar admitted, and the girl groaned deep in her throat.
- Did your parents ever love you? - she hissed, squeezing the bridge of her nose with her thumb and forefinger; something what Jeremy does often.
It was the first time she insulted him directly, and to her surprise, the boy started laughing loudly.
- Okay, let it be. You win. - Einstein interjected. - Just please, be safe, and don't leave the tower. If anything happens, I'll be on the phone.
- Sure, okay, just... - she glanced towards the place where Odd disappeared. - I thought I couldn't go there?
- You can only enter unactive ones. -Stones explained; she spoke so rarely in her company that every time Alex had to remind herself that someone like that existed.
- Okay, and how do you go through walls here?
- I'll guide you. - asmall smile appeared on Einstein's face as he felt a strange sense of déjà vu.
A quarter of an hour passed before the rest of the warriors left them alone, and it was enough time for the blond to feel significantly better. The transfer tower would probably be even more effective, but the one they were in was sufficient. The mere fact that Aelita came to the factory whole and healthy lifted the boy's spirits; so, it was just a silly dream after all. He wasn't some damn clairvoyant, and for the first time in a while, he was glad for his mistake. Ultimately, the whole Lyoko action ended well, and although the walking reminder of his mistakes sat next to him, staring at him with her brown eyes, everything was fine again.
Everything was fine.
- Do I become more beautiful the longer you look at me? - he muttered.
His low voice and the fact that he still kept his eyes closed made her immediately feel a pang of embarrassment, even though she hadn't done anything wrong.
- I was just... wondering why you don't have cat ears like me?
- So I don't have to hear you, Red Hood.
- You love listening to me, though. - she scoffed.
- I don't even know if I like it. - he mumbled, and a lazy smile appeared on his face as he pondered. - Maybe I do.
- Do your personalities argue?
- The question is which one is telling the truth. - he snorted, and a pleasant silence fell again.
The girl's gaze returned to his body, taking a moment to appreciate how broad his shoulders seemed compared to the narrow waist and hips. It was the first time she could look at him a bit more closely, and she had to admit that the sight was really... pleasing to the eye.
Did he look like that on Earth too? Or maybe it was just a matter of his avatar? Wonder if he works out.
When she looked back at his face, she noticed that his golden eyes were piercing hers, but she didn't look away.
- Your costume has a lot more details than mine.
- I see.
She saw a hint of a smile on his face as he raised an eyebrow. In other circumstances, she would easily say what he himself knew, namely that he was damn handsome, but shame and embarrassment effectively blocked the connection between her mouth and her brain.
- In any case, that accident this morning was also because of Xana, or...
- No. - he rolled his eyes, clearly amused by the attempt to divert his attention. - It was by my own request.
- You know, I thought at first to go to you, but Jeremy said you had everything under control. - she continued, proud that her voice didn't waver. Sometimes she was so stupid.
- Yeah, he always has everything under control, as you can see. - he muttered before raising his body to a sitting position and tilting his head, fixing his gaze on the platform above their heads. - So? What was William talking about?
- Och come on! Are you still on that?
- I haven't stopped thinking about it since he said it.
She clenched her lips, staring at his smiling face, annoyed by her own behavior. It was downright idiotic how one request from this guy, and she ran forward, ready to sell all her thoughts, time, and even her favorite clothes (he had been occupying one of her favorite hoodies since he borrowed it after coming back from a party).
- It's really nothing. - she sighed, in a feeble attempt to drop the subject.
She knew that after getting this information, Della Robbia wouldn't let her live in peace, but she also knew that if she didn't hear it from her, someone else would tell him for sure.
- If it's nothing, then why don't you want to say?
Damn, she's going to regret this.
- He told Charlie that we're dating. - she confessed, clear displeasure painted on her face.
- Really? - his eyebrow twitched. - Just that?
- Just that? - she echoed, stupidly staring at him.
- Right, just that much! I haven't even taken you on a date, and I've already skipped two bases. - he ignored her look of disbelief and absentmindedly rubbed his chin. - Do you want to tell me that Charlie will punch me if he sees me with another girl?
- No, come on. But now I have to somehow turn it around.
- Why bother turning it around? It's a great excuse for trips to the factory. - he noticed.
- No way. He'll never believe that. Besides, I have a better one. I'll say that things got worse for you after your fall in the gym, and you needed my help with... something.
- Why wouldn't he believe that? - he scoffed, completely ignoring the rest of her words. - I'll do whatever it takes; I'm a great actor! One request from you, and I'll jump over any base for you, as long as it doesn't involve signing documents or taking out a loan. - he raised his paw, pressing it to his chest. - As a good friend, of course.
- There's no need for that, really. - she mumbled, looking at him with a mix of amusement and embarrassment.
- And to be even more convincing, we can hug here and there. Want to practice? - that annoying, self-satisfied smile appeared on his face, and his arms spread out invitingly. - Unless you'd like to jump straight to the next step?
- No way, Della Robbia. - she scoffed, but her eyes discreetly followed the lines forming on his torso with every movement.
- Hey! That's how couples behave, right?
- You talk as if you didn't have more girls than we have in school.
- Maybe I don't know about that? - his hands dropped, in contrast to the corners of his mouth. - I think I told you before that I've never had a long-term thing, kitty.
- Oh, come on. - she groaned, burying her face in her hands. - Don't call me that.
- Fine, I won't. - he said, then raised a finger. - If you go on a friendly date with me.
- You just want to get free coffee from me, like last time. - she remarked, mimicking the movement of his hand. - By the way, you're not my type.
- And what's not to be in your type?! - he snorted, suddenly indignant. - I'm sexy, hot, and sexy. Great hair, beautiful face, muscles...
- I didn't say you're not handsome. I just don't like blondes. - she rolled her eyes.
- ...I dress well, and we both love purple! I'm totally your type. Does it matter that I naturally have brown hair? - he furrowed his brows, to which she waved her hand dismissively, but he continued, undeterred by her lack of enthusiasm. - In my opinion, I'm the best target for your fake boyfriend that exists! - he crossed his arms over his chest, fixing her with a serious look. - Did I mention that I'm hot?
- There are no other contenders in this competition. - she observed, looking at him carefully. - By the way, I see you've already got better, huh?
- I admit it. - he chuckled.
Did the world stop spinning during the first ten minutes in the tower? Yes. Did he take advantage of this fact to unabashedly stare at her ass whenever she turned away from him? Maybe. Did he feel bad about it? Absolutely not.
- Do you think we can purr? - she suddenly asked, completely throwing him off. He looked at her confusedly before bursting into laughter.
- You really like that, huh?
- Of course! - she replied, her brown eyes shining with excitement. - I love cats.
- So, you don't have a dog? - he mumbled, seemingly nonchalant, but his facial features hardened as he felt a chill running down his spine. It was just a stupid dream; it didn't matter, and yet he felt that a wrong answer could destroy him.
- I have a cat. - she shrugged, completely oblivious to his sudden change of mood. - Actually, two. And you?
- My dog's name is Kiwi. - he relaxed a bit, and his gaze softened when he mentioned his beloved pet. - I kept him in the dorm for a while.
- Really? I thought they could kick you out for that.
- That's why I've been leaving him at home for a while. - he sighed.
- Oh, right. - she squinted her eyes and raised the corner of her mouth. - Another illegal thing done by Odd Della Robbia. What a surprise.
He chuckled softly.
- Come on, kitty. I'm a good guy.
- Please, we never paid to get into anywhere you took us.
- You yourself said you admire me for it!
- Yes, because I admired your confidence that everything would always go smoothly for you. It made more sense when I learned about the time returns.
He straightened his back and furrowed his brows.
- We're not allowed to use the return for personal purposes. - he said, trying to mimic Jeremy's admonishing tone. - Besides, I can't activate that shit.
- So, you really believe in your charisma and persuasiveness?
- Of course, I do. - he gave her a meaningful look. - And you should too.
- Believe that you believe or believe that you have charisma?
- No, be confident. - he didn't respond to her joke, clearly indicating that this time he was serious. - You're always so quiet and shy, even though you have more to say than I do.
- I am confident. - she asserted. - I just look at it realistically. I can't speak in a way that makes people want to listen to me, so why stand out?
- That's not a realistic but a pessimistic approach. - he remarked. - Besides, look at me. If you didn't speak interestingly, I wouldn't listen to you.
- That doesn't count, especially since your example is the worst of all. I bet with such a long list of girls, you've trained yourself to tune out during someone's chatter.
- I... - he hesitated, searching for the right words for his justification before gritting his teeth. - Okay, fair. - he snapped, suddenly strangely indignant, much to her amusement. - But it's a completely different case!
- Oh, really? - she teased. - Explain to me how.
- If I weren't interested in what you were saying, I wouldn't ask you to continue every time you interrupt, for example. Besides, we're friends, and friends don't sweet-talk each other. - he pondered for a moment. - Not always.
- We're friends? You already broke up with me? - she sighed dramatically and, with a hand on her forehead, slumped onto her back. - And what am I going to do now?
- You're worse than me. - he declared, and no, he didn't pay attention to how her eyes crinkled when she laughed.
He liked it when she laughed.
After a while, he lay down next to her, his head turned towards the dark-haired girl, waiting for her to pay attention to him. When she finally did, he spread his arms for the second time.
- You're stubborn.
- Not me, but you. - he denied.
She rolled her eyes, and he had to try very hard not to show his surprise when she actually moved closer, resting her head on his shoulder and placing her hand under his back, the other one crossing over his chest. She didn't understand why, but again, she felt at ease; apparently, Della Robbia's jokes removed all the awkwardness she initially felt. She had to admit he was quite comfortable too, certainly better than the hard ground.
- So, are we sticking to this plan? You and me, the best couple in this school?
- We don't really have to try that hard, you know? - she lifted her head, looking at him. It wasn't the most flattering angle, yet the blond still looked pretty. How did he do it? - I'll tell Charlie that we kissed or something, but we don't need to change anything else.
- If that's the case, then I don't understand what the problem was. Charlie probably isn't jealous of your attention, right?
- No, he just likes to convince himself of things and worry about them. - she grumbled, and her leg wound around his waist; she often slept in that position.
The blond swallowed hard, but he didn't dare move even a centimeter. The girl, on the other hand, completely ignored his discomfort, absorbed in her own stream of thoughts.
Inwardly, he thanked fate that they weren't on Earth.
- What do you mean? - he asked, trying to redirect his attention back to the right tracks.
- He thinks I'm letting myself be used as if I let anyone walk all over me. He'll probably complain endlessly, and I don't want to lie to him just to end up worse. On the other hand, you're right that it's a good excuse. - she sighed, grappling with her thoughts.
- You know, if you hug me more often, it'll only be a half-lie. - he joked, chuckling when she hit him on the arm. At some point, the silence was broken by her squeal when the girl recoiled from him just after his fingers lightly brushed her waist. He looked at her confusedly. With horror, she watched as understanding appeared in his eyes, and his smile became sharper than ever. - Are you ticklish?
- Come closer, and I'll kill you! - she shouted, increasing the distance between them just in case and reaching her hand towards him.
- Relax, kitty. - he purred, his tail swaying lazily as he continued to gaze at her. - I'll wait for the right opportunity.
- Stop calling me that!