Soul Bonded [Claude De Alger Obelia x reader ]

44. Painful Realization

You couldn't handle the feelings anymore and turned around to leave.

"Don't go."

The deep lonely voice made you stop in your track. Initial shock subsided, and only painful feelings remained.

His voice... Why am l now noticing that it sounds so nice?

Fuck. You were losing your mind.

"Stay. Just for a while."

There was something in his tone that had your heart constricting painfully. And you took a deep breath.

Your back was still turned to him. You couldn't muster the courage to face him. You slowly slide down, curling on the soft grass and leaning against the tree.

"You'll stay there?"

Flustered you hastily opened your mouth. "Y-yeah. You know, I just rolled out of bed and I look wrecked disaster. So yeah Imma stay here and save you from my unsightly appearance."

"How bad it can be?"

"You don't want to know, believe me. You'll start questioning my very existence if I'm a girl or not! Just to be clear I am."

Please fall for it, fall for it!

I..I don't want to show you my tear-stained face. I don't want you to see my longing eyes or the pathetic look on my face. So please fall for it. Don't question it. Don't doubt it.

You fidgeted, plucking the grass, feeling the slight dampness.

"Hmm."

There was a heaviness in the atmosphere. A steadily growing wall that seems impenetrable.

Maybe he too could sense the growing distance and was silent.

Something changed or rather someone changed.

You couldn't decide who. Was it you because the nature of your feelings towards Claude had changed or was it Claude whose relationship with Penelope had taken an unexpected turn?

Who abandoned whom?

Was it you who were abandoning him because the sight of him being with someone else was a hard pill to swallow?

Or was it he who was unable to understand his troubled heart, the growing vast emptiness within him or the thawing darkness that clawed at him?

Whatever the reason you couldn't find words to fill up the silence, only suffocate in it.

"Sorry, I took your spot."

Your response was just as quiet. "It's alright."

Again the unspoken words dangled in the air, slowly but surely creating an even greater rift between you two.

Your toe curled up in uneasiness.

"....Next week I'm going to war. Promise me... Promise me you would come to see me off."

He was going to war. What-- here you thought it was just war strategies he was participating in.

You listened to his words and without missing a beat agreed. "I will."

Your eyes lowered and your lips curled up in a small smile. "Don't doubt it. I'll come to see you off as your....friend."

You waited for him to say something but only silence came.

You stood up, cuddling Ether in your arms. "Goodnight Claude..."

"..."

You walked away with your heart heavy and throbbing.