Is It Okay To Have Dinner With The Spider

【三十一】ENCARRASUS

When she finally calmed down, Reina rubbed the hot tears away from her eyes, scolding herself. Reina sniffled and gave a stifled laugh. "Tetsuki," was all she could say. He let go of her with one arm, but his other arm stayed on her back, holding her up as if she would break if he didn't.

Reina brushed the hair away from her face and bit her lip, casting her eyes down to where the blanket came up to her waist. "I'm so weak," she whispered. "I thought I was going to die. I was in this box, this blood cage. I was bleeding and the blood kept rising. I couldn't get out - I really thought I would die." Then she jerked her head up at him, staring at Tetsuki with wide dark eyes. "What did you do to me? Why am I... not dead?"

"I got my father researching your poison. He and I found something to cure it," Tetsuki explained.

Her eyes filled with tears once more and her fragile hands clutched Tetsuki's shirt urgently. "Please let me meet him! I have to say thank you! He saved me," she exclaimed, shaking him. "And you. You saved me as well. Thank you, Tetsuki."

Tetsuki nodded. "I couldn't let you die."

Reina's head fell on to his chest as she clung on to him. "Tetsuki, I know you told me not to say sorry, but I have to. I'm sorry. I hurt you really badly, almost killing you and then hurt your friend and then dragged you all into this mess. I'm sorry. This shouldn't be happening. I, the Spider, shouldn't be asking your for help, or needing you to survive, or be in your house at all," she finally took a look around. "I'm guessing this is your house?"

Tetsuki snorted and gave a nod. "My room. But listen, you didn't hurt me. You saved me. And that whole fight with Chika, don't blame that on yourself; he came at you with murderous intent. You were only protecting yourself. And I know that you didn't kill him, even though you could've," he paused, "Reina. You aren't the Spider. You are Reina. Queen of the people. The smartest, nicest, most amazing person I have ever met. You can ask for help. You can ask for your life. Don't blame everything on yourself and burden yourself like this. You can always come to me, because I will always be here for you. You didn't hurt me Reina, you saved me."

Reina dropped her head, her eyes shone with tears as another tear slid down. You are Reina. Queen of the people. His words echoed in his head. The Spider has always been her title, the way people known her. The Spider was the cold assassin that had no heart, no emotion. I'm not the Spider. I am Reina...? Reina, the orphaned girl. Reina, the girl who showed herself to Tetsuki. Her fingers tightened around his shirt which were in her hands. "Lift your shirt."

Tetsuki blushed slightly and stuttered, "Wh-what? Why?"

"Just do it." Reina let go of him and Tetsuki slowly lifted his shirt, revealing a large bandage wrapped around his entire torso. In the middle, it was slightly red and damp. The angry slash in the middle was visible, even beneath the bandage.

"See that big red wound? That was me, Tetsuki," she said. "It will always be me who did that. Even looking at it, I know how brutal and critical that was. It may have cost you your life."

Tetsuki shook his head and grinned. "Think about it this way; if you had not done what you did, I would've certainly been killed. But if you did what you did, I would have a fifty percent chance of surviving. You gave me a higher chance of living and I want this scar to stay with me forever," he replied.

Reina cocked her head to the side and made a face. "Why? No one wants that. Those swoony girls who always flirt over those guys who have abs, won't like you anymore," she answered bluntly.

He snorted. "True. But I don't need them to. And by the way, I think it would make me more attractive," he wiggled his eyebrows, making Reina snort.

"Yeah... okay."