Spellbound Affection

Chapter 2: The Dragon Quest

(Third Person Point of View)

Goshiki ran about in the Adventurers' Hall.
"I'm so excited!!! Our first quest as a party. What should we choose?? I'm so enthusiastic right now I can pee in my pants--"

Semi's voice echoed throughout the hall.
"GOSHIKI WILL YOU STAND STILL."

Shirabu groaned.
"Ushijima-san, just pick whatever and let's get going."

Ushijima and Tendou were in front of the bulletin board, looking for a starting quest that will be not as easy and not as hard for them as a party.

Reon was trying to calm down a pissed Semi and Goshiki was still hyped up, much to Semi's frustration. Shirabu was tired of this bullshit.

Ushijima can't pick, and Tendou was not helping since he was just reading everything out loud.

"Why don't you pick one, Satori?"

Tendou was shocked. No one called him by his first name before.

"Ohh! First name basis! Should I call you Wakatoshi-kun as well?"

"That wouldn't be a problem."

"Hmm. Should we try this dragon quest?" Tendou pointed to a paper. "It says we need to rescue a damsel in distress from the hands of a fiery dragon." Tendou laughed. What is this, Shrek?

"okay."

"what, really?"

"of course. I trust you."

Tendou blinked. Thrice. He didn't know what to feel. Happy because someone trusts him with all their heart, or sad because the feeling felt foreign due to years of loneliness.

Ushijima started to wave a hand in front of Tendou's shocked face.
"Did I say something to offend you?"

Tendou chuckled. "No no.. It's okay. Just.. Minor Issues with myself that are completely irrelevant. If you want I can take the paper to the reception lady and tell her that The Violet Eagle will be taking this quest."

Tendou was about to walk away when Ushijima held his wrist.

"I will go with you."

Shit shit shit. It feels like a thousand bolts are running through my body right now.
Tendou thought, his eyes fixated on his wrist that Ushijima was currently holding.

They walked to the reception lady, hand in hand. Well, mainly Ushijima doing the holding, oblivious to Tendou's blushing.

The reception lady, whom everybody calls, 'Bokuto', greeted them with a smile.
"Let me guess, marriage?"

Ushijima and Tendou turned brighter than that of Tendou's own hair as they both shook their heads frantically. Ushijima finally dropped Tendou's hand.

Bokuto pouted. "Aw, that's a shame. Marriage is the only event that can make my bro Kuroo come to this hall. Anyway. How may I help you?"

Kuroo? Tendou thought. Ah, the girl blacksmith in Espeleirian Peninsula. I didn't know she was friends with Bokuto the reception lady. Marriage must be an important event for Kuroo to come to the Adventurers' hall. Wait a minute, gay marriage was possible?!

Ushijima cleared his throat.
"We're here to take the dragon quest."

"ohh! You must be the new party. The Violet Eagle, right? Sure thing! I wish you luck! Oh, if you're going to drop by the blacksmith, please say 'hi' to Kuroo for me."

Tendou smiled at her. "We'll keep that in mind, thanks."

Bokuto's face suddenly turned sour.
"The Dragon Quest, eh?"

Tendou tilted his head.
"Something wrong?"

"Oh no... Just.. When you rescue that damned woman, can you please punch her and tell her not to go through all kinds of trouble? Her husband Iwaizumi is about to disown her, you know."

"Right..."

Ushijima and Tendou walked back to the group, with Bokuto still shouting for them to 'take care', 'stay safe', and 'beat the shit out of Iwaizumi's wife'.

Iwaizumi's said wife must be a handful. Getting her own ass to a dragon's nest. Geez, I feel bad for Mr. Iwaizumi. Tendou thought.

"We are going to embark on a quest, that takes us to a dragon's nest. Where we will battle a fearsome fire-breathing dragon, and rescue the princess safe and sound."
Ushijima says, holding the paper in front of his party members.

"That sounds so heroic. I'm going to cry."
Goshiki looked up to Ushijima as if he's the embodiment of the fountain of youth.

Tendou was placed next to Semi as they walked towards the direction of the dragon's nest.

"Hey, Semisemi." Tendou called him silently.

Semi looked at him incredulously.
"You called me what?"

"Did you know gay marriage was possible? I didn't even think of that occurring."

Semi blinked. "I.. Err.. Yeah. Same sex marriage is possible in the Espeleirian Peninsula. Get a guy or a girl of your dreams, then tell Bokuto, pay the fee. You didn't know?"

"Oh. I was too busy thinking about how to level up than to deal with society's problems."

"OH MY FUCKING---" Semi covered his mouth after he realized how loud he had been. "Same!! Did you know we met up coincidentally for the fucking same reason?"

Now Tendou's curiousity was piqued.
"Seriously? I thought I was the only one."

"Yes! Fucking listen to my story." Semi's eyes were sparkling. A part of him was glad that Tendou was the same. He cursed himself for thinking Tendou was not like them, but they're the same after all.

"So, I was alone. Semi Eita, an Assassin, didn't have a party he was a member in, so he had his journey independent. Ha. Can you imagine that? I fought various beasts alone. I was starting to get used to that life when Ushijima, this big boy here, asked me if I was an Assassin and would like to form a party."

"Wow." Tendou could not believe his ears. "It seems like the miracle boy Wakatoshi-kun brought us all together. We were even invited the same way."

Semi looked up the heavens. "Sure, there were other parties out there who are amazing, like the party 'Murder of Crows', or 'The Feline Alliance', hell, the greatest group ever known, 'Silver Parliament'. But they did not interest me, nor any other group. I believe Ushijima is different. He brought us here for a reason, with each of us being ourselves with our natural inborn talent. Yes, we are not special. But we are us, and that's what matters, don't you think?"

Tendou smiled to himself. "Yeah."

Maybe Ushijima picked him not because he was the last Mage that did not have any party he was a member in. Maybe he picked him because he knew there was something different in him.

Maybe, just maybe, Ushijima and the others we're not like society.

Tendou hoped that they were real, and that they were going to be the best of friends.