ARTHUR LEYWIN'S POV:
I k-kissed Tess...
I kissed Tessia Eralith, a thirteen-year-old girl. Wasn't this a crime? Was I a criminal?
"yes, you are a criminal Arthur." I snapped my head to the side to see Al and Elijah appear out of thin air and handcuff me.
"You have got to be fucking kidding me!"
"I'm afraid not sir," Elijah said chaining my legs together.
"She was the one that kissed me after all! I was the victim here! Making a move on me while I was in this vulnerable state!!" I yelled trying to explain myself as I stared blankly at the door she'd left through, my shaking hand finally reached my lips and I just lay there, dumbfounded, touching my mouth as my mind couldn't help but recall the soft, moist touch of her lips.
"Don't make this worse for you than it already is," Elijah's voice was a mix of pity and disgust the same as their faces.
This was wrong. Yes, I was technically only twelve years old, but with the mental age from my previous life and this life combined, I was almost 50! Even assuming that I had kids late, Tess would still be around the age of a daughter if I'd had one.
"Goddammit! All of this was because of this accursed body!" These raging hormones in my body right now! The reason I was feeling so guilty was because I actually enjoyed it, both times she did it. It felt nice when Tess kissed me. It shouldn't feel nice and I shouldn't enjoy a kiss from a little girl, but I did.
_________________________________________
Alexander shard
Arthur you bastard, because of dealing with the aftermath of you protecting your wife, Claire Cancelled our date for that day. I'm ashamed to admit that I forgot that Tess collapsing was caused by how strong the elder wood's will was and not it being corrupted, Well that and my mind was occupied thinking where to take Claire out to after class. Conveniently I only had two classes and in team fight tactics I had a role to help train the student's combat abilities while Prof. Glory taught tactics I taught combat by using my illusions and I had glory adapt my training method as well to an extent.
After Arthur woke up a day after I assured Claire that he would be fine and after I reminded her that we fought the Elderwood Guardian and won she relented and stopped worrying about him. And as payback for delaying my Date, I and Elijah watched Tess "assault" him and then handcuff him to his bed and left the key just out of his reach, Had it been my way and not Elijah's Arthur would have been tied to the roof upside down, But we did Agree to not heal him for a while.
"Al I Think they aren't able to fight anymore..." Claire raised me out of my thoughts as I looked at the exhausted field of students hyperventilating while their bodies twitched as if shocked from the pain and soreness in their muscles.
"I expected them to last for half an hour, was I overestimating them or is it normal for them to be in this shape after 10 minutes?"
"I think a bit of both, But then again Lucas did get mana backlash."
"Good for him, hopefully, it humbled him." I lied, I just wanted to hurt him as much as possible and humiliate him.
"Class dismissed, you want to get washed off by me or drag yourself to the showers?" I said while pointing at the massive Ice cold ball of water above them, Although they had been exhausted they sprung up with vigor and ran for the showers
"I'm covered in sweat so I'm going clean myself off, I'll meet you at the Plaza!" Claire Called out happily before running off to wash herself off, I loved that she gave everything her all and was one of the few who enjoyed training with me. She was able to keep up with me very well when she used wind mana to speed herself up, Claire was getting faster all the time even to the point I had to augment myself so we were evenly matched.
I had spent the rest of the day after Arthur got roasted by Curtis looking around for places to go eat with Claire And found a nice little café near the plaza, It was a hidden gem of a café, It had a very warm and cozy feeling to it along with a comforting aroma of cinnamon and baked good it had, it had some really good food and some nice drinks as well as one lifelong addiction I use to have in my last life... COFFEE oh how I missed it so much, It was a necessity in my life to deal with my chronic sleep deprivation from the amount of work my school gave me.
Here at Xyrus it was sold in small cups of straight black espresso and was insanely strong to me now that I didn't have my old tolerance, That one cup had me awake for dam near 20 hours, so I had asked the girl working at the store to water it down a lot, and Although she was confused at me for asking this because it was normally a drink for senior students studying for final exams. And after it was watered down it tasted like regular black coffee, and it still woke you up so they added it to their menu.
A hand tapped my shoulder and I turned to see Claire "hope you didn't wait too long" She blushed slightly and tucked her hair behind her ear
I felt the blood rush to my face as she was 1 really close, and 2 that was cute as hell, "No not at all, I smiled back at her.
We walked the short distance to the café talking about our classes. Claire really wanted to drop out of one class that was supposed to be teaching her about sound magic.
"All he does Is go over the same topics you taught me in an afternoon but in such a convoluted method with no proper explanation or demonstration like you did!" She whined waving her hands in the air to express just how annoyed she was at the class.
"Hey, My knowledge of magic is a different level than everyone else in this school, to the other people in that class it was probably a good class." I tried to reassure her thinking It couldn't be that bad.
"No nom, youuu don't get it you genius you." She wagged her finger at me and used sound magic to show me the class, and She was being literal with how bad it was.
"Why is that guy even at the School? With that level of insight, I doubt he could make a room even slightly quieter." I rubbed my temples thinking of how boring and bad it was.
"That's What I'm wondering! well, that and where you're taking me?" She asked turning to me.
"My favorite hidden gem of a café," I smiled and walked opened the door of the Café for her.
"This is a nice place, it smells so nice!" she bolted up to the counter and looked at the baked goods in the display her eyes glittering like a child looking at a pile of candy.
"I figured you had a sweet tooth by the amount of sugar in you put in tea Claire." I walked up to the counter and the girl running the shop gave me a sly grin realizing why I asked how popular their café was with girls.
"says the one that brought sweets yesterday and ate them all when I asked for one." She jabbed at my side with her elbow while looking at the apple turnovers.
"Sorry about that!" I chuckled and tossed a coin to the barista and motioned not to tell her it was me, She nodded and smiled.
"this one is on the house miss." She gave Claire a warm smile handing her a cup of tea, as well as the Apple turnover.
"Are you Sure? I can Pay?"
"No, it's quiet alright, just enjoy yourself." She smiled and then whispered something to Claire but even with my extremely Assimilated body and enhanced hearing I couldn't tell what it was. But It made Claire Blush wildly up to the ends of her Ears.
"IT'S Not Like That!!" Claire waved her hands up and denied whatever they talked about.
"at least not yet." She said under her breath before running over to a table near the door with a nice view from a nearby window.
"What was that?" I asked the barista.
"Girls secret, Just enjoy yourselves." She said in a teasing tone while sliding me a Late and a cookie.
"Your other Desert we talked about earlier should be done In a bit,"
"Thank you, Just keep it as a store specialty," I said Sliding her a gold coin.
She was speechless but just took it and thanked me.
I sat down at the table across from her to see Claire adding 4 sugar cubes to her tea god knows how much she put in before that though.
"Claire, that's a bit excessive isn't it?"
"says the one who pays for a date with a gold coin," she said staring at me shrewdly.
"That was money well spent and you will see why in a bit," I said proudly and took a sip of my latte.
"what's that drink? it smells nice," Claire sniffed the air not knowing the absolute pleasure of coffee.
"it's a latte, slightly sweet, a bit bitter, and wakes you up when you're tired," I said sliding her my cup and taking a bite of my cookie.
"mmmmh! It tastes nice and cozy!" She cheered taking a sip of it.
"Id knew you like it!" a smile creeping up my lips as she tried her Apple turn over and had the same reaction.
"I love this place, Al," She sighed finishing her tea and snack leaning back in her chair.
"You got that right I breathed out warmly finishing my latte.
"Alexander it's done you want it here or to go?" the barista called out from the back.
"We will eat it here, and can you bring us some cold milk with it?"
"Sure thing!"
I turned back to see Claire confused but excited to see what she just made for us.
the Barista slid the baked dessert I was known for making on holidays in my past life and that was the most diabetes-inducing thing I could make and loved eating with glass of milk on the side.
"What is it?" Claire Asked half paying attention while her eyes were glazed over with a desire to consume the whole 30 pieces I intended for us to share and take some back to our dorms.
"I call them Brownies." I smiled looking at the crispy and cracked top of the chocolate and gooey and fudgy bottom, I could see the melted chocolate that I had searched a while to find since I arrived in Xyrus and settled in with the Helsteas.
Claire picked one up and took a bite, Her entire face glowed up in joy she started squealing enjoying its flavor.
"mmmh this is amazing Al!" she laughed while taking a sip of the cold milk leaving a white mustache on her causing me to laugh.
"What's so funny?" she asked looking at me laughing at my own reaction to a milk mustache and oh god it was perfect.
"nothing you just got a little something on you," I said leaning over and stealing a brownie crumb off her cheek and wiping the milk from her top lip.
"Dam that's a good brownie." I was genuinely surprised at how good it tasted. I looked up from my share of the brownies to See Claire frozen in place her face redder than her hair.
'Smooth one dad' I looked out the window to see Zeph watching us.
'Thanks, and go back to Arthur's hospital room.'
'fine'
Claire was just looking down and just fidgeting with her hands still red as a tomato.
"yo- you can't just tease me like that Al..." She whispered under her breath.
"and Why not?" I asked in a slow even Sly manner.
"Because I'm the older one!" She said pouting that I won the teasing contest so far.
And like that we continued devouring the plate of brownies while taking stabs at each other, cracking jokes, venting about stress, and me getting pressured to reveal some skills I had like mana rotation and that I can use lightning.
"you're too Strong All," She lengthed my Nickname as I carried her back to her dorm as she slung to my back after being "too tired to walk" as she said.
"What's wrong with that?" I said in a joking tone.
"I'm heavy aren't I?" she asked.
"No not In the slightest Claire," I said warmly making sure I didn't mention that my assimilation makes me stupid strong already.
"Those brownies are going to make me fat." she pouted on my shoulder.
'Fuck Why is she so goddam cute! I'm going to have a Heart attack over here!' I cursed mentally.
"I'll make sure you don't Claire." I smiled looking at her red hair glowing in the moonlight.
"Hey Al, can you do something for me?"
"yea?"
"Close your eyes,"
"Why?"
"just do it, you idiot!" She said blushing.
I Relented and Did as she asked and just listened as she walked closer.
"ok, you can open them now." I opened my eyes To see A Necklace around my neck that was a silver dog tag with a large snowflake and half a heart punched out of the side, It was hung on my neck with a leather cord and glittered in the moonlight.
"there now we match!" Claire smiled brightly holding what looked to be the stamped out part of the one I was wearing, it was a rose gold snowflake with the other side of the heart placed so they would fit together.
"It's beautiful Claire," I said warmly smiling like an idiot.
"Also This is payback!"
As I turned my head towards her, my eyes widen in surprise as I realized that her face was just inches away from mine. Her eyes gazed at me with an expression I'd never seen in her ever and before long, I felt her lips as she closed her eyes.
The soft, warm sensation of her lips on top of mine caught me by surprise but my body didn't let me react, As she pulled away, her eyes locked onto mine staring at me with what could only be described as lust.
"Your mine now Al" Her voice rang out in my skull in a sweet manner, making me feel happy, confused if this meant we were a couple now that I was 90% sure we were, and shock.
And before I could react she ran off into her dorm building.
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