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"I can't believe I'm letting you do this."
"Just don't peek and keep walking," he teased, making me scoff.
He was standing behind me to the side a bit, with his right hand over my eyes and other one holding my hand to guide me to wherever he had in mind.
"Are we there yet?" I whined, almost like a child though I didn't pout - even if I wanted to. No way am I going to act like a child in public.
Aaron and I hadn't talked about what happened, but the past few days he has been helping me. I've gone out on walks with him a bit, and he took his time - showing me where different parts of the city were, important families - or kind ones I could get along with, and vise versa.
Although some was kind of useless. Why would I have to ask someone about their day, everyday, when I don't even care?
He just laughed.
The ground beneath by left foot felt even, but where I was about to step my right foot, I didn't feel the ground below at the same point as the other.
I stepped over the hole, halting us for barely a second.
Aaron laughed quietly. "You sure are somethin.'"
Ever since he first took my hand and covered my eyes, I'd been blushing and that didn't help but I played it off with a joke.
I just hope he doesn't feel how hot my cheeks are. Especially after every time his hand shifts in mine, or his arm or side brushes mine.
"Is that good or bad?"
He clicked his tongue, and my eyes continued to flick around the darkness of his hand blocking the light. "Bit of both, really."
I looked at him from the side, leaning away a bit, but I was still blinded. "Oh really?"
"Yep."
I considered. "Actually - that's fair."
He laughed and I followed.
We stopped. "We're here."
"Finally," I breathed.
"What, you tired?"
"Not in a hundred years."
"Are your feet hurting then? You're always wearing heels."
I scoffed. "Touché, but no." I shrugged. "Nothing really hurts me much."
"Well, then let's show you before it starts hurting."
"Ha! Again, that'll take like-"
My words halted as he took his hand away from my eyes, allowing me to see the house in front of me.
It was wooden and cobblestone, and it was one story. There were small windows with shutters on the walls, surrounded by trees and bushes, and flowers and vines. It was stunning to me, even more than the castle.
I was so caught up in looking at the house, that I hadn't asked why we were here - or noticed that we were still holding hands.
I'm guessing he noticed too, but instead of taking his hand away, he readjusted it and held mine tighter.
"Why'd you take me here?" My eyebrows knotted together.
"You'll see," was his mysterious response, as well as the wiggle of his eyebrow and smile.
He reached to the door, and opened it in front of me, allowing me in.
I looked at him. He just motioned inside, and I sighed before going in.
It was dark and I walked down the hall a bit before lighting the candle above me with matches from my pocket. The house was naturally lit with sunlight, but other than that it was dark.
Blowing out the match, I then waved it to get rid of the smoke and put it back in my pocket.
"Surprise!"
I jumped to the side as everyone popped up from behind the furniture and corners.
I actually just jumped.
Zoey held her breath before choking out in a laugh, leaning foreword with a hand on her chest. A few others laughed as well, whether it was like Zoey's or just a light one.
"What?"
Zoey caught her breath. "I've never seen you jump before!"
I shrugged. "Yeah, not much surprises me. I'm always on alert, but not this time I guess. Good job," I laughed.
"But, why am I here?" My hand had been slightly behind me, still holding Aaron's out of view, but he dropped it to go near the others.
Everyone exchanges excited glances, and I tensed, shifting on my feet. "What. . . ?" I said hesitantly.
Kawaii~Chan clapped her hands. We'd hung out a little bit over the past few days as well. "Everyone got Aphmau~Senpai a house!"
My eyes widened. "What. . . ?"
Cadenza bit her lip, putting a hand on Zoey's shoulder from behind her a bit. "Do you not like it?" She asked worriedly.
Aaron smiled. "Or she loves it - but she's speechless."
I glared at him when I saw the amusement on his face as he watched me fumble for words. But eventually, I just sighed, glancing at my feet before looking everyone in their eyes.
"I do love it - and Aaron is totally right." I rolled my eyes when he smirked. "I just haven't had a real home since. . . Forever." I wrung one of my hands with my glove and sleeve, fiddling with the hem.
"Well that's changing now!" They all clapped and brought me farther inside, allowing me to look around and get accustomed.
First I saw the room to the right of the entrance. Closest to the right of the archway, was a couch with two matching chairs, and a carpet below. Behind it was a bookshelf, and a guitar on a stand. Almost straight ahead from the archway was a large bed, a bench and carpet at the end, as well as a piano beside it and some windows around. No windows on the wall to the left.
"A piano and a guitar? Okay, Aaron did you?"
He smirked. "Maybe a bit. Just to Zoey." She waved.
I rolled my eyes playfully and checked a doorway beside a wardrobe.
Inside was a counter, sink and mirror to the right of the entrance and nothing behind the door. Straight was a nice bath, and some curtains that didn't have the best stitching but to me looked fantastic.
From the left of the front entrance, there was a kitchen adjacent to the bedroom / living room. It was small, kind of cramped - but I wouldn't have it any other way. It had 3 wooden cabinets, and the counters below them were wooden with some form of chiseled quarts or fine clay.
A wooden table and four chairs took up some of the space, but with the emptiness it looked adorable. And I gotta say the spice rack will be very useful down the road I feel.
Through a door on the side, opened up to the back of the house - a small square that could look like the front of it because there was a road of more houses right nearby. It once again had flora, and looked beautiful.
The door had a slanted wooden arch, a low shackled roofing atop it. There was a small indent of stone in the wall of the house, probably below the bathtub. It seemed like a furnace, for both heat and cooking.
A hiss and singe in my hand reminded me that I couldn't be out here for long, and I hid it in my cloak, letting it go farther around me as I walked back inside.
I knew I was being weird, just looking at the ceilings and walls and not the faces of my friends, but I couldn't help it. They were smooth and wooden in the corners and doorways, the rest being a smooth - yet slightly rough and cracked - off-white, almost like beige, stone or clay.
I'm not an architect, so it could be whatever, really.
Someone stepped a little closer into the living and bedroom area as I touched the guitar, looking at it and the window. They didn't have glass, except for the one right by the couch at the front side of the home.
My home.
"Well?" I turned around, looking into dark eyes.
Smiling, I replied: "I love it."
Everyone cheered, making me laugh.
"Get comfortable and we can get this party started!" Emmalyn said happily, though I guessed she wasn't familiar with parties or festivities much.
Well, we can relate on that.
I nodded, and went back to the door near the front entrance. I hadn't checked it out but I'm hoping it's a closet.
Yup.
I took off my cloak and mask, as well as most of my sashes and weapons. And my corset. Afterwards, I simply wore my black long sleeve shirt, the sash that was around my waist like a belt, and of course my pants and boots. Even my gloves were off.
I walked back in and a few people looked at me funny - like they were seeing me for the first time.
Rolling my eyes, I kicked out my hip. "What? Come on just because I cover up modestly, doesn't mean I'm not hot." I smirked and the casanovas followed.
"Oh, baby we know." Travis was then elbowed in the gut.
"I know, and that's all that matters. Don't try flirting with me by the way, it won't get you anywhere you want to be." I wiggled my brow and sat down on a seat next to Aaron. It was a smaller seat, not the couch, but it was just enough room for the both of us.
Zoey smiled. I had accidentally told her about what happened with us. She's a good friend, though.
They all are.
Mostly the past week I've spent with Aaron, and Zoey, but I spent a bit with Laurence, Garroth, Travis, and Dante so they could show me around the training areas and guard posts.
They even tried to recruit me for things involving strength.
Oh, they don't even know my limits.
Not that I'm going to tell them. . . Yet.
I spent some with Kawaii~Chan, as I'd said before. She gave me some baking tips - not that it helped. Even with her doing half the work, I still made a burnt apple pie.
That was about it, but a few people had some small conversations with me occasionally if I saw them on the street.
"So what's the plan?"
Everyone looked around, finally landing on me.
I shrugged. "What?"
"It's your party! You decide." Zoey encouraged.
I blushed and rubbed my neck. "I-I don't really care. . . I mean, I don't really know anything fun to do."
Aaron smirked and I have him a warning look, making him put his hands up in defense.
Cadenza eyed the prince for a moment with an evil look. "Aaron, what do you know?"
He looked to me and leaned on the chairs arm. "Yeah, Aphmau. What do I know?"
I glared at him and clicked my tongue before getting up to the guitar. "He knows this."
I faced away from them and breathed slowly as I strummed the cords.
"Aw, come on Aph. I know more than that."
"Yes," I put the guitar down and walked back to the chair. "But that is all I'm showing off."
"So you won't play the piano or sing?"
I sighed and threw my head back on the chair. Everyone laughed.
"You don't wanna sing?" I shook my head, messing up my hair from it still being back on the chair.
"Then Aphmau~Senpai doesn't have to!" Kawaii~Chan cheered. Everyone's agreed, and I thanked them.
Eventually, everyone was up and around just talking and having fun. Some helping Kawaii~Chan in the kitchen, some badly playing the piano, some sitting on the floor talking, and some still at the couch trying to talk to me. Funny thing as well, seeing the guards suck at music.
"So why did you stay alone in the woods for all that time?"
It went slightly quieter, others also curious for the answer.
I shrugged. "I'm just a bitch."
They laughed, and I added: "But not as much as my mother, though - now she is a true major bitch."
"What do you mean?" Laurence asked as a followup question.
"Well, Aaron and Zoey know this, but I have like 5 sisters. My mom only really cared for the oldest, and so the rest of us took care of each other through our childhoods. My oldest sister is Lucinda, and she's like the heir to what my mother does, so my mother only took care of her.
"Barely even fed us," I added with a scoff and rolled my eyes. You've probably guessed, but I hate my mother.
Emmalyn' eyes narrowed. "That's terrible."
I shrugged. "Some people have had worse childhoods and lives, so I'm not about to complain. And it wasn't just us she was bitchy to. She acts like she's 10 times higher than everyone else in the world."
"Well, that's very noble of you." Someone added and I smiled, leaning farther into the seat.
Aaron had his arm on the back of the chair, so I suppressed a blush as his arm was basically around my shoulders.
And of course, for once I fell asleep without meaning to.
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Word count: 2184
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