Reborn From the Cosmos

Arc 8-06

“Something wrong?”

Ugh. I hate that’s the first thing that comes to mind when she sees me. Have I really been that bad?

“Nothing. I just wanted to see you. We’ve missed each other lately. Or should I say I’ve missed you?”

She narrows her eyes, but I know that’s just to stop herself from rolling them; saints forbid she do something silly or, worse, immature. “I’ve been trying to stay busy. With all the physical casters around, I can train all day without problems.”

“I can see that,” I mutter, taking her in. She certainly looks like she’s been swinging her sword all morning, with her shirt clinging to her and a few unruly strands of hair escaping their tie. The curly mop is almost straight now. Every time I point it out, she keeps grumbling about how she’s going to cut it. I wonder why she hasn’t? It has to get in the way with how active she is. Speaking of, I’m also due for it. Mm, I know what we can do to spend time together.

“There’s nothing better to do. Best to take advantage of the peace.”

“About that.” I sidle up to her with a grin. “What’d you think about taking a break for a while?”

“For?”

“Do we need a reason?” My hand reaches out, fingertips brushing her cheek. The corner of her eyes twitch as she forces herself to hold my gaze, but she leans into the touch, just a little bit. It’s so cute when she tries to play stoic. “We haven’t spent time together in days. I want to fix that.”

Her lips part to answer me but I steal them, swallowing the sound. And, like always, the stoic knight falls away and my sweet Alana melts into me. She’s changed from the start of our relationship. There is no trace of the hesitance that plagued her, the hands that grab the front of my shirt lightly tugging me forward and yanking me back when I try to pull away. Heh. Can’t believe she tried to act nonchalant just to turn around and practically try to swallow me. Still, I let her have her way, pouring apologies and affection into her with every touch.

When she finally pulls away, I don’t move, resting my forehead against hers and shutting my eyes, enjoying the moment.

“I love you,” I whisper and she sucks in a sharp breath.

But the moment is ruined by Rolly’s titters.

I raise my head to glower at the bright elemental, in shades of pink and yellow, circling our heads. “I’d have thought that you of all creatures understood timing.”

“I do!” she shouts back, laughing again.

“Ignore her.” Alana’s voice makes me look back down. “She only enjoys it more if you don’t.”

“True!”

“What did you want to do?” She clears her throat and looks away, blushing faintly. “For the date, I mean. There isn’t much to do around here. And I need to change.”

She gets embarrassed by the strangest things. “You don’t, actually.”

“…what?”

-

She’s right when she says there’s not much to do; Quest is a mess and the sections that aren’t wouldn’t exactly be welcoming. I can imagine us strolling into the Myriad Zone and starting a riot. Thankfully, we don’t have to leave the estate to have a good time. And by having a good time, I mean relaxing.

“I take it back,” Alana says with contentment as she soaks in the large tub. Her neck rests against the edge as she tilts her head back, eyes shut as my fingers work through her hair, massaging all the while. “This is perfect.”

The perfect activity for us? A little self-care. We’ve been covered in blood and dirt so much lately, we’ve gotten too used to it. She’s beautiful either way, and I’m quite literally living art, but there’s something to be said about putting in the effort. Not just for admiration’s sake. Cleaning up and dressing up just feels good.

“How are things? Besides training,” I ask, voice low, not wanting to ruin the peaceful mood that’s settled over my hard-working knight.

“Fine, I suppose? It’s been quiet.”

“Ah ah. Details. There’s got to be something. Ah! Have you been spending time with Allen?” While Yulia amuses herself in the camp, her son remains at home. No one here is ideal for looking after a child but between the Stars, Bell, and my servants, the little boy is fed and watered.

“Mm. I check in with him at least twice a day, before and after training.” Her lips turn up at the corners. “He calls me Al now.”

“Not Aunty?”

“Little brat thinks it’s funny.”

“You sound like you do too.”

“He’s cute enough to get away with it.”

“Do you want one? A kid, I mean. Or more.”

She tenses but I massage with more gusto until she relaxes again. She tries to turn around but I stop her, earning a huff. “What brought that on?”

“The natural flow of conversation? I realized we never talked about it. I wouldn’t even know what to assume.” On one hand, she’s a noble, and continuing the bloodline is ingrained in every noble child. I imagine it’s especially important with the James family, seeing how many of them die every generation.

But on the other hand, and I don’t mean anything insulting with the thought, Alana does not strike me as the mothering type. She’s too…not cold, because she’s the opposite of that. Focused, that’s it. Childrearing requires an investment of time and attention that someone with lofty goals simply can’t afford to divert. It leads to childhoods like mine, where I was raised, or not raised, by a series of servants and tutors.

“I…never thought about it deeply. I intended to join the Stars after my time in the Hall and they aren’t allowed to marry. I’m sure they have, ah…"

“Sex? You can say it sweetie, it’s not a bad word.”

Her arm twitches and I grin, knowing she had to stop herself from swatting me. “They take precautions to prevent the inevitable consequence. Victory may do a lot of debatably crazy things for the war but even we aren’t crazy enough to let pregnant women march.”

“So, you admit you’re all crazy?”

“Never denied it.”

“…and?” I prompt after she lapses into silence for too long.

“Gonna make me say it then,” she grumbles before saying louder, “I put off even thinking about having a family until after I survived a campaign or two.”

Ah. I forget sometimes, or rather most of the time, just how bleak Alana’s life was before we met. I wonder, does she consider me her savior? Is that why she fell for me?

“Well, you survived a campaign.”

“Is this a roundabout way of telling me something?”

“Oh, no. I’m the same. Never thought about it.”

“Okay then.”

“…Kii wants them though.”

“Ancestors protect us. Hopefully, they take after you.”

“Aw.”

“Would you rather they have your power and Kierra’s temperament?”

Saints shield us. “…good point.”

“And Morgene isn’t allowed to be alone with them until we’ve hammered some common sense into their heads. No, too lenient. She’s never allowed to be alone with them. Would she seduce her grandchildren? She wouldn’t, right? That’s too far even for them…I hate that I’m not sure. And that I don’t have to ask whether she’d throw them into dangerous situations for ‘training’. How old do they start that? Five? Three?”

“For someone who hasn’t given it much thought, you’re kind of eager.”

“That’s what being family is, right?” she grumbles, fighting her embarrassment.

I’m glad that she can’t see the expression I’m making right now. She has a much better opinion of family than I do, which is impressive given her history. Maybe she isn’t a saint, and maybe she isn’t a good person, as I don’t think any good people would condone what we’ve done, but she’s a better person than me. More importantly, she makes me feel like I can be a better person, something that’s important given the rest of the degenerates surrounding me.

Placing my hand into the basin of water beside the tub, I reheat the cooling water and rinse her hair, earning a contented sigh for the effort. “Scooch over.”

“Hm?”

Rather than repeat myself, I easily lift her, Alana squawking in surprise at the sudden movement, and climb into the tub with her, settling her between my legs. It’s a tight fit, but not so much to be uncomfortable. Another quick spell and it’s my turn to sigh as steam rises around us. Another perfect moment. This is what my life is. The blood, the guts, and the dragons are just distractions, obstacles on the road.

I could sit here for hours but Alana has other plans. My eyes that had slipped shut open as she moves, turning around to straddle me. I loosely wrap my hands around her waist, smiling lazily as she looks down at me with hooded eyes. “Need something?”

“…you know what I need,” she whispers. One of her hands moves toward my chest but I catch her wrist. The look she gives me is priceless. “You don’t…”

“Of course I do. But…in a little while.” I drop her hand and guide her to lay her head on my shoulder. I just want to prolong this moment for a little longer. Besides, the water is still hot. It’d be a waste not to take advantage of it. “Then you call have your way with me.”

My heart fills with warmth as she uselessly slaps my stomach.