Chapter 486 - Night Walk

"Sleeping out?"

The television was streaking bright lights across the living room, some action thriller about crime families was on, churning out as much gunfire and explosions from the speaker grilles to outclass any world war from before - which just adds to the authentic feeling, I'm sure. They don't even seem to need to reload either.

Dad was planted on his favorite one-seated, a refreshing yellowish drink swiveling with a mountain of ice in one hand, remote in the other, and glancing from the near distance of the foot of the stairs, I could almost see an uncanny resemblance between him and one of those machine gun-wielding tuxedo men on screen…

I decided against pointing out this astute observation of mine to him, muttering a faint, "Yeah, I am," to his question which he somehow managed to hear over all the pandemonium.

"I see," He muttered back, then returned his focus back to his nightly entertainment. "Take care of yourself, goodnight."

And really that's like the best reaction that I could have hoped for. Now if only the rest of my family could just follow along in his footsteps… Mom especially… I would be so happy. 

Ash surprisingly had remained exactly where I had last left her, like an erected statue in the front lawn, springing only to life with a shudder of the shoulders at the sound of the door swinging wide open.

I hardly even recognize her at first. Her demeanor had strayed so far from her usual calmness, her grace. There's only pretense there, a pretend calm, as she desperately tries to contain her apprehension inside. I know it… because I was doing the exact same thing too.

Steady breaths, steady steps…

Ash met me halfway as I approached her, wearing an unsettling stare that looked so lost with what to do with herself and yet just as eager to want to do something about it as well, then upon noticing the bag slung around my shoulder, she saw her perfect chance. 

"Don't even think about it," I said, taking a step away from her outstretched hands. "You might be a Knight, but I'm a guy… let me have my moment of chivalry, alright?" 

Still permeating that awkward air, Ash slowly let her reaching arms fall limp at her side, and seemingly not knowing what else to do with them, began burying them at the curls of her skirt. 

"Alright," I took the first step forward. "Shall we go now?" 

Only silence from her narrowed lips, but the faint crunch of grass closely following from behind meant that we shall indeed. Behind us sets the sinking sun, casting our shadows forward onto the dirt path ahead standing almost side-by-side with each other, almost hand-in-hand with one another, makes me wonder a little why we weren't.

Blame tension, blame nerves. Forget black holes, the bloody atmosphere right then was now officially the heaviest thing in known existence bar none… doesn't help that Ash seems to be a little bit tongue-tied at the moment… it's strange, I've never really heard her this speechless before, if you can wrap your head around that sentence… it's even worse than with Sera, at least I know that she grunts occasionally. 

On the way over, I couldn't help but have my eyes drift ever so briefly to the barn looming off in the distance, a foreboding outline in the darkening blanket of night that continues to enshroud all over. One look, and it's like I'm back there again, seeing him, hearing him - all my doubts, my worries, manifested as a single wrinkled smirk staring ominously back at me. 

But as said before, I didn't keep my stare for long and soon returned to the narrowing path ahead of us, yet alas, I couldn't exactly say the same for Ash, even as its outline faded from sight, it was as if she could still see it, like she was standing right here inside its gloomy interior, and now instead of there just being quiet… there was disquiet, the expression on her face in a deep thinking somber.

She needed a distraction, a good one too… so I distracted her, replicating our silhouettes and taking her hand in mine.

I felt her fingers twitch when I held them, even heard the little quiver in her breath almost letting out a gasp - extra sensitive to the touch as I recall, and extra sensitive she was at that.

"Over here," I motioned, pulling us away from the beaten path and into the swaying stalks of grass. "Forest is practically pitch black at night, better we reach the lake before the sun completely goes down." 

Ash still wasn't saying anything, but I did feel her grip my hand a little tighter, and that was enough indicator for me to quicken our pace. Up and over the rickety fence, into the trees, past the bushes, and we were back to retracing our steps. 

For a while, I managed just fine navigating us through the clutter and foliage, yet unfortunately, it seems I underestimated just how freaking fast the forest loses the sunlight, and before I knew it, I was nearly walking us into trees and tripping over branches… it got to the point where I was waving an arm out in front of me like a makeshift cane for poor blind me. 

Honestly, I didn't know where the hell was going anymore… and I think Ash could tell, because slowly and gradually, our positions started to make a switch. She took the lead, guiding us the rest of the way, while I just strung along, holding tightly onto her and never letting go. 

How she knew her way through the forests, especially in the pitch darkness in spite of exploring it only briefly once while in a drunken stupor at that… I know she's practically superwoman in this world, but still, next thing you're gonna tell me she's actually able to fly too all this while. 

"You know where you're going?" I asked aloud, just to be sure, sadly I couldn't rely on watching her facial expression anymore, and she still wasn't talking either, so if she was nodding - hell if I know. 

I think Ash quickly realized this was well, because, in the midst of rustling leaves and creaking twigs, I heard a wispy voice from near in front of me, low and in a timid whisper, "Not particularly, Master…" 

Welp, there goes my preconception. Whatever, point still stands. 

"Then how are you…?"

"Your scent," spoke that voice again, even quieter this time. "It still yet lingers, faint as it is."

"You smell me."

"I do," She affirmed. 

Right… I keep forgetting that particular habit of hers. 

"How exactly does that work actually? Is it a magic thing, do you have to concentrate to do it, or…?" 

"Um, in a sense, I've imprinted your scent to memory, we Elves are keen hunters in the wild, it is a practiced skill, hone through experience, useful for sensing prey, detecting enemies, and - "

"Finding lakes?" 

"Yes, that too," Ash muttered, in a hushed inflection on the brink of a smile. "But most importantly for me, feeling you in every breath I take." 

"That's… weirdly flattering," I said, but hey, if it works and if that bliss I heard ringing in her voice ain't a lie, then, "Do you think you can teach me how to do that sometime… for, uh, educational purposes?" 

"Not unless you are an Elf yourself, Master." 

"Oh," I let out a little sigh. "Shame…" 

"Alas, it isn't quite a necessity now, is it, Master?" She said, and I felt a part of her lightly brush at me. "I am right here with you, after all." 

I brushed her right back, feeling a faint smile forming. "That you are…" 

It seems the more she talked, the less withdrawn she becomes. I should find something else to talk about. No problem, easy-peasy, my speech is always at a 100 playing RPGs. I could even talk a mugger into giving me money instead.

"So, uh…"

"Master, may I - "

Or we could talk over each other and just maximize the awkwardness, yeah that works too. Unfortunately, it seems my luck stat hasn't been getting the same kind of preferential treatment. 

"You first," I said, relenting first. Not like I had any idea myself what I was going to say.

There was a motion in the darkness, a faint murky outline of something ducking… or bowing, before Ash spoke, "Regarding scents… I detected, no well, I noticed it prior, but… there is a trace of blood in the air." 

"Oh?" 

"Yours."

"Oh." 

"Vampires do not emit a scent of any kind, nor do they leave evidence of their presence in their wake, among all, they are a particularly elusive species," She continued to say, a forced casualness to her tone. "But in rare, exceptional cases… they do leave imprints… markings…" 

I knew where this was going, I could see it… unlike that bloody branch I nearly tripped over just now.

"You saw it, huh?" I said, tracing my neck with a finger. "It's, yeah… it's - "

"It seems Adalia has indeed grown quite fond of you as much as I," Ash said, breathing out to the skies. "Always in your presence, beset on all sides by your kindness, it was only a matter of time, an inevitability of circumstance, and yet still…" 

"Still?" 

"Still I am envious, jealous…" She confessed, with another long sigh. "In spite of stunted emotions, still she could express herself to you so openly, brazenly… lovingly… while I continue to stumble, to falter… continuing to leave many things I yearn to say unspoken." 

I felt my head give a shake. "But you already have, I already know…"

"And yet alas, there is still so much more…" there was a pause, and in the dark, I caught beads of green light staring back at me. "Tell me, Master… were her feelings reciprocated?" 

"They were," I said, staring back at their shimmer. "Like you said, always in her presence, beset by her kindness… it was only a matter of time, wasn't it? I love her too." 

There was a blink, and then there was just darkness again.

"Well, it matters not if you do, and it matters not if she does. Worry not, Master… this will not change at all how I truly feel about you." 

"Same here," I told her. "Nothing has changed for me too. What I feel for you, nothing can change that in the slightest." 

"And that is all I need to know," I heard her breathe out, relieved. "But I must say, Master… your relationships as of late, they have taken quite a turn, haven't they? I wonder, do you enjoy being the desire of many as you are? It must feel quite flattering, doesn't it?" 

"Well, uh… maybe?" 

"Then are you satisfied with your relationships now, I do wonder?" She eyed me again, a narrow glint in the darkness. "Or perhaps instead, you have more of your love to freely give to others still?" 

I'm being called out, exposed… and I have no way of denying it so. Nothing to my defense, nothing to plead innocence… my speech stat has failed me. 

But then just when I thought the hammer of justice was going to fall and my sentence proclaimed - I heard a faint chuckle sounding nearby and beneath those emerald lights, a smile glimmered so bright. 

"I merely jest, Master," Ash said, bowing her head apologetically. "I am more than content merely staying by your side alone… and so long as I am able to… then there is no equal to my happiness, to the joy I feel, being with you here…" 

Now it was my turn to have words fail me. All I could do was smile at her, and fall in love with her even more…

"And besides," She said, batting her eyes quickly. "For now, for tonight, you belong only to me, don't you?" 

I nodded, holding her tight. "You do." 

"And I to you," She replied, her voice speaking so tender.. "Forever and always."