Chapter 120 - One-Hundred-Nine

My stupid brain has already given up on me, meddling words together and not thinking straight while he keeps caressing my back with his hand in smooth motions.

I try to come with something to talk about, or something to do, to-I don't know, get away from that situation b-because, because… it is embarrassing, yeah, that! We were out here in the open, it was impolite to simply start hugging you know? Getting so… lovey-dovey all of the sudden.

And yet, when I finally open my mouth to say something, my eyes meet Leonel's… and he smiles, as if knowing what was going on in my mind, a comfortable and at ease expression that affects me in the spot.

And suddenly I don't feel the need to say anything anymore, my racing heartbeat seems to slower until it settles and my anxiety fades away.

That is just how powerful your smile is to me.

"I missed you."

"Hm…"

"I was worried about you."

"Hum…"

"I thought of you all the time."

"Uhm."

"Can I kiss you?"

"Maybe…I don't know, let me think…" At that he raises his eyebrow in an amused expression as a cheeky smile covers my lips.

"Are you acting coy now my little hound…?"

"Coy, oh no, I wouldn't dare, just a little hard to get…"

"Ah, I see, maybe next time I shouldn't be this polite and ask before uhm…"

"Oh, so harsh of you, you wild beast." He laughs at my sarcasm and closes the gap between us, his warm lips covering mine in a soft yet long kiss.

"Eww, get a room you two." I hear suddenly from below, the red hound looking at our direction.

"Get one for us too." Says the wolfhound, smirking to the side, only to be glared at by the red hound.

"Oh, does watching us bother you?" I ask, as she looks at me and Leonel.

"If I say yes you will keep going won't you?"I just narrow my eyes, my smile growing bigger. " Then, no, not at all, please continue! Go ahead! There is even a good spot on the floor over there!"

I cannot stop myself from laughing… until I realize that Leonel did not understand a word she said beyond barks and growls.

Oh well. 

"Who are they?" Leonel asks, but I simply say:

"Oh, them? Don't worry about them, ignoring is enough, don't bother yourself with them."

'Oi!' Both say, making me raise my eyebrow in challenge, as if saying didn't like it? What are you going to do about it? Nothing? Nothing I see! Of course is nothing!

I've always had very expressive eyes I may add.

But we soon part from our little catch-up reunion when a woman elf approaches, I little shy at first, but once Leonel turns towards her she smiles, pulling her hair behind her ear.

Oi, bitch, who the hell are you? Why are you looking at my elf! 

When she starts opening her mouth slowly, with that freaking shining eyes, she suddenly turns towards me, and seeing me stare her down makes her widen her eyes and stutter.

I pull Leonel closer, looking pass him towards her; and making sure his face was turned to the other side, coldly asking: "What is it?"

"A-ah, wha-, is just that Helraya has finally arrived and is waiting to meet you…" Oh, alright, I see, they are waiting… wait, who? And waiting for whom? Leonel… I think, turning slowly towards him.

"Is an informer. " He quickly says, swallowing dry.

"Uhm, an informer, I see… explain!"

"Of course, of course, but can you stop trying to break me in half first?" At that I realized that my arms around his waist were using a little bit too much force, so I let go, only for him to grab my hand in his and intertwine our fingers.

I'm trying not to blush from this little cute gesture when he turns towards the elf girl, thanks for her warning, and starts walking into the building, leaving the two hounds at the garden as they were having another quarrel.

Sigh, those two, they will never learn��� 

As we walk, together, inside the building, for a moment I stop to look at our surroundings before continuing the subject, staring at the strange crystal yet white structures, somehow transparent but only enough so the light would pass through but would not take away the privacy of each room, blurring the images in between.

And that only meant that there was enough light to the interior, too, be filled with plats of all sorts, but not in a jungle wild manner, but in a harmonious manner, as if the building had been made to accommodate the plants, not the other way around. 

Well, no one can oversleep inside such bright place like this…

"So…" I start as we leisurely walk through those amazing halls, not in a hurry, enjoying strolling side by side, hands tight as he starts to caress the back of my hand.

"Well…" He continues without waiting for me to ask. "While you were away I took the liberty to make some searches in my end." For a moment I thought: What he could do? But then I quickly remembered that he owned that guild right? Roar of the innocent or something, a growing expanding guild at that, so he was bound to have his ways.

Not really interested in the details though, probably a lot of economics, politics, and many other boring things, my interest was picked by what information he managed to gather.

"What did you find?" I ask.

"Not much yet, you haven't been out for long after all. But I found a traitor, a demon traitor, and offer them exile here with the elves if they help us defend against their Demon Lord."

"Do you know about the Demon Lord?" I ask, since I only just discovered that fact; and from the Demon Lord himself.

"Only that only a creature with such strength could take an entire island for the demonkind and launch an attack towards the main continent. Why? Do you know more?"

At that is my time to talk, filling him in what happened while we were separated, and how Cain specifically invited me to that elven event.

"Odd, to say the least… Thil, I don't think you should go." I frown at that, stopping to turn towards him.

"Why?"

"He wants something from you, and it can't be a good thing."

"Wants something?"

"Of course, or else why would he take you, and only you, away for a private chat like that? And ending in an invitation even… wait, should I be jealous now…?" Realizing just how 'intimate' our encounter sounded, the angry feeling that was growing in me for him wanting me away from the party turned into a more playful type of anger when I see him all bothered by that.

"Well… I can't deny that he is quite handsome."

"Thilgon…" He says, angry.

"And his second form was quite fierce too…" I say, playing with fire.

But even I wasn't ready to be burned by this flame.

So when I realize I'm pushed back by Leonel, his arms coming up around me, caging me up against the wall, all made in vicious moves, but not as much to be rude, only surprisingly fierce and cunning.

And somehow s.e.xy.

"Are you trying to make me jealous little hound?" He says, his words sounding rash but a little smile threaded to upturn his lips anytime.

Suddenly feeling bold, probably something to do with staying apart for so long, I brush my finger over his jawline, drawing his face, and stopping on his chin, pushing it up a little.

"And what if I am? What are you going to do about it?" At that he cannot contain his smile anymore, adding a mischievous glint to his eyes as he says, dragging the words.

"Oh, I have many things in mind… But they are best explained in practice…" I can feel a warm sensation rushing though my neck and probably making me blush, but this time I contain the first instinct of trying to run from his advances and, to my surprise, am eager to see the results.

To see if it was all just barking, or if he truly had some bite…