Chapter 579

579 Preferred Company(Part Four)

Zazzy was happy to see her father and uncle, but they were both giving off a tense aura. It didn’t deter her appetite as she ripped into the bear, but it did worry her enough to listen in as they talked. She had to do it while seeming not to, which was hard, considering who the two were..

Tidas stared at Genie with a furrowed brow, waiting for him to speak. It was rare for the great Jin Laos to look akin to a child with his hand caught in a cookie jar. Feeling like he had the upper-hand in their situation, Tidas pressed it..

“You know what I’m talking about.. Why did you look at Skye like that? When you opened the carriage door?”

Genie’s eyes widened for a split second before he regained his composure. Tidas knew that he had struck something with his comment, and tensed with the anticipation of dragging a confession out of him. So when Genie admitted right away what Tidas had assumed: he was temporarily stunned..

“At first, I was just shocked to see you two...like that. I didn’t open the door Knowing that you two were...engaged in that sort of thing inside of a Carriage,” Genie emphasized the where, which threw off Tidas as he continued; “I have known you two since you were children, and have always seen you as such. But..”

Genie paused as he shoved back a flood of guilt; “I cannot deny that I saw Skye as the beautiful woman that she truly is. But had you two contained yourselves, I would’ve never-”

“So it’s my fault that you’re attracted to My Wife?!” Tidas barked with narrowed eyes.

Genie didn’t even flinch as he replied; “Who said that I am attracted to Skye? I merely acknowledge that she has become a gorgeous woman, and you can hardly blame Any straight man for gawking in that situation.”

Tidas looked beyond flustered as he replied; “How can you, of All people, be attracted to Skye?! You Helped raise her!”

.....

Genie glared at him; “I already told you! I am Not attracted to Skye! And for the record: I’m a ninja, not a celibate monk! I can acknowledge that she is beautiful without wanting her sexually!”

“Ahh! Don’t say that word! It’s like hearing my Father saying it!” Tidas yelled as his whole body cringed.

Genie tilted his head quizzically; “Is that how you see me?”

Tidas turned back towards him; “Not like my Father, but like a favorite uncle? Aye. Of course. WHY do you think I’m so pissed off that you looked like you wanted to-”

“Tidas! Calm down!” Genie yelled over him; “I was, for a split second, attracted to Skye when I saw her half-naked. But that was all that it lasted! A Split Second! As soon as I realized who I was looking at, it went away! Do you understand now?!”

“Then why did you avoid us?”

Genie practically flailed his arms as he yelled; “Really?! You don’t think that it would’ve be awkward for Skye to see me so soon after? Or did her feelings not register in that jealous little brain of yours?”

Tidas froze. He hadn’t seen Genie show such anger since he was a small child, and a familiar fear started to creep up his spine. As Genie stared at him with a piercing glare, Tidas sighed in defeat..

He stood in place, staring at the snow below his feet. Tidas had been partly right, but not enough to warrant his level of hostility. Simply talking it out with Genie would’ve solved the issue, but he’d been avoiding them for Skye’s sake. It all sounded very right...but Tidas still couldn’t shake his ill-feelings..

Unable to reconcile his feelings on the matter, Tidas did what he did every time he couldn’t handle his emotions: he buried them. He knew that he was predisposed to jealous tendencies whenever it came to Skye, and he it was Genie, after all..

‘He wouldn’t lie to me..’

As the thought crossed Tidas’ mind, Genie felt the weight of his lies bearing down on him. He had only recently realized himself that he was in love with Skye.. ‘I can’t tell Tidas.. He’ll hate me.. For my feelings and my lies..’

The two stood in silence, with the forest sounds, and Zazzy’s chewing being the only noises heard for quite some time. Feeling terrible about the situation, Genie started to ask Tidas about what he and Skye had been doing for the day. They were questions that he already knew the answers to, but talking about Skye loosened Tidas up, and calmed the tension between them.

He talked about the shops they’d gone to, and they discussed a few of the presents while Zazzy finished eating. It had gotten dark by the time they had found the dragon, so they just needed to stall for around an hour or two. According to what Bai Lei had said to Genie, they should be done checking over the lights by then.

As soon as she was done eating, Zazzy tried to fly off. The two yelled ‘No’ in tandem, and rushed over to her before she could even reply that she just wanted to rinse off. Tidas told Genie what she’d said, which sent a flood of relief through both of them.

Zazzy stared at the two with suspicion. No one ever came to see her so late, especially since she never hunted in the same place. As they accompanied her to a small stream, Zazzy realized that the only reason they would be visiting her so late would be..

‘Is it my birthday now? Did you bring me presents?!’

Zazzy had sounded like an overly-excited child as she’d asked. Tidas had to force a smile down, so as not to seem rude when he told her that it wasn’t time yet. Since Genie couldn’t hear Zazzy, he had to guess what she’d said based on Tidas’ response.

“Sorry, my scaly princess, but your birthday isn’t until Yuletide Day. Tomorrow is the Eve of Yuletide, so you have just under two days to go.”

Tidas had lied through his teeth to keep her party a surprise, but he knew that it would be worth it. Since she was a massive dragon, it was rather hard to surprise her. Zazzy could see and smell for miles around, and could even adjust her sight to see even further than that.

It was nearly impossible to surprise a dragon, but they were all up for the challenge. While Skye had originally suggested the party over dinner weeks ago, it had been Bai Lei to suggest the surprise part right after they’d arrived at his home. It was going to be close, but the Senator had spared no expense to give the last dragon a proper party.

Genie knew how intelligent Zazzy was, but that didn’t change the fact that she was still technically a child. Grinning at Tidas, who was beginning to worry how they would keep her grounded; Genie asked about the day that Zazzy hatched. She’d immediately looked to her father with anticipation in her eyes, waiting to hear one of her favorite stories.

Tidas grinned back at Genie, relieved that she had been preoccupied. He started with Skye and Peggy visiting the village, and how he’d gone to meet the Kringles. Zazzy’s two favorite parts were when her mother had called out to her for the first time, and when the reindeer had peed on her father.

Zazzy remembered the first time her mother had ever held her, and she even vaguely recalled her parents’ warm voices when she’d still been in her egg. Before them, all Zazzy could remember was lonely, cold, darkness stretching on forever. They had not only saved her, but they’d given her the same kind of love and affection they’d give to any human child of theirs.

As she listened to her father’s story, Genie watched them with a soft expression. Tidas had always been a good, and honest person, and he’d grown into a straightforward man. The guilt tugged at his heartstrings as he listened to the story of ‘how their wee family had become whole’.

Tidas had been like a favored nephew to Genie for years, if not a surrogate son; at least when he was a child. The fact that he’d always loved Skye didn’t bother Genie at all, which confused him further. Normally when a person loves another, the idea of them being with someone else usually bothered them, but not Genie.

He didn’t want to break them up because Genie knew that Skye loved Tidas just as much as he loved her. Even if she miraculously chose him instead, Genie would always know where Skye’s heart truly called home. Writing his feelings off as a one-sided fantasy, Genie joined in on the two enjoying the story..

************

It was close to ten o’clock at night when the two had finally arrived back at Bai Lei’s home. Skye was the first to greet them, which made them both happy. When Genie watched Skye wrap her arms around Tidas, he realized that he felt absolutely no negative emotions towards Tidas.

He had heard a wise man once say that when a person truly loves another, their well-being becomes your priority. How you feel becomes irrelevant, because as long as they’re happy: you’re happy. In that moment, seeing how much Skye and Tidas loved each other; Genie didn’t wish for anything more than for them to be happy.

A slight pain still rippled throughout Genie’s chest as he acknowledged the fact, but the peace that he felt from seeing them happy far outweighed it. It wasn’t the first time that he had found love, only for it to be permanently put out of his reach.. ‘At least this time I’ll be able to see the woman I care for be happy..’

After the two bid everyone a goodnight, Genie stopped them before they disappeared into the long hallway, and said; “I just want you two to know that your training will start after New Years, but I am going to assess you the second day after Yuletide. I need time to work out a training regiment for you two to follow.”

Tidas and Skye agreed, then disappeared to their chambers for the night. Genie sighed after they’d left, then turned to his brother to ask about the lights. When he did, Bai Lei clicked his tongue; “You’re asking about lights right now?! How did things go with Tidas? Zazzy didn’t eat you, so it couldn’t have been too bad.”

Genie kept a neutral expression as he replied; “It was fine. I realized something when I was with him, though..”

Bai Lei flashed him a quizzical expression before Genie added; “As long as he makes Skye happy, I will be fine.”

“What if he doesn’t?” Bai asked with curiosity in his eyes.

Genie locked eyes with his brother as he replied; Then he’ll deal with me..”