Chapter 286: Chapter 286 Master, Smile for Me
We kept drinking. The bottles emptied slowly, the amber liquid catching the dim light as Alaric poured us glass after glass.
Our banter grew lazier, our voices softer, slipping between memories and jokes. Sometimes we said nothing at all, just sat there with the noise of the bar around us, two men who had been through too much and still found themselves side by side.
At some point I leaned back, closing my eyes for a heartbeat. The warmth of the alcohol had seeped deep into my limbs, making everything softer.
Alaric was humming something under his breath, off-key and ridiculous. The book sat between us, its pages slightly open like a secret waiting to be told.
By the time we stood, the room tilted faintly under my feet. Alaric stumbled first, catching himself on the edge of the table and laughing like a boy.
I shook my head and stepped away from the chair, the weight of the night pressing down on me but not in an unpleasant way.
"Come on," he slurred, draping an arm over my shoulder as we made our way toward the door. "We’re going to regret this tomorrow."
I huffed a small laugh, slipping the book inside my coat. "Speak for yourself."
We stepped out into the cool night air, the noise of the bar fading behind us. The cobblestones gleamed under the moonlight, the world spinning just a little as we walked.
Alaric’s laughter echoed beside me, and for a moment, with the book tucked against my chest and the taste of alcohol still on my tongue, I felt something close to lightness.
Alaric and I parted ways at the entrance of the castle. He clapped me on the back with a grin still plastered on his face before staggering down the corridor that led to his own quarters. I watched him for a moment, shaking my head, then turned in the opposite direction.
The hallway stretched endlessly in front of me, its walls swaying and tilting in spirals. My steps echoed unevenly against the polished stone floor, and my hand brushed against the wall more than once to steady myself.
At last, I reached my room. My fingers fumbled with the handle for a moment before I managed to twist it open. The door swung wide with more force than I intended, the sound bouncing off the walls. I blinked hard, trying to clear the blur in my eyes, and froze when my eyes fell on her.
Aeris sat on the couch, her silver hair spilling over her shoulders, her posture stiff and shaking now and then. In her hand, she held something small, and even through my haze, I recognized the faint glint of it. My brows furrowed, and I stepped closer, my boots dragging slightly against the floor.
It was only when I reached her side that the object came into focus. The pendant... My pendant. The one that had once belonged to me and Emelia. The sight of it made my chest tighten, and for a moment the fog of alcohol cleared enough for me to feel the weight of it.
But what rooted me in place was not the pendant. It was her face... trails of tears glistened down her cheeks, catching the light of the candles. My heart clenched at the sight. Although Aeris is emotional sometimes, she rarely cries, and now she sat before me, crying quietly with the pendant clutched in her palm.
’Why would she be crying over a pendant that she knows nothing about? Could it be that she thinks I have someone else?... or has she recovered her memories?’
I lowered myself beside her, my body swaying slightly as I sat. My hand reached out toward hers, the words tumbling from my lips in a slur. "Why... why are you crying? Did someone hurt you? Tell me." My voice was rough, unsteady, but softer than I meant it to be.
Her head jerked slightly, and she swatted my hand away without meeting my gaze. The pendant slipped back into her lap, hidden from me as if it were a secret she did not want me to touch. But it was MY pendant.
The sting of her rejection pricked at me, but I leaned back, pressing a hand against my thigh to steady myself. "You are still mad at me, aren’t you?" I asked, my words coming out slow and heavy. "You still... hate me?"
She stayed silent, her lashes trembling as fresh tears gathered in her eyes. My chest tightened further.
I drew in a deep breath, then let it out with a heavy sigh. A crooked smirk tugged at my lips, though it felt weak even to me. "If I keep talking, you’ll ignore me," I muttered. "So maybe... maybe I’ll make you laugh instead." I pointed at her.
I tilted my head at her and crossed my eyes dramatically, pushing my lips out in an exaggerated pout. She blinked at me, startled, though her tears still streamed down.
I puffed my cheeks next, holding my breath until they were red, then let out a small snort when the air rushed out. "Still nothing?" I asked, tilting my head.
Her lips twitched faintly, almost against her will, but she quickly pressed them together as though fighting it.
I leaned closer, squinting at her through half-lidded eyes. Then I pinched my nose shut with one hand and made a ridiculous sound at the back of my throat, like a child trying to mimic a pig.
"Are you really going to keep ignoring me?" I teased, my voice hoarse from the drink. "I’m making a fool of myself here... and you are not even trying to save me."
She stared at me like I had fallen from the sky, her wide wide eyes blinked almost as if she could not believe her eyes.
Then, she pinched her cheeks, letting out a cry. "I’m not dreaming." She muttered, staring at me baffled.
I cupped her face, pouting with droopy eyes... whatever it was called. "Master... your pet is trying to make you happy... why don’t you smile for me?" I pressed her cheeks with my palms, making her pout her lips, and making her eyes smaller.
"You look so cute... Master."