“When will you be able to eat enough for me to stop worrying? You don’t eat on your own and only eat when I make you. That’s disobedient…” Kyle pointed to Noah’s untouched food.
“Don’t you think you’re giving me too much?” Noah said, pushing her plate of food away. “I’m not hungry right now.”
“Since you don’t usually eat like this, you’re in a state of lethargy every time. Have you completely forgotten your diagnosis of malnutrition in Sorrent?” Kyle snapped.
Noah sighed, realizing that his nagging had begun. Kyle really was acting like usual self. Like someone who hadn’t gone through that ordeal last night. Up close, that’s how he appeared anyway. However, something definitely was different about him. Noah’s breath hitched as he placed his hand on top of hers.
It was only to help her lift the spoon, but she could feel the heat rise from Kyle’s hand. And then, after he helped her lift the spoon, he stroked the back of her hand with his thumb. His purple eyes looked darker than usual because of his drooping eyelids.
“What’s wrong with you?” Noah snatched her hand away. As soon as she did, however, there was a sense of coldness from where Kyle had held her hand.
“Oh, nothing.” Kyle replied, a beat too late. He rested his hands on his lap. “I thought I could be good at this platonic relationship business, but I must have been overconfident.”
Kyle caught a glimpse of her, and then sighed in a way almost sounded like a laugh. “Geez, I can’t do anything right. With you so cautious like this. Anyway, I’ll be downstairs. After you’ve finished eating, put on your robe and come down.”
Kyle placed Muell on the table and left the room. Noah buried her face in her hands while looking down at the now-empty soup bowl.
“This is serious. What am I going to do with him?” She groaned.
***
It had been only two months since they’d first met in Sorrent and came to Tauren. They initially got along really well, but that was before they had spent all their time together, travelling several times over the past few days.
Throughout all that time, they had been unnecessarily closer than Noah thought. From when they healed each other’s wounds to when they had reunited in Novischosha. Hugging and holding hands with no constraint. But they never had any intimate moments between them, until yesterday.
“I need to send this telegram off, so you can go get yourself a fresh set of clothes. And don’t take off your robe, or pull your hood down.” Kyle pulled up Noah’s hood over her eyes and fastened it in a neat bow.
“You know, I can go around without having to cover my face. I think you’re more of a problem.” Noah remarked, adjusting her hood so she could see where she was going without revealing her face.
Kyle didn’t answer, instead, grazing his hands over her cheeks after a moment’s hesitation. Then he held both cheeks as he lifted her face.
“Why do you look the way you do? It worries me.” He said, a concerned look upon his face. “You look like you’d trail behind anyone who promises you free cake.”
“Are you belittling me? I have Muell with me, why are you worried about me? And I can use my powers if I need to. And anyway, aren’t we meeting at the town square in an hour anyway?”
Kyle was supposed to send a telegram to the capital’s administration centre from the post office, and purchase some tickets from the train station. And Noah was thinking how she needed to buy herself some new clothing. Afterwards, they would meet at the town square, drop by the hospital, and return to the hotel.
“There’s no need for you to worry about me, Kyle. I will be perfectly alright,” she said, reaching out to lightly lace their fingers together. There was a brief moment, when their eyes locked, that Noah could feel her heart pounding against her chest. Kyle pulled his hand away and patted Muell on the head, who was resting on Noah’s shoulder.
“Take care of your master, Mu.” He said as he walked away, leaving them alone. Noah watched him go and then ducked into the first shop she came across that sold clothes. She was thankful for the time with just her and Muell so she could take her time shopping for clothes.
She took selected items of clothing that were in her size and draped them over her arm. She carried them over to a table where Muell hopped off her shoulder. He folded the clothing up as she returned to pick out some more clothes. “Muell, did Kyle’s behaviour seem unusual to you in any way?” She asked as she carried more clothes back to the table.
Muell tilted his head like was trying to comprehend what she was saying. “No, he seems normal to me,” he replied in a cheery tone of voice.
She looked back at him suspiciously, but he only smiled in response. His innocent nature meant he was unable to detect the subtle tension between adults. Noah sighed and turned back to the clothing racks.