After Fynn left to execute his part in the plan, Noah and Levi remained sitting alone in the dining room.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" Noah side-eyed Levi.
Noah might be misinterpreting most of Levi's reactions, but it didn't mean he couldn't see them clearly. Over the last couple of hours, the more he spoke, the fierier Levi's gaze became.
At first, Noah had ignored it, but later on, he couldn't help but seek solace from his black-hearted system, "Blackie… is it just me or brother-in-law's gaze seems a bit… too fervent?"
"What's wrong with admiring your wit? Your plan is really well-thought-out! Even I, this AI system which has seen many things, can't help but feel admiration and respect for the level of your scheming," Blackie very cheerfully praised his host, which, considering that he was usually a total jerk, should have been suspicious in itself, but Noah, whose attention had been preoccupied with Levi, missed it.
"Is-is that so? But how come I am getting a different vibe here…?" Sure there were admiration and respect… but this kind of admiration… wasn't it a bit too intense?
"What kind of a vibe?" Blackie showcased a rarely seen amount of patience.
"I-I am not sure… I've never seen such a look before, but… it doesn't seem to be the good kind of gaze to have someone look at you with?" Noah couldn't quite put his finger on why he found the gaze alarming, but his hairs stood on end, and he wasn't the one to dismiss his instincts.
'Oooh, so you are referring to that mad, obsessive adoration? Yeah, that might be some cause for worry…' Blackie snickered internally, but his words told another tale, "Oh, I think I know what's going on. Your brother-in-law is seeing you in a different light. You must be subconsciously worried that he wouldn't treat you the same as before now that he knows you aren't as harmless as you look."
Noah reassessed himself and found out that the subconscious feeling was, indeed, worry.
Blackie: 'Heh, of course, it's worry. If I was about to get eaten, I'd worry too!' (¬‿¬)
Noah waited for Levi and him to be alone again before confronting his brother-in-law about it. However, Levi's only response to Noah's question was to look away. He couldn't stop his own feelings, so all he could do was to not look. Ah, it wasn't his fault that his baby was too lovely! Usually, his baby was the cutest thing in existence; however, when he exposed his sharp claws, he became simply so stunning Levi found it hard to breathe. He just couldn't help but be enchanted. No matter how he tried to control his expression, some of his feelings would still leak through.
"Did you think I had no teeth?" Noah probed, "Even a rabbit will bite when cornered. Just because I don't expose my fangs usually doesn't mean I can't be both cunning and ruthless if forced by circumstances."
"That's not it," Levi swallowed hard, his response coming out hoarse, "You are perfect the way you are."
Noah, who was about to continue speaking, forgot what he had intended to say. Suddenly he felt strangely flustered and even the tips of his ears heated up.
The contents of Levi's words were embarrassing enough, but when said with that deep and unintentionally sexy tone, they became too much.
If it wasn't clear to Noah that Levi had blurted the words out unintentionally, he would have thought the other was flirting with him. Ah, his brother-in-law's lethality was really too much!
Just like that, Noah had utterly forgotten both his original intentions and the disconcerting gaze that caused them.
***
After taking care of all the matters related to their plan that needed to be settled, it was already bedtime.
The little sheep proceeded to lead the big bad wolf into the fold.
…But was stopped midway by the shepherd–ahem, butler, who had been sent by Cordia daddy to arrange Levi's accommodations.
The man first pointed out that Levi's mother had sent him a change of clothes and other necessities, and then explained that they put it inside the room they had prepared for Levi.
As soon as the butler motioned for Levi to follow him to the mentioned room, the man in question shot him down with the resolve bordering ferocity, "No need!"
The butler, who had been shocked by Levi's forceful manner and adamant refusal, could only look to Noah for help.
Levi, worried that his baby would kick him out of his bedroom, leaned in to whisper into Noah's ear, "Wasn't it you who told me to try having a nightmare in the vicinity of a Soother?"
Noah scratched his now itchy and pink ear and glanced at his brother-in-law's face that clearly had "the only Soother here is you" spelled out on it.
To the butler, this brother-in-law seemed nonchalant, but to Noah, who was by now very familiar with him, Levi looked very tense as he awaited his response. Noah could already tell that the moment he said no, this cute brother-in-law would don a look of a kicked puppy.
What else could Noah do but indulge him? He did indeed say that. And even if he hadn't said it, after what happened today, Levi wouldn't be able to sleep in peace without his soothing aura. Even if Levi was willing to try it, he, Noah, wouldn't be willing! What if his pitiful brother-in-law had another nightmare and destroyed their own mansion? How horrible would he feel then?!
Cordia mommy & daddy: 'What do you mean how horrible would HE feel?!?
щ（ﾟДﾟщ）'It's not his manor that would get demolished! It's ours!!'
Noah's sister: 'Oi, oi, what about ME? I live here too!!'
(ノ꒪Д꒪)ノ︵ ┻━┻
Levi: 'Oh? You do? (ꐦ ◠‿◠) Then how come I can't even catch sight of your shadow these few days?'
Noah's sister: 'I'll… I'll just see myself out of this non-existent conversation…'
(; ﾟ 3ﾟ )~♪
Levi: 'Come back here!! I have a marriage to cancel!'
ψ(╬｀∇´)ψ
Noah sighed, ���What brother-in-law means is that he can't sleep without soothing. Thus, for the time being, he'll be resting in my room."
Butler: "!!!" (っ °Д °;)っ
Levi gently pushed Noah into the bedroom as if it was his own and then turned to glance at the stupefied butler, "Can you let me know the moment my fiancée comes back home? It doesn't matter how late; I urgently need to talk to her."
And with those last words, Levi slammed the bedroom door shut in the poor man's still befuddled face.