I saw him as he wrapped his blanket and slept on the cold hard floor.
I was still a bit startled as he became hostile out of nowhere. 'How can he treat me like this? When I did no wrong to him'.
After all, he said to me, how can he just go ahead and berate me like that?
For the first time in my life, I felt like someone genuinely cared for me. I had felt so elated by his warmth like I am not isolated anymore, I am no longer lonely, but with this, the elation disappeared into thin air.
She wrapped her arms around her legs and sank her head in between. 'Was I such an annoyance? Did he get like that because I didn't leave the room? He was fine before. I want to know.
Why did he get my hopes up only to crush them before I had even learned how to fly?' Tears trickled down her eyes but she made no noise and there was no one in the darkroom to notice her cry.
She was doing exactly what Steve had asked her not to do, bottling up her tears, not crying as she should have.
'I have decided if Steve hates me this much I will stay away from him'.
She lifted her head to look at the man again. Seeing him wiggling unconsciously on the hard floor, a realization dawned upon him.
She shook her head left and right and then wiped all of her tears in one go. "No matter how hurt I am, I cannot deny the fact that Steve is my benefactor. After all, he is sleeping on the cold hard floor while she is on the cozy bed. He could have just defiled her and call it an enjoyable night, but he didn't.'
'There must be something I did that angered him that caused him to react like that. It is rare for Steve to get angry over something, I had never seen him this angry before" she nodded as she whispered to herself, "I have decided I will find out what caused it, and if I am accountable, then I will do anything to gain his forgiveness. He is my only ally in this world, I cannot afford to lose him"
***
As the sunshine landed on his temples, I opened my eyes albeit slowly. Due to what happened, I couldn't get a proper night's sleep and was still a hell lot sleepy. I lifted my body against its wish and dragged myself through the room. Clair wasn't there, she must have left. Not worrying about a thing anymore, I laid on the bed finally receiving my much-deserved cozy sleep.
***
In a room laden with the smell of medicinal herbs Lapis walked to and fro seemingly lost in thought. It was then that someone knocked on the door.
"Come in" she ordered to which a butler entered the room.
"Did you call me my lady?"
"Yes, Urr... has Clair left the guest room?"
"My lady, as far as my knowledge goes she hasn't come out of the room since morning", the butler said to not anger her lady, although he did not know anything on the matter. Clair had left the guest room early in the morning only to go back in the room sometime later.
"Hmm, okay you can go now. If she comes out, ask her to come to my place otherwise don't disturb them"
"As you wish my lady," the butler respectfully bowed and left the room.
***
I opened my eyes as Clair's face greeted me.
"Good morning Steve," she said with a smile.
I scratched my cheek, "Good morning, what time of the day is it?"
"The Sun is almost about to go overhead" she replied.
" I see," I said as I nodded.
"Forget about that, have your breakfast first, it has already gotten so late"
"Why the hurry, at least let me refresh myself first" saying so I stood up and entered the washroom.
As I washed my splashed my face with water, my eyes fell on my reflection in the mirror. "I need to shave, don't I?" I said as I sighed.
Life in another world isn't easy at least if I had some production relation skills. I could have made some handy tools for myself. God knows when I am going to unlock my skills.
I went back and had my breakfast.
However, something is strange, she is staring at me like some ghost. At this rate, my clothes are going to ignite. Is she using some kind of hypnotizing skill on me or something?
"Do you have something you want to say?" I politely asked.
"Mm ..ah yes, yes," she said with a clumsy demeanor, "Was it so obvious?"
"It is" I nodded.
"You seemed enraged last night. Are you still angry?" she said, and I rubbed my forehead as I recalled last night.
Seriously Lapis's strange behavior has been too taxing on me that I am losing my cool. "No I am not angry, anymore," I said not, wanting to bring up the matter.
"Can I ask you something?" she said, a bit disturbed.
"Hey, you are my friend. Are you not? Don't act this antsy all the time", I smiled as I that to fix up the ruined mood. But she was hell-bent on...
"What offended you... last night? Was it because of something I did or my very presence?"
Shit! Shit! Is this the harem-route replaying?
"Clair, I'm sorry I said that in a fit of rage, and I am ashamed of myself."
Clair shook her head, "No, you don't need to apologize, but you must tell me. Friends share everything amongst themselves don't they?".
I don't like the way this is heading. It is not 'Friend's share everything amongst themselves' but 'Lover's share everything amongst themselves'. Is it just me? Am I the one overreacting my mind being in the gutter? But even then, I can't rebuke when she looks at me like that. But how do I explain her?
I sighed."Okay, I am talking," I said "Do you remember how you teased me about me being... uh kind of not being manly enough to assault you at night. That hurt my pride."
She didn't speak a word. Does she think I am conceited now?
"Do you remember how sometimes you call me a clown? If it makes you laugh, I will be a clown all the more but making fun of my 'values' is something I can't tolerate. Although even then, I don't normally curse people however yesterday, I couldn't keep my calm."
At that response, she lowered her head a bit, seemingly not wanting to meet my gaze. "I'm sorry.."
'No, it's not your fault if I think deeply about it'
But before I could speak anything she sealed my mouth with her hand.
This is strange, I always thought that in another world lips are always sealed with kisses, or at least that was what was written in the scriptures. But on second thought it's better this way. The situation might have been different if it was Lapis though.
"If anyone should apologize, it should be me," I reached out my hands and removed her hand from my mouth. It smelled nice though. It's time to get the mood right.
I smirked and said, "Sorry won't do, you hurt me and broke my heart, you have to give me your heart to replace it"
She smiled while teary-eyed, it was quite the spectacle, "Oh I can lend you my heart anytime but you have to pay the corresponding interest"
We both laughed it was quite a funny scene. A woman in maid clothes, a man in torn clothes both laughing to their heart's content.
"Steve, I thought about it a bit and I think I have a bit of an idea how to get out of this predicament and fool ah... Lapis"
"Now we are talking so what is your plan"
"But Steve do you trust me?"
"Hey, sure I trust you but I don't trust you blindly, if there are flaws in the plan I will surely point them out so we could discuss solutions"
"Mmm.." she nodded.
Then she went on explaining her plan to me. Honestly, I didn't expect her to come up with something like this.
"This is going to be so much fun..."