Once Charles and Night walker have returned from Sapphire port, they sat in the living room facing one another.
"Alright four eyes, start with your questions," Night walker throws herself on the couch.
"Not today," is all that Charles answered before he stood up and headed to the kitchen.
"Why not?" night walker follows him.
"Because his highness requested to be present as well," Charles simply answers making the woman -who's been nagging him all- day long wander.
"How did he know about our deal?" she asks in spite of knowing the answer.
"I told him. It's my job to report to him about progress we make,"
"Oh really? Did you tell him that he has bad taste in decorating rooms and picking clothes?" she says in a sarcastic tone, referring to the fancy bedroom she was expected to stay in.
"No. It has nothing to do with the investigation"
Night walker scoffs, "you're just afraid to hurt his feelings"
"Unlike you," Charles fires back making night walker shut up.
Charles starts making dinner with the appreciated help of night walker. But of course, the comfortable silence is interrupted by another sarcastic comment, "you'd make a decent housewife four eyes".
Charles' left eyebrow twitches, "would you stop it already?!" he yells at night walker. The latter chuckles, "you're right. I nagged you enough today. I'll leave the rest for tomorrow," she says as she lifts the spoon quickly spraying some tomato sauce on herself. She curses grabbing Charles' attention.
"I'll help you clean up. Give me a second," he steps away from the cutting board and gets a wet cloth.
"You're good at this," she remarks while Charles carefully wipes away the sauce without letting it smudge on her shirt.
"Hold on there's some on your neck and face," he turns to wash the cloth.
"It's okay. I'll get these myself," she dismisses him.
Night walker doesn't get the chance to move because Charles is back in front of her again. The small space between their bodies causes her to flush a light pink. Charles' smooth actions don't lessen her anxiety; the way he wipes her cheek then lightly drags the wet towel down to her neck causes the wind to leave her entire body. Charles gently wipes her neck; he is aware of how close he is to night walker and finds it surprising how it doesn't bother him. The hand that's holding the now dirty cloth is hovering above her shoulder. Night walker freezes as she feels Charles' fingers graze her neck ever so lightly. Neither of them seem to understand what's going on, as if they're under some kind of spell. However, the smell of something burning snaps them out of it.
"The meat!" night walker is the first to react, she chants words to turn off the fire under their meal before it's too late, "fall apart amber!"
Charles steps away from night walker and walks towards the pot. Night walker doesn't say anything as she leaves the kitchen to change her stained shirt. It is clear that neither of them wants to speak of what happened.
A few minutes pass before night walker returns to the kitchen. Charles has prepared the table for them to have dinner. The gloomy atmosphere surrounding the two is unbearable.
"The meat isn't that burnt," night walker says as she stabs her fork into the well cooked meat.
Charles hums in agreement. He's too embarrassed of his actions and ashamed of himself to even look at her. Night walker sighs, she's not feeling any better than he is. She didn't push him away or even tried to stop her.
"What's wrong with me?" they simultaneously think.
Not baring the silence any longer, night walker sets her fork down and asks, "What's the plan for tomorrow?"
Charles mentally thanks his lucky stars she's not questioning his actions from earlier then responds her, "I'm meeting up with Levianth. You're to stay here in the apartment".
"Aren't you afraid I'll run away?" she asks smiling devilishly.
"There are guards stationed at every corner of the town," he replies without looking at her.
"What if I get hungry? I'm not a very talented cook,"
"I'll prepare your meals and some dessert tonight,"
"What if I need something that's not available in here?"
"There'll be a guard stationed at the door to get anything you wish to have from the outside,"
"Is he the same guard from downstairs?"
At her question, Charles' eyes widen and he finally looks at her. She has a playful smirk plastered on her face.
"How do you know about him?"
"I know. And I'm also aware of the Kyanite currently in your pocket that was in the drawer the day we first came here,"
"What?"
"And I also know that they aren't guards stationed at every corner of the town but assassins. I know they won't kill me because they were ordered by his highness to capture me in case I escape," her smirk grows wider but drops at what Charles says next.
"I know you're always a step ahead of me. I know that you wanted to get caught. That's why you didn't run away even though I gave you too many opportunities. And for your information, these assassins aren't meant to keep you in. For the matter of fact, they were ordered to let you go if you were to escape. They are meant to keep some people away from you"
"What?" night walker gapes at his statements; her brain goes into overdrive. She has many questions but she knows that he won't be answering any.
"You look baffled," Charles is the one to smirk this time.
The next morning, Charles wakes up and wears his usual clothes. He cleans his eyeglasses thinking it's better to not have breakfast because he'll be making noise in the kitchen. "Wouldn't want to wake the demon…" he murmurs to himself. He tiptoes his way to the front door, his shoes in his hold.
"It's too early to meet him. His high maintenance doesn't wake up till noon on weekends," a feminine voice makes him jump, "You're jumpy today"
Charles turns to see night walker sitting with her legs crossed on the rug. "Why did you wake up so early?" he finds himself asking.
"I didn't wake up," she responds in a voice that worries Charles. The latter switches the lamps on in the room in attempt to see her more clearly. He drops his shoes on the floor and rushes to her side.
"What happened to you?" he kneels in front of her. Her hair is messier than usual, her eye is bloodshot with a dark bag under it, her nose is red, her cheeks are flushed, her right forearm is oozing blood and her eyepatch has fallen from her face. "Night walker…" he calls her but gets no verbal response. Instead, her shoulders tremble and soon her entire body follows suite. Charles brings her head to his chest as he wraps an arm around her back and the other around her shoulder. He starts stroking her hair trying to calm her rapid breathing and fast heartbeat down. "It's okay. You're safe now. I'm here for you and I swear on my life to keep you safe. Just breathe". He whispers in her ear and continues his attempts until her breathing is back to normal.
"Are you feeling better?" he asks worriedly. Night walker nods and whispers a thank you. Charles lets go and helps her up. After lying back on the couch, night walker's eye close and she drifts to sleep. Charles waits an hour to make sure she's okay and sound asleep before leaving. On his way out, he orders the guard at the door to knock on Night walker every two hours and to report to him first if anything were to happen to her.
Arriving at the meeting point, Charles takes a seat on the wooden bench and rests his elbows on his knees speculating. "She will be alright by herself for the day. She has been alone since Vermillion left her. However, I'll try to make it quick with his highness just in case".
"You look serious. Is something bothering you?" the prince sits next to his friend.
"You're early," Charles replies adjusting his glasses.
"You're earlier and didn't answer my question," Levianth raises an eyebrow.
"It's nothing you should concern yourself with. How was your talk with his majesty?"
"Always getting to the point," Levianth jocks smiling foolishly.
"Levianth," Charles says in a scolding manner making the prince sigh.
"Well, he's happy she's been caught and didn't try to run away… again. But he won't be granting her audience. Instead, he wants to" the prince pauses
"Wants to what?" Charles asks impatiently.
"Throw her a welcome back ball" the prince says sadly.
Meanwhile, night walker is lying in the couch, her arm covering her eyes. "I'm so weak. So weak and pathetic. Getting shaken by a daydream, seriously?" she mutters to herself.
"Shadows… shadows is all I saw…" her voice breaks as she starts crying. "Why am I being hunted by this dream?"