With all things said and done, Mikhail only had to go put his spear away in the shed.
And it was a difficult endeavor, like always.
Step after step, movement after movement.
Mikhail was dead tired and running on fumes now.
And before he could make it to the shed, he collapsed and fell to the ground. Yet his grip on the spear was tight as ever.
This was nothing new, but Azalea was not aware of that fact. She was quick to act, running over and kneeling at his side, giving him a brief jostle at the shoulder.
"Relax, this meat-head has been doing this for a week or so already," Alaya said with a bit of a snicker. "He's fine."
Alaya walked over to him with a growing smirk, her left hand raised to her side. Her palm was facing the sky, and above it, a small orb of water was forming. And the ball of water was covered in an icy fog.
"What are you doing?" she asked nervously. What was she about to do?! That mischievous smirk was beyond unnerving!
"It would be unkind not to help when he's this beat up."
"Wait-"
The frigid water flew through the air and splashed into Mikhail's face.
"AGH!"
He shot up, taking on a fighting stance as he shook his head free of the unbearably cold water. His gaze swept the area, and he quickly realized what had happened.
Mikhail then grumbled out a short "Thanks," before putting the spear away.
Alaya left after that, and as Mikhail began walking home, Azalea stopped him.
"You need help going home?" she asked, putting her balled up fist to her hip.
Mikhail paused for a bit with a strange expression.
Her face…
She was smiling?
"Uh… Are you offering to help?"
"...Yes."
"Alright, I'll take you up on the offer then," he said before Azalea supported him with her shoulder.
The two then made their way to Mikhail's tent.
Many of the people they were acquainted with walked up to find out what the deal was, and Azalea was quick to answer.
"This dummy kept training until just a little while ago. He's too tired to walk back to his home without it taking more than an hour. So, as his training partner, it only makes sense that I helped him."
Mikhail could only weakly confirm that was the case, getting called an idiot multiple times for going overboard.
Eventually, the verbal abuse came to a close as Mikhail collapsed again. Leaving Azalea to pick him up and sling him over her shoulder.
Thus, the young woman's travel became much faster. In only twenty minutes, she arrived at the tent.
"You can just toss me on the ground. I'll be fine on my own now," Mikhail suddenly said with a drained voice.
It startled her, and Mikhail couldn't help but chuckle lightly… This reactive lady was completely different to the one surrounded by a crowd.
"...And miss the opportunity of being the first one to enter your home? As if," she said once the sudden startle subsided.
"Hey hey, I don't remember inviting you inside! And that title belongs to Tybalt and his buddies, anyway."
"Whatever," she said while entering the small entrance area of the tent. She looked around, not seeing much that was worth noting.
"Please take your boots off before going any further. And put me down already!"
She dropped him unceremoniously onto the ground.
"Ow."
She then knelt down, respecting his wishes by undoing the couple of clasps on her boots and then taking them off. "Where do I put them?"
Mikhail pointed to the cubby while he loosened the upper straps of his caligae, before reaching over and storing them in the first slot. And he didn't bother to get up to do that.
Meanwhile, Azalea put her boots on top of the thing since they were too big to fit in the holes.
He then put some effort in getting up, and saw his friend's outstretched hand once he was on his knees. "You could've just shamelessly asked for more help, you know that right?"
"Wasn't planning on it, but I'll take it since it seems you're offering."
After he was back on his own two feet, the two entered his home. Sharyl was hidden away somewhere, likely on top of the bookshelf like usual.
"Wow, eight chairs? You were quick to make room for us."
"As if, the table looks better with all its sides filled. It's just a happy coincidence the number of chairs accommodates you guys."
"Sure, whatever you say," she said while pulling a chair and sitting in it. She looked at the Anzu statue on the table with intrigue. "You got a statue from Angelo?"
He nodded while sitting down across from her.
"Why an Anzu though?"
"Ah, well. Funny story actually. Ever since I started living in the tribe, the cry of the wild Anzus nearby have been the first thing to greet me after waking up. It just felt fitting. You catch my drift?"
"...Huh?" she said, interrupting her inspection of the statue's exquisite details. There was silence between them for a short time.
"...Uh, you know. Like, do you understand what I'm saying?"
"No?"
"No I mean, that's what the phrase means…"
After briefly explaining that bit of slang, Azalea couldn't help but snort.
"That's a funny way to say it… Yeah, I catch your drift, Mikhail," she said as her eyes briefly looked at the statue again.
A period of silence was about to follow yet again, but the two young adults suddenly heard the sound of wood getting scratched at.
Mikhail slowly turned over to his supply corner to see Sharyl clawing at the top of the crate where he kept the Kennepas. And Azalea did the same.
"Seriously, Sharyl?" Mikhail asked with a long face.
The small lizard turned to him, letting out an annoyed click.
"Uh, one second Azalea," he said, turning over with an apologetic smile.
Only to see her eyes sparkling.