"That big dummy."
Celeste muttered, bringing her hands to her face as she unconsciously kicked out.
The water in the bath sloshed outside the wooden tub, falling onto the floor.
Yet, Celeste paid no mind to the mess she made, her thoughts centred on the mortifying encounter with Alden.
What's worse, her parents had even caught them in such an indecent position!
She groaned, instinctively knowing they had come to an embarrassing conclusion.
She wanted to tell them it wasn't like that and they had it all wrong… when she remembered the sudden desire to kiss Alden that had abruptly appeared in her chest. It scared her slightly.
It was as if she was becoming a shadow of her former self… turning into an unrecognisable person whenever love was involved.
"That big dummy."
Celeste squealed once more, her heart beating wildly.
It felt like it was about to burst.
She desperately wanted to hurry and confess to him.
Only her shame and some lingering doubts stopped her.
What if he did not like her?
What if he secretly hated her?
What if he could not reciprocate her feelings?
What if she had sensed wrong?
What if…
The questions were endless in Celeste's mind.
Yet, even under their relentless barrage, she knew that one undeniable truth remained.
She loved Alden.
Deeply.
His act of saving her after slipping, diving in to cushion her fall at the expense of himself only strengthened that feeling.
She was grateful to have someone like Alden in her life.
…Someone who looked out for her and her needs.
Even when they were children, Celeste couldn't imagine a life without him.
Alden was extremely precious to her.
That was without a doubt.
No matter what the others in the Sanctuary said or felt, she could keep going if she had him by her side.
"That big dummy."
Celeste released a deep sigh and sank into the water, her heart and mind in turmoil.
She wondered what Alden wanted to talk about that could warrant such a serious expression she rarely saw.
Her heart ached for a confession, while her mind logically assumed it had to do something with the scout and the Ember heir.
Plunging her head deeper into the water, Celeste closed her eyes and sighed.
The occasional bubble escaped her mouth, rising to the surface.
***
Alden splashed some cold water on his face, hoping that would rid his body of the immoral urge he had to kiss Celeste.
He clenched his jaw, furious with himself that he had almost succumbed to that desire.
He had made a promise to himself when he was younger not to touch her in any inappropriate way, kissing included, until after marriage, or on their wedding day.
Recalling how he had lost almost all reason once Celeste was in his arms, Alden berated himself for his weak willpower.
He would have loathed it if he had taken his childhood friend's purity before marriage.
What Alden wanted most of all was to keep their love pure.
That is… if Celeste loved him back.
He suspected she did, but until it was conveyed in words, Alden could not be fully confident that the attraction and attachment were mutual.
'Haaa…'
He sighed haggardly, rubbing his face.
His chest was heavy.
Alden planned to confess to Celeste during the talk.
He didn't want to leave the Sanctuary again without letting her know how he felt.
That said, he also had an obligation to tell her that he would be leaving very soon.
Alden dreaded it slightly.
He didn't want to see her hurt.
He had internally debated the merits of just leaving a letter and suddenly vanishing, but in the end, he felt that would be too cruel. Placing himself in her shoes, he would have been utterly devastated if Celeste disappeared without a word.
…Explaining his reasoning face-to-face was a much wiser decision.
Exiting the bathroom, Alden checked in on Ignia through their bond.
The little phoenix was sleeping in his room, tired out from the day's events. Alden couldn't blame her.
Making sure she was okay, he found his adoptive parents sitting together in the living room.
Hesitation gripped him for a moment before he firmed his mind.
Walking up to one of the pallet sofas, Alden sat down and turned to face the older duo.
"Can I talk with you guys for a second? I have something I would like to say."
"Sure."
"Absolutely."
Alistair put down the scroll he had been examining, while Elara did the same for the flower in her hands.
The Guildmaster and his wife sat up straight, giving their son their full attention.
"... I'm sorry."
Alden fought the urge to look away and gazed seriously into his adoptive parent's eyes.
He wanted them to sense his sincere remorse.
"For what?"
The young man took a deep breath.
"For earlier. I did not mean to get entangled with Celeste like that. She slipped, and I threw myself under her to cushion her fall. The fault lies with me. Please don't scold her."
Alden wrung his hands together and finally looked down, an ashamed expression forming on his face.
He braced himself for any harsh rebukes.
Any parent would be shocked to find their daughter in the embrace of a boy, sprawled so intimately on the floor.
After a few moments of tense silence passed, Alden began fearing for the worst.
'They probably hate my guts right now…'
However, contrary to his expectations, all Alden discovered when he looked up were the two adults sharing an amused glance, their shoulders trembling silently. Noticing his son's surprise, the Expert mage tilted his head back and laughed boisterously.
Elara too, brought a hand to her mouth, trying to smother her giggles.
Alden blinked at their unexpected reactions.
'Huh?'
His mind turned blank.
Shouldn't they have punished him for laying a hand on their daughter outside of wedlock?
Wiping the corner of his eyes, Alistair finally calmed down.
"Why are you surprised? Did you expect us to throttle you?"
Alden nodded timidly.
"Relax. There's nothing wrong with what you did. We should thank you instead for throwing yourself in harm's way to protect our daughter."
"But…"
"You love her, right?"
Faced with the Guildmaster's unexpected question, Alden froze.
"Yes. I do. I love her deeply."
His answer came a heartbeat later, full of determination and resolve.
"... Then, that's all there is to it."
The expert mage's laid-back attitude warmed Alden's heart.
Fidgeting slightly, the young man took a deep breath.
Alden steeled his nerves.
"There's something else I would like to say."
"Oh?"
It was Elara's turn to speak, her jade-green eyes sparkling under the artificial light of their home.
'Why does it look like she knows what I'm about to say?'
Alden swallowed, cold sweat trickling down his back.
"I would like your blessing… to confess to Celeste."
He altered his facial expression, allowing it to match his solemn tone.
Elara blinked for a moment.
Then, her eyes lit up with pure joy.
"Yes! Yes! Absolutely!"
She couldn't contain her excitement.
"Of course. No one else would be a better fit for her than you," The Guildmaster had a wide smile on his face.
Alden beamed, happy that Celeste's parents approved.
He didn't know what he would have done if they had expressed rejection.
As it was, though… Alden now had their blessing to confess!
He could have disclosed his feelings to Celeste without doing that, but he felt it was the proper thing to do. That, and he also wanted some advice, both on how to phrase the confession, and when to reveal that he would be leaving the Sanctuary.
Alden's shoulders slumped at the thought.
"Am I… doing the wrong thing by leaving?"
He unconsciously muttered.
"Only you can answer that question."
Looking up at Alistair, Alden's features turned glum.
"Everyone has their own way to love. Some express it through their actions - offering gifts or carrying out selfless acts for their partner. Others love with words. What's important no matter the method, is that you communicate clearly. Both what's on your mind, and what's inside your heart," Elara added.
She stood up and moved to sit beside her son, her face emitting motherly warmth.
She hugged Alden, hoping her words could cheer him up.
After all, confessing in such a state was a no-go!
"...I see."
He mumbled.
After spending more time with his adoptive parents and asking a few more clarifying questions, Alden stood up and dusted his knees.
His mood was pensive, tinged with a hint of excitement and anticipation.
Walking to Celeste's room, Alden prepared himself for the confession he was about to make.