Crownless: The Fallen World - Chapter 43

Hale woke up on a hard chest as he softly put his hand against it, groggily rubbing his eyes to get used to the blinding light. As he was still lethargic, he let his body collapsed on it once again, snuggling into the warmth he found so comforting.

He felt gentle touches on his head as it played with his black locks. He hummed in response, sighing contentedly that earned a chuckle from the person he was leaning onto. It reverberated into his system which made him smile.

“Right, sleep more,” This deep yet comforting voice echoed softly in his ears that gave him the warmth he needed after the tiring situation. He shifted his position and faced the other’s neck, smelling this intoxicating scent of sweat and natural body odor.

In a matter of seconds, Hale fell asleep once again.

Aires patted Hale’s back then ruffled the small child’s hair that slid into his side, being wrapped in his muscled yet protective arm.

“Such a great family, yeah?” Sylvia smiled, the sun lighting her face into a golden hue that complemented her beauty and the light blue glow on her forehead.

They were out of the tunnels and were in the dense forest outside of Gavin City. Sylvia remembered the way and led him out when the taller male decided that he shouldn’t wake the two up as they were too deep in their sleep, though Aires had a hard time bringing the two out when they were clutched too tightly on his body.

Fortunately, for him, the little boy woke up and jumped down from his hold, but latched himself on Aires’ legs.

“Yeah, I strongly agree.”

The female was silent for a long moment; the awkwardness was too lethal. Then she suddenly inquired, “What did you do back then though?”

“What do you mean?”

“When you asked me to go out and you came after a long while. What did you do back then?”

“Why should I tell you?” Aires asked in a matter of fact. Sylvia pressed her lips into a thin line then coughed awkwardly, “I was just curious but you don’t have to answer it.”

The male just nodded while his eyes were fixated towards a specific direction deep into the forest. Sylvia was confused but still looked at the direction where Aires was looking and found nothing. It was just dense trees with nothing peculiar with them, and the eerie darkness that came from it. She instantly shivered when a whistle of the wind passed by her and rustles of leaves filled the quiet atmosphere.

“We should go and get the two in the truck,” She immediately said, rushing the words that came out of her mouth.

Aires turned her attention towards the female then eyed her legs that were slightly trembling. He smirked, “What? Scared?”

“Haha. Nice try, mister, but no. Now, get your ass up and let’s go,” She urged, grabbing the male’s shoulder but he shook it off in that instant.

“Don’t. Hale and this child are still sleeping. Give them, at most, two hours to sleep.”

“Come on! The others are waiting outside of this forest. It’s bad to let them wait for long!” Sylvia grabbed Aires’ arms that were around Hale and pulled it, but she got a grip on her wrist from the male. The female winced as she kneeled down on the grassy ground, gasping while holding her gripped wrist with her other hand, “Aires, it hurts!”

“First of all, I don’t like being touched and I already warned you. Second, if Hale and this child wanted more sleep, they will get it. Yeah?” Aires growled dangerously then lightly let his hold go from the female’s wrist.

“Yeah, I’ll remember that…” Sylvia said as she rubbed her reddening wrist.

Aires saw it; he sighed and retrieved a cold spray from his Holowrist then gave it to the female, “Here, a cold spray. Use it.”

“Aren’t you going to apologize?” Sylvia snatched the spray bottle from Aires, “You should still respect a female.”

“Nice try, miss, but no. Just spray that around your sore wrist and it will cool down.”

“Hah! What if I don’t want to? I could just use this power I just got from you. Neat, right?” She displayed a smug that made Aires shrug his shoulders, decided that he won’t speak at this matter.

Sylvia tried to take some energy go out of her body but failed to do so. She tried it again and again then she groaned in annoyance.

“Just use the spray,” Aires suddenly said while leaning on the huge body of the tree, though he heard her groan, she still used it anyway. He suddenly felt that the child beside him stirred, he looked at him and the child slowly opened its deep blue doe eyes that stared through Aires’ obsidian one.

“Good evening,” Aires greeted softly at the child that smiled in return.

“Good evening, Dad!” He chirped at Aires who was visibly stiff and his eyes widened.

“Da-dad?”

“Yes!”

“…”

Then a click came and Sylvia snickered when she saw this rare expression of Aires that was now in her gallery. More neat, right? They said that you should take a picture; it will last longer… okay, that was cliché.

Aires broke out of his stupor when Hale bolted up from his chest. The sudden lightness on his chest was painful and cold as if his frozen heart was palpitating painfully from the sudden change of weight.

Hale was breathing shakily, glancing everywhere his eyes landed on and onto Aires’ tired figure. He crawled on Aires and hugged him tightly as if he was scared that the taller will leave him once again.

“Hey,” Aires greeted him.

“He-hey.”

Aires patted the smaller male’s head with his free hand.

“You’re here, right? This is not some kind of dream, right?” Hale pulled away and looked into Aires’ eyes.

“Yeah. I’m here and this is not a dream,” The taller pinched the smaller’s side which resulted in a yelp and a hard smack on Aires’ chest who groaned.

“What a way to express how unfair the world is to me,” Sylvia spouted out of nowhere who was just watching how the two male interacted with each other.

Aires just rolled his eyes at her and Hale laughed at the female.

“Well, I never know that you are both in a relationship. Explains how rude Aires is to me. Hale, hold your man down, will you?”

“We’re not together though. What’s wrong with that petty head of yours?” Aires shook his head, though his hand never left Hale’s side, comfortably rested there.

“Don’t be so rude to her! She saved your sorry ass!” Hale totally didn’t mind.

“Sure… sure. How about some food? I’m hungry here.”

“Me too!” The child squealed, “I want meat!”

“Who’ll cook though?” Aires asked, looking over the other two who avoided his eyes.