Sorcerer Stabber Orphen Fan Fiction ❯ Velvet Flames ❯ Goodbye... Tears? ( Chapter 9 )

[ T - Teen: Not suitable for readers under 13 ]

:: Velvet Flames ::

Sorcerous Stabber Orphen

Disclaimer: I don't own Sorcerous Stabber Orphen or any of the characters mentioned.

Rating: PG

Pairings: Krylancelo(Orphen)+Azari, Hartia+Krylancelo, Childman+Azari/Azari+Childman, eventual Krylancelo/Majic

Warnings: AU, possible shounen ai

Changes: Orphen will, for the most part, be known as Krylancelo, at least for the first few chapters

Notes: Thank you Muse-chan~! Kat-chan gave me some GREAT ideas for this chapter since I knew what I wanted to do but was horribly stuck. Thank you SO much! Praise Kat-chan, for she provides! XD




Krylancelo grunted softly, shoving an extra robe into his small traveling pack. Half of him was excited; a real expedition! But the other half was both worried and annoyed at the people around him, and for once it had nothing to do with that annoying brat Majic!

Hartia annoyed him. He was acting strangely around him, avoiding his eyes constantly and always making excuses to run off. If he was seeing some other guy, he could tell Krylancelo rather than just act all weird! He didn't care if Hartia wanted some "alone time" with another guy. He really didn't.

Azari worried him. For the past few weeks she had been acting just as strangely as Hartia, though she showed very different signs. When she looked at him, it was like she was trying to read his mind. Her gaze was more focused and piercing, less day-dreamy and more frightening at times. She had also become intensely focused on research and schoolwork, more so than usual. He believed he had a right to be worried, but whenever he asked she would simply say she was just trying to accomplish her goal. She wouldn't say anything else, and it frustrated him.

But this expedition... It would be the perfect opportunity! They would be alone for at least two weeks, as far as he knew, and they would be spending a lot of time together. He was fifteen years old now and Krylancelo firmly believed that it was Azari he was in love with, no matter how hard it was for him to picture himself saying those things to her. He would FORCE the words out if he had to! He wasn't taking THIS secret to the grave with him!

A soft knock startled him. He turned to see Hartia standing in the doorway, his golden eyes focused on a point just past his friend's head. It irked Krylancelo that he thought he didn't notice. "Come in."

The red-haired boy accepted the invitation, smiling faintly. "Excited?"

"Very," Krylancelo agreed, dropping his bag back onto his bed. "Two whole weeks away from the Tower of Fangs with Azari! Why shouldn't I be?"

"Um... Yeah," Hartia agreed awkwardly, scratching the back of his head and fixating his gaze on Krylancelo's bedpost.

Sighing in annoyance, Krylancelo shook his head. "This is why," he complained. "Everyone's acting weird! You've noticed, haven't you?" he pressed. "How strange Azari has gotten for the past month?"

"Um," Hartia agreed in a slight mumble.
"You're acting weird, too." He scowled, folding his arms over his chest. "I can't wait to get out of here," he declared.

Hartia shot him a strange look, only meeting his gaze for a split second. "But... You'll be coming back, right?"

The sienna-eyed boy shrugged. "Um... Maybe, I guess," he said vaguely. Why should he? It was rather boring here, and the tension was driving him crazy. Anywhere far away from the Tower was VERY appealing at the moment."

Golden eyes widened. "But... But you HAVE to!" he blurted, making the shorter boy start.

"Huh?" Krylancelo raised an eyebrow. Why was Hartia making such a big deal about it? Eventually he'd HAVE to come back. Azari would be, and Krylancelo would always be there for her if he could. "Why?"

Hartia hesitated, fidgeting a little. "I... I should tell you something," he finally said.

The hand gripping the strings of his bag slackened as concern began to build up in the smaller teen. He'd rarely seen Hartia look so serious. The last time he had been like this it was just before he blurted out that he THOUGHT he was into guys. Was he maybe going to tell him the reason behind all his recent weirdness?

"Well... I--"

"Krylancelo!" Both boys started as Azari's voice carried from the other room. "C'mon, we're leaving soon!"

Hartia appeared between annoyed and relieved as Krylancelo opened his mouth to respond. Both glanced towards the door and whatever he was going to say died on his lips. Just outside the crack of his door, a single blue eye widened and a short gasp emitted from the person hiding before they turned and ran in a wind of dusty golden hair.

The two boys exchanged glances, both puzzled, before Krylancelo finally said, "I'm coming!"

"You were saying?" he prompted his friend, slinging his bag over his shoulder.

Hartia gave him a weak, forced smile. "Nothing. It can wait."

Krylancelo sighed but shrugged and let it go. Both boys left the room, Krylancelo making sure to shut and lock it behind him, before they made their way downstairs to where Childman and Azari were waiting.

"Took you long enough," Azari teased, playfully ruffling her adopted brother's chocolate-coloured hair.

"Hey," he protested, jerking away. He had finally managed to learn to control his blush, and his voice had finally stopped cracking at random. He was much less irritable these days than he had been three years ago, something Hartia noted with relief.

"Good luck," Childman said in his mild manner. Krylancelo nodded, noticing how Azari and his teacher stared at each other. There was a determined glint in her eyes that baffled him, but Childman simply nodded once and moved to stand behind Hartia.

"Yeah," Hartia said, grinning. "Later, Krylancelo."

He returned the smile. "Later," he promised, making Hartia relax marginally. He waved to fingers in parting and turned to leave with Azari.

"Krylancelo-sama!"

He froze, cringing inwardly. 'Not him, not him, please...'

He turned anyway, just in time for a pair of pale, thin arms cloaked in bright red robes to wrap around his mid-section. Krylancelo nearly fell over from the weight of the boy tackling him. "Hey!" he cried, steadying himself. "You idiot!"

He heard Azari's soft laughter and saw Hartia's smirk, which only angered him further. Besides, Majic's small nose was pressing uncomfortably between the ribs just below his breastbone. "Majic!"

The boy pulled back. Krylancelo was shocked to see huge tears watering the crystalline eyes. "Be safe, Krylancelo-sama," he said in a strangled voice that struck guilt deep into the older boy's conscience.

"I... I will," he said, thrown off by Majic's strange behavior.

"And... And come back safe!" the boy blurted. The tears spilled and he clung to the older teen once more before he positively fled, threatening to trip over the length of his robes.

Krylancelo stood there, feeling very awkward in the sudden silence. The front of his robes were slightly damp with salty tears. He wiped at the spot uncomfortable before he finally said, "Guess we should go."

"Right," Azari agreed softly, her expression having softened.

"He will be fine," Childman said to his mahogany-eyed student.

Krylancelo tried to act as though he didn't care. "I know," he said airily, turning and walking past Azari and outside. The older girl shook her head slightly before following him. The student and teacher left watched until they disappeared.

Hartia looked up at his teacher worriedly. "WILL they be all right?"

"Azari will be just fine," Childman answered as though Hartia had asked only about her. Shocked, Hartia stared after him.

JUST Azari? What about Krylancelo?