36 Dumbstruck

That's when they saw Hogman running towards them. Hogman was dumbstruck seeing a weeping Amelia. Her eyes puffy and red. Her cheeks were tainted with streaks of tears running down. She buried her face in her palms and kneeled on the floor. Herself blonde hair looked disheveled. She was in total a pathetic sight.

He had thought that Amelia was a strong. Then he realised that the strong cover was just on the outside. He understood that she was soft on the inside. He decided to stop fighting with her over everything. He just couldn't stand her bold and sharp tongue. Looking at her now, made him feel bad.

His eyes now landed on a cetain someone whom he had seen before. He had seen her somewhere. But, couldn't remember clearly. The others noticed his stare. Aster was the first to notice it.

"This is Tania. Haven't you met her before?"

"Oh! Now I remember. The who used to give us information from the other dimension right? But why are you here? The bang I heard... Was it because of you coming here?"

"Yeah." It was Aster who replied on behalf of Tania.

"Why the hell are you wearing that flashy outfit? In the first place where'd you get that from?"

"Long story."

"I have time." Hogman noticed that Aster was trying to hide something.

"Mmm.... I say that later." Then he turned to Amelia who was still sobbing.

"Hey! Amelia! Why are you crying? Sis... C'mon. SIS!..." Amelia did not even reply to Aster's calls. She kept on sobbing.

Schwann did not even dare touch her or even console her infront of Aster. He was rather too dignified to do so. But he still wanted to.

Aster tried to touch Amelia's shoulder. But she shook his palm away. He tried again. But, in vain. "Amelia..." He tried to be soft to his stubborn sister. He knew that his sister was too stubborn whenever they fought over something. Aster knew her better than anyine else does. He knew that she was not as strong as she appear on the outside. It's only inside their house that anybody could see her real nature.She was stubborn. Especially when she was sad or angry.

He sat near her on the ground and touched her forearm and pulled it down from her face. The moment her hand left her face, she put it back where it was.

"Hey, Amelia... I'm sorry.... I won't do this again. Now, stop crying." No reply.

He was losing his patience. He pulled Amelia's hair fronthe back and tried lifting her head forcefully. She felt that her was being pulled by someone. She immediately touched the back of her hear to prevent Aster from pulling it any further.

"Take your hands off Aster. I don't mind chopping it off." Aster just pulled her hair harder. He knew how to deal with her. "Aster... Stop pulling my hair. Don't fuck'ng dare touch my hair. Stop it."

Aster stood up and and pulled her harder making Amelia stand up. Shd had stopped sobbing by now and engrossed in fighting against Aster's pull. Aster knew that a sobbing Amelia was harder to coax than an angry Amelia. Seems the trick worked. It always did. It had been happening since childhood. Why won't it?

"Stop pulling my hair you- You! Stop it. It hurts." The others could just look at the two siblings fight. They couldn't do a thing. They were totally dumbstruck. Amelia and Aster went on with their fight.

"Stop pulling it."

"Stop weeping like a cry baby."

"Who is the crybaby? You are the crybaby." Suddenly feeling a little npmore pain she shouted. "YOU STUPID FREAK!!! STOP THIS!!"

"I. Do not. Listen. To. Crybabies." He pulled her around by the hair, making her walk backwards.

"Aster... You freak. You douchbag. You filthy piece of shit! Just, let me go."

"One condition."

"What?"

"Ok, no two conditions." He told as a sudden idea hit him.

"WHAT?!"

"First, don't weep like a baby. I'll explain the things from the start."

Amelia was getting impatient. "What's the second?"

"Second...."

"Blurt it out you bastard!!!"

"Okay! Second, don't go about kissing and being sticky and fucking romantic when you are with Schwann." He was not gonna let his sister run wild anyway.

Everyone was dumbstruck again. No one including Amelia thought that Aster would be this straight. That was just too much. Amelia didn't even know that Aster knew. That was sort of true. He didn't know until Sienna told him that earlier that day. Amelia's face flushed red. Her lips parted in surprise.

Schwann was, on the other hand, embarrassed on top of being shocked. He could feel the heat spreading throughout his body. He sweating in that cool breezy night.

Getting no reply from Amelia Aster pulled her hair harder. Harder until she groaned in pain.

"Aaahhhh! Asterrrr stop!"

"You agree or not?"

"....."

"Or is it like you are so into him that you cannot even agree to what your li'l brother asked?" He tried to be cute on the outside but his face was still mischievous. He wanted to taunt his sister as much as possible.

Eren and Sienna understood Aster's wicked plans. They couldn't help but chuckle.

Amelia was not sure what to say. It was more because of the shock. She never expected her nice brother to be so mischievous.

"Hey you! Agreeing or not? If not I'll pull all your hair out today. Be ready."

"I agree." Amelia said.

Aster let go of her hair and said plainly "Good for you sis."

Amelia was too embarrassed to meet anyone's face that she ran into the forest and sprinted towards the cave. Schwann was embarrassed too. Even he walked towards the cave without saying a word. He decided to have a talk with Aster later.

Hogman followed the other two which left the bunch of teenagers alone. Eren, Sienna and Aster broke out laughing. Tania was still dumbstruck.