Chapter 75: Double
*
Outside of May's tent, the sounds of her soft crying could be easily heard. The stars were bright in the dark blue sky and the light of torches made the village glow. Theodius could see May's silhouette through the material of the tent from the lantern hanging next to her as he appeared silently. He had no expression on his face as he used magic to change his appearance. His height and clothing changed, as well as his hair and eye color.
He then lifted the material and stepped inside. May jumped and turned once she heard him and quickly wiped her tears. "Oh, hey Dedrin. D-Did you need something?" Theodius's new face remained still as he approached her. He then kneeled next to her on the carpet and spoke in a voice that was not his own. "Look. I'm sorry. I never meant to hurt you. It's just, when Grimwore suggested that you be the one I choose, I didn't know what to feel. But I'm telling you now that I have never thought of you as anything but a beautiful woman."
May showed surprise as he placed a hand on her cheek. "I like your hair this way," Theodius mentioned with a soft smile, seeing that the two strands she usually tied back were now down in front of her ears. He leaned a little closer and May started to blush. "I've thought about it, and I want you to be my partner in this trial. Let me show you how much I think of you as a mature adult with such a lovable body."
May gasped a little and he started to kiss her cheek, slowly moving his lips over hers. He kissed her softly but his motion became more passionate the longer she let him. She trembled and a blush covered her face, but she continued to let him touch her. 'I can't believe Dedrin is kissing me! It's all I've ever wanted, but still, his kiss seems oddly familiar...' She thought.
*
I held my breath as I made my way over to May's tent. I didn't know what I was going to say or what I was going to do about the trial, but right now I knew that I didn't want May to be mad at me anymore. 'Why did I have to say that? Why did I have to say the same thing Damien said to her?! Now she thinks of me as the same crap-bag that cheated on her. That's the one thing that hurts her beyond all else! I could've thrown her into a pit of goblins and she'd be less offended. Ugh, let's just get this over with and hope I don't screw things up again.'
I approached the entrance of her tent and took a breath before I entered. I didn't know what I was expecting to see when I stepped inside, but it sure wasn't me already in there kissing May. I stopped, confused out of my mind. "What the hell?" May pulled away to the sound of my voice and jumped at the sight of the two of us. "W-What?! Who are you?!" I looked down at myself. "Am I me?" The other me stood up and crossed his arms. "Dang it, I got busted."
I suddenly knew what was going on when I saw his relaxed posture and I filled to the brim with anger. I walked toward him and grabbed his neck, slamming him into the pole that held the tent up behind him. "Gah!" A poof of smoke came as soon as he hit the wood, making Theodius appear back in his normal form. "You!!" I said, angrily. Theodius tried to move my hand from his neck as my grip tightened. "What's the matter, Dedrin? You seem angrier than usual. I was just messing with her like always."
His tone was upbeat through the rasping sound he made as I choked him. I glared deep into his soul. "Are you sure it had nothing to do with the fact that you could've taken my place in the trial and made me lose by being as selfish as you wanted with her?" He took a second to respond. "Of course not! I didn't realize I could've done that! If I did, I would've never considered it!"
His words made me angrier from being unable to trust them. I then forced myself to let him go. "Get out of here, Theodius." Theodius rubbed his neck. "Touchy." He then disappeared into blue flame and I turned to see May sitting in front of me with shock. I glared at her when our eyes met. "You seriously couldn't tell the difference between us?!" Her shock became worry. "Dedrin I-!"
I raised my hand as I interrupted her. "I don't want to hear it!! Just bring my armor to my tent. That's the last I want to see of you tonight." May's eyes widened and I walked past her. I left the tent pissed out of my mind. 'How could she not notice that she was kissing that weasel instead of me?! I can't believe her!' After I made it back to my tent I waited outside for her to bring me my armor with my arms crossed.
It took a while for her to arrive and I assumed that she might've dropped some pieces and was retrieving them clumsily as she was bringing it all, but to my surprise she showed up only holding my sword. She quickly handed it to me and turned to walk away in a hurry when I stopped her. "Wait. Where are you going? Where's the rest of it?" May turned around with clear nervousness on her face. "Um, why do you need it right now?"
I raised an eyebrow. "That doesn't matter. I asked you to bring it to me. Where is it?" She avoided looking at me as she spoke. "I um, well, I was washing it like I always do and I uh..." I gave her a confused look. "You wash my armor?" She nodded, continuing not to look at me. "As I said, I was washing it and I might've... Lost it down the river..." She said the last part as quietly as possible but I still heard it just as well. My anger rose so abruptly that I thought I heard something crack inside me. "You WHAT??!!"
May jumped at the volume of my voice. "I-I'm so sorry I-! I didn't mean to! I feel so horrible!" I didn't know what I was going to do. I was so angry. "I don't care if you're sorry!! You lost my armor, you absolute BRAT!! I can't believe you!! Just when I was starting to think of you as more than the annoying fairy I've been stuck with this entire quest, you do this!!!"
May stood there frightened, not knowing what to do or say as I blew up. "Why are you like this??!! Why do you piss me off every chance you get??!! UGHH! I JUST WANT TO-!! I JUST WANT TO-!!" I was shaking from so much anger and something in me suddenly made me drop my sword, grab May by the face, and press my lips hard against hers. "Mmm?!"