48 Treehouse (2)

Even if Obrecht says that he decided to build the house out of impulse, it's not impulse that will drive you to continue doing it until you finish it.

A sour feeling creeps into my heart, and my restlessness reflects in the unease of my shadow vines. Quickly, I recall them back and follow Obrecht, partly curious of the house, partly anxious because of Obrecht.

This is probably the first time Obrecht is angry. And I feel that it's more or less than a hundred percent directed and caused by me. But even if he is angry at me, I still do not want to confess anything.

The whole tree seems to have been fortified. I shift uncomfortable on my feet while Obrecht and I take the lift, side by side. At the trunk where many vines covered one another, he gestures for me to walk over and place a hand on a protruding door knob. The small knob looks so out of place.

Suddenly, the vines that covered the door slithered away and revealed a wooden white door. Obrecht briefly explains that the whole house is connected to the tree and that it had long recognized me and Obrecht. It wouldn't let anyone in the house if weren't the two of us. All we needed to do to unlock the house is to touch the knob that Obrecht had infused with magic, and a drop of his and my blood.

They not only fortified the physical aspect of the tree, but also the spiritual aspect, that it wasn't so hard to have it gain its own spiritual consciousness.

The bracelet on my wrist unfurled itself to play with the few thinner vines of the tree like children. Although right now, the tree seems to be more like a child recognizing its parents, and his little bracelet seems more like an older sibling.

The sudden thought makes the tips of my ears go red.

The sudden though makes the taste in my mouth go sour.

"…I'm sorry", I whisper as Obrecht and I stand in the middle of the first floor living room. The place is small but it is enough space for two people to stand apart without looking too near, nor to far.

With his back to me, I see him lower his head while asking, "Why are you apologizing to me?"

I press my mouth into a thin line. My guilty conscience made me slip up, and we both know it.

"…Because you're angry", I whisper, uncertainly.

He takes a minute to think, but to me, it feels like an hour had passed by.

"And why do you think I'm angry", he asks in the same emotionless voice.

Because I lied.

Obrecht turns to look at me. My breath hitches as he takes one step closer. Unconsciously, I wanted to back away until I had reached the door, but he had his hand pressed flat on the door, making me unable to escape outside unless I push away Obrecht who was leaning down, in front of me.

"Why do you think I'm angry", he asks again.

I do not answer.

The silence hangs between us, and it should have been cold given that the house didn't have a fire lit, but with Obrecht's face so close to mine, even with the mask on, I feel my cheeks warm.

"You can lie how many times you want to other people. But you're not allowed to lie to me", he says. His voice doesn't have the slightest commanding tone, yet I hear the arrogance and order between the words. "You can leave other people behind. But you're not allowed to leave me."

"…I", I stutter, trying to deny it, but looking at Obrecht's 'no-bullshit' face, I stop trying to refute it.

"You're mine", he declares softly. "From the day we met, until now, I know you best, just as you know me best. If you dare to leave me behind again", he trails off, but I dare not let my mind wander. Like an afterthought, he says, "You know how much I like you, Vid." His voice is low and raspy with emotion. "And I'm fine with what we have now, I'm willing to wait for you, but…"

My heart couldn't keep a steady beat with how fast it went. I couldn't help repeating his words again and again in my head. Like me? As a friend or…?

All around us, I don't notice the shadow crawling from the floor upwards like flickering grass and vines that slowly paint the walls black. Obrecht never gave them any attention, and so I am not able to notice anything because all I could see at this moment is him.

"But there's a part of you I don't know, something you always try to hide. I've always patiently waited for you to tell me everything in time, and I won't pressure you to tell me anything if you really don't want to." Obrecht backs away, his hand sliding down the door and falling back to his side. "But isn't it normal to want to know everything there is to know about the person you love?"

My breath gets caught in my throat.

I've always thought that keeping people at a distance would keep me from getting hurt. I never knew that keeping someone at a distance could bring me more pain.

Although other people might have thought our relationship is too vague, but between Obrecht and I, I had always been satisfied with the comfortable silence between us, though I realize now how ambiguous it should have seemed, even to Obrecht.

I previously thought that how we acted was similar to how siblings or best friends would act. I wouldn't have realized it until now because Obrecht is my first friend. Every experience I've had so far in Lumea has been novel, and most of the time I'm unsure how to react to people. But seeing Obrecht look so tired and dejected felt like someone had punched my chest. It feels so hard to breath.

So this is what it was. I didn't know. I didn't realize, because I never knew…

Obrecht sighs. "Get some sleep. There's a room upstairs for you", he says as he turns to walk away, but I hold his hand. He halts mid-step before staring at me with unfathomable eyes.

I'm not sure on what to say so I can't help but keep quiet. All I know is that if I let go of this hand right now, I feel like I'd lose something very dear to me. So I hold on tightly, squeezing the hand had always supported me, even when I made stupid decisions like I did today.

Obrecht silently says, "You're going to make me hope for more."

"…Hope is good", is all I say but it is enough for Obrecht to understand what I meant.

I blush when Obrecht shakes off my hold, only to grab my hand and pull me into his embrace.

"You're not allowed to take back your answer, got that?" He says after a while.

"…It's not like I'm allowed to say no", I grumble.

Obrecht finally breaks into a hearty laugh, and hearing his laugher eases the knots in my heart.

"Ah, you're really mine."

"…I thought you already said I was yours?" I tease a little.

"That was more like a question? A proposal?"

Which part of that sounded like a proposal? Wasn't it more like a threat?

"Ah, who knew that there will come a day that you'd tease me", Obrecht happily tells the air above my head, planting his head on the top of his head. My awkward hands could only grip the sides of his shirt. "I won't be able to sleep well at night if I don't revenge."

A hand suddenly grips my mask and I immediately react to grab it back and place it on my face. I didn't want to give Obrecht a chance to see my red face. But who knew that this mischievous entity will have grabbed my waist to tickle?!

Breathlessly laughing and squirming, I struggle until we trip on our feet backwards, me landing on Obrecht. I quickly get off him and on my knees to see if I had hurt him. My actions freeze upon seeing the sweetest smile I have ever seen on him.

He reaches out to pull away my mask, and this time I don't struggle, albeit embarrassed enough to hide six feet below the ground forever.

"Why don't you wear your bandages anymore?" Randomly, Obrecht asks this question as he sifts his fingers through my hair, the locks passing through the crevices of his fingers smoothly.

"…I miss seeing other colors", I reply honestly. I look anywhere but to him.

"Why don't you ever look at me in the eyes anymore?"

Obrecht pinches my chin and makes me look at him but I stare only at his nose and lips. But that might have been a mistake. It wasn't sudden, but I felt the atmosphere between us change when I stared at his lips.

"If you keep staring at me like that, I'll kiss you", Obrecht's voice hoarsely says.

Like an overheated pipe, I feel the heat making my heart want to explode. I planted my palm on his face and abruptly stood up to find a room, pushing his face far away from me.

Thankfully, Obrecht let me go, yet my embarrassment never ceased as I kept hearing his laughter and silent happy chuckles until the next day.