Happy times lives short

"Stella? Are you angry?" Aether's brows furrowed with concern as he observed her deliberate avoidance of walking near him.

"No," Stella responded almost reflexively, though her demeanour betrayed a lingering sense of agitation.

"Hmm?" Aether, sensing there was more beneath the surface, simply shrugged, deciding to take her word for it.

Despite her insistence, Stella remained ensconced in a grumpy disposition, her irritation evident in her every movement. She couldn't quite wrap her head around the fact that this boy had gone to such lengths as crafting a smoke weapon, solely as a precaution against any potential threat she might pose.

While she comprehended the necessity of such defensive measures, akin to her own.... still the notion that the slightest misstep on her part could result in inhaling the noxious materials he had ground left her feeling disconcerted.