I Want To Be Your Strength

With more people coming out of their rooms to check on the slowly crumbling room, Charlotte and I soon left back to the main hall of the hotel. But even while riding down the elevator, Charlotte remained silent as I feel my throat growing more tighter by the second. Was what I said before wrong? Looking back at it now, maybe I was a bit too emotional and maybe spoke out of place. Is Charlotte angry with me?

That's the thought that circulates my mind as we soon meet back up with the man that met us earlier by the door.

"Sorry about that. I'll let my superiors know about what's happened here and we'll gladly pay for the damages."

"Y-yes... Thank you very much."

Charlotte simply spoke to the man, and after hearing his thanks, we left the hotel before heading back to the car.

Once we were both inside, I would've though that we would be returning back to the apartment, but Charlotte simply stared in front of her as if deep in thought, holding onto her still injured hand.

"...Sorry." Not wanting this silence to continue, I end up apologizing for what I said earlier.

"It's okay. Sorry for being silent until now, I'm just-" She pauses for a little as if she's still trying to collect her thoughts. I was about to speak up when she then turns her face towards me. "I just never had someone say that to me before. It's a bit scary..." So I did end up upsetting her...

"I'm sorry."

"No no, it's okay. I understand. I just figured it'd be better for me to handle most of this work. I want you to enjoy your life, not worrying about any of this..."

"And I said that I want to see the world you see."

"You did, hehe." She chuckles, but her smile quickly fades. "But... I don't want to use you anymore than you already have."

"But I said I'm fine with it if it's you, Charlotte. I heal in a matter of seconds, so to see your hand like that..." Again, I direct my gaze to her hand. Blood isn't spilling out, probably due to her magic, but wouldn't that mean she's constantly draining her mana in order to keep it inside her?

"You're not an object..." But whilst I was figuring out how to continue, Charlotte utters her words, taking on a serious tone than before. "I don't want to use you as a portable blood bag, a tool to do my work."

"But if that means I get to support you, then I don't mind that."

"I'm sorry, Shiro... But I cannot do that. I made a promise to myself that I wouldn't treat you like that." A promise... She made one with me before, not to disappear, not to leave me. I thought that a promise is something you make to someone else, so I didn't expect her to make a promise to herself.

"And it's something you can't break?"

"Yes." Her quick reply only makes the tightness I felt in my throat begin to spread to my chest.

"S-so... You don't need me?"

"Shiro-"

"You're saying I should just sit back and let you take on everything?" For the first time, I cut her off from her words which seems to have surprised her as she looks at me intently. "It's not right... I don't want you to suffer."

"I'm not suffering. I'm used to this."

"And that's wrong!" Another first for me... I honestly don't know why I feel heated enough to raise my voice to Charlotte, and seeing her startled because of it almost makes me wants to apologize, yet- "I don't want you to be alone. I want to support you properly. You've helped me all this time, showing me all these new things, teaching me new things... So please." I continue. "I want to be your strength!"

"..." She stays silent at my little outburst as the heat from inside my chest is now finally subsiding enough for me to actually process what it was I just said.

"S-sorry, Charlotte. I-" Suddenly, after trying to take back what I said, Charlotte pulls my head forward, bringing my head straight towards her chest as she holds the back of my head with her hand; her injured one off to the side.

"I'm sorry, Shiro." Yeah... Looks like her mind is still not changed. "I'm sorry for not taking your feelings into account, but I can't use your body like that." Thought so... "But if you want to be my strength, then I won't stop you." Wait... Huh? Before I could lift my head away, Charlotte instead held my head more firmly, stopping me from doing so as her warmth slowly spreads through my body.

"I'll teach you a bit of what I know. It's not going to be easy though."

"Mm! It's okay!" All the tightness in my chest is gone, now replaced with Charlotte's warmth.

"We'll also need to get your powers under control more often."

"I don't care about that. I'll do it." Even if I have to kill humans with these powers, if it means I can support Charlotte, I'll do it.

"And are you really sure you want to stay with me?"

"Of course!" As if to affirm my words, I wrap both my arms around her. "I want to be with you, Charlotte."

"Pfft, hehehe. That kind of sounds like a confession."

"Confession?"

"N-nothing, hehe." Hearing her brush it off only confused me as I move a bit away, now looking at her face. "U-uhm. It's just when someone proclaims their love to someone. That's what it means."

"Love..." Yet another word I'm unfamiliar with.

"It's when you have a really special bond with someone, wanting to spend the rest of your life with them." That sounds like what I want...

"I wouldn't mind that with you!"

"Pfft, hehehe. Alright~ Come on. Let's go before traffic piles up."