40 - Embrace

"Liz, you can head off to sleep. There are things I need to discuss with Van," Amoria said, the evening of chores winding down.

Liz gave a silent nod. "Good night, Mom..." Her eyes flicked to Van, laden with the shadows of unspoken words, remembering his recent harshness toward Michael.

Van offered her a gentle smile. "Good night, kid," he said with a calm smile.

Liz's brows furrowed slightly, a spark of irritation in her gaze as Van called her a kid. She turned abruptly and disappeared into her bedroom. Left in the echoing quiet, Amoria exhaled deeply, her frustration palpable.

About a minute later, Amoria relaxed on the sofa.

"...Did I say something wrong?" Van inquired, picking up on the chill in the air as he joined Amoria on the sofa.

"Van, you need to start acting your age around Liz," Amoria chastised, her tone firm.

"What? I am acting my age," Van retorted, his calm belying the tension.

"No, act your actual age," Amoria corrected sharply.

"Uh... Should I have read her a bedtime story then?" Van asked, clearly missing the point.

Amoria's patience snapped. She reached out and grasped his cheeks, squeezing with exasperation. "For the love of all that is holy, act like the teenager you are supposed to be!" she growled, her voice thick with irritation.

"A-ah... Even if you say that... I can't just mimic some random teenager," Van protested, his words muffled and distorted as Amoria manipulated his face playfully yet pointedly.

"It seemed like you managed just fine earlier when that boy was here!" she countered, her fingers tweaking his mouth into a grimace.

Van fixed her with a serious look, his muffled voice struggling for clarity. "Do you dishagree wish whatchai said?" he asked, his words garbled as Amoria's grip forced his lips into a distorted plea.

Amoria peered into Van's eyes, discerning the sincerity within them. She released his mouth and reclined on the sofa, her expression softening.

"You know, you could have been gentler with that boy, for both his sake and Liz's feelings... At least, that's what I would've told you 2 years ago. However, Liz often wears herself out trying to entertain him. It would be fine if he reciprocated, but he doesn't due to his timid nature; which makes him awfully selfish- and she's the one who always ends up drained. He doesn't seem to consider her needs above his own, ever, and I worry she might break under the strain," she confided, her voice tinged with concern.

"In short... Since she won't say it herself..." Amoria paused, turning to face Van with a grateful smile. "Thank you, Van."

Van's chuckle was light and sincere. "Anytime."

Amoria's gaze lingered on him longer than usual, prompting a cautious, "Uh... Amoria? You good?" from Van.

She let out a playful chuckle and swiftly leaned in close, her face inches from his, her eyes twinkling with mischief.

"A-...amo..." Van stammered, his cheeks flushing deep red.

Seeing his flustered reaction, Amoria giggled, her voice a seductive purr as she pulled back slightly. "Just... You don't have to tease me like that. It's... I might get the wrong idea," he murmured, looking away.

Ignoring his discomfort, Amoria shifted her entire body, seating herself on his lap and wrapping her arms around him. Van gasped softly, feeling her weight press against him, the initial shock fading into a warm embrace. His heart thudded wildly with anticipation.

"The wrong idea... What might that be, Vanny?" she cooed, her forehead resting against his, her smile intimate and inviting.

"Just... Ha... Y-you know..." Van murmured, his voice hesitant and low.

"That I might actually want to kiss you...?" Amoria whispered, her breath a warm caress against his cheek.

"Amoria..." His reply was a mere murmur, laced with uncertainty.

"I wasn't just teasing you back then, Van... And..." Her voice dropped to a sultry whisper, tickling his ear before she drew back slightly, her forehead resting against his, her golden hair cascading around them, forming a curtain that blocked out the world. Her eyes, deep blue and shimmering, held him captive.

"...And I'm not just teasing you now..." she continued, her fingers tenderly cradling his face as her lips inched closer to his.

"...I can prepare a second bath afterward... In case you realized you actually do need my help..."

"Wait.. Amoria... Y-your kid... She-..." Van muttered, breathless.

"She's already asleep... Just relax..." She replied smoothly.

'Damn it... I want this. I know I do... But... Why do I still see her...?' He thought in frustration, as the image of Alicia popped to his head.

'Ah... The hell with it...' Van mentally conceded, his eyes fluttering shut, anticipation tingling through him, his mind awash with the imagined sweetness of her lips.

"Hey, Amoria, ya' there?" The sudden shout echoed through the apartment, shattering the intimate atmosphere as the door burst open.

Startled, Amoria and Van jerked apart. As Van's eyes snapped open, he caught Amoria's expression shift to one of sheer annoyance, her tongue clicking in frustration as she stared down the hallway.

'Woah... I've never seen that look on her before...' Van thought, his admiration mingling with surprise as Amoria slid off his lap and stood.

'I... I'm frustrated... I wanted this... But... I also feel... relieved that someone disturbed us...!! Me and that demoness are not a couple, damn it! There's nothing to feel guilty about...!!' Van clenched his teeth in frustration.

"Ah... Marcy, Lalyn...! What a pleasant surprise!" Amoria's voice wavered slightly, her smile taut as she greeted the arrivals. Marcilla, brash and unconcerned with decorum, strode past the kitchen while Lalyn entered with a serene elegance, her gaze sweeping the room quietly.

"Hello, Amoria..." Lalyn's greeting floated through the air, soft and composed.

Van's mind churned with confusion and a tinge of disappointment mixed with relief from the interrupted moment.

'Marcy...? Is it really...?' His thoughts fragmented as he composed himself and stood, turning to face his former companion, Marcilla the adept mage-warrior.

Her expression was an enigmatic mask as she regarded him. Before he could complete his greeting, "Marcy, hey. What's u—" she rushed over and embraced him with unexpected force.

"Oh..." he exhaled, surprised by the intensity of her grip. Even Amoria pulled back slightly, taken aback by the emotional display.

"I fucking missed you, you stupid dumb idiot...!! Where have you been all this time...!? Leaving like that..." Marcilla's voice was a choked whisper, her head resting heavily on his shoulder, her arms engulfing him completely.

Van chuckled softly, the sound muffled by the tight embrace. "Missed ya' too, Armstrong..." he murmured in his chuckle.

'This one always got her to punch me,' Van thought in amusement, half-expecting Marcilla to start throwing punches even in the embrace.

"Shut up..." she whispered instead, clinging to him with surprising gentleness.

'Ah... Seriously...?' he thought, his astonishment clear.

Amoria's smile warmed as she watched them. "Van..." she murmured, drawing his attention as she sidled up beside them, joining the hug. "It's really good to finally see you again," she added, her voice laced with genuine happiness.

'What...'

"Meatshield," Lalyn called out coldly from a distance, her towering stature imposing as she merely observed Van.

Van turned to Lalyn. "It's good to see you're in fighting form..." she commented, her voice softening with a hint of a blush as she placed a hand on his other shoulder, avoiding his gaze.

'Ah... What's with these two...? I don't think they even wanted to touch me with a stick before...'

'I never thought I meant that much to these girls...' He reflected, enveloped by his former comrades, with Mika and Rika lurking unseen outside.

'Right... We never had a reunion... That's what this is. It's been 16 years, after all. After this, they'll probably revert to their usual selves,' he concluded as the trio continued to lean into him.

'... I don't hate this, so I don't mind the continued embrace...'

"Well..." he murmured, capturing their attention as they remained close.

"It's good to see you all too. I've missed you," he confessed, his expression relaxing.

'...Just for a bit longer...'