A Happy Moment

"Don't scare me like that again, okay?" Kaitlynn whispered, her voice trembling slightly as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"Sure," Azrael replied softly, wrapping his arms around her protectively.

She was tender in his embrace, vulnerable and delicate, like a fragile flower. He felt the steady rhythm of her heartbeat against his chest, and could sense the warmth of her presence. Gently, he stroked her hair, and she nuzzled her face into his neck, breathing deeply, finding solace in his arms.

Her long ears were soft against his shoulders... long ears... 

Feeling content and at peace, as if all his worries had vanished, they stayed in each other's embrace for a while, savoring the moment. 

But then, his intrusive thoughts won over, and he couldn't resist the urge. He gently pinched the tip of her long ear.

"Ouch! What are you doing?!" Kaitlynn exclaimed, rubbing her ears, a mix of surprise and indignation in her voice.

"Sensitive?" Azrael teased, a mischievous glint in his eyes.

She broke the embrace and stared straight at him before reaching out and pinching his ears. He recoiled instinctively, feeling a jolt of coldness from her touch.

"What? Sensitive?" she taunted him, grinning playfully.

"Cough~ cough~" Illeron faked a cough, drawing their attention. "You two seem to get along nicely."

"I-its not what you think," Kaitlynn quickly denied, her ears flushing red once again.

"Yes, yes, yes, I'm not thinking anything," Illeron grinned mischievously, clearly enjoying teasing them.

"You are misunderstanding something."

"Misunderstanding? Why are your ears red? Could it be~" Illeron teased, wiggling his eyebrows suggestively.

"No, it's not that," Kaitlynn denied, her voice low and hushed, her cheeks still tinted with embarrassment.

"You know, she wouldn't let go of you for two days. She kept watching over you like a mother hen. It was so adorable," Illeron remarked, his grin widening mischievously.

"Hey, I wasn't..." she started, attempting to defend herself, but her protests were drowned out by Illeron's laughter.

"She was so worried, you know. We all were. She was so stubborn, we couldn't make her eat anything," Illeron remarked, his tone softened with genuine concern.

"Hey!" Kaitlynn protested, her cheeks flushing with embarrassment.

"I was just joking," Illeron smiled gently, trying to ease the tension. "You really were so worried, Kaitlynn. I'm sure he's grateful."

Azrael nodded in agreement, grateful for Kaitlynn's care and concern during his time of need.

Azrael's expression was unreadable as a wave of conflicting emotions washed over him. It was nice to have these moments of warmth and camaraderie, a respite from the turmoil within him. But beneath the surface, the bitter taste of betrayal lingered, fueling his resolve for revenge.

His eyes glinted with determination as he steeled his heart. He reminded himself that he wasn't here to indulge in sentimentality. He was here for one reason only: to seek vengeance.

Just as he was about to get up and leave, he heard Kaitlynn's voice, drawing his attention back to the present.

"So... Who's Celeste?" Kaitlynn asked, her curiosity evident as she tilted her head.

His eyes widened in surprise, and he was momentarily speechless.

"W-who?"

"Celeste. Who's Celeste? You screamed her name while you woke up," she clarified, her expression puzzled.

"Must be your girlfriend," Illeron teased, earning a glare from Kaitlynn. He quickly stopped his teasing and scratched his head awkwardly. "I mean, we don't even know his real name so..." he trailed off, trying to diffuse the tension.

That was true. She didn't even know his real name, let alone his relationship status. She was curious, but she didn't dare ask, fearing what the answer might be.

"You don't have to tell us if you're uncomfortable," she said softly, her fingers twisting nervously. But despite her hesitation, her curiosity burned within her.

"Celeste is a ghost," Azrael replied, his expression dark and tense.

"A ghost?" Illeron's confusion was palpable.

"Yeah, a ghost I'm hunting. A ghost I'm going to kill," Azrael stated firmly.

The silence that followed was deafening. Illeron was taken aback by Azrael's declaration, and Kaitlynn was visibly shocked.

"You really are a Witch hunter?" Kailynn asked, her voice laced with a mix of surprise and relief.

"Not yet, but soon," Azrael replied, his tone resolute and determined.

Just then, Erik approached them. "You're awake!" he cheered, breaking the tension in the air.

"And terribly hungry," Azrael added, his stomach growling audibly.

"I made you that soup, and your sudden nightmare spoiled it," Kaitlynn pouted, her disappointment evident.

"It was an accident," Azrael apologized.

"Well, you can have this bread. It's fresh... For a dungeon, that is," Erik chimed in, passing Azrael the stale bread. Azrael took a bite, devouring it eagerly as Erik settled against a nearby rock, observing him.

Suddenly, Azrael stopped munching, as if he had just remembered something. The bread was halfway to his mouth when he cocked his head towards Kaitlynn and Illeron.

"How come you guys were late when you were abducted hours before, especially you, Illeron?" Azrael inquired, his brow furrowed in confusion.

"Yeah, we had the same question about you," Illeron replied, equally puzzled. "How come you're here even before us? Especially when I was only abducted an hour ago."

"Erik told us it had something to do with the dungeon messing with time. I mean, that old man is still living in the past," Kaitlynn added, shivering slightly. The idea of the dungeon manipulating time sent chills down her spine, especially considering they had experienced it firsthand.

"Hey, I'm just 38, alright? I'm not an old man," Erik protested, pointing a finger at Kaitlynn, feeling slightly hurt. "At least my ears are normal-sized unlike someone's."

"My ears aren't big, okay! Don't be racist!" Kaitlynn fired back defensively.

"Whatever you say, little elf," Erik teased, grinning mischievously.

"So you only traveled about twenty minutes while I was here for hours? That's so messed up. If the time was collectively different and the same for everyone, then that would've been less terrifying than this. It's like all of this is tied to our luck," Azrael mused, shuddering at the thought. "If my luck was off even a little bit, then we would've met at a different timeline."

The weight of Azrael's words hung heavily in the air, casting a somber mood over the group. Each member couldn't help but contemplate the terrifying implications of what he had just said.

The idea that their very existence could be subject to the whims of luck, leading them down different paths in diverging timelines, sent shivers down their spines.