"…Vex." His voice softened. "Talk to me. What happened?"
"No! You'll laugh and then scold me!"
Quinlan smiled gently. "You know I won't do that."
But she just pouted and then her eyes squeezed shut as she turned her head away with a defiant huff.
"..."
Quinlan stood there silently. He knew her well enough by now. Pushing at this point would only make her double down.
This 200-year-old Hexwitch could battle horrible monsters without blinking… yet one emotional hiccup, and she turned into a sulking 13-year-old girl in love.
Arguably, she was the most emotionally unstable lover of his.
So he waited.
After several long seconds, Vex cracked open one eyelid, sneaking a glance at him. "… You promise?"
"Yeah."
"..." She began fidgeting then, and her lips twitched as if she was trying to hold something back. Then, in a rush of embarrassment, she blurted, "I was listening!"
"Huh?"
"I was listening!" she repeated, louder this time, stamping her foot while confessing her crime.
