A/N: Ahmm... Hi? Well hello everyone! sorry for like disappearing for like 3 days? I was kinda stuck on Chapter 13. I was drawing blank on how I will write the fight scenes or even how will write how the war still start. so kinda just lay on my bed imaging the fight... but all i got was how Noah and his group fight against top abyss forces. And even that I got stuck on some areas specially if I continue on what I want... I may have to remove the Inazuma arc after the Mondstadt arc.... I still thinking of adding a small arc to make the group growth, you know that same illusion thing I made on Inazuma arc... that is kinda vital specially for the future chapters. so I'm still deciding where to put that..
Anyways for now here is another short chapter and the rewrite version of chapter 13!
J's out!!!
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It was one of those days at Saint Freya Academy. Kiana had been stuck in remedial classes with Himeko after flunking nearly all her exams. The moment Theresa saw her grades, she sent Kiana straight to the classroom and told her she wasn't allowed to leave until she passed. No exceptions.
Noah had tried to bring her lunch, but Theresa blocked him and firmly warned Kiana she wasn't allowed near him until she passed at least three out of six subjects. Kiana, in despair, almost cried right there but she stayed and tried her best to study.
Secretly, Noah snuck her a cookie during a break to cheer her up. Kiana, moved by the small gesture, lit up with joy and pushed herself harder. Well… as hard as Kiana could manage, anyway.
Now at the dorms, only Noah and Theresa were in the dining area.
"Geez, Noah! You keep spoiling Kiana!" Theresa puffed her cheeks in frustration. "If you keep it up, she's going to turn into a totally useless person!"
"Ahahaha..." Noah scratched his cheek, laughing awkwardly.
Theresa's pout deepened, her brow twitching as she stared at him down. Even though she was technically over forty, her small frame and youthful appearance made it hard for Noah to take her seriously especially when she got worked up like that. More often than not, he ended up treating her the same way he did Kiana.
That led to... awkward moments. Lots of blushing. From both sides.
They never really talked about it. But somehow, it felt natural. Like it was something they'd been doing for a long time, even if they didn't realize it.
"...You... ha..." Theresa sighed, rubbing her temples. "What are you even planning to do if she really turns into one?"
"...Then I'll just keep taking care of her," Noah said, cheeks tinting red as he kept his eyes on the kettle.
"You... do you even get what that means?" Theresa started, caught off guard by his tone.
Noah didn't answer right away. He quietly brought a glass of bitter melon juice to her side of the table, then poured himself some tea and sat across from her.
"Honestly? I don't really know," he admitted, resting both hands around the warm cup. "But right now, I just want to stay by her side. That much, I'm sure of."
Theresa squinted at him. "So... Do you like her? My niece?"
Noah blinked, then let out a dry laugh. "...Is it weird? Maybe it is. Ahaha..."
He paused, the smile lingering but his eyes growing distant as memories of the past few weeks with Kiana flickered through his mind.
"We... We've only known each other for like two weeks, right? But even so, I just... I want to be there for her," Noah mumbled, turning his gaze away from Theresa. "When she smiles, it just makes things feel... easier. I want to pat her head, maybe cuddle a bit... do stuff like that. The soft kind."
Theresa nearly choked on her drink. Her face turned red instantly as the implications started racing through her head.
"A-Ahh! When I said that—I meant it in a wholesome way, okay?! Like, normal couple stuff! Nothing weird, nothing beyond that!" Noah waved his hands defensively.
"IT'S FINE!! I GET IT!!!" Theresa shouted back, just as flustered.
An awkward silence settled between Noah and Theresa until a voice suddenly came from the door.
"Huh? Kiana? What are you doing just standing there?" Himeko's voice cut through as she pushed the door open.
Noah and Theresa whipped their heads around. Standing there was a very confused Himeko... and right behind her, a very red Kiana. Not just her cheeks, her entire face, ears, and even her neck were the same shade as Himeko's hair.
"Ki-Kiana?!" Noah shot up from his chair in panic. "W-Wait! Did you... did you hear all that?!"
Kiana's shoulders twitched. She gave the tiniest nod while avoiding his eyes like her life depended on it.
"..." Noah took a sharp step back, eyes wide, and bolted toward the window.
"I'M JUST GOING TO GRAB SOMETHING FOR DINNER! BE RIGHT BACK!" he shouted before launching himself out.
"Wait!! Don't jump from the window, you idiot!" Theresa called after him, but it was too late. He was already gone.
She pinched the bridge of her nose. "...That kid."
Himeko blinked. "Okay, what the heck just happened?"
Theresa sighed, taking a long sip of her bitter melon juice. "Teenagers. Don't ask."
Kiana shuffled toward the couch without a word and face-planted into a cushion, trying to disappear from reality.
Himeko looked from the open window to the girl melting into the couch.
"...I need something stronger than juice," she muttered flatly.