I furrowed my eyebrows as I tried to analyze what was happening right now.
Right now, I am inside a dark room. Walls were broken and the place was full of debris.
There is a mattress on the side and the only one giving light on this room was the moonlight slipping from the broken ceiling.
This is a place that is too familiar to me. Afterall, this is my makeshift shelter that I used for many months before becoming an adventurer.
And that's not all.
I am standing in front of my past self who is equally confused as I am. I can quickly tell from the age of hers that it was the time after the death of the witch who is close to me. I was grieving here, lost and didn't know what to do.
…
…
We were both looking at each other without saying a word. Although I am a bit calm right now, my past self seems to be more on a defensive stance.
Her knees slightly bent, and one of her arms is hidden behind her back. I can say without a doubt that she is prepared to kill me if I do anything funny.
And since this is my younger self that we are talking about. I can surely say that she won't hesitate to kill me. I am the kind of person who doesn't hold back after I deemed something as a threat.
Well, anyway.
How am I supposed to handle this situation?
…
Maybe I should speak first.
Knowing that she is my younger self. She won't really make the first move.
I prefer to not speak first afterall…
However, if I don't speak right now, this silence will only continue more, and we won't progress from this.
I then folded my arms and sighed deeply.
"Hello…Me. I am from the future. Crazy isn't it?"
"..."
My younger self just tilted her head to the side yet still looked at me cautiously. Yeah, she won't definitely let her guard down yet.
I then looked around and searched for a place to sit down.
I looked at the stone that seemed to be okay to sit on. I turned my back on her and walked towards it.
I then sat down and rested my chin on my arm.
"I don't intend to harm you…if I make a move then I will let you kill me."
…
Hmmmmm. How should I do this?
…
Wait.
Maybe I can use 'that'
A thing that is only given to us.
I then moved my leg and showed her the dagger sheathed on it. I slowly took it out and tossed it onto the ground in front of her.
"!!?"
When she saw the dagger. Her eyebrows raised up and looked back at me.
"The same?"
It was a dagger with a lily symbol on the end of the handle.
It was a dagger that is precious to us. A dagger we received from the witch who took care of us and taught us.
"I am you…. What you have is something that I already had."
I then looked at the mattress.
I had a problem before when I was using it.
"That mattress is so uncomfortable, especially in the back. It's too thin and debris from below kind of pokes. Although its size and thickness make it easier to bring. It still doesn't compare to the comfort we received back in the hut."
She widened her eyes again and took a while doing nothing before sighing and standing straight with her hand relaxed on the side.
"Yeah."
She answered and bent down again grabbing the dagger that I tossed and holding it gently in her hand.
"I don't really want to throw that… But I thought it's the best way to convince you otherwise."
She smiled and walked towards me, giving me my dagger.
"If you are me then surely you know that I completely trust you."
Well…Obviously.
I won't believe a crazy idea like that out of nowhere in a blink of an eye.
She then leaned a little close towards me and looked me straight into the eyes.
"Also…we looked the same. Same age even. If you are from the future shouldn't you look a bit older? Didn't I grow or was I cursed at some point to not grow up."
I twitched my eyebrow and tilted my head.
I am pretty sure that I grew tall and have a more mature face compared to the past me. What is she talking about?
I then used the dagger that she gave me and used it as a reflection to see myself.
And there I saw not the current me, but it was the appearance of the past me.
...
Huh?
…
Was it my age perhaps?
Reverted too?
…
I looked back towards her and sighed before shrugging my shoulders. No wonder she is too confused.
"I am not cursed, and I was definitely more beautiful and mature in my time. So I guess I can only say that my age also reverted back to your current age and appearance."
"Ohhh….Okay."
She then nodded and stepped back away from me. She then went to the mattress and sat there.
She didn't take her eyes off me. I was still watched by her. But at least now I can say that she doesn't consider me as an immediate threat right now.
I would act like that where I would let my tense body relax yet will not take my eyes off the person I am still a bit cautious off.
…
…
Another silence enveloped the room. Neither of us spoke but it was not awkward as if it was a clear understanding and comfort for the both of us.
…
…
Not before long, that silence was broken when she spoke again.
"Hey… "
I only glanced at her and waited for her to continue.
"Hmmm?"
"Since you are me… you know what I am currently going through and feeling right now. Right? "
…
Her feelings right now.
Of course I know. This was a time I would never forget.
"You are stupid and utterly weak, you thought everything was finally okay yet you failed to protect what you finally had. "
"Ughh… "
She groaned and frowned. It was all true. This is what she is feeling. Or rather, what we always felt.
"You thought maybe everything would change if you acted more differently. You regret listening to her words of you needing to escape and letting her be the bait. "
…
"You thought maybe, you might've protected her if you stayed by her side… "
…
"And now you are asking yourself… What are you even living for? Did you really deserve to live? Is it better if you are gone and dead?"
…
"Maybe dying is better… "
As I kept speaking, I noticed her hand clenching more tightly.
Yeah…
I really pinpointed all the deep feelings that we had. We were at our lowest during this time. Our breaking point.
Which is why…
I then stood up and slowly walked towards her before kneeling in front of her.
She looked at me, pained and at a loss.
I opened my arms and embraced her. Our warmth enveloped each other.
"What are you doing?"
Her eyes widened in surprise. Her body tense when I hugged her.
…
What I am doing huh…
I just want to reassure her. This was a time where I really wanted someone to hug me. A time where I want someone to be there for me.
"It's warm, isn't it? Comforting, isn't it?"
"That's…"
She tried to say something but stopped. She looked down and then nodded.
"I guess it is."
"Which is why, enough worrying… you are not alone anymore. I will be here for you."
… …
"Unn… "
I just smiled. Seeing myself being comforted like this makes me feel a bit happy.
"Just as you know, I won't open that quickly."
…
I scoffed and chuckled. This me is quite stubborn. Well, it's just the way I am familiar with.
"I hope it won't take years."
"Depends."
I then patted her hair and closed my eyes as I relaxed more in this embrace of ours.
She also relaxed too. I felt her body leaning more towards me.
I guess you finally like this…
… …
…
Silence passed by and all that was to be heard in this room was the sway of the trees outside. And also, the beating of our hearts.
The warmth also feels addicting, it's like I don't want to pull back.
—-----------
After a while.
I finally let her go and returned to where I was seated a while ago.
I looked at her before looking above the broken ceiling.
"It's time for you to rest… we still have a day to live through. "
"... I know. "
She nodded and lay down with her face still looking in my direction.
"Too scared to sleep with me being here?"
Although we already have that comfort from earlier, I can understand the wariness of sleeping with a person I don't completely trust beside me.
Sleeping means, you are completely letting your guard down after all.
And maybe seeing that I understand her feelings, she just nodded.
"Unn."
Fufufu, I am really cute, am I?
"If you want, you can use the sleeping spell that you learned on me."
She widened her eyes as she understood what I was talking about.
It's one of the spells I learned from the grimoire the witch gave us.
She then nodded again and stood up before walking towards me.
"Let me sit in a comfortable position first. "
I also stood up, sat on the floor, and leaned on the wall in the corner of the room
She only waited for me to finish and once I found myself comfortable, I looked at her and nodded indicating that I was ready.
"Thank you…"
"Welcome."
She thanked me and I don't really have anything against being used for this spell when it comes to my younger self. Trust is hard to build afterall. It really takes time. Can't blame myself not letting someone see me sleep where I have my guard down completely.
Well also.
I wonder if this will be my new way of sleeping from now on?
…
I guess it is.
I then closed my eyes and there I heard myself chanting the sleeping spell. And before I knew it. I was already asleep.