Home Is When I'm With You - Cynonari

[ I'm so sorry it took me so long to write this chapter. I had a lot of writer's block and I've been super busy with school. I'm really hoping I can get chapter 18 out quicker. Anyways, enjoy]

Cyno pov

Unusually dim lights darkened far too many corners and cast shadows on too many things. The absence of shuffling feet clattering around the marble floor left an unsettling air to the room. As if the library just didn't feel right when there wasn't a soul in sight. Besides a couple of people sitting in those shadowy corners, their heads in their books. The lack of people made the House of Daena seem larger, like the walls stretched in each direction, the room only grew larger. Like a fog had settled in.

I never liked it when the Library was too crowded, it made it impossible to focus. But I suppose I was too used to it being like that to be okay with the library not being the same as it always was.

I set my books down on a table as far away from the other two students - or scholars, as possible. The unusual atmosphere wafted around. Most people were in exams as of right now, even then I would have expected more people to be here studying. Even the halls outside were empty, deserted. And the courtyard looked like a ghost town.

But I couldn't let such silly sentiments bother me. I had exams to study for. As did everyone else.

I peaked at a pocket watch I carried around, just to get back some of that routineness.

3:00 pm...

I picked through my pile of books until I selected one with a particularly colourful cover. I picked out another messy notebook and began studying. Focus set into my head but distractions were always there.

As time passed more things were in my notebook, in my hand and mind. More things crowding my vision, encircling my head. As more time passed, the dim lights slowly grew dimmer and more discomforting. My eyes had taken immediate notice of the now empty seat of one of the scholars who had now left. The lights grew dimmer again. The fog had settled in closer, and closer like a veil being put over my head. Or maybe over the world.

Yet I continued. Notes now scribbled in were messier than ever before. I let the swirling fog surround me without as much as a blink of an eye. Before my eyes closed in on the last seat, now emptied and alone was I and the library.

Then a new sound came from the empty quietness. Footsteps clacking around on a marble floor. The sound continued, it got closer. my face was expressionless and my hands were still as I listened to the steady sound.

Until a gentle hand placed itself on my shoulder and the person who owned that gentle hand, placed a gentle kiss on my cheek.

I turned my head to look at him. A tender smile etched across his face.

And the fog lifted and the lights brightened.

As my surprise settled down, I saw his perfect features just a bit better. His ears were partially flopped, and his hair was damp. His skin looked even shinier than usual. His forest-coloured eyes were brighter than normal. I looked at him, and everything just felt so clear.

Had I really tried to ignore my feelings for him...?

But the fog in my head hadn't gone, not yet, not completely. It had merely lifted. Hiding away in some corner somewhere.

"I'm not interrupting your studying? Am I?" He asked with a laugh, breaking me out of my trance as I stared up at him.

"Oh, no, not at all," I said after a few too many seconds, returning his charming smile, his hand still placed lightly on my shoulder.