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“And if your plan fails?”
“Then I will fuse with irontomb, simple as that.” Herta dismisses, seemingly avoiding Mei's gaze. “But that won’t happen so long as you don’t partake in it.”
The memory was distant and Mei had baked countless cakes while the mage was away—anything to keep her hands busy.
It had somewhat soothed her nerves, but it didn’t help with the sleepless nights, the days she would spend alone in her room, listening to the clock ticking or when she would struggle picking up the fork just to bring it to her mouth. It ached, knowing the possibility of Herta never being the same again.
She wasn’t just losing a colleague here, she was losing a companion, a friend, a family.
She turned to face the woman wearing a smug expression; part of her was bitter, knowing she was the cause of… everything.
“And thanks to the little one, we managed to defeat it.” Herta smiles, one leg on top of the door she leans against the table. “So tell me what have you prepared for me?” She rests her chin on her knuckles, humming as she shakes her feet in interest.
Mei gives her a warm smile, her gaze distant as she sets a tray of cakes.
“Oh~ a chocolate chip cake~? It's been awhile since I had one of these.” Herta stabs the cake and takes a bite.
Mei’s gaze lowered to her lips and her hands twitched, hesitant to wipe off the stain but soon huffs out a small chuckle at Herta’s displeased reaction watching her swallow “...ugh, so bitter…”
“I may or may not have forgotten to add sugar.” The biologist replies in amusement, taking a seat across from her.
“Don’t tell me you are losing your touch! I was looking forward to your cakes…” Herta reaches out to the red velvet one, taking a bite– but this one ended up being…. Salty?
Her throat ran dry; she reached across, fingers brushing Ruan Mei’s as she stole the cup for a sip.
“You are teasing me.” Herta’s gaze narrows, setting the cup down as she listens to her friend’s chuckles.
“It was an honest mistake.” Mei replies lightheartedly.
The mage pushes the plate aside with disinterest, gazing back at Mei in slight disappointment.
“And here I thought you were rewarding the glamorous, irresistible madam Herta for her success.” She crossed her arms, leaning back — and for a moment, it almost looked like she was… sulking?
Mei's smile grows, pouring a separate glass of tea for the mage.
“Enlighten me,” Mei begins, taking a deep breath before passing the glass to Herta who raises a brow. “What was your plan after fusing with the irontomb?” She asks in an even tone.
The perks of being friends with the Mei for years had helped the mage notice all the small details in her expression. The way her eyes flickered down to her tea, her thumb running around the edge of her teacup, how distant Mei always was, yet despite it she knew deep down she was just a human like any of them, craving for connection, craving for care and love.
It was foolish to cause her to worry, really. She had survived and that's what mattered.
“Waiting for someone to kill me.” The words slipped out of her lips so smoothly that it caused Herta to cover her lips, blinking.
Her brows drew together.
Truth serum… that little..
A soft laugh escaped from the biologist, but anyone could read the sadness lingered in her gaze.
“I can never understand you Herta… why risk your own life over some…data..” The bitter words left Mei's lips, refusing to meet her gaze yet there was an amused smile lingering on her lips as if she wasn’t surprised by her response at all.
Leaving Herta all the more puzzled.
After all these years, she still can’t read her at all. The mage lets out a long sigh. “You should know by now—cheap tricks don’t work on me,"
Green meets purple, and for a moment the room was filled with heavy silence. The mage lowers her head, her gaze distant as she picks up the fork and stabs the cake.
“...None of that matters now, does it? Anyway, if that day ever came, I’d have faith in you… and in Screwy… to stop me.”
“Quite bold of you,” Mei murmured, gaze dull and unreadable. “What makes you think I’ll bother?”
The mage blinked, her breathing coming to halt. Speechless.
Ruan Mei never cared to begin with, she had her eyes on something else. Herta closes her eyes, scoffing.
“Adding fuel to the fire hm… that does sound like you...” The tension in her body leaves as she reasons. The mage lazily rests her head on her knuckles, staring at her with curiosity. “Then what would you do if I ever became the lord ravager?”
…
“Study you.” Mei simply replies, taking a sip of her tea.
The tension in the room thickens and all Herta could do in response is huff out.
“You are absurd…” The mage muffles against her hand, facing the other way as the tips of her ears burned.
“Can you blame me?” The biologist hums in amusement, playing with the tips of her glove as she keeps her gaze steady on the mage.
“I suppose not, every form I take is a gorgeous one after all.” Herta dismisses her, standing up abruptly.
“Leaving already?” Mei watches her stride lazily around the table.
“Screwy and I still need to work on a couple things with Amphoreus.” She brushes her off. The Mage raises her chin and reaches to leave a peck on her lips, with her thumb she smudges her lipstick, watching the biologist's face turn rosy pink in amusement.
“I hope you are treasuring these memories.” She smiles confidently, planting another longing kiss before taking her leave.
The silence thickens as Mei sits there, processing. A huff escapes her lips, a blush faintly appears on her cheeks as she takes a sip.