Vampire and slime back in time [Rimuru X Luminous]

CH 18 | A Walk Through The Forest.

~Luminous~

Luminous: {What do you think about going for a walk in the forest?}

Rimuru: {Yeah, I would appreciate it. It would help clear my mind a bit.}

He stared at the ground and his eyes kept moving, not staying at one spot, as if he was talking to an ant moving under the ground.

I wanted to ask, maybe teas him a bit, saying he's acting like a shy boy on his first date, yet his grip, by shaking and tightening, silenced me. 

We move outside the village and into the forest. Despite the lush greenery and the calming breeze, Rimuru's breath was still slow and heavy, audibly heavy.

Luminous: "I didn't know that they would fall unconscious..."

Seeing his state, I decided to bring him out of his thoughts by having a conversation.

Rimuru: "I... Also didn't know that, I just fell unconscious after naming them last time, Hahahaha..."

Yet my attempt seemed to barely distract him for a moment, but it looked as if brought him deeper in... Whatever it is.

Luminous: "Hmmm... Rimuru, since you've lived in this forest and explored it more than I ever did, do you have some places in mind to go to?"

Rimuru: "Ah. Yes... I do know a few places. A river, a few ponds and lakes, some empty grass patches and flower fields, and a few good hills and mountainsides. Where do you want to go?"

'His tone shifted and his expression seems a lot lighter now. That's an improvement.'

Luminous: "I like flowers, so let's go to a flower field. It's been a while since I last went to any place like that outside of my garden." 

Rimuru: "There's a big hill close to here, its slopes are covered by flowers, more specifically, roses. Want to go there?"

Luminous: "Sounds like a nice place, so yes. Let's go there."

And with a dash, we reached the hill in a few minutes. It was almost big enough to be called a small mountain, and it was covered by light pink roses, shining under the late noon rays. Each had three blooms, and swirling branches connected them to the main stem. 

Luminous: "Ara~ Aren't you flirtatious today?"

Rimuru: "Haha..."

His reply was an awkward laughter, not even commenting on how I was the one who asked to come here in the first place. 'There's something going on, but since he doesn't want to talk about it, I don't think it's that important.'

A few minutes and a small picnic later, Rimuru's grip only got tt tighter on my hand, he was now almost sticking to my side. I didn't think much of it, at least until I felt something slithering around my right arm.

I took a look at what it was, only to find Ouroboros, who was now wrapping itself around my arm, and looking at me with watery eyes.

'This is weird. He only ever cared about Rimuru, he never any shown interest toward me...'

Seeing that it couldn't convey what it wanted to me, it wrapped itself around my neck, covering it like a scarf, which I appreciated as the wind passing over was cooled by the large pond atop another hill, and extending past its edges, forming a waterfall, its sound filling the since between us.

We chose this hill because, other than the lake, waterfall, and calm breeze, it was also covered by a myriad of flowers and roses, making my sitting on the edge of the lake all the more comfortable. And as I said before, I love flowers.