Critical Romance

Mess

The journey to their destination was fraught with tension, Charlotte and Kaworu exchanging barbs at every opportunity. Kaworu seemed to take pleasure in needling her, his stoic demeanor only adding to her frustration. "Are you sure you'll be able to keep up, Princess?" Kaworu teased as they trudged through the thick underbrush. "This terrain might be a bit too rugged for your delicate sensibilities." Charlotte gritted her teeth, her nails digging into the palms of her hands. "I can handle myself just fine, thank you very much," she snapped, her voice laced with venom. Kaworu chuckled, a deep rumble in his chest. "We'll see about that."

As their party neared the enemy encampment, Charlotte found herself more and more uneasy. She couldn't shake the feeling of impending doom, the weight of their mission pressing down on her shoulders. But when the battle erupted in a cacophony of shouts and clashing steel, Charlotte's fear was replaced by a fierce determination.

Reaching deep within herself, she called forth the forces of nature that she knew so well. Giant serpents tunneled their way out of the earth, grappling the enemy forces with their unrelenting strength. A spirit in the shape of a large and menacing bear appeared, its aura invigorating all that Charlotte deemed an ally. In the midst of it all, she stood tall, a steely gaze sweeping across the battlefield.

Kaworu watched in awe as Charlotte unleashed her magic upon their enemies, her power surpassing anything he had ever seen. Despite his general irritation with the woman, he couldn't help but admire her strength and skill. But his admiration was short-lived. While caught off guard by the visage of Charlotte, a blade pierced through his defenses, sinking into his gut with a sickening thud. He let out a guttural gasp of pain, collapsing to the ground in a heap.

The chaos of battle raged around them, but Charlotte's focus was solely on Kaworu. She had seen him fall out of the corner of her eye and figured he would get up soon, but when that didn't happen, she frantically pushed her way through the throng towards him. Her serpents disintegrated into dust as she moved her focus away, but she couldn't care less. There was something more important to take care of.

Her hands already glowed with the warm heat of healing magic when she knelt next to him.

"You really know how to make a mess of things, don't you?" she chided, her voice laced with concern despite her irritation. Kaworu winced as her fingers danced over his skin, the sensation sending shivers down his spine.

"You're one to talk," he muttered, his voice strained with pain.

Charlotte tutted at him, "I'm not the one on the ground, bleeding out of a sword wound, now, am I?" 

With a roll of his eyes, Kaworu grunted what could be considered an agreement. They fell into a steady silence, full of tension and stolen glances that neither of them would admit that they made.