The Choice Of Fate || The Promised Neverland

Chapter 70: Jackets and Plushies

Sistine's POV:

When Ayshe moved in, I asked her which bed she wanted, and she said she wanted the one near the window. So she's staying on my bed now.

It's kind of embarrassing to stay in this bed, but hey! He didn't stay here often. It's fine!

"Let me get this straight," Ayshe says, cuddling one of the wolves. "You sassed Ray."

"Yeah."

"And feel sorry about it!?"

"I didn't mean to," I mutter, pouting and hugging my pillow. "I just snapped..."

"But he deserved it, didn't he?"

"Well, yeah," I reply, staring at the ceiling in thought. "But I still feel bad."

"You're too much of a forgiving person," Ayshe comments with a flat look. "You know that, right?"

"Sorry."

After hearing a sigh from her, a pillow launches straight at the back of my head, causing me to fall face first. My forehead hits the floor really hard, causing me to sit up and rub my head in pain. "Ayshe!" I whine, turning around to face her. "Why did you do that?"

"Practice." She lets go of her dog, crossing her arms and staring at me without mercy. "I threw too hard. It hurts, right?"

"Yeah," I whimper, still rubbing my head.

"And how much does it hurt?"

"A lot..."

"So, are you mad at me?"

"No..." As soon as I answer no, another pillow flies straight at my face.

"Wrong answer. Try again."

"But I'm not mad!" I whine, crossing my arms. The pillow falls off my face, revealing my persistent pout.  Ayshe glares back at me with her intimidating blue eyes, causing me to shrink and lower my head. "Sorry."

Sighing, she gets off her bed and picks me up, placing me on my bed. "How much angel energy did your parents give you? Are you seriously not allowed to get mad? Anger is legal, you know..."

"But it's bad," I pout.

She squeezes and pulls on my cheeks. "No! This is unhealthy! You need to learn to get angry!"

"I don't wanna!"

"But you have to!"

"Noooo!!!"

"I'm sorry. Am I interrupting something?" The two of us flinch at the sudden masculine voice, turning our heads to find Ray at the door. Heat flushes my cheeks in embarrassment. "I knocked, but nobody was answering," he utters.

"It's owkway," I reply, with Ayshe still pulling on my cheeks. "Dwo ywu nweed swomething?"

"Yeah, I just left something in the bathroom."

"Please tell me it isn't underwear," Ayshe whispers to me, causing me to nearly choke on my own spit.

"Gwo ahead, Ray," I cough, letting the guy enter the bathroom. Ayshe lets go of my cheeks, causing me to lift both hands to rub them. "It hurts..." I whimper.

"Yeah, and it's really red," Ayshe comments. "Or is that because Ray is here?" I bury my face in a pillow to hide my tomato face. "Called it."

"Raaay, what are you getting in there!?" I squeak, trying to ignore Ayshe's sassy comments.

"The jacket that I washed the other day, why?" he asks.

"Nothing!"

"Do you want to keep it here?"

"No!"

"Sorry, what?"

"She said yes, Ray," Ayshe cuts me off, causing me to flinch. "She wants to keep it here."

"No, I do not!" I whine, squishing my face on the pillow. Silence holds in the room for a while, tempting me to lift my head. But even so, I refuse to give in to the temptation.

Especially after what Ayshe just said.

Something gently falls on top of my head, which successfully convinces me to lift my head and turn to the door. "You can keep it for a while," Ray tells me, looking over his shoulder to give me a small smile. "It's starting to get cold at night, and I don't think your parents like it when you use your jackets for sleeping.

"Consider it as one of my ways of thanking you." He shuts the door, leaving me as a blushing mess.

"... Well, that went surprisingly well," Ayshe bluntly comments. "I wasn't expecting him to actually--!"

I cut her off by shoving the pillow at her face. "No no no no no!" I shriek. "I need to give this back!"

"He said to take it as his way of thanking you," she says with a muffled yell, lowering the pillow and pinching my cheek again. "Do him a favor and accept the gift!"

Grumbling, I pout and reluctantly nod my head, holding the black jacket close to me. "He's really nice to me..." I murmur.

"He left you in a forest of man-eating plants and creatures. How is that nice?" Ayshe asks unamusedly.

"But he didn't mean it!"

"Yeah, just like how he pushed you and called you useless back when you two were kids. Remember that?"

"He was just overwhelmed by--!"

"And he clearly wasn't looking for you when you and Emma went missing!"

"He didn't look for you, either!" I squeak.

"There's a difference!" she yells back.

I lie down on my bed and squirm, muttering, "You're so harsh on him..."

"Hey, at least I'm not trying to kill him," Ayshe shrugs, flashing Floof a nasty glare. "Ain't that right, Fluffy?"

"Still, I should give him a Christmas gift..." I mutter, speaking my mind for once. I remember joining Mom and Dad outside to go shop for some gifts, but I can't seem to think of something suitable for him...

Wait.

I snap my fingers and sit up excitedly upon getting an idea. "Oh yeah! I should get him a gasoline stuff toy!" I exclaim.

"You're hopeless," Ayshe comments flatly.

"But it has a cutesy face on it!" I justify. "And it's not dangerous."

The blonde rolls her cobalt eyes at me. "Just give him actual gasoline. He would give you more than a kiss for it."

"No! I give him plushie!" I protest, crossing my arms. "And a fire keychain! I don't want kisses!"

"Suit yourself," Ayshe shrugs, lying down on her bed. "Honestly, how are you so head-over-heels for that guy?"

"I am not!" I react, lying back down and rolling over to my side. "I just think he's a nice person that deserves to be happy on Christmas."

"You're like a Santa Claus without a naughty list," she sighs. "Anyway, how's Minerva and the others? Are you still not talking to them?"

"I talk to Zazie sometimes, but the others? I don't think so."

"Good," she replies, lying on her back. "I bet they're still planning on using you to find Emma."

"Oh, they are," I reply calmly, causing Ayshe to turn her head.

"And what do you plan on doing?"

A sweet smile curls my lips.

"What's with the look?" She asks in suspicion.

"Well, it's a win-win situation for both parties," I chuckle. "So, why not let them?"