[42.5] The Fox in the Middle

Zephyr nibbled on snacks as he stared up at Hazel and Felix. He somehow found himself in the middle of the argument but didn't seem to mind as much.

Hazel spat out at Felix, "Why can't you just leave us alone!? Hm!? Why must you always stick your nose where it doesn't belong!"

Felix's eyebrow started to twitch, "I just came to give him some chicken since I know he likes it so much! Why are you so possessive!?"

"I'M NOT POSSESSIVE!" Hazel paused and took a deep breath. She glared at Felix with a bloodthirsty rage, "I just hate you."

He scoffed, "I haven't done a thing to you."

"-Yes you did! You've done everything! You were always on my case and telling me what to do!"

He tilted his head with an arrogant smirk, "If I were you, I wouldn't want to bring up what has happened in the past."

She paused for a moment then clenched her fists, "Don't bring that up."

He gave a carefree shrug, "You brought it up first."

Zephyr looked between the two curiously. He licked his lips, "Why do I feel deja vu listening to this?"

Felix paused for a moment, then smiled with an ominous look. He spoke slowly, "I'm only trying to help you. Do you realize how disgusting you look right now? Zephyr isn't your familiar and isn't human… Yet you're following him around and doting on him unnaturally."

Hazel's face twitched and she punched the wall beside her in frustration.

Zephyr flinched from the noise and looked at the hole in the wall. He looked back down at his plate and realized his plate was empty. He pursed his lips, "I guess this is the perfect time to slip away."

When we finally made our way to them, Felix was shouting at Hazel, "You broke my wall!!"

She snarled, "You're lucky I didn't break your face!!"

He let out a dramatic gasp and felt his cheek, "You would hurt a defenseless person? You haven't changed at all."

I interrupted them, "Oi. What is going on over here?! You two are causing a scene! More importantly, you interrupted my cuddle session!"

Felix scoffed, "I was just standing up for myself for once. She's always screaming at me for nothing. If anyone is causing a scene, it's her."

Hazel stomped her foot, "UGH! There you go again! You NEVER take responsibility!"

He looked at her with cold eyes, "Oh. I'm the one who doesn't take responsibility? You're the one who-"

Hazel lept ahead so quickly that I never even saw her move. She grabbed a piece of meat from a nearby plate and slammed it into Felix's mouth. Although his mouth was closed, it still was pushed against his lips causing instant revolution to cover his face. He fell back a few steps and started spitting and wiping at his mouth as if the food was poison.

Hazel laughed madly, "HAHA! How does that taste!?"

I jumped in to push Hazel back, "Oi! Enough!"

Cyrus also jumped in front of Felix who was trembling while holding his mouth. Felix raised his eyes slowly, revealing a darkness I had never seen before.

He spoke in an ominous whisper, "You'll never have him."

Hazel gradually calmed down, but I could tell her anger was still fresh. She snarled, "And you'll die alone, you bastard child."

I gasped, "Hazel!"

She realized what she had said and looked ashamed, "R-Reika! I didn't mean-"

Felix wasn't going to let her off and motioned to Zephyr, "You're awfully confident when it's clear he's moved on."

She followed his finger and froze when she saw Zephyr surrounded by a group of women. He was puffing out his chest proudly while he talked and the girls giggled around him. It was clear to me that they were treating him more as a familiar than a human, but Hazel didn't see it that way.

Her fists trembled in anger as she stared down the group of women. She let out a shriek and stomped away, disappearing down the hall.

Felix suddenly looked really pale as if he was going to faint. He abruptly turned on his heels and rushed out of the room.

I looked at Cyrus, "I'm going to go check on Felix. He didn't look too good."

Cyrus let out a sigh and shook his head, "I will get things calmed down here. I'm sure everyone is planning on leaving soon… Or they are going to pass out."

I quickly left behind Cyrus to clean up the mess and rushed after Felix. He was faster than I expected so I called out to him, "Wait! Felix! Stop walking so fast!"

He ignored me and suddenly turned into a room.

I followed him inside and watched as he was vomiting uncontrollably into a sink. I panicked and rushed to his side to rub his back, "Are you okay?"

He suddenly turned to me and let out a scream, "NO, I'M NOT OKAY!"

I flinched, "Uh… Oh… Um-"

His eyes started to water, "I hate it. I hate it so much. I don't want to be here! I don't want to be alone!"

I rubbed his back, "You're not alone. I'm right here and I'm not going anywhere."

He burst out into tears, "And I hate her! How dare she make me out to be the bad guy! She's the one who is always trying to fight!!!"

Wow.

Seeing him like this gave me memory flashes of how he would always cry as a child.

He sobbed louder, "Why did he abandon me!?"

I blinked in confusion, "Huh? Who?"

A sudden change came over Felix and his body suddenly straightened up. His crying ceased as if it never happened to begin with.

I looked at him closely, "Um… Felix? Is everything okay?"

Okay... That was weird.

He ran his fingers through his hair and let out a sigh, "It's fine."

I looked at him in concern, "Are you sure? You looked really-"

He gave me a harsh look, "I'm fine."

I winced from his sudden coldness and averted my gaze. An awkward giggle escaped my lips, "A-Ah. Yeah. Sorry. I just wanted to make sure."

Felix clicked his tongue in annoyance and put on a smile. He tapped my shoulder and I turned to look at him hesitantly.

His smile contradicted the dark look in his eyes, "I'm not upset with you, Reika. Really. I'm very touched that you care about me, but… But I think I'd rather be alone right now."

I took a step back laughing uncomfortably, "R-Right. Well… If you need me, you know where to find me."

I walked to the doorway and paused to glance back at Felix.

He continued to smile at me, but I could see his smile start to grow faint.

I let out a sigh and left without another word.

I smacked my head in frustration as I walked down the hall, "Reika! You're so dumb! Why can't you ever say anything right!? Felix has saved your life so many times and you can't even offer one word of comfort! UGH! Why are you so terrible!?"

I hit my head a few times as I screamed.

*SMASH*

I paused.

Uh…

Did I hit myself too hard or was there actually a noise?

*CRASH*

No! Someone is breaking sh*t!

*Riiiip*

I rolled up my sleeves, "That idiot has some gall to break stuff under my watch!"

I followed the noise of crashing which led to a room where people can lounge around. I threw open the door and saw a vase fly right at my head.

"AHHH!"

I ducked just in time to avoid getting hit in the face.

I timidly raised my head and saw the culprit ripping apart couch cushions and destroying every piece of furniture and decoration in sight.

I raised an eyebrow in confusion, "Uhhhh… Hazel?"

Hazel spun around and screamed at me with ferocity, "WHAT!?!"

I flinched, "Umm… Hi?"

Why do I keep getting screamed at tonight!?

Her chest heaved heavily before slowing down. I watched as her entire body slowly started to relax. She spoke in a low voice, "I… I momentarily lost my composure."

I looked around the destroyed room which looked as if an earthquake had wrecked everything, "...I would say you lost more than your composure."

She collapsed onto the ground and covered her face with her hands. I stood there awkwardly as she started sobbing uncontrollably.

"Umm…" I walked over to her and patted her head, "There, there."

She suddenly hugged my waist and cried, "Why doesn't he like me!?"

"Who? Felix?"

She barked at me, "No! Not that piece of sh*t!"

I blinked, "O-Oh."

She rubbed her eyes, "I'm talking about Zephyr."

"Well… Umm…" I looked around speechlessly before shrugging, "I-I don't think he dislikes you?"

She let out a sigh and released me, "You don't understand… He doesn't just dislike me… He hates me."

"Um… I don't follow. How do you know he hates you?"

She turned her chin up to look at me with a strange look of remorse, "You… You really don't remember me, do you?"

I blinked in confusion, "Um… What? Of course, I remember you. I'm talking to you, aren't I?"

"No. I don't mean like that."

"Then what do you mean? I'm completely lost here..." I stared at her pitiful look suspiciously, "Are you hiding something from me?"

"It's not important." She stood up with an ominous smile, "Magic is really unpredictable."

I speechlessly watched her walk out of the room without explaining further.

"Honestly… What is going on?!"