Both Karl and Ruby froze, feeling the sudden awkwardness settle in. Karl quickly let go and took a step back, scratching the back of his head as he avoided her gaze. The silence stretched for a moment, and neither seemed quite sure what to say.
Finally, Karl cleared his throat, breaking the tension. "So... are you going to tell me or not?" he asked, trying to sound casual.
Ruby crossed her arms, avoiding his eyes as she rubbed her arm. "It’s... a cute animal! I saw it in my dream," she replied, feeling her cheeks heat up as she spoke. She could hardly bring herself to look at him. It was just a hug, so why was she feeling so embarassed?
Karl narrowed his eyes, still curious but deciding to let it slide for now. "Fine, I’ll let you off with that answer. But if I catch you laughing at me like that again, you’d better have a good explanation," he muttered, looking off into the distance.
Ruby laughed softly, relieved for the slight shift in tone. "Deal," she replied with a small smile, still feeling that strange warmth lingering from the hug.
"Where are you all day? Do you know how worried we are? I mean, Milo and Julian..." Karl said as he spotted their small house in the distance.
"Well, I was busy earning money..." Ruby replied with a bright smile.
"Go away, you liar," Karl said, rolling his eyes dramatically.
Ruby blinked, taken aback by his accusation. "Liar? What do you mean? I actually was working!"
"Yeah, right," he shot back, skepticism dripping from his voice. "You were too busy watching some ghost’s flashy dance performance and stuffing your face with food."
She folded her arms, feeling defensive. "Excuse me! I did eat, but that doesn’t mean I wasn’t working."
Karl sighed, shaking his head. "You don’t get it, do you? I—I mean, we—were worried about you all day. Milo and Julian couldn’t stop pacing around, wondering if you’d gotten yourself into trouble." His voice softened, but he quickly covered it up with another eye roll.
Ruby’s expression softened slightly as she caught the hint of concern in his voice, and a small smile crept back onto her face. "Oh, so you guys actually missed me?" she teased, nudging him with her elbow.
"Pfft, as if," Karl replied, looking away, though the faint pink on his cheeks betrayed his true feelings. "We just didn’t want to have to clean up after any mess you got yourself into."
"And just because I’m being good with you, don’t think I like you! You’re still the same witch who didn’t care about us..." Karl said, keeping his gaze firmly away from her.
Ruby’s expression turned cold as his words cut through her. She knew it was the original owner who’d caused them all this hurt, but still... hearing it stung. She forced herself to hold back any response, determined not to let it get under her skin.
No. She couldn’t let emotions make a mess of things right now. She had a goal, a purpose here, and she needed to stay focused.
Karl watched her closely, noticing her face was blank, hiding any hint of emotion. A pang of guilt hit him, but he kept silent, following her back to the house.
Once inside, Ruby didn’t wait for him, just dropped her scarf on the small table and grabbed a clean robe before heading straight to the bathroom. The bucket was already filled with water, ready for her.
’Did Milo or Julian fill this?’ she wondered, feeling a small warmth spark in her heart.
She quickly washed herself and stepped out of the tiny bathroom, drying off as she looked around. It was probably her last day here if everything went smoothly tomorrow.
Then it hit her— ’Oh shoot! I forgot to ask Angeline for her address,’ she muttered to herself, shaking her head.
Exhausted from the day’s chaos, Ruby walked toward the hard floor bed, where she noticed Karl had already fallen asleep beside Adrian. The four of them were huddled closely together, leaving her barely any room except a small space next to Julian.
With a sigh, she settled down beside him, tucking her money safely under her hard pillow. The day’s events had worn her out completely, and as soon as she rested her head, she drifted into a deep sleep, her worries momentarily fading away.
Julian woke up early, feeling someone unusually close to him. Blinking in surprise, he tried to process the situation.
His sleepy eyes gradually widened as he realized just how close Ruby was. Her face, soft and peaceful in sleep, was only inches away from his.
Somehow, her arm had draped over him during the night, and his head rested comfortably against her shoulder, as if it were the most natural thing. Their legs were tangled together in a warm, cozy knot, making his heart skip a beat.
He gulped, feeling a slight warmth rise in his cheeks. Ruby looked so innocent and calm in her sleep—so different.
Holding his breath, he didn’t dare move, afraid of waking her.
For a brief moment, he just stayed there, savoring the rare closeness as an unfamiliar warmth filled his chest. But as he became fully aware of the situation, his heart began to race. He couldn’t stay tangled up —what if the others woke up and saw them? He could already imagine the alot of questions.
Carefully, Julian tried to shift his arm without disturbing her, but Ruby’s grip tightened around him. He froze, feeling a mix of embarrassment and panic. Why is she holding on so tight? he wondered.
Taking a deep breath, he leaned back just enough to nudge her shoulder gently. "wife... hey, wake up," he whispered softly, his voice low.
Ruby stirred, mumbling something under her breath as she snuggled closer, still not fully waking up. Julian had to hold back a small smile; she looked so peaceful and a bit funny, muttering in her sleep.
—To be continued...🪄