"Are you two going to get up or are you too comfortable?" Miona questioned with an amused smirk on her lips.
I blinked, turning back to Noah who also looked confused. We both realized the position we were in and the fact that I was sitting right on his lower half in my underwear with his hands remaining on my waist.
My face went bright red, and Noah's face was just as flushed. "EEP!" I squealed, scrambling off Noah before I sneezed again.
"Uh-oh," Cairus and Caio said together.
Celestia shrieked and pointed at me. "Arielle! Shirt! Shirt's on fire!"
"Hu- HOT! AHHHH!" I screamed, getting up and running in a circle to put out the flames.
"Don't run in a circle! ROLL! ROLL!" Noah shouted.
"HOW DO YOU ROLL?" I screamed.
"I think you should have taught her that, Celestia," Cairus suggested.
"Would have been useful at this moment," Caio added.
"WHY would I teach my phoenix harpy familiar about FIRE SAFETY!" Celestia exclaimed.
"This is rather entertaining," Miona commented.
"MS. ARCADIA!" Caio, Cairus, and Celestia shouted.
"Oh. Did you want me to do something?" she asked innocently.
"HELP!!!!" I screamed, trying to take the shirt off but struggling.
"Ugh, stop running, Arielle!" Noah huffed, stepping in my way. I crashed into him again, and we both fell to the floor again.
"WATERLONADO RU!" Miona exclaimed. Water fell from above us, leaving Noah and I drenched.
"There. I was useful. I'm going inside now. Celestia, come with me so I can do your checkup," Miona encouraged.
"But..." Celestia trailed off.
"We'll help Arielle and her new friend," Cairus stated.
"Ya. Go get your checkup done." Caio coaxed.
"You okay, Arielle?" Celestia asked. I sat up and blew out a stream of water which went on Noah's face, causing him to cough.
"Yup. Don't mind me," I mumbled, not wanting to delay my Mistress because of my clumsy behavior. It would have been nice if I stopped setting everything on fire with my stupid sneezing.
"Talk about introductions," Noah sighed, using his elbow as support to sit up with me still on top of him. "Arielle...." he trailed off, his eyes lowering to my chest.
I gave him a confused look. "What?"
"Um. Let's go inside," Noah said with a bright red face as he meekly looked away.
"Why is your face red?" I asked, completely clueless.
"I thought familiars are confident with little clothing," Caio commented.
"Hmm. Noah's a human though. Arielle seems comfortable in lingerie," Cairus pointed out.
"What?!" I shrieked, lowering my gaze to realize I was just in my red underwear and matching red lace bra that barely kept my breasts in their place after all that running.
I literally froze, unable to even think of what to do or say. SO EMBARRASSING!!!!!!!
"We’ll...uh, go get you guys some new clothes," Caio suggested, slowly creeping away.
"Ya, clothes! Nice knowing you Noah!" Cairus shouted.
I glared at the both of them and they screamed, rushing back into the room like their lives depended on it.
I can't believe this! I met Noah in human form, and now I'm sitting on him, wet and practically naked. What do I even do? No, what do I say? My chance of making a friend is ruined.
Tears pooled in my eyes at my realization and I lowered my head, unable to face Noah. I felt super embarrassed, and I didn't know how I was going to apologize in my current state and appearance.
I heard Noah sigh before arms wrapped around me. "Don't get all depressed, it doesn't suit you," he whispered in my ear. He soothingly rubbed my back to calm me down before he continued. "Close your eyes for a moment."
I did what he asked, knowing I had nothing to lose at this point. My body felt warm for five seconds before the warmth faded away.
"Okay. You can lean back now," Noah instructed, pulling back to stare at me with a warm smile. I lowered my gaze once more and saw that I wore a long purple t-shirt similar to what Noah was wearing.
It was dry and warm like it had just come from the laundry. "Where did you...?"
"My bro is doing our laundry at the moment. Took one of my shirts." He smiled at my astonishment. "Feel better?"
"Yes, Bru. Um, thank you and sorry. My Mistress and I are having a few technical difficulties. That's what she calls it anyways," I mumbled.
"No worries. Let's go inside. Those twins are a bit nosey," Noah whispered.
"Huh?" I glanced back at the entrance to see Caio and Cairus peeking out from the door.
"Are they going to kiss?" Cairus asked.
"I promised to get Celestia a picture if they do," Caio replied.
I rolled my eyes before I glared at them. "I'm going to burn all your clothes when you sleep!" I threatened.
"We've been caught!" Caio declared.
"Abort mission," Cairus added. The both of them vanished once again, their footsteps fading away.
Noah sighed. "So they're dating your Mistress?"
"Ya. Those are two of them," I replied, scooting off Noah. He gave me an appreciative look before he rose to a standing position. He was still soaked, but he offered his hands to help me up.
"Two of them. She's dating more than two?" Noah asked. I nodded, placed my hands in his, and he helped me up to my feet.
"Six in total," I replied.
"Wow," Noah commented.
"Is that weird to you?" I asked out of curiosity.
"No. My temporary Mistress has five boyfriends."
"Five...and temporary?" I asked.
He gave me a sad smile and squeezed my hand. "Why don't we go back inside and dry off?"
I didn't need to be a genius to understand that he didn't want to talk about it, especially when we just met. Well, in human form that is.
"Yes. Come in," I replied. I removed one of my hands from his hold but kept my right hand in his left one as we walked back into the house.
Noah removed his shoes and I thought he'd let go of my hand, but he didn't. I stared down at our joined hands and then looked at his face, tilting my head in a questioning way. in
"It's better if we hold hands so I don't get lost." He shrugged and blushed.
"In my house?" I asked.
"Yup," Noah replied with confidence. I grinned and squeezed his hand.
"Guess I'll lead the way."
"So your name is just Noah?" I asked.
"Yup. Since I don't necessarily have a master, I can't have a last name," Noah replied, sipping his hot chocolate.
We were sitting on the back porch, watching the sun begin to set. We'd been sitting here crossed legged, chatting for hours. We discussed simple stuff about Aslan, and we both relayed a bit of information about being specific hybrids.
Even after everything that happened earlier—with me crashing into Noah—he acted like it never happened. Hunter had come back from his run with Finn, and with a quick look at Noah's drenched appearance and the twins failed attempt at finding any clothing to spare, he gave him an orange t-shirt and black sweatpants.
Then he forced the twins on laundry duty for having no clothes left. It was a little amusing to watch them argue, but my Mistress wouldn't let them continue their fussy fit.
Celestia gave me a pair of jean shorts to wear, but I kept Noah's shirt on, loving the cinder scent that lingered on it, even though it had been fresh out of the dryer.
Now my Mistress and her men were all relaxed in the living room after we all had dinner. Miona and Othello, who came by after, had joined us for the evening meal. Celestia was reading in Cairus arms with her legs on Caio's lap as they watched some show.
Hunter, Finn, Orion, and Theo were cleaning up the dishes and preparing some food for tomorrow. With the Trials approaching, the guys were making sure Celestia was eating more frequently, saying she needed her nutrients or something.
I knew my Mistress had a habit of missing meals, so
it was the guy's duty to ensure she had lots of energy. They did this by making sure she ate and was well-rested. At least, I thought that was the cause. It was either that, or Magnor's lecture at the last meeting telling them to take care of Celestia or he'd end them all.
I lifted my cup of hot chocolate and took another sip, thankful that Orion had brought us both a cup. Noah was waiting for Miona and Othello to come back and pick him up to head back to something called the familiar corridors.
"I know it may sound intrusive, but why is your Mistress temporary?" I asked with a frown as I lowered my cup.
That sad expression returned to Noah's face as he glanced away, his eyes locked on the multi-colored sky.
"Our last Master..." Noah trailed off, letting out a nervous chuckle. "It's kinda hard to talk about it," he admitted.
"We can talk about something else?" I suggested.
"Hmm. I want to tell you...it's just difficult to think about," he replied, giving me a look that called for sympathy. "My brother does a better job at explaining than me. I'm more of the joker while he's the serious one."
"Did you guys have the same Master?" I asked.
He nodded. "Ya. He was really kind."
"Was..." I trailed off, already putting the pieces together. He gave me a sad smile, but his eyes looked over to the clear sliding door. I followed his gaze to see Hunter open it up and glance at the two of us.
"I think Miona's back to pick you up, Noah. She just knocked on the door," Hunter informed us.
"Oh. I shouldn't make her wait." Noah replied. As we both stood up, I took another admiring glance at him, loving his 6'5 height and his slim but built body.
Noah peered down at his clothes before he gave Hunter a troubled look. "Um, do you want your clothes back?"
"And let you walk naked on the street? Nah," Hunter replied with a smirk. Noah blushed, and I snickered.
"I think he'd switch back," I pointed out. Hunter looked confused for a moment, before concentrating on Noah for a good five seconds.
"Oh. You're a familiar? A phoenix one at that...with something else?" Hunter asked.
"How can you tell?" Noah asked.
"I can sense your flame," Hunter replied, placing his hand over his heart. "Right there."
"You’re a phoenix shifter?" Noah asked.
"Yup," Hunter replied.
We moved back inside, and Hunter took our cups, walking to the kitchen to put them in the sink. Celestia, Caio, and Cairus were fast asleep on the couch. Orion was reading a book, and Finn was asleep as well, his head on Orion's shoulder. Theo was chilling on the floor, sleeping with his head on his arms and a few open books around him.
Orion looked up from his book to study me. "Are you going to walk Noah out?"
"Yes. Then I'll switch back. I think I'm tiring Celestia out," I pointed out, a hint of worry in my voice as I glanced back at Celestia.
She'd been sleeping a lot more lately and, though we were working on testing how long I could stay in my human form, I didn't want to drain her, especially before the Trials.
"Hmm. It should be fine. When she's sleeping, it's not like you’re draining more energy from her. Sia may take over too, so if you want to walk back with Noah, you can. I'll let Celestia or Sia know if they wake up," Orion encouraged.
"You’re okay with me going?" I asked, looking at him and then to Hunter who walked back in to stand with us.
"Don't see why not. You're an adult. Even if you're Celestia's familiar and pretty independent, we don't need to act like babysitters." Hunter shrugged, looking calm.
"I feel like if this were Celestia, you'd be totally against her walking home with a guy," I pointed out. Orion and Hunter both blushed and looked away.
Orion returned to reading his book. "No," he mumbled.
"Go home, Noah. Make sure you come back, Arielle, or I'll be a protective parent and come to get you," Hunter huffed, walking back to the sink and turning the tap on to wash our cups.
I exchanged looks with Noah who grinned, and we walked towards the door. "Oh, your jewel!" I remembered. "Let me go get it. Can you wait outside?"
"Ya, sure. I'll tell Miona you're getting something and joining us for a walk. At least I can show you around the familiar corridors and maybe introduce you to my brother and friends," Noah suggested.
"Okay! One sec," I replied, leaving his side and rushing up the stairs to Celestia's room. I'd kept the jewel in the same box I always kept my precious valuables.
My eyes landed on the maroon velvet, rectangle-shaped box and opened it up to see the jewel right next to my pink button with the five feathers. I smiled at the sight of it, using my finger to stroke the feathers.
Hey guys. I'm going on a walk with a boy familiar. He's a hybrid like me, and he's really nice to talk to. Even though it was a pretty embarrassing introduction, he didn't think I was weird, and it seems Celestia and the others are okay with him. I wonder if he already has a girlfriend? I mean...like you know, more than just a girl who's a friend, but someone he's intimate with? Would he be interested in me? Ah, I'm wasting time. I love you all. I hope you're okay up there.
I lifted the jewel and slowly closed the box. I turned to leave but quickly checked the mirror to make sure I looked decent. I'd asked Celestia to update my appearance just a bit after our first official fight in public with her past bully, Vincent.
My hair was now purple with gold strands and hints of pink at the tips. My eyes were still amber, but they shifted from orange to yellow. My lips were pink, and my skin was paler than Celestia's lightly tanned skin.
I scanned Celestia's desk and my eyes caught on her gold lip gloss. Celestia, I'm borrowing your lip gloss. I knew she wouldn't respond, but at least if she asked, I could say I tried to ask her and she was asleep. I put a tiny bit on my lips, remembering all the times Celestia put it on before she went to school with the guys.
I nodded at my reflection and was ready to head back out when a thought struck me. Hmm, is this a date? No, right? Just a walk to where him, his brother, and friends stay. Not like we're going to end up dating or anything. Ya, just friends going for a walk.
I tried to convince myself the entire way down the stairs and took a final glance at Celestia and the others in the living room. Orion had his eyes closed, the book in his hand now in his lap and his head resting against Finn's.
Only Hunter was awake, reading what appeared to be a textbook. I hesitated to leave, wondering if Celestia would be okay with me going out without telling her. I knew she supported my independence, but I still felt uncertain whether she'd be mad.
Hunter looked up as if sensing my lingering gaze and smiled. "Noah's gonna leave if you keep hesitating. Celestia will be just fine here and won't mind you going out. Enjoy some fresh evening air," Hunter encouraged.
I gave him a relieved smile and nodded. "Thanks, Hunter. I'll be back," I replied and gave him a little wave.
He nodded, returning to reading his book, and I headed to grab my shoes near the door before I walked out, closing it behind me.
"Sorry for the wait," I announced. I lifted my gaze and saw Noah standing next to a woman.
Her back was facing me, and her hand was midway to fixing Noah's purple strands. He had a pouting face on before his eyes locked on mine.
I tried to ignore the disappointment that hit me like a rock, but I was left confused by how Noah's face lit up when he realized I was present.
"Faelia. This is her!" Noah declared. Faelia?
The 6'0" woman turned around to face me, and my eyes widened at her beauty. She had long hair, the roots a dark brown before transitioning into a balanced blend of orange, red, and gold. The combined look reminded me of the colors of fire.
She had pale skin, pink cheeks, and heart-shaped lips that were smoothed and lathered with red lipstick. I lowered my gaze to the simple black polka dot dress she wore, which complimented her slim waist and held her large breasts securely, giving me a glimpse of her cleavage.
Her figure was
a nice hourglass shape, and simple black flats with a gold kitty symbol on the front graced her feet. From far away her eyes appeared teal, but as I continued to stare, I caught a glimpse of emerald green.
I didn't know what to say, but I couldn't tug my eyes away from her, my mind curious as to who she was. If she's Noah's girlfriend...I don't stand a chance.
Faeila's eyes slowly shifted to a golden amber color which was rather cool to watch, but still wasn't giving me any answers.
"This is the familiar you met in the forest?" Faelia asked Noah, turning her attention to him. He nodded and moved away from her, walking straight towards me.
I gave him a worried look, and he tilted his head in confusion for a few seconds before something seemed to click in his mind. "Oh!" he exclaimed before he quickly closed the distance between us to whisper in my ear.
"That's my temporary Mistress."
"Oh. Really?" I asked, turning my head as he leaned back to smile at me.
"Yup. Nothing else," he whispered, sliding his hand in mine and squeezing it gently. I mentally sighed in relief, and my heart seemed to speed up at his admission, feeling excited that there could be something brewing between Noah and me.
We looked back at Faelia, who was patiently waiting for us to come to her. Noah gave me a confident smile before he tugged my hand, urging us down the path to introduce me.
"Faelia. This is Arielle Rainbow. She's the phoenix hybrid I met when we were taking a walk in the forest." Noah then turned to me.
"Arielle, this is Faelia Blessheart. She's a senior student here and President of the Familiar Department of Aslan. She also helps Othello, Miona, and even the headmaster when something comes up and they need an extra hand," Noah explained.
Faelia sighed as she rolled her amber eyes that switched back to teal. "Ya, like Miona and Othello having lovely fun-time and forgetting they left Noah here."
"They forgot?" Noah asked, sounding hurt.
"Lovely time as in..." I trailed off, glancing at Noah.
Faelia giggled. "Ah, the married life. They don't get a lot of alone time being the top professors here. So when they need to get all lovey-dovey in the sheets, they send poor me to do the errands they forget to wrap up." Faelia sighed dramatically.
Arielle Rainbow (Familiar Blessed Chronicles Book 1) Page 13
