Chapter 76:

  Return

  (Lucas's POV)

  The air was colder than normal today, or perhaps it was just my nerves. I stood with Maya behind the scenes of a press conference, just outside of Aegis HQ. I took a deep breath, checking myself in the mirror that had been provided for me. I wore one of the custom-made outfits that Elizabeth and Maya had commissioned for me.

  Dark grey pants that appeared to look like scks, but felt more like sweatpants. They were warm and breathable at the same time, without being too constricting. The same could be said of the long-sleeved grey shirt, which boasted an asymmetrical design with buttons that went from my right shoulder, down across my torso to the left. Everything fit perfectly, even the dress shoes.

  It was almost eerie how accurate the measurements were, even though I was there when they took the measurements. Whoever made these was incredibly talented.

  "You said I only had to sign papers..." I muttered to Maya, turning away from thoughts on my clothing as I fussed with my hair, "This is more than signing papers."

  Maya looked at me in the mirror, an apologetic look to her eyes. Pcing a comforting hand on my shoulder, she took the hair tie from me that I had only been pying with and began to help me with my hair.

  "I apologize, Sir," she spoke softly as her fingers ran through my hair, pulling it back, "Even for us, the press is a nuisance to deal with."

  I smiled warmly at her, not upset, just anxious. This wasn't her fault.

  "I'm only teasing," I told her, enjoying the sensation of her fingers through my hair.

  A subtle, gentle smile appeared upon her lips, finishing tying part of my hair back, leaving a little bit of fringe. Turning me toward her, she focused on adjusting my hair ever so carefully.

  "I know," she whispered, and I suddenly realized how close we were.

  The faint scent of jasmine hit my nose, barely a few inches between us. My heart quickened as I tried not to think about it, but the distance between us was hard to ignore. My eyes roaming over her face as she concentrated intently.

  "So, how do I look?" I asked quietly.

  She took a moment, her hand pausing as she looked me over for what seemed like an eternity before her eyes locked with mine and a small smile crept at the edge of her lips.

  "Perfect," she whispered, her hand trailing gently down my cheek, "I'll be with you, so try to take a deep breath and rex. You can do this."

  "I don't know..." I replied softly, a little anxious, "If I take a breath now, I might be too distracted..."

  I looked away sheepishly as she realized how close we were herself, quickly putting two and two together to understand what my dilemma was.

  "Noted..." she smirked before taking a step back, "Are there any other fragrances you enjoy?"

  "Maya!" I excimed, turning my head towards her in embarrassment, feeling my face burn up.

  The sound of her ughter filled my ears, a silvery sweet symphony that easily calmed my nerves, though did nothing to help my poor heart.

  "Just a question," she allowed herself another small smile, shrugging nonchantly, "Am I not allowed to ask questions?"

  I narrowed my eyes at her, grumbling as I took a slow, yet deliberate step towards her.

  "Of course, you can," I whispered, having closed the distance between us, my eyes meeting hers.

  "Is that so?" she inquired, the look in her eyes shifting to one of a predator who has found her prey, "What else can I do?"

  Her hand fell upon my chest, not to push me away, but to entice me closer. I took a deep breath, the scent of jasmine filling my nostrils.

  "What do you want to do?" I inquired, to which she smirked as I leaned closer to her lips.

  We were just a breath away from kissing when the sound of footsteps brought us back to reality. Gently pushing me away, we stood and adjusted ourselves.

  "Apologies for interrupting..." Richard, one of the members of Zero Squad, said, "They're almost ready for you."

  Clearing my throat, I nodded my thanks towards him and he left, leaving the two of us alone. Despite her stoicism, I could see the red in Maya's cheeks.

  "Another time, perhaps," she muttered, seeming a little disappointed as she helped to adjust my shirt.

  Taking that moment when her guard was down, I reached up to the back of her neck and pulled her into a deep, loving kiss. My attempt, to take her breath way. As I pulled away and saw the daze she was in, I was proud that my pn had worked.

  "There's no better time than now," I replied, feeling a little smug as her face was redder than before, "I needed a little luck."

  "Luck, huh?" she glowered at me pyfully, unable to fully hide her smile as her face became redder, "Did it help?"

  "Well..." I took another deep breath, this one more calming than the st as I realized my nerves were a little better, "I feel better, yeah."

  "Then...good," she composed herself, seemingly content, "Shall we, then?"

  I nodded and began to make my way past the curtain which had divided us from the rest of the backstage, and made my way past everyone working the production. Maya was close behind, not missing a single step as I focused on the task ahead. Richard was waiting for me by the stairs leading out to the stage and podium where I would be taking questions.

  "Sir," Richard greeted with a nod, "They're about set up. Are you ready?"

  "As ready as I can be," I replied, still a little awestruck that the Deadeye was deferring to me, "By the way, is it really okay for you to be here?"

  "Heh, I know it's a little unexpected," Richard chuckled, giving me a warm smile, "I don't have anything going on, unlike the others at the moment. This all must be quite a lot, huh?"

  "That's one way to put it..." I replied with a little exasperation.

  "Well, rest assured," Richard told me with a little encouragement, "The others might not be here, but I'll keep an eye on things."

  "Was that...a pun?" I asked with incredulous amusement, "Really?"

  "...Might have been," Richard answered with coy nonchance.

  "Hah, appreciate that," I said with a light ugh, "I feel a little more at ease. Still..."

  Turning towards the stairs leading up to the stage, I could feel the buzz in the air and hear the people outside muttering among themselves.

  "Do you think they'll stick to the topic?" I wondered, feeling myself settle into a cold indignation, "Fucking parasites..."

  The reason for all of this was for the gift that Maya had given me. The Avington Shelter Organization. It had become quite the talk almost immediately after I had signed the papers and things became official. The city was abuzz with interest on the subject after it was revealed, and the media tched onto it. Though, with Elizabeth out of town still, it felt like they were taking advantage of the situation.

  Perhaps I was just thinking too much about it, but I still recalled the st press conference I attended. It was shortly after the Ptinum Lotus incident, and even with my life having been on the line, they had still attempted to sway public opinion against Aegis...and that meant Elizabeth. On top of that, they also had tried to aim vitriol at Maya and Hannah.

  "It's not something I can simply forget..." I thought grimly to myself, already expecting them to do the same shit again.

  "Sir," Maya's voice cut through my thoughts, her hand gently touching my shoulder, "They're ready for us now."

  Looking up, I noticed that one of the personal assistants was motioning for me to climb the stairs, their headset on and a tablet in one hand. They had a gentle smile as they beckoned for me. Taking a deep breath, I calmed what nerves I could and pushed down the others. This wasn't the time to let myself get distracted, and with the first step, I strode onto the stage.

  It was about midday, shortly after lunch. The air was crisp and filled my lungs with its bite. It was refreshing, in a sense, though did nothing for the anxiety that immediately hit me when I saw all the reporters. An immediate fsh over lights blinded me, the sound of camera shutters a symphony of their trade.

  "Ugh...fuck..." I cursed to myself, almost coming to a halt before I had even made it half-way onto the stage, but a familiar touch helped keep me going. Maya, who had not been far behind me, pced her hand upon my back. I could feel her gentle nudge for me to keep going, and the sense of support behind it.

  "She's lovely..." I found myself thinking as I made my way finally to the podium. Several microphones were set up to catch my voice, and before me upon the pza of Aegis HQ were seated at least a couple dozen reporters and other observers. I made out several security guards, Pyers from the Aegis Guild, set up around the perimeter. Though my attention was drawn to all those who had eyes on me.

  The sound of shutters continued as more pictures were taken. I didn't really like being in photos, not because I was camera shy, but because I never thought I looked good in them. Now, it was for a different reason. I could see it in their eyes, as much as I tried to avoid looking.

  Most of the reporters here had the look of a predator ready to devour its prey. It was far different from the predatory looks I was used to from Elizabeth and Maya. They always held a warmth within their eyes, but these reporters had only a cold detachment, ready to take all they could. Very few of them seemed actually interested in the topic of today.

  It felt oppressive before I had even began, but I had to. "You can do this..." I encouraged myself, taking a deep breath as I opened my mouth to speak, but before I could utter a sound, I was interrupted by a woman in a pencil suit who stood with her hand raised while holding a pen.

  "Denise Evans from the Daily Report of D.C," she introduced herself before even being asked, her hazel eyes looking down at the notes in her other hand, "With the recent officialization of your charity, there are many who wondered where the resources are coming from. Is it true that you're using Miss Falcrest's wealth?"

  "They wasted no time..." I sighed inwardly, "Didn't even get a single word out..."

  "It is known that you come from a modest background," the reporter continued, her tone professional while belying the edge beneath her intent, "Many are concerned with the logistics of such an endeavor and that without Miss Falcrest's support, you'd be unable to support an organization that is to benefit not only Pyers, but regur citizens as well."

  There was a murmur of agreement through the crowd, though a select few cast a look of disdain towards Denise. I wasn't always aware of such things, but today I felt oddly alert. Perhaps because I was overly sensitive when it came to things close to my heart.

  "I second what Miss Evan's is saying," a man in a neatly pressed suit stood; his brown hair was swept back and his green eyes held a devious glint, "Thomas Collins, New York Journal. Many people around the world have their eyes on you. Starting this project is a rather daunting aspect, as it affects the lives of many in need."

  "Ah, that's what they're going with..." I couldn't say I wasn't overwhelmed, as that would be a lie. I wasn't able to formute my thoughts fast enough to respond, but I was able to figure out what they were trying to accomplish. They wanted to discredit me and besmirch Elizabeth's image by allowing someone incompetent be in charge of something so important.

  "I don't mean to insinuate, Sir," Thomas continued, though his words were betrayed by the arrogant way in which he motioned his hand towards me...and Maya, "It's simply that I, and many others, wonder how someone who can't even commit to Miss Falcrest, could commit to helping our most vulnerable."

  There wasn't much that I thought could get under my skin. I had known from the start that something like this might happen, and yet, the moment they brought into question my commitment to Elizabeth...something snapped.

  "Commitment?" I couldn't help but scoff to myself, "Ellie is my world, who opened it up for Maya...how fucking dare they."

  I could feel Maya shift behind me, as if she felt the sudden shift in me, but stopped when I held up a hand beneath the podium. If they had wanted to get me riled up, they had certain succeeded. I wanted to deal with this myself.

  "How can we trust that...ah!" Thomas winced as him and most of the crowd covered their ears.

  A piercing sound echoed over the pza as I tapped the microphone. The reverb causing a feedback loop. I didn't much care for the sound either, but I remained unmoved as I cast a cold gaze over the crowd.

  "Ahem...sorry about that," I cleared my throat and apologized into the microphone, my voice carrying across the speakers, "I just figured I wouldn't have been allowed to speak otherwise, since I wasn't even able to introduce myself or thank you for coming before you started bombarding me with questions."

  I gave the best smile I could, though didn't bother to hide the look of disdain in my eyes.

  "Sir, we were only curious about-" Denise began, but I had enough.

  "Hey," I said darkly, leaning closer to the microphone as I stared her down, "I wasn't done. So, if you and Mr. Collins there could sit down and shut up, I'd greatly appreciate it."

  "Excuse me!?" Thomas flustered.

  "You heard me," I turned my attention towards him, "Neither of you were called upon, or do the both of you ck manners? You represent your organizations. Should I take this as how they operate all the time?"

  They grimaced at this accusation and took a step back before sitting down and shutting their mouths. Leaning back from the mic, I stood straight and looked over the crowd. It felt different, suddenly, standing up here. I wasn't as nervous as I had been, fueled by my annoyance.

  "Now then..." I continued as calmly as I could, "Thank you all for joining me today. We're here to discuss the recent founding of the Avington Shelter Organization, so I will answer your questions in order..."

  I cast a cold gnce at Denise and Thomas, making sure that they knew I was aware of what they had been trying to do, and to let them know they succeeded...and the mistake that had been.

  "First, yes, the resources are not coming from me," I told them, and for a brief moment I saw their delight in my answer before I dashed it away, "That's because this was a gift."

  Silence fell over the crowd as I revealed this information and stared them all down. It was the first time I had ever stood before so many people with such confidence. I wasn't always sociable, and I hated standing in front of people. I had never really liked being the center of attention, but in this moment, something inside of me awakened.

  "There are many who need help in this world," I spoke firmly and without pause, "I've always done my best to do so, even though I come from a modest background, as you call it. My parents have helped many over the years, fostering those who have lost their family."

  I felt warmer than usual, perhaps filled with a passion that I had subconsciously held back. "How dare these fuckers question me..." I grumbled to myself, "I may not be the best, but at least I'm trying. What are they doing?" I took a breath and looked out over them.

  "Can you say the same?" I inquired only to be met with silence as they all shifted uncomfortably, "I may not have always been able to give, but I did what I could, and now...I'm able to do more."

  I looked back at Maya, my expression changing to one of warmth and love. She tilted her head ever so slightly, a curious glint in her eye as if to ask, "Yes?" and I simply smiled. Reaching back, I pulled her to me, holding her tightly in my arm. Her eyes widened as a light blush entered her face.

  "And it was all thanks to Maya, the blossom of my life," I told them all with pride, gring out over them all, daring them to question it.

  As I did, I heard Maya hold back a snicker for calling her "the blossom of my life", realizing how cringey that sounded. With the feeling of embarrassment washing over me, I did my best to remain composed, casting a quick, coy gre at her before turning back towards the crowd.

  "That being said..." I pushed aside all pretenses as a darkness entered my voice, "Do not question my loyalty to my wife. Ellie is my entire world, and it was her and Maya who have opened it to such possibilities as the Avington Shelter Organization. Any fucking questions?"

  I tightened my grip upon Maya's waist as she pressed closer against me. I had spent a lot of time worried about how people might perceive our retionship, and had thought that this was settled in the st press conference, but it seemed that they all needed a reminder.

  "If I may, sir?" a younger looking reporter, looking fresh out of college, raised his hand.

  I assessed him for a brief moment. Clean cut blonde hair and soft brown eyes. He had an innocent look to him, and while I wasn't always the best judge of character, he didn't seem to have any malice.

  "Go ahead," I nodded to him.

  "Thank you," he cleared his throat and stood, "Jack Avery, D.C. News. I couldn't help but notice that you called Miss Falcrest your wife, but is it not true that you're only engaged?"

  "So?" I asked, genuinely unbothered as I spoke the facts, "Whether the wedding has taken pce yet or not, she is my wife."

  "You seem quite devoted," Jack assessed with a smile, "Thank you for the crification."

  "I'm very devoted," I told them, bringing Maya closer to me, "It was Ellie who helped Maya and I get together, and she's as important to us as each other. If anyone has any problems with that...they can kindly fuck off."

  Maya looked a little bashful as I said this, hiding her face as she smiled into my shoulder. I looked at her with warmth in my heart and pced a gentle kiss upon her head.

  "Sorry," I whispered, "Didn't mean to pull you into that."

  "No..." she replied softly, "You spoke perfectly..."

  As the st of her words left her lips, the stage was filled with a familiar presence. Petals of ethereal fme filtered down around us as a familiar voice called out.

  "I agree," Elizabeth said with a gentle appreciation, "Perfectly said, my love."

  I looked up in surprise as Elizabeth, in all her glory, slowly descended upon the stage. She was resplendent in a perfectly tailored bck suit, surrounded by her beautiful fmes. I was captivated as she nded next to us, her hand lifting to my cheek as she caressed my face. I pressed against her touch, unable to contain my smile.

  "When did you return?" I asked, then coyly gnced at Maya, "Did you know about this?"

  "I might have," she replied with a coy smile of her own, "We wanted to surprise you."

  "I'm definitely surprised," I smiled even more as Elizabeth embraced the both of us.

  I rexed in Elizabeth's embrace, Maya pressed against me. For a brief moment, I forgot where I was before Elizabeth reluctantly let go and turned towards the crowd. She kept one arm around me, and I around her. Maya rested her head against my shoulder as Elizabeth spoke.

  "A few days," she said, disappointment and disgust in her tone, "That's all it took for you to leap upon my loved ones. I fight for this world. I've given my life for this world. The least you could do is show my husband and my best friend some fucking respect."

  There was an uneasy shift in the crowd, while some murmured their agreement with her. They were the ones who had shown disdain towards Denise earlier. Her choice of words were curious as I looked up at her.

  "Hey..." I said, leaning into Elizabeth's ear, "Just how long have you been here?"

  She gnced at me, a little sheepish.

  "...A while," she said noncommittally.

  "A while, huh?" I looked at her with pyful indignance, "You waited this long?"

  "I was enjoying the view..." she muttered bashfully, blushing a little, "It's not often I get to see you take a stance like that."

  "Heh, you're adorable," I muttered and pulled her in to give her a kiss on the cheek, "The conference isn't done, so..."

  I reluctantly released Maya and Elizabeth from my arms and took the podium once more.

  "I apologize for the unusual presentation," I addressed the crowd, feeling a lot calmer now, "As you can see, for the st time, our retionship is none of your business. We're committed to each other, and that's all you need to know."

  I made sure this was heard clearly, with most of the reporters avoiding eye contact.

  "Now then..." I continued, taking a deep breath, "If there are any actual questions regarding the Avington Shelter Organization, let's continue this press conference."

  Almost immediately, several hands shot up from the reporters who had been waiting for the actual conversation. One by one, I called on them and they introduced themselves. Many of them were simir to the concerns raised by Denis and Thomas, though in a more tactful and non-accusatory way. There were genuine concerns about logistics, management, and avaibility.

  Elizabeth answered some of those questions, stating the organization was a gift from Maya to me, with Elizabeth approving of it. Management would be handled by capable individuals, and the resources would be from the dungeon raids lead by Aegis. Most of it was from Elizabeth and Maya's own pockets, which I felt a little guilty about, but their comforting hands upon my back helped alleviate most of that.

  This was their gift to me in order to help those I had always wanted to help, but it wasn't just for those who were destitute. Anyone who needed help, even those who were not homeless or dispced, could find it at the Avington Shelter Organization. There would even be colboration with the Pyers Association to help connect new Pyers to resources in order to help them easier.

  It was a huge endeavor, and the reporters had many questions of how it would work, where it would be, and how people could get involved. What I couldn't answer, Elizabeth did. Once the questions started on the actual topic, it sted several hours before the press conference was called and everyone cleared out.

  "Damn...that was exhausting," I muttered and stretched in the backseat of the car on the way back home, "I thought my legs would give out before the end."

  "You did well, Sir," Maya complimented me with a soft smile from the drivers seat.

  "You were wonderful, my love," Elizabeth added as she fawned over me in the backseat, "The way you defended Maya and stood for what you believed in.~"

  I was being smothered, barely able to hold my ground, though I wasn't compining. I had missed Elizabeth and was gd that she had returned.

  "Speaking of..." Elizabeth suddenly grew devious as she cast a curious gnce at Maya, "What have you two been doing since I was gone?"

  Elizabeth pulled me up and squished my head against her chest, caressing my hair like I was a cat, and yet, I didn't compin. It was rexing.

  "You two seem to have grown closer," she sounded pleased with that, "I didn't miss anything...did I?"

  "Miss..." Maya said with a little embarrassment from the front.

  "Ellie, come on," I told her as I freed myself a little, "We're taking it slow, but...yes, I'd say we've gotten closer. That's okay, right?"

  "Of course," Elizabeth replied as she gently touched my face, "I'm only happy to see you smile. Have you been feeling okay?"

  "Yeah," I nodded, settling in against her once more, "Maya's taken good care of me when I haven't, but overall...I've been good."

  "Maya's taken care of you?" Elizabeth's tone became rather devious, as if she just sensed something behind my words, "And...how has she done that?"

  I blushed deeply as I remembered that day on the couch, where we had made out, as well as the day of our date when I shared the meal at Joe's Diner with her. She had even brought out the nurses outfit one other time when I had a terrible migraine.

  "Uhm, nothing in particur," I replied, attempting to hide my face, though Elizabeth wouldn't allow it.

  "Nuhuh," she said, pulling my head back up to look at her, "Spill. What happened?"

  I couldn't look her directly in the eye, though I caught Maya's face and saw her blushing even more. It seemed she had remembered too.

  "I'll...tell you ter, El," Maya spoke up casually, trying to use as gentle of a tone as possible, "It's a little embarrassing to just say right away..."

  "Embarrassing?" Elizabeth seemed delighted to hear this, beaming with such dazzling light that I was almost blinded, "Now I'm even more curious, but I'll wait. For now..."

  She turned her attention towards me, and I saw the look in her eye. A chill went up my spine as I knew that the Third Kissing War was about to commence. I steeled myself, not wanting to lose a third time. I started the offensive, unrelenting as I pushed her back onto the seat, catching her by surprise. My lips found all the right spots as my pent-up emotions and feelings from missing her came to a boil.

  However, I had grown overconfident. In my surprise offensive, I had made the mistake of gncing towards Maya, hoping that she wasn't uncomfortable. I caught a glimpse of her with a gentle smile on her face, seemingly happy that we were enjoying ourselves. This had proved my fatal mistake.

  Elizabeth took that moment to poor every ounce of her own love and desire at missing me into a counter-offensive. Her hands running through my hair as she pulled my head back, her lips finding the nape of my neck and making their way up to my lips. I was left breathless, a melted mess upon the seat of the car by the time Maya pulled into the parking garage.

  "Y-You win this time!" I raised a hand defiantly, breathless, "I'll get you next time!"

  "I'm sure you will, my love," Elizabeth smirked triumphantly, helping me from the car.

  Together, the three of us returned home, greeted by Luria and Nima, along with Azure who leapt at me immediately as he purred happily at my return. Elizabeth and Maya allowed themselves a ugh. It had been a long day, but it had ended rather perfectly.

  For the moment, I felt at peace. Everyone was where they were supposed to. That night, even Hannah and Denny joined us for dinner. Our family together at st.

  -----

  Nikushimi