บท 22: Just A Hug
I glare at him, unamused. He keeps his long arms spread and wiggles his fingers. He nods as if encouraging me and waits. I grit my teeth and try to think of how to hug him. To say this was awkward for me would be an understatement.
My grandfather never hugged me. Hell, Aiya was the only one I've ever hugged but even they were short and sweet. I've never dated anyone because my life up to this point was dedicated to studying. Studying and working.
Now that I think about it... it was kind of sad. Kinda. I shake off the unwanted and unnecessary emotions as I look back at him. I take a deep breath before walking over with determination. I'll hug him quickly, give him a quick pat, and be done with it. No big deal. It's just a hug.
I stop a foot from him, suddenly aware of how much taller and bigger he was than me. I clench my fists, trying not to chicken out before quickly stepping forward and quickly wrapping my arms around him. I quickly pat him and try to step back.
Bolin watches her with dark eyes, clearly amused but when she lightly hugs him and quickly pats him, he knows what she's up to. He quickly lowers his arms and wraps them around her, pulling her close and pushing her head against his chest.
He feels her stiffen but he too can't help but stiffen as well. He expected her to be cold and hard just like her eyes but instead, she was warm and soft. Extremely warm and soft. And... tiny. She seemed so small in his arms.
Suddenly, he relaxes. His body loosens and practically wraps around her as he holds her close. She really is just like a cat. Arching her back, hissing and drawing her claws but in reality, she felt so incredibly fragile. A new emotion suddenly bubbles inside him, one he doesn't recognize or understand. All he knew was that he liked hugging her... a lot.
I remain frozen, pressed against his chest but I don't push away. Why? I blink, trying to understand. He was warm, incredibly warm and the way he held her made her feel... safe? Comforted?
Did I like that feeling? I'd never felt anything like it before but... she suddenly didn't feel so alone. Was this what a hug from her grandfather would have felt like? Would my father have hugged me like this if he were still alive?
A ton of unexpected emotions threaten to break through as I struggle to understand my own reaction. But one thing was for sure... I push away from him, and he allows it. I step back and awkwardly clear my throat before saying, "There, you have your hug. Please leave."
He remains standing in the room but doesn't say anything. I refuse to look at him. I turn away and act like I'm drying my hair. He reaches out and touches my hair before saying "I have something to attend to but as soon as I'm done, I'll be back."
I turn to tell him to just leave but he's already gone. My eyes scan the now empty room with a strange mixture of emotions. The room suddenly felt entirely too large. I lift a hand to my cheek, still warm from his chest.
I then lower my hand to my chest and place it over my heart. Why was I acting like this? It was just a hug, that's all. I walk over to the small copper mirror and pick up the comb. I lift it up but find myself pausing.
I bite my lip, cursing under my breath as my eyes burn. This is what they mean when they say, "You can't miss what you've never had". I never knew how much I was... missing. Being held by another person like that was different from a hug.
I silently sit in the room for a very long time. My mind was lost in memories of my childhood. I spiraled, thinking and imagining my life with my parents still around but this time, I was able to imagine what it would have felt like to be held.
I blink, pushing away my thoughts as I lift the comb and brush my now dry hair. As I stare into the copper mirror, I think about leaving this place and returning home as quickly as possible. But how? Should I try and recreate what had happened before?
Could I even do that without another witch?
I stare into the mirror as I whisper out "Mirror mirror on the wall, I will get up and fight them all. Whether I run, walk or crawl, I will set my goals and achieve them all." My eyes harden as I make the vow in my heart. No matter what, I will find my way back.
Suddenly, the mirror ripples. I blink in surprise, thinking that I may have imagined it but before I have a chance to question it, I suddenly hear a familiar voice "Master!! I thought I'd never see you again!! Are you okay, are you hurt? What happened? Where is this??"
Mago's voice is like a spring breeze, bringing warmth to my cold soul. Surprise flickers through me as I fight back tears and ask, "How did you find me?" The mirror ripples again as Mago says "I felt your call, it was a pull that I couldn't ignore. I followed it and somehow ended up here. What's with this mirror?"
I blink, suddenly realizing that this isn't a place with mirrors like ours. They're not as reflective or as clear but I somehow thought at this moment that this was the most amazing mirror ever. I lightly chuckle, lowering my head and placing it on the wooden desk.
I fight my tears again as I look up and say, "Welcome Mago, to the world I somehow landed in. This is the best I can do for a mirror right now, but I can't tell you how happy I am to hear your voice again."
As if noticing my mood, Mago pauses before saying, "Now that we're together again, nothing else matters. We'll find our way back. You have me now." I 'Hmmm' as I smile in delight and agree. Yes, this was definitely much better.
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