Thera woke up alone, the answer to where Ben had gone off to coming with the smell of breakfast that filled their home while she couldn’t help but acknowledge that she was feeling a bit better. She still felt the nagging worry about the future of her charm and where it would grow as time went on, but she was running out of energy to dwell on it unless something actively brought it to her mind and she had other things helping make it just a bit easier to handle.

One of which was their living arrangements. She’d felt bad enough when she’d first come back that she’d pretty forcefully made the choice that she wanted to keep Ben by her side, and given how she’d been, it had not only ended up as a decent way to avoid bringing up the topic entirely with her aunt, it had meant she didn’t end up enduring the expected teasing either.

So I guess it’s worked out okay for now.

Even if he’d wanted to do some absolutely insane things, she’d been enjoying their extra time together since she’d decided to put off going to the clinics for a bit, even if she knew it couldn’t last. There was value in practicing her magics like that and it helped the surrounding communities too much to leave forever, no matter how she was feeling.

Still, enjoying this for just another day or two couldn’t hurt. She told herself as she finally got up to make her way to the kitchen, seeing Ben at the stove and wrapping her arms around him.

“Smells great,” She muttered, still sleepy but doing her best to fight it off.

“I put my all into this today, you’re getting some beyond michelin quality food right here, it’ll knock your socks off.”

“I have no clue what that means.”

“Ha, it means it’s going to be more delicious than usual. Also, do you have anything planned for the day?”

“Mmh, I was debating if I should start going out to the clinics again but decided to give myself another day or so. I figured I’d just go hang out with you while you were working again if you don’t mind?”

“Yeah, that’s great actually. In that case, how would you feel about going out to the gate after breakfast? There’s something I want to do but then after I was thinking we could go on a date? Or see if anyone is free to hang out. Or both if we can squeeze in the time.”

“Absolutely.”

She felt her eyes light up at the idea alone as she shook off the last bit of sleep clinging to her. She still felt enough eyes on her in Stonewall that she wouldn’t deny herself the change of pace when Ben was offering, and the gates provided plenty more potential than staying in their small town could.

“Awesome, in that case, there’s just one thing we need first and then let’s get to it.”

The one thing he’d needed had ended up being the miniature gate he’d constructed which they were quick to pick up before loading it into the back of the cart and flying off to their main stop in Anailia.

Admittedly, leaving something like that in her homeland where her mother could access it to bother her at any time wasn’t the most appealing prospect to be had, but she understood where he was coming from when he’d suggested it. It was definitely the sort of thing that would give him problems if word of its existence got out and it was going to be too convenient for their travel to have it sitting safely in a gate city.

And I guess it might be nice to see my family anyway.

She didn’t have any real worry about her charm affecting the spirits she was related to, it would be shocking if her dad and aunts couldn’t handle it no matter how bad it got, but her mother was a different story. As things stood, Thera knew that what she was putting out without her brace would be beating her mother’s resistance, albeit only a little. As the queen of a country, there was no way she didn’t have the willpower needed to get past whatever effects she might feel, but it still left her uneasy.

Plus there’s the whole question of if she would even try to suppress my effect. She thought with a sigh as they hurtled through the sky. As willful as her mother was, Thera knew she could enjoy spoiling her as well when she wasn’t insisting on being so playful about every little thing. There was plenty of chance that her effects would be in line with anything Pelenia might already wish to do, being just enough to push away whatever little restraint she had.

I guess we’ll see.

Landing and getting to her family home were both quick and they got in easily enough, though her mother ended up being in a meeting the moment they arrived which kept them from catching up immediately.

Instead, Ben got to work lugging the gate up the stairs to her room before settling in the parlor to relax.

They found Lux there with both Seren and Writ, enjoying what looked like family time before the two of them made themselves known, being warmly greeted as always and giving the same in return, Thera going to pick up her little cousin to play with before the inevitable came where she’d have to explain just what had happened all over again.

Thinking about it just made her tired. Every time she informed someone else about her failings was just a reminder to herself in the end, but it was just something she would have to deal with.

Still, really not a conversation I’m looking forward to.

She gave them all the rundown by the time her mother was finished and had joined them, wanting to get it all done at once to have it out of the way, hoping that after they could all move on to lighter topics and pretend it never happened.

That wasn’t what she got though. The reactions had been intense from both her mother and aunt, with Lux wanting to go out to find wherever Funa was off to to try and talk about it while her mom just held her, seeming as emotional about it as she had been at first. It had killed any chance of there being a decent mood after and almost made her wish she’d just kept it to herself in the end instead of ruining the time they had before the two of them left for other things.

“You okay?” Ben asked, seeing that all of it had worn on her more than either had been expecting.

“Yeah, it’s just something I’m going to have to get used to. It’s fine.”

She could tell he didn’t like the answer but there was nothing to be done for it, so instead she tried to force on a brighter face, wanting the chance to enjoy at least a bit of the day beyond that.

“So, what are you thinking then for our date? Gotta excite me here.”

“Ha, I’ll do my best but I didn’t do much in the way of plans. Wanna try going through a random gate and see what any new city has to offer? After we could try bothering either Steph and Will or Amy and her harem for dinner.”

“Pretty sure it’s Jake’s harem since the two of them confessed to him.”

“Yeah, but Amy’s clearly the one in charge. Plus, Yuzu loves her too. Maybe it was Jake’s at first, but he’s lost that position.”

It had turned into a silly conversation by the end, but it was exactly what she needed at the moment. “Pfff, haha, well let’s try Steph and Will first, I feel like we don’t see them as much so it would be nice.”

“Sounds good, in that case, let’s go!”

His dumb comments had done just enough to amuse her that her other worries were left forgotten for the time being, letting her enjoy their day together with all she had.