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"Hyde! Harpy!" Giada wrapped them both in a warm embrace. "Am so happy eyu made it! Aiy, Harpy, eyu feel good?"

Giada pulled away and grabbed onto Harper's arms. She gently squeezed and used her fingers to massage them as she checked that Harper had no fever. "Arno told mi about eyu."

"I'm fine, Giada." Harper smiled, reassuring her.

"Must come! Come!" Giada grabbed onto their wrists and dragged them through the courtyard.

It was decorated again. There were candles and strings of lighting overhanging the doors. Harper wondered if there was going to be a lot of the village showing up.

However, when she got closer to a large wooden dining table, she only noticed Andreis, 5 out of 8 of his and Anna Bella's children, Arnest on the far end who was setting the plates down, and Yanpu who was also placing various dishes on the table.

Anna Bella wasn't there, and it confused her.

"She's watching the baby and putting the other younger ones to sleep," Andreis answered her as if he knew she was wondering that. He quickly turned around to scold 2 of the kids who were arguing with each other in Itarian.

He looked drained. Harper felt a bit bad for him.

Hyde sat down. There was only one vacant seat next to him, so she took it.

She noticed how quiet the children got. It was a quick change in the mood. When she glanced up, she saw that the kids were peering at Hyde. Their arguing stopped as two of the closest ones sitting next to him moved their seat a few inches away.

They were scared of him. And Harper couldn't blame them.

"Aiy aiy!" Giada clapped her hands to get everyone's attention. "Meal start soon!" She sat next to Arnest.

"What's the occasion?" Harper asked.

"Non. Isseh familia dinner." Giada answered. "Have non seen eyu both in long time. Pass potatoes per favor Arno,"

"Si," Arnest passed a large bowl of steamed potatoes down before helping Andreis fill the children's plates with food from the various dishes.

"This isseh nice." Giada hummed. "Too many years passed...Si, Arno?"

"Mhmm..." Arnest peeled off a piece of bread and stuffed it in his mouth, wanting to avoid as much conversation with his mother as possible. He knew she would start asking some questions soon.

"Andeh Hyde," She slid a small plate of chopped celery toward them, in between Hyde and Harper. "Eyu... stressed?"

"No." Hyde's lip twitched. He grabbed the largest steak that was stacked on another plate and bit into it.

"Don'teh lie to mi."

"Mama... you know how Hyde is..." Arnest began, "He's not one to complain."

"Si, but... Harpy, eyu must take care of eyu Amore."

Harper narrowed her eyes. She felt she didn't have anything to do with whatever stress he had. If anything, she faced all the pain and suffering by way of the man next to her.

And pleasure too apparently, Harper briefly thought, but she quickly disregarded it.

Harper decided to quietly partake of the rest of the meal. It was better that she didn't say anything at all than try to defend herself. They wouldn't listen to her anyway.

Giada was so deep into this fantasy that she had conjured up. She seemed extremely happy. Harper grew fond of Giada and her warm attitude. So she didn't wanna take her light spirit away.

"Arno, why can't eyu go andeh find Amora?"

Arnest spat out his water which landed on his niece's plate in front of him. She scrunched up her face and jumped away.

"Euw! Zio Arno!" The young teen slid her plate over to her father.

"Scusi, Vanella." Arnest coughed, apologizing to her. "Mama—"

"Non Mama, Mi, figlio." Giada tusked.

"Arnaldo and Anore married and had kids... isn't that enough for you?"

"Non."

Arnest sighed. "How come you never ask Turo these questions..." He mumbled to himself, before glancing at Hyde.

"Anna Bella blessed mi with many bambinio's." Giada huffed. "Eyu should do the same."

"Hyde, help me out here."

"I'm staying out of it." Hyde kept his eyes glued to his steak.

"Andeh eyu, Hyde." Giada looked to Harper, who was also drinking her glass of water. "More bambinio's, aiy? It won't hurt for more. Harpy isseh very healthy andeh strong."

Harper coughed so hard that it felt like her illness from the day returned at full force.

"No thanks!" Harper yelled. "Yanpu is enough!"

"Non, non enough! Want more! I want to see 3, non, 4 more bambinio's running around."

"Giada, you're very sweet. But that won't be likely." Harper giggled nervously.

"And why is that?" Andreis chimed in. "Maybe more isn't so bad. The boy is alone, maybe he wants a brosos or a sorella. Si?"

"So you're worried about him?" Hyde snickered, pointing at Yanpu. "He'll be alright."

"Tell me, boy," Andreis gestures toward him. "Do you want a brosos? A sorella? Aiy?"

Yanpu furrowed his eyebrows and focused on his food.

"Maybe that is why he lashes out. He's alone."

"That's definitely not it." Harper was biting her tongue so hard. It was killing her that she couldn't tell them why Yanpu was acting the way he did.

Andreis observed Harper and Hyde closely. It was very odd that they were passing Yanpu's behavior off as nothing. They weren't at all worried. That concerned him.

"Are you fighting?"

"Huh?" Hyde and Harper both stated at the same time.

"The boy almost killed you. Mama, I think Hyde and Harper are having issues."

"Problemos?"

"Si," Andreis nodded. "The marital kind."

"There is no problem," Hyde stated sternly. "I already told you, everything is fine. Stay out of it."

"Don't talk to my papa in that way!" Vanella, the oldest of Andreis's kids, spoke up. Hyde raised a brow at her but kept a straight face.

"Aiy, Vanella, don't—" Andreis began to reprimand her, but she continued.

"It's true!" She whined. "He's always so mean to you!"

"Hyde is not mean, he's just—"

"I don't understand why eyu and Mama always tolerate him!"

"Alright. That's enough." Andreis groaned. "You, and the rest. Time for bed."

A collective sound of awws resounded.

"Listen to him," Arnest told the children. "This isn't a conversation we should be having around kids anyway."

As the children gathered their plates, Harper saw Vanella sticking her tongue out at Hyde as she left. Hyde smirked at her and continued eating without a care.

"Last night," Giada spoke as soon as all the children, including Yanpu, stepped into the home, "Quello happened?"

"Nothing,"

"Non?" Giada eyed Hyde skeptically.

"It's really none of our business." Arnest coughed. "Yanpu belongs to Harper and Hyde. What happened between them should stay between them, Si?"

"Not if their marriage is falling apart." Andreis countered. "It doesn't concern you that they aren't worried one bit about the boy?"

"Who says I'm not worried?" Harper interjected. "I'm very worried!"

"You aren't acting like a worried mother."

Harper bit her lip. She was only acting this calm because the greatest threat to her life was sitting next to her.

"You are fighting, si? I will understand you Hyde, but first... you have to tell us the problemos." Andreis concluded. "If the boy struck you that hard, then he must've been angry... I can only think that something happened between you and your Amora that made him that way."

"Andreis—" Arnest tried to speak, but Andreis held a hand up.

"Let me finish, Arno." He glowered. "Are you hitting eyu Amora, Hyde?"

"Hitting? Que!?" Giada gasped, horrified. She wouldn't know what to do with herself if Hyde was beating on his wife. That is not how Pa Arnesto taught him.

Hyde placed his fork down and balled his fists. Everyone's eyes at the table were on him.

"He's not," Harper wasn't sure if Hyde was going to do something to Arnest's family with such a confrontation. She feared for their lives. Hyde's silence was heart-wrenching.

"Let Hyde answer,"

"He's not, Andreis!" Harper huffed. "We went to the vineyard to have a bit of private time."

"Private time?" Andreis scoffed. "And the mark on your neck?"

"Hyde can get a little handsy..." Harper cursed mentally. As many times as she prayed to the overseers to help her out of the situation, or for someone to notice, she was trying to shut the help down. "Even today..."

She tilted her head, and the light from above showed her skin, covered in bite marks.

Arnest's eyes widened in shock. He looked at Hyde, who kept his eyes down on whatever was left on his plate.

"Yanpu probably followed us and mistook it for something else. So he tried to fight Hyde off of me." Her cheeks flushed. "We were just embarrassed to say anything."

"Si, I knew it." Giada relaxed. "Pa Arnesto taught him better. Hyde wouldn't do that."

Andreis stared hard into Harper's eyes, but his gaze softened soon after. He started to think he made a mistake accusing Hyde. "Scusi, Hyde. I just wanted to make sure."

Hyde stood up. "I'm going back." He looked down and gestured to Harper. "Let's go."

"Okay." Harper nodded and pushed herself off the chair. "The meal was very delicious, Giada. Graci."

"Sweet femalia," Giada smiled in response, before bidding them farewell.

Harper could barely catch up with Hyde's quick footsteps as he sauntered out of the courtyard and down the path.

She followed as closely as she could. Her mind was still on the previous conversation with Andreis. He had figured out that something was off about her and Hyde. Something about that scared her.

Unlike Giada and the others, Andreis was going based on what he saw. It didn't surprise her that much. Andreis probably wasn't from Piccposto. His accent was different.

Wasn't he an equivalent to Hyde? An Itarian soldier? He was basically the same occupation as a Westonian serviceman. No wonder he was able to catch on.

Harper rammed face-first into Hyde's back. "Ow!" Harper grabbed her nose and caught herself before she fell. Why did he stop?

He turned slowly, and his glowing eyes nearly pierced through her soul.

Was he going to scold her, or worse? She tried everything she could to lie like he said to. She followed his orders. She did everything she was supposed to.

"Hyde, I—"

Harper yelped when he grabbed onto her shoulder.

"I didn't do anything wrong!"

"Shut up," Hyde shushed her. "Do you want the others to hear?"

"Hear?"

Hyde pulled her closer, but not in the way she expected. He turned her shoulders toward the moonlight and just stared at the purple ring on her skin.

"Does it still hurt?"

"Huh?"

"Your neck."

"... Yes? A little?"

Hyde placed a hand on his waist. "If I take you to Gidone's to buy medicine for it now, she'll scold me until the roosters crow." He sighed. "Can you wait until tomorrow? I'll buy cream for it."

Harper felt a chill down her spine. "... You're asking me."

Hyde's glare softened.

"Did you just ask me?" Harper processed his words in amazement. "You just asked me!"

Never has Hyde asked her for her permission for anything in the entirety that she's known him. He was always shouting, arguing, or commanding her to do or say things.

"Oh overseers, are you going to kill me?" Harper flinched away from him.

"Just answer it." Hyde reverted back to his harsh tone.

"Yes, I can wait!" Harper huffed. "I can wait! I—"

"So dramatic." Hyde rolled his eyes and kept walking.

Harper felt like she wanted to pinch herself. Was this a fever dream? Was she still sick and dreaming about this?

Or did something change? Why was Hyde acting so polite now? Did Andreis warn him, or threaten him?

"Keep moving, Vixen! You're way behind!" Hyde shouted from over his shoulder.

"Coming!" Harper rushed after him.

~~~

Harper struggled to sleep that night. She was lying on her mat, but because of all the rest she had earlier, slumber wasn't an option.

She pretended to be asleep when Hyde stepped over her and slumped on his mat next to her. But after an hour of keeping her eyes closed, she couldn't get any rest.

When she opened them, she saw Hyde snoring peacefully. His lips were parted slightly as he exhaled and inhaled. Harper sighed and rolled to lie on her back.

The thought of him kissing her neck kept coming back, drilling it into her brain. She was trying her best to forget how she reacted to his touch.

Harper kept glancing back at Hyde. It was odd that he was a heavy sleeper for someone who was always faced with danger as a serviceman.

Unless his being a heavy sleeper was a result of his sickness.

That possibility concerned her, strangely.

After 10 years, it was possible for him to have lost his touch. But he was still a great fighter.

Why wasn't Arnest's antidote working for him? What exactly was going on with the large scar on his front?

The claws of the bloodhound were dangerous, but his wound should've healed after a month.

Harper sat up. She wanted to shove her face into her pillow and scream because of those questions. It just stirred up her curiosity, and work ethic. She wanted to investigate for herself.

And now was her only chance to examine him. It was best to get a closer look while he was out cold.

Harper kicked off her blanket and crawled over to him. There was a candle lit on the shelf above them, so she could see what was around her. She just wished it was brighter.

The first thing she did was brush his black hair out of his face. His hair was soft and wavy. And it smelled nice. Whatever routine he was doing was working.

Harper slapped herself. "Focus, Harper, Focus!" She grumbled and turned Hyde's head to face her.

She paused for a moment to admire his handsome qualities.

"Okay, so..." She mumbled to herself, touching his neck where the scar began. "Why does it look like it's never closed?"

She ran her fingers from his neck all the way down his chest and stomach.

His pants moved.

Harper moved her eyes back to the scar with her face flushing, ignoring the movement. "I won't be able to get any answers. It's so dark here..." She groaned.

Harper reached for the shelf and brought the candle closer. She pressed down on the scar as his chest rose and fell. Under her touch, she felt his body tense.

Hyde moaned softly and Harper quickly placed the candle back on the shelf. She stopped moving and waited for Hyde to go still.

After a minute or so, he did. She went back to touching him. She reasoned that the scar was opened before, and it healed somewhat. But in the process, it stopped.

All his other scars healed quickly. That was one of Hyde's abilities. She needed more answers. This was all so confusing. And in order to get them, she had to know more about Hyde's past. He would never tell her about it though.

She couldn't let her guard down. One act of kindness didn't make this man a saint.

But she could investigate by asking Andreis. She knew Arnest wouldn't tell her either, but Andreis also seemed fond of Hyde. Maybe he knew what was going on.

Harper held in a scream when Hyde's leg suddenly moved. She slipped and hovered over him and her chest was mildly touching his.

His eyes opened slowly, and Harper panicked. She tried crawling up but the candle she misplaced tilted over and fell off the shelf.

The bottom of it smacked into the back of her head. The weight of it shoved her head down, and her lips smacked onto his.

When Hyde came to his senses, he shot up. Instant regret came when he realized how stiff his legs were. He shoved Harper away from him and wiped his mouth in horror.

"The heck!?" He spat.

Harper covered her mouth as well, mortified. That wasn't a kiss! She continued to tell herself that.

"What are you doing?!" Hyde seethed, crossing his legs.

"The candle! It fell!"

Hyde backed into the dresser, beyond frustrated. He thought that she was trying to harass him in his sleep. To even go as far as kissing him, and violating his private space was too far.

The candle beside the mat burst into a flame as it contacted the soft material.

"Fire!" Harper jumped to her feet. "FIRE!"

Hyde also reacted and quickly pushed himself up. He decided carefully what his next steps were. If he left the room to get water, Arnest would hear and see what the commotion was.

He did not want to face Arnest again in the same position as earlier. That would be humiliating.

"Water! We need water!" Harper reached for the doorknob.

Hyde snagged an arm around her waist and dragged her back. "You can't!"

"Why!?"

"Quiet!" Hyde placed her far away from the door.

He quickly thought of a solution and grabbed his blanket. It was made of Kragite leather and fireproof. He slapped it on the fire, and the flames began to dim.

By the time the fire went out completely, he was panting heavily.

Harper thought it was his condition acting up again. "Do you need the antidote?" She touched his shoulder.

"Stay away from me!" Hyde sidestepped her and growled. "Don't touch me again."

He wanted to know what exactly was running through her head. He felt her touching him, rubbing her fingers all over his body, and at first, he thought he was dreaming. However, the last thing he expected was for her to kiss him.

If he stayed asleep, how far would she have gone? "Stay over there." He brushed his hair back and leaned on the dresser.

"I didn't mean to... it wasn't my fault, the candle fell and—"

"Bullshite!" He sneered. "How long have you been doing shite like this?" WHO knows how many other times she touched him? In recent weeks, he's been so exhausted that he wouldn't even feel a thing.

"How long? What are you talking about?"

"Have you been stealing kisses for a while now?"

"You think I meant to— that wasn't even a kiss!" Harper shouted. "Don't call it that! It was an accident! Not a kiss!" She heaved.

"You've tried it before. Stealing one."

"Hyde, I was trying to move the candle!" Harper lied, but not completely. It was a half-truth. She did try to place the candle back. But she wasn't trying to touch him inappropriately. All she was doing was trying to examine his scar.

"Shite..." Hyde sat back down on his mat. The corner was burned, but he couldn't care less about that. He was struggling to believe Harper's words.

He kicked her mat all the way to the door and pushed his mat far away from hers. He didn't want to wake Arnest or the whole town.

"I wasn't trying to do anything. I was trying to move the candle. Honest, Hyde." Harper shuddered. "I'd never do anything weird like that!"

"Sleep over there," Hyde commanded her apprehensively.

"Hyde..."

"I don't want to discuss it further." What he really wanted was to take another shower. "Just go. Pretend nothing happened."

~~