Appreciated

As bright as I was at the age of ten, this all was still beyond my comprehension. To me, these rare chances to be with only Levi were something I took for granted as an occasional treat, when Father would allow him his free time outside the house and when I happened to also cross his path. It was just like landing a small prize in the weekly lottery: I would get out of those encounters something whimsical like a free pass out of trouble, an interesting story from his investigations into magical lore, or maybe a small token like an impromptu magic-powered toy or the last few drops of his latest potion. The reward was never of staggering value, and so of that reward I expected nothing. I walked by Levi’s side, kicking at pebbles and humming to myself while he had his eyes trained on the night sky. Before I knew it, the stars made their silent entrance, twinkling wordlessly from thousands of light years away.

“No moon tonight,” Levi muttered. Though he was often in the habit of speaking aloud to himself, something about the way he said it piqued my curiosity.