Chapter 1069 - I like you
Moments before Layla came to interact with Quinn, she was busy going around the Shelter checking if there was anything she could do to help.
Initially, she went over to members of the Cursed faction that were in the midst of rebuilding the Shelter. Layla thought she could at least help them via her telekinesis ability.
"Miss Layla, we appreciate your offer but we are fine on our own. What would people think of us if they were to see one of our leaders having to help with this kind of manual labor? They would think that the Cursed faction was either weak or lacked members! Please get some rest, and leave this work to us! One of the men quickly prevented her from helping.
She was about to insist until she saw how great a job they were doing. Ever since the Cursed faction had received military personnel from Oscar, the one thing they didn’t lack were earth ability users, especially since the earth books were no longer guarded as a secret by the military.
Nowadays, people from all factions were able to learn the ability up to their limit.
Layla sighed, aware that if she were to try and help she would most likely just get in the way. As such, she continued further into the Shelter on the lookout for any odd jobs she could help with. However, no matter where she went, everything was running at full capacity with maximum efficiency.
’I guess I’m just not really needed around here,’ Layla thought dejectedly. ’Was there even any point in me coming here, if there’s nothing I can help with? How can I just laze around when there should be so much to do? I mean I saved some people’s lives, but Nate or Dennis could have helped fight the beasts as well. I just feel so....Useless.’
"Hey, Layla, you look free. Mind helping me out a little in the medical centre?" Hayley suddenly appeared behind her with the request. She was carrying around large boxes of supplies, yet the very next second they started to float up in the air.
"With p.l.e.a.s.u.r.e," Layla smiled at her, happy to finally get something to do.
Inside the medical centre, Layla was hitting her stride as she talked with the patients that were awaiting their treatment. Their injuries varied a lot, from simple scratches, to broken bones, yet by far the most common ones were the bitemarks.
Everyone found Layla’s presence quite welcoming, and from time to time she would help Hayley out whenever the older woman decided against using her ability. After all, MC points were limited and it would take time to recover them. As such, Hayley saved it for patients with more severe injuries, whereas the ones that could heal on their own, would be treated the traditional way.
’Should I just transform into my third form? I would just need to hit them with some green fire to help them,’ Layla wondered when she watched yet another injured person getting stitched up.
’No, what am I thinking? This isn’t the Vampire World, so if they were to suddenly see me transform into a giant snake, they might mistake me for a beast and I could trigger a panic.’
Even though Layla was contributing to the common good, her mood started to dampen. How much was she really helping? Wasn’t her role something that could be filled by someone else once again? In comparison, Hayley had a role that only she could fulfill.
’Even Cia was able to see the future. Who knows if she had been alive, she might have been able to warn us about the Demon tier beast. Maybe even told us how to defeat it to save many lives, or at least limit the damage,’ Layla thought.
Just then, a new patient came in. It was a young woman who was scared and frightened to the point she was shivering. Since Hayley was still busy, Layla stood up and led the newcomer to a free bed. Once she was settled down Layla offered her some water, before she asked her for the reason she was here.
"I haven’t been able to sleep. I keep thinking that I’ll be attacked in the middle of the night, or turned. I can’t even look at my own family because I’m scared that they might attack me again," the girl explained amidst her sobbing.
Although Hayley could heal the body of those who had been injured, the same could not be said for mental wounds the people suffered from. Seeing this, a strange purple smog appeared.
’This is something I can do, even if it’s just a temporary solution,’ Layla started to consume the purple fog in the air. Once she was done the girl’s mood was elevated. It felt like all her worries and everything that was around her had suddenly gone.
Her eyes brightened up, and soon after a brief chat she was left to sleep in the bed for a while, since it was the first time it seemed she felt safe.
"Oh my, you haven’t been here too long, but you already know how to deal with patients without me," Hayley commented from the side.
"W-what do you mean?" Layla asked nervously, turning away trying to avoid eye contact. She was unsure how much the other woman had seen.
"Come on Layla, did you forget I saw you grow horns the other day? Don’t worry I’m not scared I’m just....worried." Hayley whispered next to her ear.
Layla looked up, unsure why Hayley would be worried about her.
Since this wasn’t the best place to discuss things, Hayley went to the entrance and turned the sign from "The Doctor is in" to "The Doctor is on break", before she gestured for Layla to follow her into the back. Pulling out a seat, Hayley patted it a couple of times, for Layla to sit next to her
"I can’t imagine what you have all been through but it’s clear something is going on. Back when you and Quinn had been at the school you only had basic abilities. But look at you guys today, shadow, telekinesis and from what I saw you are able to do even more incredible things."
"Working in my field, especially as part of the military, I’ve learned that oftentimes when humans take a shortcut, there are large drawbacks involved. I just can’t help but think, Quinn, everyone is taking on far more risks by not telling anyone what is going on, while putting the whole burden on themselves."
When Layla listened to Hayley, she could tell from the older woman’s tone that she was genuinely concerned. A lot of people forgot that the very same ’Cursed faction leaders’ were agewise nothing more than young a.d.u.l.ts who would have just left school.
In honesty though, Hayley was also very concerned for her father who she hadn’t seen very much ever since joining the Cursed faction.
"We can handle it," Layla replied like some sort of preprogrammed answer.
Hayley leaned forward and started to rub her finger up Layla’s cheek.
"Like hell you can!" She insisted as she wiped the tear falling down from one of her eyes, and then moved her hair out the side to see the two little bumps.
"Wow, so these things are real, does it hurt when I push them in? Oh, maybe a third one will come out in the middle?" Hayley joked around.
The visual image made both of them laugh and Layla confided in the other, telling her a bit more about herself and what she could do. Nevertheless, she abstained from revealing anything about vampires in general or who exactly it was that had turned her, despite the other one probing her.
While talking, Layla did notice however, that she would often try to ask about her father.
"Let me ask Quinn to set up a meeting for the two of you," Layla suggested. "I know Quinn is super busy at times but he is s.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e to these types of things."
"Thank you," Hayley gave her a bigger smile than the ones before..
Someone knocked on the door, before coming. "Sorry for the intrusion, but I’ve been told that despite the sign Hayley is here"
Seeing the girl who had entered. Hayley stood up and almost had tears in her eyes herself.
"Wendy, you’re all good!"
Although the two of them hadn’t really spoken much, Wendy had protected her and there was a link between these two people. As they ran up to hug each other.
’I guess it’s my cue to get out of here,’ Layla decided and was about to leave.
"Wait, Layla, I nearly forgot what I wanted to tell you!" Hayley called out to stop her for a moment. "Earlier you said that Quinn always seems to be busy and that there never seems to be a right time to talk to him, right? Well, he seems pretty free at the moment, so you should go and talk to him. Who knows when you get another opportunity like this?"
———
As if to prove Hayley’s point, shortly after she went out, Layla saw none other than Quinn.
’I don’t want to have any more regrets,’ Layla, perhaps still influenced by the pep talk she had just received, decided to approach Quinn.
"Quinn...it’s been a while I was wondering if we could talk," Layla spoke in a somewhat embarrassed tone.
"Oh.." Quinn replied, not really knowing what else to say. "Is it something important, or did something happen?"
"It is important....to me." Layla said.
However, she suddenly noticed that the stuff she wanted to talk with him about was rather private, so she asked him to accompany her out of the Shelter. Since he was done with his business and Layla wouldn’t just come to him without a reason, he agreed.
The duo headed through the forest. There was an awkward silence between the two of them throughout the whole walk. Eventually the duo arrived at a lake that was green in colour, making for an idyllic scene.
On the other end, they could even see a beast drinking from the lake itself. It was too far to be any concern for them though.
"Quinn, is there anyone you like?" Layla asked, finally breaking the silence.
"Anyone I like?" Quinn was shocked by the sudden question. He had been wondering what she might want to talk about, but his thoughts had mostly been about something Pure related.
However, after thinking about it, he was quickly reminded of how Vincent would constantly tell him to have some fun with certain girls.
"Like, what do you think about Erin? She’s a beauty that everyone liked at school?" Layla continued, since Quinn didn’t say anything.
"Erin? Well me and her don’t really talk much. Besides, she’s quite scary when someone upsets her," Quinn replied, before he added. "And between the two of us, it’s not particularly hard to upset her accidentally."
He thought that might break the ice a bit, but Layla didn’t really react. Instead she continued questioning him:
"Then what about that Bonny girl? I mean you kissed her on live TV. Isn’t an adventurous girl like her your type? Someone who is always doing exciting things and stuff on her own?"
"Please, how many times have I tried to explain that that whole thing was all a giant misunderstanding? I was just trying to do something with my vampire powers and it backfired spectacularly. Also, I don’t think I would like someone like her as my girlfriend."
"I mean, I would never be able to see her, unless I accompanied her on one of her adventures and with the type of responsibilities I have now, I can’t really afford to do that. Sometimes I wished all of this was over, and I could return to being a normal guy. If I wasn’t the Cursed faction leader, I would just finish my military training, look for the right woman to settle down, have a family, a house, two kids, maybe a dog," Quinn shared his thoughts.
At his point he didn’t really know whether was saying but the image of when he lived his life as Vincent, with his family had appeared in his head.
"Then what about Helen? She made it clear that she liked you. A strong beauty that probably is matched with your talents and could give you the kind of life once all of this is over?" Layla asked.
"Helen... I think she is a good person... but I can’t help but be cautious towards her. How can I date someone if I don’t even trust them?"
Layla was a bit surprised after hearing the answer. The others Quinn had disregarded quite quickly, but with Helen he had hesitated. Did that mean that he did have some feelings for her, but chose not to act because he couldn’t trust her?
Perhaps he didn’t trust her due to how much time they had spent together. But didn’t that mean, that if he were to trust her, then there was nothing stopping him from pursuing her?
Once again, Layla was thinking of pulling back, but clenching her fist she told herself that she couldn’t give up this time. She walked in front of Quinn, standing at the very edge of the lake and turned around, placing her hair behind her ear.
"Since you’ve been so honest with me, I only have one more question for you, Quinn. What about me? Quinn, I... like you....I like you a lot, but what do you feel towards me?"
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