The Apathetic Mage Loves Cats

Chapter 19: Preparation

Caiden's eyes widened at my attire, glancing at me up and down before turning to the tailor who stood by my side, his hands coming together to clap in satisfaction.

"They're perfect." The tailor let out a sigh of relief, her smile spreading as she turned back to the outfit she placed on me, straightening out nonexistence wrinkles. I looked at myself in the mirror. White business-like shoes with black shoelaces. Long white pants, still with a crease down the side where they were ironed. A black button-up beneath a white suit jacket.

"I didn't know you had your ears pierced," Caiden muttered from beside me, and I glanced over to my left to look at his attire. He was wearing the exact opposite as me. Black shoes with white laces, black pants, a white button-up, and a black suit jacket. However, we both wore a red tie around our necks, bringing out a pop of color. And also, an earring in our left ears. Mine, a green the same color as his eyes; his, a pink, almost lilac color, the same as my own eyes. The perfect couple's outfit. There was something... strange about it.

"I did it on a whim," I admitted, glancing at the woman as she continued to modify my outfit slowly. "To get back at Romand, I think... you do realize that I'm supposed to wear official mage battle attire, right?" I asked, glancing over at him once more. In the past few weeks that we had been together, I found myself glancing at him more often. Staring at him when he wasn't looking back, just because I wanted to.

Something was wrong with me.

"Isn't it more intimidating if we wear similar outfits?" he chimed, looking up to meet my eyes in his mirror. "Plus, I think it's fun." I frowned at his response. He was clearly hiding something from me. There was obviously a reason he wanted me to dress up in this attire, and that he wanted to match as well. However, if I thought about it too hard, I would slowly start to come up with answers that I didn't want to receive, so I decided to ignore the pointless thoughts dancing in my head and focus more on a... "concrete" reason behind his actions. Which was, that there wasn't one. He was crazy. Obviously.

"Fine." I sighed. "I guess it doesn't matter either way what I wear. No matter what I desire or am supposed to wear, I would be forced to wear whatever you had chose if your ordered me to do so." His smile faded at this response, and a flicker of an emotion danced through his eyes. However, I couldn't quite read his face before he turned away.

"Let's get changed."

I changed back into my everyday attire, as did he, before we made our way towards his office, letting the tailors do their job in perfecting our suits. The ball was only a few days away at this point, meaning that we were busier than ever. And by we, I mean Caiden. He was busy making sure everything was set up properly; getting work done so that he could attend the night of and also have the next day free just in case something happens, and attending all sorts of meetings. While I was stuck trailing behind him, watching the bags under his eyes get darker and deeper every day.

"What else do I need to do today?" He asked me, his voice already carrying a slight layer of exhaustion. One difference that had occurred within these past few weeks was that I started to fill in as his secretary. Not too long ago, I had seen him struggling to keep all his tasks under control; and, knowing what it was like being surrounded by piles and piles of work that you had to do all by yourself, I offered to organize his days. So far, it seemed to make him feel better, and look better in the long run.

"A meeting with the mages over protection with the ball." I brushed imaginary lint off of my shoulders as he nodded towards the guards that stood before his office door, allowing them to open the doors for him so he could walkthrough. "New business proposals, a discussion with the chef over the finalization of the dinner menu, and a meeting with the decorators to finalize the ball layout." Inside his office, the chef was already there, a maid bowed her head as we entered, taking a tray, and quickly leaving. The doors shut behind us as Caiden spoke, looking at the clock that read "10:34" in the morning: