You are my… family

After confirming that the trio hadn't received any injuries, they were escorted to the station for further proceedings.

If in the previous incident, Cordia Aris was just a passerby, then this time, that was no longer the case. This matter had directly escalated from an accident to an attack on the leadership of the city.

To make the matter even worse, not only was their young city lord implicated, but the issue also involved a high personage considered as a foreign diplomat - the vice-city lord of Astarea, Astar Levi.

With his involvement, this matter was no longer a domestic issue but an intercity one.

Thus, the trio was now sitting in leather chairs in the coziest conference room, drinking refreshing beverages as they waited for the department head to see them.

Initially, there were doughnuts too; however, those disappeared within seconds. After all, the trio hadn't managed to eat a single bite before the incident in the restaurant happened.

Seeing his darling rubbing his tummy looking unsatisfied, Levi, without a second thought, opened the light interface of his communicator and ordered food delivery to the station.

The officer who kept them company but was treated like air by one furious Levi: "…" QAQ '…um … esteemed sir… food delivery to the station isn't allowed due to issues with security…!'

Levi, who was also a peacekeeper himself and knew the regulations clearly: 'You think your shitty regulations are more important than my baby's hunger?! Simply absurd!' 🖕(｀0´)🖕

And speaking of people treated like air…

The long-forgotten sister, that was on her way to the restaurant to eat lunch with her fiancé and little brother, but was called away again on an emergency:

‎(ﾉಥAಥ)ﾉ ┻━┻

'I swear, someone must be plotting against me! What's next?! Will I be called off on an emergency on my wedding day too!?!'

Levi: 'That… would actually be great! Thanks!' 👍

…

"Brother, I'm sorry about involving you in all of this," Noah lowered his head dejectedly, his ruffled locks of hair creating an image of drooping cat ears. "You came all the way here to relax and have some fun… yet…"

Levi could resist the devastating image no longer; his hand entangled itself in Noah's silky hair, gently stroking his head, "It's not your fault."

Noah let out a soft sigh, "I know. But as a future city lord of Concordia, this is something that falls within my area of responsibility." His drooping head rose and turned to give Levi a sad look, "It seems I won't be able to have fun with you today. I need to look into what is really happening in the city."

"Mn, let's go." Levi hummed and continued to rub Noah's head very contentedly.

Noah's large eyes widened, and it took him several seconds to get past Levi's nonchalant tone to the implied meaning within, "Brother wants to go together?"

Levi nodded quietly as if it was only natural.

Noah tried to dissuade him, "It is rare for you to get some time off and you should use it to relax and enjoy yourself. Accompanying me in this won't be enjoyable nor relaxing, in fact, it will probably be stressful and dangerous!"

'How do you expect me to rest in peace, knowing my baby is doing something dangerous? And where do you think I'd rather be than by my baby's side?' yet, the only thing Levi could speak out loud was: "It will be less dangerous if we are together."

Noah couldn't refute that. If it weren't for Levi, today's incident would have been catastrophic. Yet, it didn't seem right to have this big brother-in-law waste the precious time he could be spending lovey-dovey with his future wife on something that wasn't even his responsibility.

Blackie: 'What if I told you that spending the precious time being lovey-dovey with his future wife is exactly what he is doing?' (¬‿¬)

Noah fidgeted in his seat, trying to explain his sentiments to Levi, "That… might be true… but brother, I… I would feel terrible if I made you participate in something so unpleasant!"

Levi stayed silent for few moments before managing to come up with what his baby would consider a reasonable response, "You are not making me participate in it. This isn't just your business that I am butting in." Levi turned to give Noah a profound stare, "You are my… family. The moment your life was threatened, this became MY business."

Feeling like what he'd said wasn't enough to fully alleviate his darling's guilt, Levi also added, "Besides, you weren't the only target of this incident. I was there as well. I wouldn't be Astar Levi if I didn't respond in kind."

For a moment, Noah said nothing. He had considered Levi as family from the start, so it made sense for the other to do the same. Yet, at the same time, the other had no obligation to share his sentiment; they had no blood relations and had known each other for less than two days. Thus, having his feelings reciprocated in such a way felt especially wonderful.

Really wonderful, all sweet, and soft and fluffy inside.

To care for someone and have them care for you, wasn't that really beautiful?

All hail the beauty of brotherhood! ╰(*°▽°*)╯

Blackie: "…" ಠ_ಠ

Like a good little lamb, ready to be eaten, Noah very docilely nodded his head, looking at the wolf with complete trust and affection. The wolf, Levi, whose heart had turned into a honeycomb due to the cupid arrows released by his darling, licked his lips and gulped down a mouthful of saliva.

'Not the time, not the place,' Levi chanted inside his head. 'Patience. Endure.'

Luckily, just then, a much-needed distraction presented itself in front of Levi in the form of the department head. The middle-aged chocolate-skinned man made a grand entrance, followed by two younger officers. Not a badge was amiss on his uniform, and even his solemn facial expression was perfect for the gravity of the situation. From his composure, one could tell he was used to dealing with high officials and tricky situations.

When the eyes of that composed, mature man landed on the sight in front of him, he faltered in his step.

The famously foul-tempered loner wolf Astar Levi was intimately caressing the head of Cordia Aris with a hard to hide doting look filled with deep affection.

Department head: '…Did I walk through the door the wrong way? No, wait, which Cordia did they say he was marrying???'

The two officers that were moving in tandem with the department head didn't react in time and very awkwardly strode into his back.

At that moment, the department head felt like today was simply not his day!

Still, with practiced ease, the man resolved himself to pretend absolutely nothing was amiss. "Young master Cordia, vice-city lord of Astarea, apologies for making you wait," the man cordially nodded, neither too servile nor too proud. He had intended to wait for a response of the two young men before easing the conversation into the less than pleasant matter at hand, but…

…Levi had no patience for idle chit-chat, "I'll cut to the chase. While on Concordia land, I am considered a foreign delegate. An attack on a diplomat is, by definition, a high-profile case of the highest priority. As per standard procedure, that I am sure you, as the head, are already aware of, the case has now become of mixed jurisdiction, needing representatives of both sides to oversee it."