26 : Tears

**Evelyn :**

I was once again knocked down for at least the tenth time to the ground and all my strength was starting to drain out little by little. Sweating all over, I had no energy left to defend myself, so my opponent was able to get a better hand over me as well.

"I can't anymore!" Arms flailing at my sides, I stared frantically at Phoenix, who was not at all tired but full of energy, looking rather impatiently tired.

"That's because you don't put all your strength into it. You have to want it and be full of determination if you want to win. You have to believe in yourself," he explained.

I could only glare at him.

"Because you are the Phoenix, the GOD of Immortality and Fire! How can I even defeat you if I have no chance?!" Screaming dramatically, I had no idea how he could imagine this when he himself is much stronger than me and much more agile. I hadn't grown up in a world like him, where you must fight and kill to stay alive.

A small smile appears on his face, "That's where you're wrong Evelyn. I may be God, but even the almighty can fall one day. Without you, I was nothing special until you came along, now I'm much stronger because you've given me strength again. When you're with another person, you can do whatever you want, so get over it and let's try one more time, shall we?" Giving me his hand, I could only give in and accept his help.

I had to sigh heavily, "What do you say, boss," sarcastically bowing to him, Raphael's eyes glinted at my words but in the end, he didn't say anything.

So I stand directly in front of him again and try to be faster than before. As my partner waits for my first move to distract me, I look behind him and widen my eyes.

It throws him off the balance for a moment and I succeed when he looks where my eyes were just looking. With a grin on my face, I crouched down and with all my strength, jumped on top of him, wrapping myself around his legs to knock him to the ground. Before Raphael can recover, I jump off of him to take his head and do a lock hold which I have learned in some fighting movies, my arms around his neck and my legs around his body, from below. Happy and proud that I have done it, I am greeted by sudden unexpected laughter. He doesn't even try to resist.

Misunderstanding and bewilderment, all this only lasts for a minute when I hear my partner laughing. The long confusion in my mind steals the opportunity I had because I can't even understand at what moment my grip has loosened but that's exactly what he needed.

Before I can get into my previous pose, the man in the black cloak dodges me.

Before I can get off of him and regain my balance, Raphael picks up my body like a lifeless and motionless doll, and slams me against the mat's surface, laying me on my stomach. I can't even do anything when his large body traps me in place and my arms are twisted behind my back, both of them caught in a tight grip.

*There went my pride.*

"You know," the man above me begins with a smirk, "It was kind of cute for a while when you thought you won. I didn't want to get your hopes up right away but it had to be done, so you know you'll have to be smarter next time. During a fight, you can't think that you have the upper hand, the power over the other person before you are sure that the other person is not breathing anymore. They still has thousands of opportunities to trick you, so don't give the other person any mercy because there are only two ways out. Either you or him. Clear, Evelyn?" leaning close to my ear, every word and breath that brushed my skin, shot little shards of pain into my heart.

Knowing that you weren't strong enough to fight, I dreaded the thought of not belonging into this world at all. That I won't be able to help Phoenix in his missions because who needs a good-for-nothing, useless girl like that? *No one.*

The words and the ball of tears choked my throat for a moment as I tried to collect myself and not think the worst.

Realizing that I have remained too quiet and not even moving, Phoenix carefully releases me and gently turns my body around towards him, helping me sit up. I can't even look him in the eyes anymore. I felt ashamed and defeated.

"Darling?'' Raphael lifts my chin up. I close my eyes because I knew I couldn't hold back the tears that wanted to escape.

*Have you ever been trying not to cry for some reason and it feels like some sharp barbed wire is pinching your throat and your whole throat hurts? Quite an unpleasant feeling.* That is how I felt at that moment.

**Raphael :**

I look at my beautiful angel and can't shake the guilt. Realizing that I had intimidated and scared her, all the problems seemed trivial to me now. My priority now was to comfort my queen. I already knew that she was on the verge of collapsing, so I did not hesitate to hug her.

"Oh, love, forgive me. I just wanted to train you, in a way that would make you understand the situation faster. I didn't know I was rushing you. I'm sorry," holding her close, I buried my face in her hair and took a deep breath.

She immediately curls up in my lap like a little kitten and I can't help but smile.

No matter how she resisted and spoke against me, deep in our hearts we knew that we had a connection and an old love that I felt again, like a flower that blooms in a new morning to surrender itself to the sun's rays again.

"I didn't mean to scare you, I hope you understand," I whispered. I felt her head nod and when I looked at her, tears were already on her cheeks. I didn't want that.

"Please, I…I want to help. Give me another chance," pleading with a puppy dog look, there was a moment of confusion until I understood.

I had to smile weakly as I gently wiped the tears from her cheeks, "It's okay, don't worry baby. It's just that I rushed you and your mind is still not in the right place. It's my own fault for treating you so harshly. I know you are a fragile soul and I have to respect that. It's your kind heart that keeps us on the line, forgive me," unable to forgive myself, Evelyn tries not to smile while her cheeks are flushed, and to hide it, she shyly puts her face in my neck and I can't help but smile.

*So cute.*