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Chapter 101: Eating, Talking, and Breathing
Chapter 101: Eating, Talking, and Breathing
Warlock Ch 101. Eating, Talking, and Breathing
Cassius gave a small huff of amusement, shaking his head as he went back to his task. "After hours of intense training, you're still this focused?"
Damian laughed, rubbing the back of his neck. "I mean, yeah, kind of. I don't think I've been this hungry since… well, ever."
Cassius smirked, flipping the steak one last time before reaching for a heavy-duty carving knife. The blade glinted in the warm light, and Damian could practically feel the weight of it. With practiced precision, Cassius cut through the slab, the tender meat parting effortlessly under the knife.
Damian watched in rapt silence, his stomach doing somersaults as Cassius plated the steak. When he finally set a plate in front of him, Damian's grin widened, his hand itching to dive in, even though he could tell Cassius expected some restraint.
"Dig in," Cassius said, his tone as dry as ever.
Damian didn't need to be told twice. He took a piece, savoring the moment before taking a bite. The flavor was unlike anything he'd tasted, rich and earthy with a hint of spice that warmed his chest. It was a small taste of victory after hours of pushing himself to the limit.
Cassius leaned against the counter, his gaze steady as he watched Damian enjoy the meal. "You've done well today," he said quietly, his tone softer than usual.
Damian looked up, surprised by the rare praise. Without another word, he turned toward the window, his mind racing with exaggerated possibilities.
Maybe some apocalyptic event was unfolding outside? Or a massive war? Yet all he saw was the peaceful landscape outside. No chaos, no catastrophe. Just a quiet evening.
He squinted at the calm scene, then glanced back at Cassius, who was watching him with a flat stare.
"What do you mean by that?" Cassius asked, his tone carrying that familiar, dangerous edge.
Damian hesitated, searching for the right words. "Nothing," he said innocently, though the twitch at the corner of his mouth betrayed him. He gestured vaguely with his fork. "It's just… you hardly ever give me any praise. And now you're suddenly doing it. It's… weird. Like, weird in a jinx sort of way."
Cassius's expression darkened into what could only be described as a death stare, his sharp eyes practically cutting into Damian's soul. It was the kind of look that said, 'Are you serious right now?'
Realizing his mistake, Damian threw up his hands defensively. "I'm just kidding!" he blurted, his grin almost painfully forced. "Thank you for the food and the praise. I really, really appreciate it."
Cassius huffed, returning his attention to pouring himself a cup of tea.
Damian sighed in relief and went back to eating. The steak was as tender and flavorful as ever, but something about the atmosphere made it feel… off. Like there was an invisible pressure in the room, and it was all coming from Cassius.
Cassius sipped his tea in silence, but his eyes never left Damian. There was no warmth in his gaze, no hint of pride or even satisfaction. Instead, his expression resembled that of a calculating predator, analyzing its prey and contemplating the most effective way to inflict pain.
Damian swallowed another bite, his appetite wavering under that unnerving stare. 'Is he thinking about how to torture me next?' he wondered, the question gnawing at the edges of his mind. 'Or maybe he's wondering up a new sadistic training method to throw at me tomorrow.'
The steak, delicious as it was, suddenly felt heavier in his mouth. He chewed slowly, his eyes darting toward Cassius before quickly looking back at his plate.
Finally, Damian couldn't take it anymore. He lifted his head, his grin awkward and forced. "Uh… is your tea bad? You don't look like you're enjoying it that much."
Cassius raised an eyebrow, his expression unchanging. "No," he replied simply. "My tea is good."
"Then can you stop giving me that look?" Damian asked, his voice tinged with desperation. "You're creeping me out."
Cassius set his cup down with deliberate calm, his gaze sharpening as he leaned slightly forward. "I'm thinking."
Damian's stomach churned, and it wasn't from the food. He forced a chuckle, trying to hide his rising panic. "What are you thinking about?"
Cassius narrowed his eyes, the faintest glint of amusement flashing in them. "You wouldn't want to know."
Damian felt a shiver run down his spine. 'He's absolutely thinking about how to make tomorrow worse,' he thought grimly. 'Probably something with fire. Or more of those damned potions.'
He tried to shake off the tension, focusing back on his plate. The steak didn't taste as amazing as before, but hunger forced him to keep eating. He wasn't going to waste something this good, even if the atmosphere made it feel like he was dining with an executioner.
Food is food!
"So," Damian began, trying to steer the conversation somewhere less ominous. "What's the plan for tomorrow? More summoning? A different kind of nightmare?"
Cassius gave him a long, unreadable look before taking another sip of tea. "Tomorrow will depend on how much energy you have left after today."
Damian almost choked on his food. "Wait, depends on how much energy I have left? You've already drained me dry, Cassius! What's left to take?"
Cassius's lips twitched, the closest thing to a smirk Damian had seen in hours. "You'll be surprised how much more you can give when pushed hard enough."
"That's… not reassuring," Damian muttered, stabbing his steak a little harder than necessary. "I think I've already gone through every ounce of energy, stamina, and willpower I had."
"Yet here you are," Cassius said, his tone calm but pointed. "Eating, talking, and breathing."
Damian groaned, leaning back in his chair. "But I almost died," he said, his voice half a complaint, half a desperate plea for sympathy. "Like… a couple of times today."
Cassius didn't even blink. He simply raised one of his eyebrows, his expression as flat and unimpressed as ever. "Really? You don't look like a dying person to me. Or someone who almost experienced death."