Hello all! Read my other Chrno Crusade fic, you may like it! x)
Note: Rosette is sliiiightly OOC
I'm falling. Fast. Chrno? Where are you? You should have caught me by now. You, with your powerful wings can catch me. But now…there's only darkness. Joshua! Can you hear me? You were supposed to stay with Chrno in the woods! Now I have to wash your clothes again. God? Are you there? Why can't I see? I'm reaching out, but I feel nothing… Where's Chrno? I…
The sun was beating down on Rosette's peaceful face. The sun was going down, however, its rays still lit up the grounds of the Magdalene Order. Rosette, a young, fiery woman, napped on a bench, although she was supposed to be doing her chores. Chrno sat just a few yards away, at the trunk of a tree. He watched the young woman whom he had made a covenant with long ago, rest. The day had been long, filled with numerous chores trying "modernize" and fix up the Magdalene Order. At that moment, a group of sisters that were supposed to be filling up cracks in the cement of the sidewalks leading to the order's doors had decided to swoon over the sight of a certain demon relaxing in the retreating sun. He ignored them, his mind only on the panicked and disturbed look that had all of a sudden appeared on his sleeping Rosette's face.
His heart fluttered, his worry for his contractor filling his mind. Her fear and anxiety reached his heightened senses. The sisters did not notice his concern and continued to foolishly giggle over the sight before them. They walked very slowly, not that anyone was watching.
Rosette's head hung over the back of the back of the bench, her neck supported but she suddenly bolted up, awake.
Droplets of sweat were visible on her face and forehead, either from the heat of the sun, fear, or both. The metal pocket watch that hung around her neck had absorbed heat from the sun, and she felt the burn of it, causing her to gasp.
Chrno, getting to his feet, rushed over, the sisters who had still been gawking noticing Rosette for the first time. When they all noticed, they all gave each other a look and quietly walked away, quicker this time.
Rosette rubbed the sleepiness from her eyes, trying to forget her horrible dream. It had been just a dream, she knew, but it did not stop the intense feelings it caused her.
She looked up at the sky, now a darker orange than it had been a few minutes ago. She continued to search the sky, as if looking for an answer to an unknown question. Jumping at the touch of a hand on her shoulder, she turned to see Father Remington.
Chrno scowled, wanting to have gotten to Rosette before her guardian had. He stopped his walk towards her and went back to the tree he had been sitting at. However, he went to the other side, where Remington and Rosette would not be able to see him. His small human form could hide easily.
He listened to the soft words of comfort coming from Remington and the gentle yet, resisting protests from Rosette. There was a silence and a sigh and then the steps of one of them walking away.
For awhile he sat there, under the tree, listening to the silence. The sun had finally disappeared over the horizon by then, darkness becoming more and more apparent. That was when Chrno felt something wet drip onto his nose. He looked up, past the leaves of the trees.
It was quickly starting to rain, and Chrno sighing, stood up to see if Rosette was still sitting at the bench. Going around the wide trunk of the tree, he jumped, seeing Rosette standing right in front of him.
She was soaked and the rain continued to beat down harder and harder. They stood here for a moment and just as Chrno opened his mouth to ask if she was okay, a loud strike of thunder and a flash of lightning filled the air.
He took a sharp intake of breath as he felt Rosette fly into his unexpecting arms. The air soon became cooler, and it was not the hot weather it had been before, when she had been sleeping.
Chrno looked down, with half lidded eyes, seeing Rosette tremble in his arms. Her wet body quickly soaked him but the tree's leaves provided shelter for the moment.
He felt Rosette mumble something into his chest as he brought them both down to their knees.
"What did you say, Rosette?"
She unburied her face from his chest and looked up with her brilliant blue eyes that lit up the stormy, dull atmosphere.
"I'm so glad you're here."
"Rosette, are you okay?" He shifted uncomfortably trying to balance her weight on his small form. She was acting…different.
"…you were gone, Chrno, not even God would answer…and…Joshua was here…with both of us…he had made a mess of his clothes again in the mud…"
Chrno smiled at the memory of the younger Christopher siblings being rowdy in the woods together.
"I'm here, Rosette. So is Joshua, but in your heart at the moment…God…well…He is determined to make my life miserable but I'm pretty sure He is there." Chrno finished his reassuring lamely.
She gave a weak grin as an answer but just as she was about to say something else, a sneeze interrupted her and Chrno realized that the tree was unable to protect them from the pouring of the rain any longer.
He started to get up.
"Rosette, let's go inside. It's getting cold and it's pouring in case you haven't noticed." Helping her up, she continued to stare at the ground.
They walked fairly quickly through the wetness and over the loudness of the rain Rosette asked Chrno where they were going.
"To the next tree of course!" he answered grinning. They were really heading for Elder's small, yet convenient hut which was the closest shelter nearby but it was still a considerable distance away.
Under the leaves and branches of the next tree, Rosette spoke up in a quiet voice that even Chrno's trained ears struggled to hear.
"Chrno, I don't understand why that dream got to me so much…"
Chrno looked over at her, realizing what she had told him before was what she had been panicked about in her sleep. Her wet bangs stuck to her face and raindrops dripped down her face and neck. The wet clothes she wore clinged to her body and a quick flash of lightning briefly illuminated her. He smiled warmly at her.
"Rosette, it was a dream and you know that just as well as I do. You can always tell me what's really bothering you." He looked away, trying to locate the next tree and also hoping his message to her had sunk in.
Her bright eyes took in Chrno's also wet appearance and she felt her face burning despite the cold temperature. Yes, something else was bothering her as well, but not something he probably expected.
She was, in fact, in love with her little demon friend. She was not afraid of his true form and longed to be held in the strong arms of the demon.
They wouldn't be together forever, and Rosette clenched a fist around the pocket watch at this thought. This fact was always in the back of her mind every passing day of her life.
She suddenly felt herself being led along the long distance to the Elder's hut. Rosette inwardly sighed, knowing it was shelter, but was also the home of a very irritating, old, perverted geezer.
Chrno looked back at her, squeezing her hand tighter, giving her an encouraging smile.
He sincerely hoped she could sense his love for her flowing through his hand to hers.
Azmaria stared worriedly out the window of the dorm the order provided for her. Where were Chrno and Rosette? Had they possibly gone on a mission without informing her? She sat back in the chair she had placed herself on and pouted. No way they'd do that. They had to be somewhere on the grounds. Azmaria sighed miserably and wanted to cure herself of her boredom by spending time with Rosette or Chrno. Since the violent rain had started, Azmaria and the others sisters had to stop renovating on the Magdalene Order building. It was also past dinner so there was no cooking or cleaning to assist with.
She sighed, and got up from her lonely corner by the window, deciding to seek out both of her close friends.
Grabbing an umbrella, she left her room, closing the door gently behind her.
Rosette moodily sat on Elder's couch, wrapped in a blanket. Chrno had stripped off most of his soaked clothing and sat by the fire Elder had hastily set up. Rosette had refused to remove any of her clothing much to the disappointment of Elder…and bit to Chrno's as well.
It was very dark now and the rain still poured. Chrno was feeling very sleepy from the busy day but still worried about Rosette. Elder went to his room to go and do whatever he did.
Chrno took a seat by his love and sat close. She didn't look up.
"Chrno, I'm not tired."
"Are you ever, Rosette?"
She sighed and pulled the blanket tighter around her shoulders.
A silence followed, Rosette mumbled something incoherent and she got up, leaving her blanket behind. Chrno closed his eyes and listened to Rosette walk through Elder's home, open the back door and close it.
He let himself fall sideways onto the blanket she had left behind on the couch. He sighed, defeated, and drank in her scent.
"Rosette…you have stolen my heart."
He pouted childishly, still lying on his side.
"…No fair…" Chrno then felt his eyelids droop and he was soon asleep.
Azmaria darted through the rain, which others would simply describe as stumbling. She had searched the inside of the order and the grounds, searching for her friends with no luck and was now headed for Elder's home/hut.
Despite the fact that she protected herself from the rain with an umbrella, she was soaked from the waist down from running through rather large puddles. It was still pouring and by then, many wondered if the heavy rains would result in a flood.
When the pretty, pale girl reached Elder's front door, she knocked, daintily. When no answer came after a few more less-dainty knocks, she decided to go around the back.
What she found made her jaw drop.
Unknown to many, Rosette had always been a good singer. Not amazing and heavenly sounding, like Azmaria, but good enough for others to listen and enjoy. Only Joshua had known of her slight talent. After Rosette had met Azmaria, she knew she would never really get a chance to show others what she liked to do.
She always liked to sing when she felt stressed or lonely. Of course…she had to be alone. Like at that moment where she knew Chrno had fallen asleep on the couch after she left and Elder was busy in his room with his latest contraption.
At least, she thought she was alone.
Standing in the pouring rain, getting soaked for a second time, she opened her mouth, taking in a big breath.
...And I know It's too much
You know
It should be me
That's touching you
And I know the pride
Collides with beauty
It's not enough
The walls can't hold me up
I'm waiting for your love
Been waiting for your lo—
"Rosette?" a voice heard through the rain interrupted her brief singing. She jumped, stepping over her own feet and tripping onto the ground below her. Her face burned at the realization that someone had heard her.
She got up, rubbing her chin that had hit a rough spot in the ground. Squinting to see towards the heavy rain, she saw that Chrno had gotten up quickly even after falling asleep.
"C-Chrno? I-I thought you were aslee-." She stopped her sentence, surprised by the large grin on his face.
He ignored her statement and continued to walk towards her.
"Rosette…was that you? You sounded…" he struggled with his shock to try and find the right word. He had reached her by now and he was a few inches away. Rosette watched his clothes become wetter and wetter and saw his shocked face.
She turned away, embarrassed.
"I'm not…as good as Azmaria… she's a real…singer." She was surprised when she felt him grab both of her hands.
"Oh Rosette, you sounded wonderful…I never knew…I thought I had heard you singing once to your brother when you were younger…but I never thought…" He tightened his grip on her hands.
Rosette didn't answer.
"Oh, sheesh what am I doing? Let's go back inside, you're probably freezing out here." He stepped back, keeping his hand on Rosette's back guiding her back to Elder's hut.
Nearby, Azmaria watched from behind a tree. This is when she decided that she had found her friends and that alone was enough. She scurried back, across the grounds, back to the order's building.
She had a lot to think about that night.
Aion, leave him alone! Both of them! Give Chrno and Joshua back! …What do you mean they don't need me? Chrno, I'm dying…where are you? Quick! Time's running out! I haven't cleaned Joshua's clothes yet, Sister Kate will be furious! God! I need to find Chrno, I need to tell him I lov-
Rosette quickly sat up from her sleeping position, again on the Elder's couch. She was sweating, the blanket that she had put around her body once again before was now thrown to the ground. She looked down to see Chrno resting his head on his arms, kneeling. His arms and head rested on the couch she had previously been sleeping on. She sat for awhile, listening to the heavy rain, and figuring it was very late by now. The fire that Elder had set up had long ago went out.
"Rosette?" A voice said quietly.
"Chrno…I'm sorry, did I wake you?" She heard a chuckle.
"I was never asleep."
"I thought-" Chrno interrupted.
"Are you alright? You're feeling some pretty…intense emotions…no one like me could sleep through that." He grinned in the darkness.
Rosette lied on her back, staring at the ceiling.
"Ah, Chrno, they're just…dreams."
"Very…intense dreams, don't you think?"
Rosette didn't answer this question but instead turned on her side to look at Chrno, although she couldn't see him.
"Chrno, what would you do if I died?"
"I would die." He answered simply. He asked no questions as to why she would ask such a morbid question.
Rosette was silent, thinking about his answer.
"Oy, why am I being so depressing, Chrno? Tomorrow, we've got more work to do! Let's get some sleep, knucklehead. I promise, no more bad dreams."
"You're right."
"Yup."
"Let's sleep."
"Okey-doke."
"…"
"…"
Chrno couldn't stand it.
Lifting his head up to get a good look at the fuzzy out line of Rosette's face, he brought himself nearer.
Rosette felt her heart quicken its pace, and as Chrno leaned in, he felt his own heart skip a beat. She felt the warmth from his face get closer and closer. His hands gently grasped the sides of her face. His breath gently brushing away her bangs,
His mouth lingered over her lips, teasing or hesitating?
She felt sparks shoot down her spine, causing an audible shudder. Taking this as encouragement, Chrno closed the distance between the both of them.
The kiss was gentle, his lips were soft and careful. Both of their eyes slipped closed, both of them enjoying the momentary closeness.
However, the kiss seemed too short, and Rosette felt a flood of disappointment when he soon pulled away. He didn't miss it.
Rosette wrapped her arms around his neck and pulled him down, resting his head atop her shoulder.
"Please, stay a little longer..." She whispered into his ear. "Just a little longer..."
"Okay, so...now that you know someone who cares a great deal for you is...watching over you, do you think you'll sleep better?" Chrno asked in a playful manner. Rosette gave a content sigh in reply and he in turn made himself comfortable next to her on the couch, feeling very thankful that it was a considerably large size.
She rested her hand atop his chest, already comfortable and she quickly felt her tiredness get the better of her. Chrno felt as her breath became slower and even. She was so soft, and he ached to hold her in his own arms but lying beside her, just being near her was enough.
The next morning, Elder groggily shuffled into his tiny living room where he glanced over to see Rosette and Chrno asleep on his couch, holding onto each other. The blanket he had lent Rosette was entangled between the two and he imagined the awkward and troublesome situation they would face trying to free themselves. He chuckled to himself and shuffled back into his kitchen, ready to start a new day with a hearty breakfast for the three.
Rosette had no bad dreams that night and when they both awoke, the smiles that appeared on both of their faces were nearly impossible to hide.
There goes my slightly long-ish one shot! Hope you enjoyed. :)
Reviews greatly appreciated.
