Another cute one for these two. It takes awhile, but I always seem to think of something for em. They're just too cute!
I do not own Eternal Sonata or its characters! Please review and enjoy!
All the Small Things
In all the days of the year, Polka and Allegretto could never be expected to take notice of all of the small things they did for one another. And yet, in some beautiful and mysterious way, they actually did notice every single thing. The blond fourteen year old beauty with blue eyes still lived in Tenuto whist her silver haired, blue eyed sixteen year old handsome friend still lived in Ritardando with Beat. Yet, with them alternating between Polka walking to Ritardando and Allegretto walking to Tenuto, changing between these each day, one had to note that they may as well live in one place. The only day the alternation changed was if one got sick and then the other would make the hike, even if it wasn't their day, in order to help care for the sickly one. As for Beat, their eight year old photographer friend, most of his time now went to playing at Agogo Forest with Salsa and March.
Today, it's Allegretto's turn to make the serene hike to Polka's home. Once at her house, just next to a great flower field, he found her mother Solfege outside as the tranquil winds blow gently. The happy and calm gray haired woman smiles at him;
"Good morning Allegretto. Polka actually hasn't stirred this morning, unless she just hasn't come out of her room. If you don't mind making and taking her some breakfast, you have reign of my kitchen and permission to wake the dear up. Okay?"
"No problem, thank you."
Allegretto wasn't much for cooking, unless he had to. Sighing, he smoothed out his shirt as he enters the home and heads to the kitchen. After washing his hands and drying them, his ocean eyes fall onto the fridge. Opening the fridge, his hands immediately seek out Polka's favorite breakfast; strawberries, toast with pianissimo jam, and symphony juice. He places the bread in the toaster, deciding to take care in this for a few different reasons; she'd be happy, he cared about her, and because she deserved it very much. As the bread toasts, Allegretto carefully slices the tops off the strawberries as he had seen Polka do before. He really didn't like cooking but again, this was special and he continued to remind himself of this fact. The considerate boy locates a tray and places the bowl of strawberries on it, adding a plate for the toast, a napkin, and the glass. He fills the glass, the glass decoratively stained with cute pink flowers, before replacing the juice back into the fridge. The toaster summons his attention and he lifts the bread, golden and aromatic, carefully adding the jam before setting it on the plate. Smiling at his work well done, Allegretto lifts the tray and carries it to her room, gently rapping his knuckles on the door.
"Hnnn? Oh! I slept in! Y-yes, come in..."
Holding back a chuckle from Polka's soft voice having a blank moment behind her door, Allegretto opens the door to see her sitting up and yawning. Her hair was completely down, not in the usual partially braided double pigtails, which made sense as the dear had been asleep after all.
"Morning there Polka."
"Ohhh, what a beautiful breakfast. Thank you Allegretto. I have no idea how I managed to sleep in so..."
"Oh it's fine. I'm probably a little early. Beat jumped on me this morning because something in the hideout scared him."
"Really?" she inquires, accepting the tray and lifting a strawberry to nibble, "What was it?"
"Actually, I don't know either. We couldn't find it...well correction...he refused to look so I couldn't find it. After I couldn't, he just left for Agogo Forest since he was too panicked to go back to bed and after being awakened, it wasn't like I could go back to sleep."
She nods tentatively before indicating a chair by her bed, wordlessly saying he should sit down since he did look a little tired from being woken early. After her friend situated himself in the chair, Polka lifts the tray and shifts, seating herself on the edge of the bed in her lacy pastel pink and extremely long nightgown.
"I wonder what it was," she sighs thoughtfully, working her way through her toast now, leaving herself most of her strawberries still.
"Yeah, me too. It had to be something to get Beat so riled up."
"Yes, for sure. Did you eat breakfast?" she asks, suddenly noticing small clues that he may not have.
He sighs sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. How...just how...did she always manage to see through him like that? She chuckles, lifting her tray and carrying with her to the kitchen before Allegretto could object.
"P..Polka-!"
"Be right back!" she calls.
Happily, she nibbles bits of her breakfast while toasting him some bread; knowing its one of his favorite things. She pours a glass of juice for him as well and peels an orange, making him fresh orange slices. Now that only her strawberries and juice are left, she replaces them with his breakfast and carries it back. Polka gently hands this to him before going back to get her remaining breakfast and returning, almost like a boomerang, to him.
"You should always eat breakfast."
He sighs at her, "I could have done it later."
She giggles at him and his blushing face with good humor as she continues on her strawberries.
"We should go check out the hideout and see if we can find what scared Beat too."
"Seriously?"
"Sure, why not?" Polka smiles at her friend, a light in her sky eyes.
He sighs and then smiles back, "Alright."
As Allegretto finishes his bread, a smudge of jam is left. Polka holds in a giggle as she lifts her napkin from her tray and reaches towards him.
"Wh-!"
Allegretto question and protest was silenced by her as she wiped the napkin across his lip and cheek.
"Why'd you do that for?" he protests.
"You had jam on your face silly."
Allegretto chuckles, "Great, but couldn't I have done it myself?"
"And how would that be any fun for me?" she laughs.
Allegretto blushes and looks away, both finishing their breakfasts in silence. Afterwards, Allegretto helps her clean up the dishes and put everything away. She then heads off to get dressed, placing herself in a white and pink version of her normal outfit before placing her hair into the partially braided pigtails, a twirl similar to a ribbons ending each one of the extraordinarily long pigtails. After she's ready, she lets Solfege know before the two set out for Allegretto and Beat's home in Ritardando; hoping to find what had given Beat such a fright. Along the path to the cave, Polka's delicate foot caught a rock, sending her forward and yelping.
"Ack!"
"Polka!"
He reaches out, grabbing her arm and pulling her upright but as he does so, Polka yelps in pain.
"Ow, ow. My foot..."
Allegretto's eyes went wide before he carefully helps her to sit down and takes her injured foot, slipping the shoe and sock off. A large bruise and cut lies along the ankle of the foot, where her foot had struck the rock. It was even starting to swell a little. Although her illness wasn't really terminal and dangerous anymore, she still carried magic. Even though she still had magic, Polka opted to use it only when she felt it to be extremely necessary; something her and Allegretto agreed on as well. He hands her the shoe and sock before standing up. He turned and then lowered his back;
"Alright, get on my back."
"Wh-what?"
"I know you heard me."
"But I..."
"You can't walk, come on."
"Won't it hurt you?"
"Polka, does it look like I care? You're injured, so get on my back. I'm not letting you walk on that."
She sighs before getting on his back, clinging to her shoe and sock, "Okay..."
He lifts himself up, surprised at her almost feather-like weight. And she was so soft...delicate...happy...oh shut up Allegretto! She wrapped her arms across his chest as she gasped.
"Wow! Everything looks so neat like this."
Allegretto chuckles upon this as they pass through the cave. Her delicate foot dangled as they moved, the foot embracing the air around it and breathing relief from not having to touch the ground anymore. Soon enough, they reach Ritardando and the hideout that has pretty much held Beat and Allegretto all their lives, as they were both orphans. Gently, he lets her down on the grass near the ladder before climbing down partway before helping her in; both soon reaching the ground safely. Refusing to allow her to touch her foot to ground, he carries her to the only crate with a cushion on it, opting to not place her one of the others. Once she's seated, Allegretto walks off to one of the many crates and opens it, searching for anything at all he could use. Managing to finally dig up some decent, packaged bandages, he went back to Polka. He dragged another cushion onto a crate and used to elevate her foot before wrapping it up in the bandage.
"There," he sighs in relief.
Suddenly, Polka notices a distinct scratching noise and some squeaking sounds.
"Allegretto?"
"Huh?"
"Do...do you hear that?"
He listens closely, soon picking up the same sounds.
"What the...?"
Allegretto scratches his silver hair, standing up from where he knelt by Polka. All of a sudden, his eyes find a large shadow on the wall, across from the candlelight...and it keep moving! Slowly, he walks towards it, Polka suddenly lifting herself and hopping behind him on only one foot, using her arms to balance herself on other items in the hideout. Suddenly, a roaring cry screams at the two, imploring Allegretto to back up.
"AROW-MEROW!"
"Ahh!" yelps Polka and Allegretto.
Balance lost, Polka falls backwards, only for Allegretto to catch her immediately as he falls to, moving her as to not let her hit the floor so hard as he. The shadow really begins to move now, but only part of. Allegretto scoots back away, carrying Polka in his arms with him; her entire form in his lap. A rumbling, guttural growl rattles.
"I want to know," Allegretto murmurs, continuing to back away, "-just what the heck got into my hideout and why."
"Same here," Polka replies.
Suddenly, the squeaking cries return and the angry animal coming at them suddenly turns tail and rushes back to where it came from. Allegretto leaps at this chance, lifting Polka and running her back to the crate.
"Stay here."
"Allegretto-!"
"I'll be fine," he replies, lifting his sword scabbard and a candle.
She watches him venture back towards the corner where the creature was. It wasn't too long before she heard him again.
"Ohh...that's...so..."
Allegretto gulps at the cuteness of what he finds, knowing now that his sword is unneeded now. Or so he thinks, until the mother panics and growls loudly,
"Ow, ow oww!"
Teeth and nails sink into the hand he had reached out to pet the cat. He quickly backs off and runs back to Polka, hiding his hand at his side..
"Looks like a mother cat and her kittens have joined the hideout," Allegretto tells the blond.
"Aww!" squeals Polka, her arms flailing a little.
"Shh, shh. That mom of theirs is a bit...um...well she's a scaredy-cat I guess. Wait until I tell Beat that he got scared by a cat that's definitely more scared of him."
Allegretto pulls a crate over to sit by her, choosing to not utilize a cushion, still hiding his hand.
"Too bad I don't have anything around her for her. I think all I have is bread, doubt she'd like that much."
"How many are there?"
"Couldn't count them all, but it looked to be at least six."
She nods and then looks to his hand, "What happened?"
He sighs, lifting the hand to reveal the bloody claw marks and making her gasp.
"Allegretto! Go bandage that!"
"I don't have any bandages left Polka. Besides, cat scratches and bites aren't going to kill me.
Polka reaches to her pocket and hands Allegretto some money, "Here. Buy yourself some bandages and please find her something to eat...I couldn't live without knowing we didn't get her something..."
He sighs, "Polka, that's yours."
"I know. That doesn't matter though, you need bandages and I just want her to have something."
Allegretto sighs, his face meeting his palm.
"If you don't, I will."
"But you're-!"
"I know I'm hurt, but I still will."
Allegretto mutters a little before taking the money and climbing from the hideout. Smiling now, Polka helps herself down to the floor, onto her hands and nears. A pain strikes in her ankle, but she ignores it and crawls on, taking a candle along the way and moving down into the corner where the cat lie. The cat glares up at her, a flash in her ember eyes. Yet, sensing no intentions from this lady, the cat simply stares unfailingly. Her white coat is patterned by silver streaks, a large splotch of silver sitting on her nose. Crowding her are several kittens, piled and way too bunched up to count as they milk their mother. Polka tries anyway, finding about six or so like Allegretto said. One looks to be yellowish-blondish while another takes the silver coloring of his mother's stripes. Another looks exactly like mom and another is yellow and silver.
"Your children are beautiful..." Polka sighs, looking at the mother cat.
Her eyes close and she almost seems to be smiling at Polka as if to say 'You bet they are!' Suddenly, a rustle and footsteps ring out.
"Polka!" comes a cry of concern.
"Over by the mother cat Allegretto."
Thuds ring as Allegretto runs around to there. His face falls to relief and he sighs heavily, kneeling beside her.
"You just don't stay still..."
"Well I didn't walk, I crawled."
Allegretto's face met his palm again before he sighs. He glances at the cat, who has allowed Polka to be less than a foot away from her and her children. Allegretto slowly makes it, right up next to Polka and can't hide his surprise that the cat has allowed her so close.
"Just how'd you do it?" he asks.
"Do what?" she responds.
He nods at the cat, who does her form of a smile as Allegretto hands Polka the wedge of cheese he had purchased for the cat on behalf of Polka.
"How'd you get so close without her attacking?"
Polka shrugs, "I don't know. But she's so beautiful that I'm glad she let me."
She breaks off bits of cheese and gently fed these to the cat, petting her softly between every few pieces. Allegretto watches carefully, until Polka plucks his hand from the ground closest to her.
"What are you doing now?" he asks.
She smiles at him and glides his hand across the cats fur a few times. He sighs and stares at his dearest friend, the girl he loves.
"I can pet a cat by myself..."
"Then why didn't you?"
"Last time I looked, when I tried a few minutes ago when we found her; she tried to eat my hand off!" he yelps, raising his bloodied hand that's holding the pack of bandages that he hasn't applied.
Polka sets aside the cheese and his other hand before taking the bandages. With that, she takes the bloodied hand and examines it carefully before sighing.
"We need to clean it."
She crawls off a little before bringing herself up onto one foot and hopping, using the random items to balance as she did before until she finds a bucket.
"Please go get water from the fountain," she tells him, bringing the bucket back.
He stares at her and sighs before carrying the bucket off. Somewhere, it warms his heart but it also concerns him as he can see she holds no concern for her own issue; her ankle. Soon enough, he brings the water back, finding her in the corner with the cat.
"Here Polka," he calls, setting the water before her before sitting next to her and giving her his hand.
She lifts water into her hands and wipes it across his hand, cleaning the wounds to reveal several scratches and bites. Polka looks over to the cat.
"You shouldn't do this, you know that Miya?"
"Miya?"
"Yeah, I named her. You like it?"
"Why did you name her?"
"Because she's cute and needed a name."
Allegretto sighs as she cheerfully smiles and bandages the hand.
"My hand is fine, I'm worried about the ankle you can't put pressure on."
"It'll be fine Allegretto. I know it will, I promise."
"I hope so."
"Why are you so worried? I've gone through worse."
He throws his head back, nearly wanting to scream.
"Agh Polka, I worry because I love y-!"
He clapped a hand over his own mouth, unable to believe he nearly said that. Polka looks up at him and smiles gently, patting his hand.
"Love you Allegretto. Thank you for being concerned for me. So why not finish that thought?"
He laughs at her, "You learned way too much from me."
As she finishes, he hugs her softly, "I love you Polka."
She hugs him back, "Love you Allegretto."
"Meow!" calls Miya cheerfully, not afraid to put out her approval.
"Mew, mew, mew!' comes the chorus of the kittens.
"Oh you guys be quiet already," Allegretto shushes them, making Polka laugh.