Rating: PG I guess.
Warnings: Nothing really. Kissing happens, that's about all.
Pairing: Allen x Rhode
Word Count: 1,803
Notes: I think I'm spamming my LJ with too much AllenxRhode fanart. I thought, maybe I'll drabble some more of them and share here instead.
I'll probably be back to pencil and paper by tonight though.
Enjoy! The world still needs more AllenxRhode!
Un-edited. Inspired by Swan Lake, the ballet which I saw last night. This is epic fail – the fic, not the actual ballet. 8D
-----
Arms twisted, curving into extravagant shapes. Music boomed in the room, a dulcet melody of love and tragedy. Forms melted together, like lovers at night, lost in a smoldering embrace.
Rhode sighed, watching the ballet before her. In her own mind the story evolved differently. Love? She probably came off as a pessimist, but love was an illusion. A fleeting fancy, she liked to say. Humans willing to risk their lives for one another? How romantic, yet completely apocryphal! The lovers on stage were just part of fiction; in the real world love was non-existent. In her imagination, Odette would never find happiness. Her prince would find her crimson stained body before he could break the spell and save his beloved.
Yet, her mind wandered before she finished making her own bloody end to the tale. The more she watched, the more she conjured images of Allen.
I wonder how Allen would look in tights, were her first thoughts. A cynical laugh echoed in her mind at the image. Now, however, the imagery was different. She could see herself in Odette's place, dancing in the theater, yearning for her prince to come for her. She could visualize Allen, his eyes calling to her, his body molding against hers on stage.
She imagined his arms wrapping around her, pulling her closer, keeping her safe in a tight embrace. She could feel his warmth, his breath against her cheek as he murmured words of love and promise. She even felt his lips, soft against her forehead, almost as soft as the hand clasping her own.
Before she even realized, the ballet was over. Loud applause reverberated in the room. Her parents stood up, clapping at the marvelous ending. Rhode found herself clapping too, though not from wonder or amazement. Her mind was still stuck in her own little dream land.
*
Rhode, now ready for bed, peered up at the ceiling. Trying to fall asleep had become an otiose task.
"Allen! Look what you've done!" She shouted, pouting at no one but herself. It wasn't really his fault, but she blamed him anyhow.
Ah! Then it hit her – she'd just have to go pay Allen a little visit. She giggled as she flung herself from bed. A door appeared before her and, without even bothering to change out of her pink nightgown, she stepped through. There was a question that needed answering. A silly little question nibbling at the back of her mind and only Allen could answer it.
*
Lucky for Allen it was Friday. Friday's were the days Link left him alone for an hour or so to go report to the high-ups about anything suspicious. After dinner, or rather, his second dinner, Allen went back to his room. He was stuffed and figured it was a good time to sit down and contemplate about… well, about anything. He couldn't think about Mana or Cross with Link around; the boy stared at him with a quizzical and hard gaze. It was distracting.
He closed the door, stretching as he stepped inside his room. He'd just lie in bed for a while and let his mind wander. That is, if there wasn't a foreign lump on his bed.
Allen raised a brow. It looked like the lump was breathing.
"Lavi?" It couldn't be anyone else, right? But the form was small. He shook his head, as if trying to wake from a daze. Nope, still there. He swallowed, stepping closer to the bed. Maybe it was just his imagination. Yeah, that's right Allen, just your imagination.
With one quick tug, Allen pulled the blankets off the intruder.
Either his imagination was playing cruel, horrible jokes on him, or his enemy really was sleeping in his bed. In her nightgown, no less. No, no, no! This has to be a dream! Nothing else could explain it.
The lump in his throat was suddenly rather hard to swallow. He found himself staring at the sleeping girl. She looked quite cute in her human form. Did I just think cute? Her face was relaxed, mouth slightly open, one hand lying on her stomach, the other flung above her head. He inched his hand closer to Rhode, praying to God she would just disappear before anyone showed up. The last thing he needed was the enemy sleeping on his bed.
Before he could touch her, Rhode's eyes opened. Allen's hand paused above her face and his eyes widened. A horribly slow minute passed between them, eyes locked, silence hanging in the air. Suddenly, a smile graced Rhode's face.
"Allen!!" She shouted with glee, jumping from his bed and into his arms. The scene was quite familiar to him; she had greeted him similarly the last time they met.
"Rhode!" Allen began, anger and embarrassment boiling in his blood. Before he could continue, her lips descended on his. Again. It was much like the first time they kissed, a simple, quick touch of the lips. This time, however, Allen blushed. His brain reminded him that she was almost naked, in his bedroom and in his arms. This is bad.
"Allen, you're blushing! Did you think naughty thoughts while I was in bed?" Rhode teased, giggling quietly as she pulled herself away.
"Rhode, what're you doing here?" Allen absentmindedly wiped his lips, but not before he tasted candy? The blushing didn't stop.
"I wanted to see you," she said with a sweet smile. She noticed the boy had his guard up and that he had activated his innocence. "Na, Allen, I'm not here to cause trouble." She pointed to her pink nightgown as proof, "Or do you really think I'd come here in a nightgown to fight you?"
Still wary, Allen took a step back, "Then, what do you want Rhode? If someone finds you here there'll be trouble." He didn't want Link to think he was sneaking in women, much less a Noah, into his bedroom.
"I told you," Rhode whispered, noticing his worry, "I wanted to see you." She put her arms behind her back and smirked, "Actually, I wanted to ask you something."
Ask him something? Allen frowned, deactivating his innocence, "What is it?" He had to be dreaming. Why would his enemy come to him to ask a simple question? And wasn't he being too trusting?
A giggle, then, "Would you risk your life for the one you love?"
Allen blinked. So maybe it wasn't a simple question, but the subject made the scenario even more confusing. He opened his mouth to answer, but was cut off.
"And I don't mean your friends, Allen, I mean your special someone," she said, walking closer to him. "That someone that makes your heart flutter and your stomach knot."
"Uh," Allen stuttered. He didn't have someone like that, he wanted to say, but Rhode's eyes were demanding. He didn't want to fight, not now, and not against Rhode who proved time and time again a mystery. If she attacked the Order from the inside, he had no doubt she would cause major destruction. The Order had just recovered from the last attack so he needed to find a way to get her out. Quickly, if possible, and he had to keep her as pleased as he could.
His mind was so busy tossing around possible answers that he barely noticed how close Rhode had gotten. He peered down at her and felt his cheeks heat all over again. His stomach suddenly felt weird and his heart was pounding loudly in his ears.
That someone that makes your heart flutter and your stomach knot.
Allen blinked, cursing at his brain for the comparison. He swallowed, trying to force a smile on his face, "Of course I'd risk my life for… my special someone." He'd risk his life for anyone really.
Rhode nodded, blinking curiously at Allen. She knew he would answer that. Allen was too kind and pure not to answer something as cliché as that with a yes. Still, she found herself even more curious now. What if she were his special someone? Would Allen die for her, knowing they are sworn enemies? Was he the type of prince every girl dreamt about in fairy tales, willing to save his princess no matter whom she was or where she came from?
"What if your special someone was your enemy?" She couldn't believe how low her voice sounded, even to her own ears.
Sadness? Allen swore he heard a hint of sadness in her words. Was this really Rhode Kamelot? The girl who stabbed him in the eye upon their first meeting and nearly killed him and his friends the next time around? The girl standing before him seemed like an innocent school girl rather than a Noah. Observing Rhode, all defenses down, eyes glittering with question and doubt, made Allen's head hurt.
They were enemies, right?
That fact did not stop him though. It didn't stop him from gently cupping her cheek in his human hand and tilting her head back. Nor did it stop him from leaning down, pressing his lips against hers, and pulling her against his body. For just one minute the labels Exorcist and Noah melted away. For just one minute they remained sealed together, the world around them forgotten. For just one minute they kissed without regrets.
"Is that a yes?" Rhode asked, cheeks heating up despite the teasing. She reluctantly let go of Allen and took a step back, a door appearing on the wall behind her. She had only come to ask a question and now she didn't want to leave.
"Maybe," was all Allen answered. He tried hiding his blush – god he was doing a lot of that tonight – and waved, "You'd better go, Rhode." After a pause he added, albeit hesitantly, "And don't come back."
Rhode giggled, Maybe, ne Allen? She blew a kiss his way, waving goodbye to the boy, "I'll be back in your dreams, Allen~! Sleep tight!"
Just like that, Rhode vanished. Allen mumbled to himself and lied down, letting out a sigh. Just a dream, he tried convincing himself, just a crazy dream.
*
That night, in her own dreams, Rhode stood on a stage. Allen didn't look bad in tights at all, she thought. He reached out his hand, a lovely smile on his face, and laced his fingers with hers. She let him pull her into his arms; let him lead her around in aimless circles as they danced. When their lips met, her sleeping form smiled.
Allen was better than any fairy tale prince. He was good and pure; a little lost lamb, if you must. But Rhode knew, with a little guidance he'd choose the right road. And when that happens, she would be there to walk down the path beside him.
-----
Review, yes?
