Well, I wrote this Valentine's Day fic, but it's a bit late. Forgive me?
Instead of being a good author, I worked on this fic for four days instead of working on "Always a Walker." Which, by the way, is NOT on a hiatus or forgotten. I just hate this next chapter and can't write it no matter what I do. I've had a person try and help me get it done, and I'm very grateful, but I'm just very unenthusiastic about it. I'm considering just posted a chapter with no plot, just so you guys have something to read. Because I'm a horrible person. I think this is what they call, writers block.
But bad news aside, here's a fluffy Valentine's Day fic just for you. I've had a few people ask for more oneshots or dates between these cuties, so this is partially for those lovely readers.
I dedicate this story to Sarvajith for helping me with ideas for AAW and constantly reminding me to update ^-^ (No really, thank you Jithu! You always make my day :D)
Disclaimer: Just enjoy the fic. You already know I don't own anything in it. Well, I guess I own the plot, but that's beside the point. I'm trying to DISclaim the story, not claim it~
February 13, 10:05 pm
Allen wearily stepped off of the canoe and politely held out his hand for the finder to take. She smiled allowed him to pull her up to the dock.
"Thank you, Mr. Walker."
"Didn't I say you could call me Allen?" The finder blushed and nodded.
"A-Alright, Allen. Erm, do you want me to take the innocence to Chief Komui?" Allen shook his head and grabbed the case that was still in the boat.
"That's quite alright, Filia. You go enjoy your evening." Allen let go of her hand and bowed slightly, oblivious to the red staining her cheeks.
"Yo, Moyashi-chan! You're back! And just in time for Valentines Day!" Allen's cheery face suddenly became forced and a glint of annoyance shined in his eye as he turned around to see the source of the voice.
"Lavi, what did I say about my name? It's ALLEN. Would you like me to spell it out?" Lavi laughed and threw his arm over Allen's shoulders.
"Yeah, yeah, I get it Moyashi-chan."
"La-"
"But now's not the time. Lets hurry and get to the cafeteria! Tomorrow, Komui is locking Lenalee up in his office to keep her away from all the men in the order, so we have to go see her before she goes to sleep! She was so worried you weren't going to be back before Komui locked her up."
"I'll be down in a minute. I have to give the innocence to Komui first."
"Eh? Just give it to the finder." Lavi glanced at Filia, who was busying herself by tying the canoe to the dock.
"I promised I'd take it," Allen said with a frown. Lavi shrugged and plucked the case out of Allen's hand
"I'm sure she won't mind. Right?" Lavi held the case out for Filia to take and grinned cheerily.
"Uh, no, I don't mind." Filia reached out to take it, but Allen quickly rested his hand on hers and smiled.
"No, I promised. Lavi, I'm sure Lenalee can wait a few minutes. How about you go tell her I'll be there soon?" Lavi sulkily nodded and Filia's face burned bright red and she looked at the floor.
"T-Thank you, Mr. Walk-"
"Filia?"
"Um, A-Allen." Allen nodded and then left, lightly swinging the case.
"Moyashi-chan's such a gentleman," Lavi sighed.
"I heard that! My name is Allen! Get it right!" Lavi snickered and followed after him, leaving Filia to watch them walk away. Only when the boat begins to float away does she snap out of her stupor.
"Ah! Wait, get back here! Mr. Canoe! Wait!"
February 13, 10:38 pm
Allen frantically walked through the halls looking for somebody, anybody, that knew their way to the cafeteria. So far, he'd only seen a group of female finders who were sharing the weight of a large red bag and were whispering to themselves. When Allen tried to asked for help, they squeaked, and quickly ran away. Or, struggled down the hall, since they were all carrying one bag together. Allen watched them leave with a raised eyebrow and then sadly trudged on, waiting for someone else to help.
What didn't help was the loud rumbling that could rival a lion that came from Allen's stomach. The noise bounced around the halls like a call for help, but no one came, and Allen felt like he was going to shrivel up and waste away if he didn't get any food in his complaining stomach.
When he thought there was no hope for him, he resigned to trying to find his room instead. He was just too tired to spend the entire night roaming the halls. Suddenly, Timcanpy came flying down the hallway and rammed into Allen's head, knocking him over.
"Agh! Tim! Why did you do that? Where have you been? You left as soon as we reached the order!" Tim growled affectionately and rubbed Allen's sore forehead with his wing.
"Yeah, Yeah. Just help me find my room, will you?" Tim flapped his wings excitedly and circled Allen's head before flying a couple feet down the hall and stopping to wait for his tired master.
February 13, 10:38 pm Cafeteria
"Lavi, you said Allen-kun was here."
"He is. I saw him with my own eyes. I don't know what's taking him so long." Lenalee looked worriedly at the door of the cafeteria and bit her lip. Lavi snorted and lightly patted her shoulder. "You know Allen, I bet he's lost. This wouldn't be the first time." Lenalee giggled and poked Lavi's hand.
"You're right. He's probably really hungry and lost in some dark hallway." Lavi joined her laughter and removed his hand to pick up a cheeseburger.
"Ya know, Allen's going to have some difficulties tomorrow." Lavi commented.
"Huh?"
"Have you forgotten what tomorrow is?"
"Um, it's Valentine's Day, right? What does that have to do with Allen?"
"Just look at every female finder in the order. Allen's won over everybody's hearts."
"Eh? How?" Lenalee raised an eyebrow and looked suspiciously at all the girls in the room.
"Are you jealous?" Lavi asked with a mischievous grin. Lenalee looked back at him with surprise.
"No. Should I be?" Lavi's jaw dropped.
"Wait, you don't like Allen?" Lenalee looked very confused.
"No? I mean, I do, but I like all my friends. Is that weird?" Lavi ignored her question and sighed.
"I was so sure you did. How could I have been wrong?" Lenalee puffed her cheeks and flicked Lavi's forehead.
"You didn't answer my question earlier. How did Allen manage to win over every girl's affections?"
"Okay, well I guess not every girl, but pretty close. Allen's too gentlemanly. His politeness causes all the girls to swoon. How have you not noticed this, but I have?"
"Well you are a Bookman."
"That's irrelevant. You don't have to have my brains to see all the eyes look at Allen when he enters the room." Lenalee rolled her eyes and picked at her salad.
"So you think Allen's going to be swarmed by girls tomorrow?"
"I know it. I overheard a meeting going on here in the middle of the night while Allen was away on his mission. A bunch of girls are assigning jobs to each other. I know some girls are charged with making chocolates for everyone to give out, another group has to spy on Allen the whole day to make sure everybody spends their allotted time with him, and another group has been working on creating a new golem that takes pictures so that each girl can sneak a picture with Allen while they give him chocolates." Lenalee paled and her jaw dropped.
"Are you serious?" Lavi nodded sagely and took another bite of his cheeseburger.
"It's insane. The beansprout might not make it through the day without begging Komui for a mission. Of course, the perk is that he'll get all the chocolate he wants. He might have enough for a whole meal, but, you know his appetite."
"That seems a bit extreme. Are you sure you heard correctly? I mean, we're talking about Allen. He's the youngest one in the order! How could he have... attracted all the girls?"
"The kid's a ladies man. He just doesn't know it yet. That will change tomorrow, of course. Ooo, maybe Moyashi-chan will get a girlfriend!"
February 13, 11:09 pm
"How could I have been so far away from my room? The order is way too big," Allen complained to Timcanpy. He opened his door and shuffled over to his bed.
"Good night Tim." He kicked off his boots and wiggled into the covers, his eyes too heavy to keep open. "Ah, actually, Tim, could you go to the cafeteria and tell Lavi and Lenalee I'm sorry? Also, do mind getting a snack for me? Just bring it back and wake me up." With that, Allen dropped his head onto his pillow and smacked his lips, thinking of food.
What Allen didn't notice was the two pinpricks of golden light coming from the corner of his room. The golden dots seemed to watch Allen as sleep took him and then the lights grew bigger. Stepping out from the darkness of the shadows was a girl with spiky blue hair and dark skin. A wide grin painted her face and her delicate fingers wiggled in excitement as she slowly crept up to Allen's bed. Suddenly, two very long rope appeared behind her and snaked their way around Allen's wrists and ankles. Allen shifted slightly, but he was already sleeping, and didn't notice the ropes tightening and binding his appendages together.
A box that was shaped like a dice fizzled into place around Allen's sleeping body and lifted him up into the air. He moved again as the cool air touched his face, but a fuzzy purple blanket drifted over his body and bundled around him to keep him warm. Allen smiled slightly as he nuzzled the warm fabric. A faint giggle came from the girl's curved lips.
"Ne, Allen, sweet dreams," she whispered.
February 14, 8:16 am
Allen took a deep breath as he woke up from his dreams. He felt infinitely better then he did last night. Allen blearily open his eyes and blinked to remove the watery sleep from his eyes. He moved his hands, so that he could rubs his eyelids and stretch, but they didn't budge from their spot behind him. It wasn't long until Allen realized it wasn't natural to sleep with your hands underneath your body and your ankles crossed. His mind slowly woke up to join his body and he realized he wasn't in his room. Now alert, Allen looked around to try to figure out what was going on and where he was. His searching paused when he felt something squeeze his waist. Allen slowly turned his head to the left to see a sleeping face uncomfortably close to his.
Allen jumped and tried to roll the opposite direction, but he realized it was an arm that was wrapped around his waist. Two arms, in fact, that were holding him like a teddy bear. Allen gulped and looked back at the face. He gasped when it clicked in his brain.
"R-Road?" The thin eyelids open and gold eyes found his.
"Good Morning, Al~len." Road giggled and buried her face in Allen's chest. Allen blinked, momentarily shocked, before trying to wiggle his way out of her grip.
"Nuh uh, Allen-kun, you're mine for the day, so sit still and let me snuggle."
"Y-Yours? What are you talking about? Let me go!" Allen shouted, his voice rising with panic. Road sighed nuzzled his neck, tickling his cheek with her hair.
"Ne, Allen, do you know what day it is today?" Allen froze and slowly nodded. "Good. So you know today is Valentine's Day! And do you know what happens on Valentine's Day? Couples spend time with each other and go on dates." Road squealed and pulled her face out of Allen's chest. She grinned and stared Allen in the eye.
"So, for today, or longer if you'd like, you are my boyfriend and you have to take me on a date!" Allen's jaw dropped and Road giggled. She continued to surprise Allen by kissing his cheek gently and pulling him into a one-sided hug.
"I'm not your b-boyfriend! Road, let me go!" Suddenly the hug stopped and Road looked up at Allen through her lashes. Her bottom lip puffed out into a pout and her eyes sparkled with unshed tears.
"But Allen, it's only for a day. It'd make me really happy. I've been planning this for a really long time, you know." Allen shifted uncomfortably under her pleading gaze. He tried to think of something to persuade her to let him go.
"But we're enemies..."
"It doesn't matter. I lo~ove you," Road said as she kissed his jaw. Allen couldn't control the blush that colored his face. But as she hugged him again, Allen's face returned to his usual shade and a frown curved his lips downward.
"Road, I'd like to not hurt you. Would you please let me go? I won't attack you if you do. I promise." However, this promise did not sate the lovestruck Noah. Instead, she answered him with another question.
"Ne, Allen, how would you feel if we made a deal? I'll let you leave, if you'd like. Of course, there's a catch. If you leave, I'll just have to borrow one of your friends. I'm itching for a new doll, after all." Allen stiffened as Road smirked and traced loopy lines on his shirt. "So do you still want to go home?" Allen continued the silence.
"Good." Suddenly, Road sat up, dragging Allen with her. With out his arms to balance him, he wobbled slightly and then flopped back on the bed. Road giggled and sat him straight again. "I already asked Millennie to kidnap you, and I made him promise not to kill you today." Allen gulped and nodded slowly. "So what do you want to do today?" She hummed.
"Eh?" Allen didn't even know what to make of the situation, never mind planning a day-long date with his enemy.
"Aww, you're flustered in my presence! Don't worry, I've already planned the whole day out!"
"Then why'd you ask-"
"I know for a fact that Daddy has spent the past two nights making homemade chocolate for me, so we're going to have chocolate for breakfast! I'm going to have to sneak it here, because Millennie won't let me bring food in my room. It's never stopped me before, of course, but I can't bring you to the kitchen anyway, because no one else knows you're here. So Allen-kun, you wait right here, and I'll be back very soon with chocolates!"
"Wait-" Allen tried to get Road to untie him, but she had already run through her door. Allen sighed heavily as he pulled at the bindings on his wrists. Allen glanced warily around the room to make sure Road wasn't actually still there, watching him, and he tried to activate his innocence. Suddenly, something around his neck buzzed and a jarring bolt of electricity ran through his left arm, and he cried out, falling over again on the covers.
Allen gave himself a moment to breath and rolled his head. He hadn't noticed it before, but there was a metal band attached to his neck. A shock collar? He should have guessed Road wouldn't leave him by himself with his innocence intact, despite being tied up. Suddenly, a door appeared on the ceiling and Road fell out of it, landing on Allen. Allen grunted as her knees dug into his stomach. Behind her, candy rained from the door, landing around them, and occasionally hitting Allen in the head.
"Oww." Road laughed and grabbed a piece of chocolate.
"I noticed you tried to activate your innocence. Trying to get away?" She smiled and shoved the chocolate into his mouth. Allen choked on the sweet and Road watched with a fond smile as Allen struggled to swallow the chocolate.
"No, I was just trying to get out of these ropes." Allen said in a wheezy voice.
"Oh, so you were planning on staying? I'm touched! You love me!" Road hugged him and rolled around the bed, dragging him around until they both fell off the bed. Allen felt dazed until Road chuckled darkly.
"What's this, Allen-kun? Are you trying to make a move on me? Not that I mind." Allen blinked in confusion. Road poked his side and he realized how they had landed. Road way lying on the ground being flattened by Allen, who had landed on top of her. Her arms were around his neck still, and his right ear and cheek was pressed up against her chest. Allen gave an unmanly squeak and tried to roll away, but Road refused to let go.
"We could just stay like this~" Allen shook his head, desperately trying to hide the bright crimson that had blossomed all over his face. Road noticed anyway.
"Fine. I guess we can't let perfectly good candy go to waste." Road let go of Allen's neck and he scrambled away, wiggling awkwardly because of is tied arms and legs.
"Hey Road," He started, "Could you, um, untie me?"
"But you're so cute like that!"
"But I can't move."
"Yeah, well, that was kind of the point. I couldn't have you trying to run away the moment you woke up."
"Well, I'm not running away now, so can't you at least untie my arms?" Road beamed at him and crawled over to where he was lying on the floor a couple feet away.
"I suppose so." Road snaked her arms around Allen, as if she were hugging him, and blindly untied the knot while staring directly at Allen.
"Lets eat!"
February 14, 9:22 am
"Road, I'm full."
"Eh? Millennie said that you would have a monstrous appetite!"
"Have you seen how much chocolate we've eaten?"
"And?"
"It's a lot," he replied blandly.
"Well then, if you're done, I guess we should start our date?"
"Now? Road, I don-"
"Come on, Allen-kun, we're going to Greece!" Allen couldn't respond, as he was being shoved through a doorway that popped into place next to the bed. Road jumped in after him and they came out on top of a snow-capped roof. A chimney prevented them from rolling off the roof all together.
"Eeep! Allen, it's cold! Make me warm!" Road wildly dug the snow out from under Allen and tucked herself there in it's place. Allen was faintly amused as Road shivered and hugged him under his coat.
"Ahhh, your coat is warm." She paused. "You're warm." Allen flushed and looked away.
His arms were supporting him and keeping him from crushing Road, but she tried get into his jacket, so he was having trouble keeping himself elevated. Eventually, the snow caused his hands to slip and he landed on Road, just as she wanted.
"Hmm, speaking of your coat," She acted as if Allen wasn't crushing her and they weren't on top of a roof. "We need to get you a new one. We can't have you walking around in that thing, even if it is warm." She puffed her cheeks and nosed one of the silver buttons that was near her face.
"Yeah. Um, Road, would you let go? I'm crushing you..."
"I don't mind! You're warm! You can stay right there. I could just fall asleep." Road yawned and closed her eyes, a faint smile on her lips.
"Road! You can't sleep here! You'll freeze!" Road smacked her lips tiredly.
"I won't freeze. You're so warm~" She hugged his tighter and nuzzled his chest.
"But Road! We're on top of a roof! Where are we anyway? Road?" Road was silent and her eyes were still closed.
"Road?"
"Road, you're not actually asleep, are you?"
"Road!" The Noah would not wake up. Allen sighed and looked around. How were they supposed to get off this roof? Allen looked at Road again. She couldn't be sleeping, right? It had only been a few seconds.
He shook his head and carefully unwrapped her arms. As he stood up, he quickly took his coat off and rested it over her body, which he was happy to see was smaller than his. He knew he wasn't short.
Once she was properly tucked in and all the snow had been brushed away, Allen walked around the roof to find a way down. Unfortunately, they were three stories up from the ground, and nothing was high enough for them to step on. Then, Allen spotted a rope that was hanging over the street next to the building. The other building had a ladder that reached the ground and led to a pile of snow.
He searched for any other way to get down, but the rope seemed to be his only option. With reluctance, Allen shuffled back to Road and prodded her stomach.
"Road, could you wake up? I found a way to get down, but I can't carry you while you're sleeping. You might fall off." Allen said worriedly. A grin broke out on Road's face and her eyes opened.
"Anything for you, darling!" She pinched Allen's cheek and sat up. She pulled the coat off her lap and slipped her arms through the large sleeves.
"Er, yeah. So Road, could you..." Allen trailed off, and his face, that was already red with cold, lit up again.
"Yes?" Road pushed.
"Um, I need you to sidamahsholdrs." Allen mumbled. Road tilted her head and asked him to repeat himself.
"In order for us to get down, we have to walk across the rope over there, so I need you to...sit on my shoulders while I walk us across." Allen's head dropped and he covered his face with his bangs. Road smirked and patted his head.
"If you need me to~" Allen nodded and then crouched down next to her.
"J-Just climb on, I guess." Road practically leaped onto his shoulders and squeezed his neck with her legs.
"Er, please don't do that. I just need you to put your hands under my chin, okay? And don't move too much. I won't let you fall, okay?" Allen assured, perhaps himself more than her. Road was completely unconcerned, but she hummed her agreement as Allen shakily stood up.
"So you're going to walk across the rope?" Road asked in awe.
"Well, yeah. I've done it before; tightrope walking."
"Really? When?"
"When I grew up, I worked at circus. I met my father there, and he...taught me..." Allen trailed off into a somber silence, and Road thought it would be wise not to push it. Instead, she intertwined her fingers underneath Allen's chin and pinched her legs together. After making sure she was safe, Allen took a breath and took the first step onto the rope. After taking another breath, he took another step, and then quickly placed another.
Allen was way too focused to realize how close Road's thighs actually were to his face, nor did he notice the muffled giggling coming from the petite girl sitting on his shoulders.
Before long, people walking on the streets noticed the act going on above them. They cried out in various languages and pointed up at the sky. Road peeked down and grinned at the attention. Allen was quickly racing across, his arms held out beside him and he was leaned slightly to the right, since Road was looking down to the left.
When they made it to the other side, Allen practically leaped for the solid surface. He knelt down and allowed Road to get off before flopping over on his back, ignoring the cold snow. Road sat on his legs and cheered.
"That was so cool! Everyone was cheering for you!"
"Yeah. It reminded me of performing when I was little." Allen smiled fondly and sat up, ignoring the weight on his legs. "There's a ladder on that side, if you want to actually get to the ground."
February 14, 9:30 am
The unlikely duo had some difficulties getting down, despite the fact they only had climb a ladder. Really, it was rather embarrassing for the both of them. That's why it's been agreed to never speak of that incident again.
"Allen, I've got an idea!" Road said while latching onto Allen's arm.
"Yes?" Allen had given up on pushing Road away.
"It's a surprise, silly. Just follow me~"
February 14, 10:14 am
Road dragged Allen all the way to a warehouse that was at the base of a rocky mountain. After asking almost a hundred times, Allen had given up on knowing what they were doing. Road just smiled and continued to pull his arm.
"I think we're here!"
"Where is here?"
"Here is here!" Road responded vaguely. She bent over and took off her shoe, confusing Allen. Her action became clear when a folded bundle of money fell out onto her hand when she shook the shoe.
"What do we need money for?"
"You'll see." Road smirked as she put her show back on. Then, she snapped her fingers and a black cloth fell out of nowhere into her hand. "Ne, Allen-kun, can you do me a favor?"
"Perhaps?" Allen eyed the black cloth suspiciously.
"I need you to wear this over your eyes." Allen stepped back and gaped at her hand.
"Why should I? Just tell me what we're doing!"
"But that would be no fun~" Road pouted for a second, and then a haunting grin split her face.
"Ne, Allen-kun, sleep." Allen blinked once and then collapsed into the snowy ground. Road crouched beside him and expertly tied the black square over his eyes. When she poked his forehead, Allen shot up off the snow, complaining about the cold. But his complaints were cut off as he realized that he couldn't see anything.
"Why- Road!"
"Yes, Allen-kun?"
"Why did you blindfold me? I can't see anything!"
"That's the idea. Here, give me your arm and I'll guide you." Allen sighed and held out his right arm. However, Road ignored it and took his left arm instead. She didn't say anything when Allen stiffened, but hugged the innocence tighter and guided Allen to the warehouse.
"Hello Madam. Back again?" A man with a think, guttural accent asked.
"Yes Pierre, and I've brought a guest. He doesn't know what we're doing yet." Allen couldn't see, but Road winked and held out the cash. "This should cover it, right?" Pierre nodded and stuffed it into a pack slung over his shoulder.
"We happen to have one ready now. Would you like it?"
"Depends. What color is it?"
"Red, Madam."
"Perfect. Come on Allen, we're moving."
"Road, I'm so confused."
"Just wait a little longer." Road smiled, although, of course, Allen still didn't see her.
"Come this way Madam, Sir." Pierre, Road, and Allen slowly walked to the other end of the warehouse until they went through a doorway that went outside. Allen shivered as the cold air tussled his hair.
"Ne, Allen, do you want your coat back?" Road asked, a hint of concern showing through her tone.
"No, I'd rather you wore it." Allen smiled gently.
"So did you find yourself a boyfriend, Madam?" Pierre asked jokingly. Allen bit his tongue in surprise and stuttered nonsense while Road rubbed Allen's arm.
"Yup!"
"R-Road..."
"Come on, Allen, we're going on a date on Valentine's Day." Road raised up on her tiptoes, and whispered in Allen's ear, "At least for today." Allen's blush died down a bit as he remembered why he was in that situation in the first place.
"Today, I will be your guide. As almost everyone else is busy at the moment. Ivan here will be helping us, ah, begin." Pierre winked at Road and they -including Ivan- all looked at the blindfold covering Allen's eyes.
"Alright Allen, we're getting on. Watch your step, okay?"
"Getting one? What are we getting on? How am I supposed to watch my step if I'm blindfolded?" Allen asked with a hint of annoyance.
"Just don't trip? I'll help you." Allen inched forward until his boot hit the edge of a stair. After two steps, Road assured him he had done well and she followed him up the steps.
"Are you ready, Sir?" Ivan called from a few feet away. There were a few clicks and Pierre called back an affirmative.
"Clear." Ivan called.
"Are you ready Madam?" Pierre asked.
"Yes, we're both fine."
"Road," Allen urgently whispered, "What are we doing?"
"Nuh uh, I'm not saying until there's no way you'll back out of it."
"But what is it? This isn't very reassuring." Road giggled and took off Allen's coat.
"You'll need this," she said as she slipped on him.
"But Road-"
"If I get cold, you can just hold me." Allen groaned quietly and allowed her to fix his cuffs.
Suddenly, the ground, or what Allen thought was the ground, wobbled and Allen swayed. Road laughed and helped him stand straight and told him to hold on to something. Road put his hand on what seemed to be a very cold metal pole.
"Wha-" A gust wind came out of nowhere and stung Allen's face with cool air.
"I think it's time we took off the blindfold." Allen eagerly turned around for Road to reach up and untie the knot that kept the blasted thing on his head. When the black cloth fell, Allen's jaw dropped at what he saw.
They were in a hot air balloon.
They hadn't gotten very high up, but it was just high enough that if someone fell, they could probably die.
"Road?"
"Yeah Allen?"
"What are we doing?"
"Flying." Allen tried to take a deep breath to calm his nerves.
"I'm aware we're flying. But is this safe?" Allen asked carefully.
"Of course it is, Sir. Trust in my abilities; I'd be offended otherwise," Pierre assured.
"Just enjoy it, okay Allen?" There was an implied message behind her words. It's not like you can get off anyway. "Ne, Allen, I'm cold."
"I told you to w-"
"Hug me." Road pouted. Allen glanced at Pierre, who was politely staring at the scenery, and then pulled Road into his coat. She smiled and buried her face into the white button-up shirt he was wearing.
February 14, 11:21
Allen gratefully stepped off the hot air balloon and ran over to the wall of the warehouse to sit down. Road skipped after him and sat down in his lap.
"I don't like flying." Allen muttered.
"I enjoyed it."
"That's because you were curled up in my coat and staring at me the whole time."
"Yup," Road beamed. "So Allen, are you ready to move on?"
"What are we doing now?" Allen frowned.
"Hnnnn, how about we go shopping?"
"Shopping?" Allen involuntarily wrinkled his nose.
"Do you not want to?" Road's lip formed a pout and her eyebrows narrowed.
"If you want to I guess we can. What do you want to get?"
"Well, we need to get you a new coat, for one thing. I wanna get more chocolate, and we should probably have lunch too. I've got another idea, but it's a secret."
"Another secret?"
"Don't worry, we won't be flying. And then we need to have dinner together."
"This will be a long day."
February 14, 4:17 pm
The day had indeed been hectic.
Road had insisted on finding a new coat so Allen wouldn't have to wear his exorcist coat. After an hour of flitting from store to store, Road had completely replaced his outfit to something more casual.
Allen was wearing a black trench coat with a fur-lined hood. Because Allen insisted that he wore gloves, Road made him replace his thin white ones for insulated black gloves that blended in with the trench coat.
His pants and boots were allowed to stay, because they were both black, and Allen kept begging Road not to spend any more on him.
But not only did Allen beg her to stop buying him things, he had to stop her from throwing out his uniform. Road grumbled as Allen held the jacket and gloves with an iron grip. Eventually, she agreed to let him keep them if he allowed her to throw him into her dream world for the rest of the day.
A little after noon, Allen began to get hungry again, so they treated themselves to a gourmet seafood buffet. Road had teased him the entire time about his appetite, and she enjoyed shoving shrimp down his throat. Luckily for Allen's pride, they had reserved a private room to dine in.
When they left the buffet, it began snowing, and Road shivered and used the cold as an excuse to cuddle Allen. Allen let her, for the most part, but he tried to convince her to buy herself a jacket or maybe some pants, since she was simply wearing a white button-up and a dark purple skirt. He had to pinky promise two times to assure her he would still let her bury herself in his coat and hold his hand.
Road was eager to continue shopping, and ended up finding more than just a jacket and some pants. She bought a rainbow of dresses -telling Allen she was saving them for warmer temperatures- and a myriad of sweaters, shoes, and knee socks.
Allen tried to offer to carry the clothes as she bought them, but Road merely patted his head and threw the treasures into her checkered door.
As two and a half hours passed, Road finally found something vaguely warm to ease Allen's worries for her health. She replaced her shirt and skirt with a long purple dress that stopped at her ankles. Allen tried to say it didn't seem practical, but Road explained that it was common for the women to wear such a dress in the winter.
The dress was anything but simple. The sleeves were long and flowed down her arms and falling off her hand like a purple waterfall. The bodice was stiff and acted like a built-in corset, which caused Road to giggle and ask Allen if he liked what he saw.
Road was opposed to any dresses that poofed out like a tent, so this one hung limply against her legs. When she spun around, the skirt fanned out, turning Road into a temporary royal-looking flower. Allen averted his gaze as she flaunted her new dress, since Allen was too embarrassed to show his burning face.
Road had noticed this and smirked evilly as she loosened the strings around her bodice.
"Ne, Allen-kun, I need help. It seems I'm no good at tying knots, and the string has come loose. Can you re-tie it for me? You wouldn't want the dress to fall off, would you?" Allen stiffened and quickly rushed to her side to help her tighten the string and properly tie it. Allen's blush would not die down as he brushed her waist and leaned in close to her chest. He didn't want to, but Road was pulling him closer and purposely bumping into him to see his flushed face.
"Ah, thank you, Allen-kun!"
"Erm, yeah," He murmured quietly.
"So now that we've shopped and gotten you a new coat, I think it's about time we moved on to the next surprise."
"Please say you're not going to blindfold me again."
"I don't think would do much good anyway. Even without being able to see, I think you would be able to tell what we're doing." Road said with a disappointed sigh.
"So what is it?"
"You'll have to see for yourself." Road said with a wink.
February 14, 4:44 pm
While Road led them to their next activity, Allen's right arm rested on her shoulders and her left arm had wiggled it's way into his coat. Luckily for her, Allen didn't really seem to mind, and it was comfortably warm under there. Walking was a bit awkward, and the duo earned a few looks, but Road honestly didn't care.
As they approached a crowd of people, Road let go of Allen and added a bounce in her step.
"Ne, Allen-kun, can you stay here?"
"Why?"
"I need to get something. Just promise you'll stay right here." Allen shrugged and sat on a bench a few feet away. Road gave him one last glance before disappearing into the clowd.
Honestly, Allen didn't even think of trying to escape; It just didn't cross his mind. Instead, he just watched people walk by and enjoy some warm drinks. He blinked and realized most of the people there were couples, and his face warmed at the thought.
"Come try your luck!" Allen flinched at somebody yelling across the street. "Come try your luck! Get something lovely for your ladies! Just spin the wheel!" Allen raised an eyebrow and hesitantly walked over.
"Ah, lad, would you like to try a spin the wheel?" Allen reached into his pocket and found a small bundle of cash Road had stuffed in there.
"It depends on the prize."
"Ah, good question." The man gestured to the large wheel behind him. "First, you should know this is a game for you and your lover." Allen blushed and nodded. "Good. Now, you spin the wheel and if it lands on brown, you get two hot chocolates. If it hits the jackpot, you get to pick a piece of jewelry out for your loved one. You don't win anything if you land on red. Got it lad?" Allen smirked and passed him some money.
"Will that cover it?" The man chuckled and politely gave back the extra.
"You must be foreign. That was quite enough. Go ahead, Sir." Allen noticed the man had switched from using lad to Sir.
Studying the wheel for a moment, Black Allen came out and the man warily backed away at the frightening aura surrounding the white-haired boy. Allen spun the wheel and he watched with a growing smirk as the wheel slowed down.
He had to resist cheering when the wheel stopped and the pointer landed on the jackpot.
"Congratulations, Sir, you hit the jackpot! No one's gotten it today! Come on over here and pick out a prize for your lady." Allen smiled cheerfully and followed the man to the corner of the stall. He pulled out a glass display case and set it in front of Allen.
"Pick something from here. Anything you want." Allen studied the jewelry intently.
Cross had never needed Allen to get any jewelry for him, and Allen had never had a girlfriend, so he wasn't quite sure what Road would like.
"I'm afraid I don't know what to choose."
"Who's your girl?" The man asked with curiosity. Allen looked around, but didn't spot her in the crowd.
"Well she went to go get something, so I don't know where she's at."
"Then what does she look like?"
"Erm, well she has soft, spiky hair. It's kind of blue, but it has a purple tint, so it looks almost indigo. She's rather short and she's wearing a long purple dress. I had to convince her to wear it, since it was way to cold for her to go out in merely a shirt and skirt.
"She's very childish and stubborn, but she's rather cute all the same. She's the type of person to jump on your back and then mess with your hair when you least expect it. Sometimes, she'll try to control you, and keeps secrets, but it's all for one big game she cooks up just to have some fun." Allen stopped when he realized he had trailed off into a rant.
"That was bit more than what she looks like." The man winked. "I assume you're speaking of Mistress Road?" Allen tilted his head and nodded.
"Mistress Road frequents this place with her uncle, Master Tyki. Their family is the reason this town has been able to attract so many tourists. We used to be a quiet mountain village, but the Kamelot's came and fixed everything up and started bring in business. We're indebted to them." Allen inwardly scowled when the man said the word "debt," but he made sure not to let it show. Meanwhile, the other had started to study the case.
Eventually, he hummed and picked up a hair clip. The hair clip was a bundle of flowers made entirely of amethyst and wire. The amethyst was finely carved, and almost as delicate as a real flower.
"I think this would best suit Mistress Road." The man carefully set the hair piece into a box and handed it to Allen. "You treat her right, got it lad?" Allen smiled as the man grinned back.
Allen waved and walked back to the bench while putting the box into his pocket. Just before he sat down, a large weight slammed into his front and knocked him over. When he looked up, he was shocked to see a very upset Road who looked close to tears.
"You jerk! I said stay right here, but you just had to go and try to run away!" Allen's jaw dropped as Road weakly hit his chest. "You promised you would stay for a whole day." She sniffled.
"R-Road? What are you going on a about? I didn't try to run away." She looked up and narrowed her eyes.
"But I got back and you were gone!" Allen sighed and reached into his pocket.
"I was going to surprise you with this, but I guess it's too late now." Allen carefully opened the box and showed it's contents to Road, who faintly gasped.
"I just went over there to play a game. If I hit the jackpot, I'd get a present for you. Of course, I never lose a challenge, so I went to go win you something. The man there helped me pick out something for you, since he knew you. I wasn't running away, Road. It didn't even pass my mind." Road smiled faintly and then hugged him tightly.
The crowd around them cheered as they made up, and Allen's cheeks exploded into a vibrant red.
"Thank you, Allen-kun," She whispered.
"Yeah. But Road, can we get up? Everyone's staring."
"No. I'm proving you're mine," She said as she squeezed harder.
"Okay, but it's getting difficult to breathe," Allen stuttered. Road giggled and sat up, still straddling his lap.
"So, what did you go get?" Allen asked as he sat up too.
"Ice skates!" Road pointed to her left and Allen saw two pairs of skates leaning on each other. "That's the surprise!" Allen laughed nervously and eyed the skates.
"Is it?" He asked weakly. Road smirked.
"You don't know how to ice skate." She stated.
"W-Well..."
"This will be fun!" Road jumped up and ran over to the skates.
"I'm sure it will be." Allen sighed.
February 14, 4:58 pm
Road had to pull Allen off the ground multiple times after he got his skates on, even before he got on the ice. Road almost had not stopped laughing since Allen first stood. The ice was a hundred times worse. Allen clung to the wall with his life while Road skated backwards beside him.
"Aren't you just so cute, Allen-kun?"
"Only you would say that." Allen grumbled as he slipped for the thousandth time.
"But its true! Here, Allen, will you hold my hand and skate with me?" Allen hesitated slightly and blushed when her hand entwined with his. It took much convince to get Allen to even let go of the wall. When he did, Road skated in front of him and took his other hand. As she skated backwards, Allen stood stock-still and allowed her to pull him around. Other people thankfully avoided the couple, giving them space to maneuver. Road giggled constantly and commented over and over again about how the snow was all over his hair and that he had ice on his butt from falling.
The snow that had started after they went to lunch began to get heavier. The center of the ice rink was untouched by people, and snow began to pile up, but the paths of the skaters stayed unblocked.
After an hour of struggling to learn, Allen eventually learned to keep his balance and hold on to only one of Road's hands. She started to skate beside him instead of in front, and gripped his arm to cuddle.
Allen complained with Road when all skaters were told to get off the rink so that they could remove the snow that had piled up and polish the ice. They both stood right next to the entrance of the rink so that when people were allowed back on, the were the first there.
Road was excited when Allen was finally able to skate on his own, though she didn't let go of his hand for a second. They both sped up, and then they were passing everybody.
Their fun was interrupted when they began to turn sharply. The ice was rough in a particular spot, and it caused the both of them to fall over. Allen suddenly went into protection mode and grabbed Road before she could hit the ice, talking the fall all for himself.
"Ouch." He whispered. Road looked at him with wide eyes and fussed over him.
"Are you alright, Allen-kun?"
"I'm fine, Road, it's just ice." Allen smiled and ruffled her hair playfully. His eyes widened when he caught himself, and he bit his lip so that he could try and fight off the red that was coloring his neck and appearing on his cheeks. Road grinned and hugged him.
"You caught me." She whispered happily.
"I did. It was just instinct, and I didn't want you to get hur-" Allen stopped himself and the red darkened to a deep crimson.
"You're ruining the moment." Road chuckled and then pressed her lips against Allen's.
Allen froze in place, but not because of the cold. In fact, he was feeling a bit hot. Everything around him became a blur, except for the girl right in front of him. She blocked out anything that would have normally distracted him, like weight of her body pressing against his or the coldness of the ice that was freezing his body.
A wave of electricity ran between them and warmed his face. Road's dainty lips shifted, molding to his better. Without a thought, Allen responded and moved with her, liking the way the movement made everything seem a bit hotter, and the cold slowly disappeared.
A bubble of laughter rose out of Road's throat as she broke the kiss. Her eyes were hazy and a satisfied smile graced her face.
"Maybe this isn't the best place to do this?" She gestured to the red faced skaters around them that were trying their hardest not to look. For once, Allen laughed with Road and helped her up. They skated to the exit with their hands still connected.
"Where would the best place be?" Allen whispered after a while.
"Tell me, Allen-kun, are you hungry?"
February 14, 7:02 pm
The sun had gone down just as they found an Italian restaurant a few blocks away from the ice rink. With just a glance from the waiter at the door, they were immediately escorted away. Road smiled and grabbed Allen's arm as they were led up a flight of stairs and into a room with only windows for walls. The waiter bowed and left them to sit at their table.
"Daddy built this restaurant and personally hired each person here." Road explained. "This is my favorite table in the whole place, so it's always left open for me and whoever I bring. I wanted it to be a balcony, but Daddy said it got too cold in the winter and made this instead."
"Who's your father?" Road gasped and dramatically covered her mouth.
"That's right! You haven't met Daddy yet! Daddy is Tyki's biological brother, and also the Noah of Desires." Road explained. "Oh, but Daddy is my actual father. He just adopted me into the Kamelot family because he thought I shouldn't have to stay locked up in the ark all the time. Plus he thinks I'm the cutest daughter he could ever have." Road stopped to chuckle. "If he knew who I was with right now, he'd probably rip your throat out and literally crush your heart." Allen shuttered at the thought and gently patted his chest.
"I think I'll pass. I've already had one of your family members puncture my heart." Allen responded lightly.
"Tyki was just doing his job." Road couldn't help but grin.
"Doesn't change the fact it hurt like hell and almost killed me."
"Ah, but he didn't."
"Only because of my innocence."
"Minor details." Allen laughed and shook his head. Then, a women came in holding a notepad and pen.
"May I ask what you'd like to drink?"
"Earl Gray, please." Allen spoke.
"I want the usual." Road smiled as the waitress nodded and left again.
"What's "The Usual"?"
"What's Earl Gray?" They both laughed. "The usual is a mix of juice and italian soda, because Daddy won't let me drink alcohol." Allen raised an eyebrow at that.
"How old are you, Road?"
"Don't you know it's impolite to ask a woman's age?" Allen looked at his lap and fidgeted with a napkin until Road laughed again. "I was kidding. We'll just say I'm older than you think."
"How old do I think you are?"
"Fourteen," she grinned.
"I guess I learn things about myself everyday. Because I was pretty sure I didn't know that."
"Then how old did you think I was?"
"It never passed my mind. Did you ever think of how old I am?"
"I already know how old you are."
"How did you find out?"
"Millennie told me." Allen found that a bit creepy, but he chose not to mention that. "Although, he didn't have to tell me. I would have found out on my own."
"Really?"
"Yup. Because I never stop thinking about you." Allen choked on his next breath, and luckily enough, the waitress had arrived with the drinks. She frantically set down the tea cup and Allen quickly took a sip.
"Hnnn, was that surprising."
"You might say that." Allen said as he hid his face.
"So may I take your order?" The waitress looked to Road first, since Allen was still recovering from Road's embarrassing confession.
"I want the Spaghetti Aglio de Olio." Road asked, not even glancing at the menu. Allen looked at his menu and ordered the first thing he saw.
"I'd like the Alfredo Fusilli Bucati, please." When the waitress left, Road quizzed Allen.
"Why didn't you order more? I know you can eat more."
"You've already bought me new clothes and since you're buying dinner, I couldn't ask you to pay for more than a normal serving."
"But Allen, you need to eat! That's unhealthy!"
"Don't worry about it Road. I can just eat back at the Order. Jerry's probably crying his heart out since I wasn't there for breakfast or lunch." As Allen finished speaking, the conversation went sour as they imagined having to say good night and going back to their homes.
Allen sighed, and decided he should take Road's mind off of the subject. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the box.
"You know, you never put this on." Road genuinely smiled and her eyes followed Allen as he knelt next to her and clipped the amethyst flowers to her hair.
"It's beautiful." Allen whispered. Road giggled and kissed Allen's forehead.
February 14, 7:34 pm
The food had taken a while to cook, but Allen and Road found it was easy to keep up a conversation until the food arrived. Allen was eager to finish his food, and it wasn't long before it was gone. Road took her time, preferring to talk to Allen. At one point, she invited Allen to take a bite of her food.
"It's delicious. You should try it." She sloppily swirled the spaghetti around her fork, but the pasta was loose and falling off. Allen looked at it and chuckled.
"I can use my fork Road, no worries."
"No, you have to use mine," Road insisted as a dangerous spark lit her eye. Allen raised and eyebrow and hesitantly took a bite, despite the pasta that was hanging out of his mouth. Road smiled and quickly wrapped the other end around her fork. Allen's eyes widened when she slurped the spaghetti, revealing that they were now connected. Road smirk at his face and leaned closer, devouring more as she leaned in.
Just before she got close enough to press their faces together, the noodle broke and she groaned in complaint.
"Umm, oops?" Allen whispered. Road pouted and glared at him.
"Just kiss me, dammit." Somehow, Allen complied, and he initiated the kiss at her command.
Road felt like grinning at her success, but her mouth was too busy at the time, and she wasn't willing to stop. Instead, she focused on improving the kiss and licked Allen's bottom lip, inviting him to open his mouth for her.
Allen couldn't contain the redness that stained his skin when he shyly allowed Road to do what she wanted. The moment his lips parted, Road nimble tongue slipped in, pulling Allen's into a heated dance.
Wanting to get closer, Road slowly stood up and walked around the table, sliding onto Allen's lap. She guided Allen's hands to her waist and then wrapped her arm around his neck.
She was delighted to taste the sugary sweetness she'd gotten a sample of at the ice rink. She realized that the flavor of his mouth was a thousand times sweeter than his blood could ever be, and it pleased her to know that she was the only one aware of that fact.
Allen was lost in her touch, and he never realized that Road had even moved onto his lap. He was pulled out of his mind when he felt himself pull Road closer to him, though he didn't remember telling himself to do such a thing.
The electricity from before had come back, but this time, instead of lingering at their lips, it spread all the way to his fingertips, that were now gripping the side of Road's dress. His neck burned with energy as he felt Road's hands rest on his shoulders and fold around the back.
The hottest thing was the wet object that had slid in past his lips. He was scared to meet it with his own, but Road bypassed his hesitation and played with his tongue like he was another piece of candy she could consume.
For several minutes, they stayed like this, hardly moving aside from the sensual touches between the both of them. Allen had become light-headed, unable to continue without oxyen, and Road seemed to be in a similar state. She didn't want to stop, but Allen pulled away with a gasp, trying to take in all the air he could. Road pouted and attacked his jaw, refusing to let him go.
"Road," Allen whispered. His left hand moved away from her waist to stroke her hair. Sensing that Allen wasn't going to continue their little session, Road sat back, giving one final peck on his lips.
"I don't want you to leave," Road whispered back.
"Honestly, neither do I." He smiled and ran his gloved hand through her bangs.
"Then you'll stay with me?" She pleaded.
"You know I have to leave. The order will be worried and begin to search. I'll be charged with heresy, and possibly executed. I'm already under inspection for being the Player." Allen grimaced at the thought and sighed.
"That's unfair." Road frowned. She fiddled with one of the buttons on his coat; unbuttoning and rebuttoning it.
"That's how the Vatican deals with traitors."
"You know the Earl wouldn't execute you for falling in love with the enemy. He had no problem with me going on a date with you. If you came back with me, you wouldn't even be my enemy."
"It goes against everything I stand for, Road. I promised someone I'd never stop walking and that I'd follow my own path. My path is to save all the Akuma. The Order is the quickest way to completing that goal."
"So you're just using them?" Road asked, amused.
Allen smiled wryly. "Basically." Road snorted and caught the hand that was resting on her head.
"You made that promise to your father, didn't you?" Allen froze as Road stared at the black glove Allen was wearing. "Millennie told me how he met you. It's how you got your curse." Road looked up at Allen's face and brushed the pentagram with her thumb.
"You're not wrong." Allen murmured.
"Is there no way I could convince you to come with me?" Allen pondered her words. He wanted to answer honestly. Was there a way to join the Noah and still reach his goal? Road spoke again before he could answer.
"What if I told you what the Three Days of Darkness will bring?" Allen became alert and frowned.
"I'm sure the Earl wouldn't be happy if you told an exorcist your plans."
"The Earl doesn't matter. You need to know." Road sighed and took Allen's glove off, holding his innocence gently in her hands.
"The innocence has always been a weapon for God's warriors. That is no lie. But it was made for the purpose of cleansing souls and releasing them from sin. Akuma are not the only one's with souls, Allen. Humans have them too. And they are wrapped in just as much darkness as an Akuma is.
"7000 years ago, the world was washed away in a flood under God's will. He chose the Noah family to survive and watch over the world as humans repopulated the earth. There was no sin, until people found the innocence. Because there was no sin, the innocence had no purpose. People used it only for gain, and sin came once again. Innocence was God's power, and power meant greed. The Noah's were tasked with eradicating the sin that had bloomed once again.
"But the Innocence had found human's to bond to, and these humans were already corrupted by the sin. The Earl was forced to fight against the warriors of God to try and save their sinful souls. Thus, a conflict erupted, and God's soldiers were divided between the apostles of Noah and his Warriors.
"The souls you see from the Akuma are no different than human souls in life. The Earl only uses these because they have already passed on with corruption in their hearts. By giving them a chance to fight, he is only saving them from an eternal, torturous death in hell.
"When the Three Days of Darkness comes, Innocence will be gone, and the world will only have the true God to turn to. Greed will no longer poisen their minds, and every soul will be saved. Believe me when I say this Allen, we are the True Apostles of God, and your path leads to us, if you wish to continue. I want you to be happy, and if the way to be happy is to fulfill your promise to Mana, than we are your best choice." Road's grip on his hand had tightened as she spoke, but Allen didn't feel anything. His mind was overwhelmed with the new information.
"Road, I..." Allen trailed off, unable to complete his sentence. It was a lot to wrap his head around. "Road, if I was to join you, I don't think I could stand to watch the souls suffer when I have the ability to save them."
"Then that's all the more reason to help us find the heart and begin the Three Days of Darkness. Please, Allen, join us. Join me. The Earl will welcome you wholly. You don't have to be afraid of change." Allen shook his head.
"Then why do you go out of your way to kill innocent people?"
"That's the point, Allen. They're not innocent," Road answered patiently, "They are suffering. We start wars and conflicts so that we can release them from life and then free them from hell. Our goal is to save the souls, Allen; It's the same thing you want." Allen looked down and covered his eyes with his bangs. Too many thoughts were running through his head.
Suddenly, the thoughts were interrupted when Road gently lifted his head and planted a sweet kiss on his lips. It was pleading and sad, causing Allen's heart to squeeze with guilt.
"I-I think I'll do it."
"You will?" Road asked, a ray of hope lighting her face.
"Yes Road, I'll join you in this fight to save the tortured souls of the world. I'll join you." Allen whispered the last part and gave Road a sweet kiss like the one she had bestowed upon him. Road hugged him tightly and buried her head in his neck.
"I love you Allen."
"I love you too."
End.
Whew. That was intense. All that serious stuff at the end was made up on the spot. I wanted the story to have a happy ending, but I didn't want them to just go home with a promise to meet again. I thought it was kind of sweet, but when I reread it, I feel like banging my head against the wall. It doesn't match the fluffiness in the rest of the story at all, but whatever. You can complain if you want. *shrugs*
Mostly, I just hope you enjoyed reading this! Drop a review if you want to make my day ^_^
Abyss-chan out~!