Notes: Written for The-Mocking-J, who gave me the prompt of "Stolen Kiss". Set a few years after Azran Legacy.
"I don't understand the appeal of those."
"That isn't saying much. Honestly, I doubt you eat at all, judging by how skinny you are. It's not healthy, you know."
"Just because you don't see me eat doesn't mean that I never do."
"Well... whatever! We don't come here every day, so I'm going to enjoy some of the delicacies that America has to offer while I can."
"I'd hardly call cheaply manufactured chocolate wrapped too tightly in foil a delicacy."
Hannah finished the argument by blowing a raspberry at Bloom and then marching off ahead. This was a usual tactic and she knew that he'd be able to keep up. They were both experts at this game and plenty of times had demonstrated that they were too swift and cunning to lose each other if they tried. Which Bloom had done many times at the start, only to fail with each attempt. For right now, however, Hannah's march told him that she was annoyed and wanted some space before they began their next session of bickering.
It was a Hershey's Kiss. Nothing fancy, but Hannah had heard talk of them from her travelled friends plenty of times in the past and yet had never been able to try one herself. By this point she had travelled much of the world herself, probably even more than the holidaying friends she'd left behind in her old life, but this was her first time in America. So when she'd seen packets of the chocolates on a shop display stand she'd had to buy one.
Bloom hadn't approved of course, but then he rarely approved of anything. It was always about the business with him. Just going from place to place to complete whatever job they'd been assigned to in their... perhaps slightly shady detective business. As much as Hannah had tried her best to prod him into living a little, it seemed to be strictly not happening.
Though she didn't let that bother her too much. He could be as boring as he wanted to be, but she was certainly going to make the most of each new place that they went to. After all, she was only going to live once, so might as well make the most of it.
She held the chocolate in her hand and began to unwrap it, by which point Bloom decided that the moment was right to speak up again.
"We were told to wait on the junction between these two streets for our escort," he droned.
"Yes, I know that. I do read the briefs," Hannah replied.
"Just checking," hummed Bloom, as infuriatingly as he could manage. At this point he knew better than to think lowly of Hannah's abilities or dedication to their tasks, but he didn't know better than to avoid teasing her; "That might be them over there."
Hannah turned her head in the direction that Bloom had pointed and scanned the crowd. There were so many people here. Parents, children, workers, students, everyone with a story that Hannah could never even know, but none of them looked at all like the description they'd been given of their escort.
"I don't see them," she said.
"My mistake."
It wasn't like Bloom to make mistakes. He was a calculating person. Any mistake he claimed to make was probably planned. The only mistake that Hannah knew for certain he'd made was underestimating Hershel Layton, which had changed his life forever. And, as a knock on effect, had ended up changing hers, too.
She peered at him suspiciously, but Bloom's gaze was focused on a point across the road. Hannah turned to look where he was staring and saw someone exactly matching who they were looking for waiting there.
"That's our lift, better get going then," Hannah prompted.
The two of them left together, minds focused purely on the task at hand now. Or at least... almost purely. It was two miles down the road when Hannah suddenly remembered the Hershey's Kiss and looked down into the palm of her hand. It wasn't there. Of course it wasn't. If it had been then it would have been nothing more than a chocolatey smear by now.
"Bloom... where did my chocolate go?" she asked.
"I have no idea. Did you eat it?" Bloom replied, as calmly as ever.
"No, I would have remembered that," answered Hannah.
"Then perhaps someone has stolen it. We can put it on the list of crimes we need to solve," Bloom dismissed.
"You beastly man! I know exactly who stole it!"
She reached across and started hitting Bloom with her handbag, ignoring the odd looks their driver was giving them in the mirror.
"E-evidence suggests... to the contrary...! You even... s-said so yourself that I... don't eat!" laughed Bloom, between each whack from the bag.
"And you picked a fine time to learn how! Honestly, I'll never trust you with anything else again. At least not until you buy me lunch to make up for this despicable crime," Hannah huffed.
"I would do anyway. Only the best for you," concluded Bloom.
For once, Hannah didn't know what to make of his words. But she decided they were at least good enough for her to stop her assault, so she retracted her handbag and gave him one final sharp glare, before averting her gaze to out of the window. All was forgiven. At least for this time.