Authoress Notes: You will be happy to know -- I think -- that I will be updating this much loved, much neglected Trinity Blood fic more. I'm listening to Requiem Inori right now, which is part of the soundtrack. I love it! ...Who else thinks that Ion's grandmother is a hag for letting her grandson take the blame for her supposed 'murder'? (Is outraged at this, and therefore keeps repeating it)

Claim: I own Azmarie and any other characters that might appear of my own cracked out creation.

Disclaim: I do not, however, own Trinity Blood. Sadface. D:

Secret Note: Yes, I got the idea for Azmarie's name from Azmaria, who is from Chrono Crusade. Which, by the way, the ending of makes me want to cry. And now, behold my (sad) attempt at trying to write a longer chapter to make up for my phail! at updating.

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Silence reigned through the air between the two of them for a few moments as Azmarie tried to stem the flow of tears that were sliding down her cheeks, and she hiccuped, trying to regain her breath. She wanted to burst into tears and ball her eyes out until she couldn't cry anymore to get all of this guilt for hiding so many things from them at the moment, but she couldn't.

Ion seemed surprised at her tears, and distinctly uncomfortable. "I-I'm sorry for making you cry." he murmured, and she stared at him, watery green eyes incredulous. He looked like he was trying to find the right words, and like all of the male gender, didn't seem very good at comforting a crying girl.

The thought made laughter bubble into her throat and she giggled softly, bringing his attention back to her as confusion filled his garnet orbs. "It's nothing, Ion." she said, pushing him away gently so that she could step away from the wall, and her back ached vaguely from the rough handlement, though she dared not voice it to him, for fear of making him feel even worse.

Thoughts of telling him how she actually knew Radu and she had a vague idea of where he was slipped from her mind as she glanced around, pushing brown ringlets away from her face to search for their two companions, who seemed to be missing from the vicinity. "Um...Ion?"

He blinked. "Yes?" he asked, pale blonde hair that looked like spun gold as it swayed to and fro with the soft breeze that smelled of impending rain. He caught the look of uncertainty and faint fear on Azmarie's face, and he frowned, confused. "What is it?"

"Where are Abel and Esther?" she asked, sounding like a lost child who had no idea where her parents had gone. Ion blinked twice before glancing around as well, also coming up short on where the two terran -- well, Abel was a Crusnik which was not a terran, but that was beside the point -- had gone. There was no sign or hint of them, and they both knew that they would be able to tell, as both of them didn't exactly have common colored hair. Esther's hair was like a bright beacon, and so was Abel's.

pNo flash of crimson or silver hair. No large black cloak that displayed the symbol of the AX division, or blue and white habit to be found. It was as if the two had simply disappeared into thin air. "We need to find them." said Ion, grabbing Azmarie's hand and tugging her forward with him. "And we can't use haste, so..."

"Walking it is." Azmarie concluded softly, glancing around. Ion was right when he said that they couldn't use haste to find their friends, because using that abnormal speed would not only drain energy, but also give away to the obviously terran crowds that they were Methusela. And if it wasn't apparent by the apocalyptic war that had gone on centuries ago, terrans and methusela didn't get along very well.

So...yeah. Haste was definately out of the picture.

And the fact that Ion was holding her hand wasn't at the top of Azmarie's list to worry about at the moment as she trotted after him, glancing around for the two that they had lost track of when Ion had pushed her against that wall.

'I feel really bad about lying to him...' thought the brunette, and she bit her lip worriedly, sharper than usual teeth threatening to bite into the flesh of her lip and spill crimson blood down her snowy colored chin. She relaxed, trying to shove the worry and anxiety of decieving the cute methusela boy to the back of her mind to fret over later, when she was alone. 'Ion...' Pale, delicate eyelids descended, and her eyes were hidden from view momentarily. 'I'm sorry.'

"There they are." said Ion, happiness tainting his voice as Azmarie was shaken out of her thoughts and she looked up, her eyes focusing upon the two that they had lost sight of before, and Ion tugged her forward, nearly yanking her off her feet as they reached them. Abel turned, looking surprised before he laughed and smiled.

"About time. We thought we had lost you two." he said, and he blinked upon seeing the two methusela's linked hands. "Oh my. Did Esther and I miss something?"

"Wha..." Azmarie was going to ask what the silver haired priest meant by that, but the fingers curled around her own reminded her of what he was hinting at, and she blushed crimson as Ion let go of her hand, his face roughly the same color as hers.

"A-are we going now?" Ion stumbled over his words, and Esther and Abel shared an amused look as Azmarie pouted and folded her arms over her chest, cheeks still pink. Ion was cute, that she would admit, but she didn't like him like that!

...Did she?

She had just met him, for goodness sake! She mushroom sighed, pressing a cold hand to her forehead. 'I'm starting to get a headache...' she thought, dark eyelashes clashing with her cheeks as she closed her eyes briefly before reopening them and following the trio back into the lavish hotel.

"This is our last night here, I'm afraid. So we'll be leaving for a train back to headquarters tomorrow morning." said Abel, apologetic smile on his face. "I'm sure Catarina won't mind the two of you." he added on as an afterthought when the two gave him an unsure look. Ion's was wary, seeing as he had been shot at by Tres, who's codename was Gunslinger last time he had been at the headquarters to talk to Catarina.

They entered the hotel, and Ion grasped Azmarie's hand, stopping the viridian eyed female as she was about to enter the room, and she pulled back, allowing Esther and Abel in first. Ion let go of her hand as she turned around, and she gave him a curious look as her head tilted to the side. "What is it?" she asked, and he averted his gaze, blush touching his cheeks.

"I'm sorry if I hurt you earlier. When I pushed you against the wall. It wasn't right of me, and I--" Azmarie pressed the index finger of her right hand against his lips, silencing the blond who watched her with wide crimson eyes.

Her own emerald eyes soft, a smile spread across Azmarie's carnation pink lips. "It's okay, Ion. I'm not angry with you, okay?" She reached forward, pecking his cheek in a soft, airy kiss before pulling back and turning to enter the room before he could see the fire engine red color of her face. His face turned a darker shade of pink that looked almost like a rose, and he followed her into the room.

Azmarie retreated to her own bed, and she covered up, not bothering to get into her pajamas. She rolled onto her side, back facing the bed that belonged to Ion as she stared pointedly at the wall. She couldn't believe that she had kissed his cheek, and she flushed at the thought. 'What did I just do?' she thought, and the sensation of giddiness in her stomach faded into more serious, forboding feeling, like a weight had been dropped into her intestines. 'I fear that...I might not have much freedom left. If they find me, they'll...'

The thought of what they might do to her was enough to sober the brunette, and she frowned, determined not to be caught and pushed back into that constricting cage ever again.

~*~

Ending Authoress Notes: How's that for length? Longer than I've been writing, huh? I'm glad that I was able to get this out. Hoorah!