Disclaimer: I do not own Pokemon or any of the characters
"Are you just going to stay quiet this whole time?" Blue asked as they walked home from the orphanage. He hadn't said a word to her for the rest of the night and she knew that he would have questions for her since he obviously heard her speak with the child. He was a straightforward man and she thought that he would ask her about her past.
"Do you want me to ask?" He raised a brow and she laughed bitterly at his response. Why couldn't he be a simple man that she could predict and read easily? She didn't understand why he was thinking of her feelings when they were supposed to be nothing to each other. "I may not know everything about you but I know you well enough that you don't want to talk to me if you haven't even spoken to Yellow about it."
"She's so innocent I don't know if I should talk to her about it," Blue admitted. Green didn't comment that an innocent person would be a part of a band of thieves since that would anger Blue. He had to admit that all four women were different from what he would think of vigilantes. "Do you need help returning the jewelleries for the boy? It'll be safer for you if someone comes with you."
"You have a special way of asking me on a date," Blue answered since she thought they were going to go into their familiar pattern of lighthearted banter. Even if she considered three weeks long enough for a bond to grow between people, she didn't know what could draw them together. She didn't want to entertain the thought of them becoming friends but couldn't deny that he was different from others.
"If I was really asking you on a date, I'll be straightforward about it." He pointed out and she knew that he was being honest. "I'm not going to joke about something serious like this. I'd like to think we can trust each other so I won't half ass anything or joke about helping you, Blue. If you need me, all you need to do is ask and I'll do whatever I can to help."
"As long as I help you find Daisy's killer in return," Blue couldn't help but let bitterness turn her voice cold. His words were pretty and she wanted to believe them but she knew that they weren't true. She had seen how sweet words could so easily turn ugly and hurtful. "Pretending to like me is more insulting than you actually telling me what you think of me."
"And you know what I think about you?" He asked softly. Hell, he didn't even know what she was to him. "I'm not going to act like I know everything about you but I feel as if you have a lot of baggage. Maybe that's what keeping you from trusting me and you're projecting a lot of things onto me which I find very unfair. I've been nothing but patient with you and the others."
"Don't act all high and mighty," Blue snapped at the mention of her past. How dare he suggest that she was holding back when he knew nothing about her? He was the one trying to use her friends and he dared suggest he knew more than he did. "You've done nothing but judge me and my friends. You've been civil to our faces but I know what you think of us!"
"I think that you're much too smart to be doing what you're doing out of plain friendship or obligation to Platina." Green told her but he doubted that she would believe his poorly worded compliment. Blue confirmed his thought by rolling her eyes and continue walking without addressing him. What could she say to that? What could anyone say in reply?
The one thing she was certain of was that he didn't know her past and that gave her an empty relief. If he didn't know about her past then he didn't ask her friends about it. She didn't want to worry them about her past or for them to think any less of her. She told them some things but she never felt safe enough to tell them everything about her past.
The fact that Green was trying to pry that from her irritated her and the fact that something inside of her wanted to open herself up to him confused her even more. She closed her eyes and remembered watching love bloom before it broke her brother. There were still a lot of things she needed to redeem herself for and even if she repaid for all of her sins she didn't know if she should risk getting close to Green.
"This is nothing more than an alliance of convenience." She whispered to herself but Green thought she was addressing him. It was a clear message to him, stay out of her past and stop trying to get to know her. But how could he leave things as they were now? Trust was something he needed to work with people but it was confusing with her. Sometimes she let him in and other times not.
"You said I was a good woman but what exactly did you mean when you said it? What did you hope to gain by saying that to me?" Blue stopped walking and voiced the question repeating in her mind ever since he said that to her. Only a few people had given her a compliment and she didn't think that Green would be one of them.
"What do I hope to gain?" He repeated as if he didn't believe she asked that of him. "I don't want anything from you Blue. You're already helping me find my sister's killer and I can't defy you since Missy tied my hand. Even if that wasn't the case, I wouldn't do something stupid like lie to you. I can't lie to woman that can easily out me for it."
"Just because I've told a lot of lies, it doesn't mean that I'll know instantly when one is told to me." She looked up at the night sky. The grey clouds covered the moon and stars so the only thing illuminating them was the street light. She didn't know if she should go on with the insecurities in her heart but the words left her mouth before she could decide.
"You might be saying a truth now but later it's going to turn into a lie. If you really knew me, you wouldn't say I'm a good woman and you'll take those words back the moment I tell you about myself. My brother once told me a truth that turned to a lie. He said that he would always be with me but he's not here, is he? That was the only lie he ever told me and it hurts."
That was the first full truth she told him, he knew that in his heart. He could hear the pain in her voice and swore beneath his breath. He once again found himself turning back to her like the first day they met. He took her arm and pulled her into his chest. She must've loved her brother like he loved his sister and he didn't know if she moved on from whatever happened to her brother.
His arms were secured around her but Blue felt as if Green was forcing himself to comfort her. Even as she told herself that, she raised her hands to clutch his shirt. She thought she hated him for a moment. He was pretending to care for her but she hated that she wanted to believe him even more. She could read people so easily but what she wanted to think of him was so different from what she did think of him.
"I'm only going doing this because you had a rough night," Green muttered into her hair and tightened his arms around her. She didn't know how she should respond to his harsh words. She had never been able to cry in front of others, so she only leaned her forehead against his shoulder. She couldn't remember the last time someone held her as gently as he was doing.
You don't know how wrong you are about me, Blue thought to herself. She knew that he pitied her when he had no reason to. But I'll accept this for now…
"I never knew there was so much crime in the world," Green muttered with disgust as he went over the files Blue stole from the jeweller. He couldn't help but remember that night and sighed to himself. It had been a couple days since then and it was an unspoken rule between them to not speak of that night again. The awkward silence after he stepped away from him was enough to tell him to not bring up the issue.
Green still couldn't believe he hugged her or understand why he did it. He didn't know if he would go back and change what he did since there was a tension in the air between them now. She still acted cheerful around him and made him join her missions but he felt as if something had changed between them. What exactly changed, he didn't want to know.
He tilted his gaze to Blue who was sitting on his couch, typing something in her laptop. He didn't know if it was for her job or for Missy but he thought better of meddling in her work. His phone rang and he went to answer it but Blue was quicker. She grabbed it off the coffee table and answered cheerfully once she saw the number on the screen. "Red, I haven't talked to you for so long!"
"When did you become such close friends?" Green twitched at her words. He gestured for her to return his phone to him but she leaned away from him and laughed at something Red said. "You can at least put it on speaker so I'll know what he's saying."
"Green's at work and he forget his phone." She said before she turned on the speaker. Green didn't know why she didn't want him to talk to Red but he had little choice but play along with her. "I was just going to go and give him the phone."
"He's not the type to forget his phone," she could hear the skepticism in Red's voice. When Green grinned at her, she threw a pillow at him. She wanted to see how much Red would tell her when he thought Green wasn't there. She wondered if he could be a future ally.
"Men in love are often forgetful," She evaded Red's silent question and Green rolled his eyes at her reply. "We've been so busy that he must've forgotten it. He has been staying up a lot lately so he's tired on top of being busy. He's just lucky that he has a wonderful girlfriend to think of him."
Green was tempted to grab the phone from her but that would make Red suspicious and he didn't want to involve his best friend. He didn't know why exactly she was pushing him but trusted that she wouldn't tell Red about what they did in the night. He quickly found a notepad and wrote a message for her. You're on thin ice Blue!
"But enough about me and Green, is there something you want to tell him? I'll give him the message," She offered and wasn't too surprise when he declined, saying that he would call back later. Even over the phone, she knew that he was holding something back. "Green talks about you a lot and I'm hope that we can become friends. You're a bodyguard for Missy, right?"
"Missy? You mean Lady Platina?" Red wondered how she knew the nickname only a few people called Platina. It started as something exclusive to Dia and Pearl but since she rarely gave out her full name, others had started calling her such. He remembered seeing her at the museum and told himself that she worked with his client so they must've known each other through work.
They talked about his work and Green sat next to her, thinking that he didn't need to worry about what she would tell Red. Her face looked relax as she spoke excitedly about the next exhibit they were planning. He hated to admit that he admired the passion she had for her work and wished more women were as passionate as her.
"I'm actually in town so I'll drop by and see you two," Blue almost dropped his phone when Red invited himself to their home. Green eyes went to the files on the table he had been looking over. His friend was an observant person and he didn't want him to raise any question. He knew that Red wanted to talk to him but denying him would raise just as much question.
Blue was going over what she should tell Red when Green opened and closed a door rather loudly. He stood next to her and held out his hand as he called loud enough for Red to hear. "Blue, I forgot my phone. Do you know where it is?"
"Actually, Red just called and I'm talking to him right now." Blue said sweetly but her eyes didn't hold the same light. She thought he didn't trust her and threw him a glare. She begrudgingly handed him the phone and forged boredom as she listened to their conversation.
"What's the occasion? You don't often call while I'm working so it must be important." Green notice Blue tilting a questioning gaze at him so he kept the speaker on. He wished he hadn't when Red asked him if Blue was still in the room. She sprang to her feet and stood beside him. "Blue, I'm going to go outside for a bit."
"I don't know if I should talk to you about this over the phone," Red admitted. "Do you remember that park we used to go to as kids? Maybe we can catch up at the café in front of it but only if you have time. If Blue's really staying at your house, your relationship must be serious. I don't want you to mess this up if you love her so you don't need to help me."
"You're my friend and I'm not going to abandon you," Green said with finality. Even if he did fall in love, he would help his friends. The hesitation in Red's words set something heavy on his conscious and worried about what Red could've wanted from him. He told Red not to bother himself with the Berlitz family but he was once again looking into his client's personal life to protect them.
"Love can make people do stupid things and I don't want to drag a man in love into this," Red voice was low. Green knew that guilt caused his voice to shake and wished he knew how to console his friend.
"You don't need to worry about me and Blue. My last class of the day ends at four so I can meet you at the café at five," Green offered and Red agreed much too quickly for his liking. His eyes met Blue's and he didn't know whose loyalty he should side with.
"We have half an hour before you need to meet Red so we might as well get some shopping done," Blue looked at her watch as they walked through the mall. She wanted to hear Red and Green's conversation but she doubted he would let her and she didn't know which café they were talking about over the phone. She lied and said she needed to buy something but intended to follow him.
"Why did you drag me along?" Green asked but thought that he already knew the answer. She didn't trust him and needed to watch him like Platina ordered. He also knew that she would most likely try to follow him to Red but thought that he could evade her. They've helped each other on a handful of missions now and he liked to think he developed some skills.
"So you won't have to lie to your friends." Blue answered, surprising him. "If he asks you about our 'relationship', you can tell him you took me out on a date. This isn't a date but it's close enough so telling him wouldn't be an entire lie. Now be a good fake boyfriend and hold my bags."
"Do you often tell yourself that when you lie?" Green muttered as he took her bag which was much heavier than he thought it would be. He didn't want to know what was in the bag but guessed that it was the disguise that she was planning to use to follow him. "Couldn't you have one of your friends help you shop? I'm sure they'll be much more willing than me."
"They do have lives, you know?" Blue knew that he was trying to push her away to meet his friend but she needed to know if Red would become a problem for them. If worst comes to worst, she would have to find a way to stop him from meddling with the Berlitz family. "Anyways, it's much more fun to be with you. The face you make when you're annoyed is too adorable to resist."
"I am not adorable," His brow twitched when she gave him the backhanded compliment.
"Let's take a picture and decide if you are!" Blue tugged on his arm and pointed to a photo booth. He couldn't believe there was still one at the mall since not many people used it. She tugged on his arm and pulled him into the small space without listening to his complaints. He told himself that it was a losing battle and he shouldn't fight her so swallowed his pride.
He watched her put in the amount due into the machine and pressed the options rather quickly. "It seems like you've done this before."
"Are you using another one of your twenty questions?" Her hand stopped for a moment and he shrugged. She thought it would be better for him to use all of his questions before he asked something too personal and told him. "I always liked to take pictures with Silver, to see how much we changed every year. We were kids and couldn't afford a camera so we just used these photo booths."
He could see the nostalgia in her eyes and knew she must've loved her brother. They both loved family and he was glad that they had that in common. He might not know everything about her past but knew she must've worked hard to give her brother everything he needed. He thought of all the times she interacted with the others and couldn't deny that she had a generous heart.
"Smile Green!" Blue hugged his arm and he barely had time to react before there was a flash. He didn't know how convincing his smile would be but did as she ordered. Why did she even want to take a picture with him? It was five minutes of his life he couldn't take back but he was sure that she wouldn't bagger him afterwards.
"Are you always so stiff when taking a picture?" Blue laughed before quickly kissing his cheek in time with another flash. He was shocked but she didn't seem to notice as she danced out of the booth to take the pictures. He touched his cheek where she kissed him and didn't know what to feel.
"What the hell was that?" Green said louder than he intended to as jumped out of the booth.
"It'll be unusual for you to not have a photo of your girlfriend," Blue pointed out and he thought that she only kissed him to create a believable lie. He was further shocked when she held up his wallet purse and placed the photos in them. "Only show them to Red if he asks you. If you open with them, Red will get suspicious."
"You stole my wallet?" Green patted his pockets and scowled when he found that it was missing. The moment he found himself liking the woman, she did something to make him doubt her. At least all of his money was still in his wallet and he looked at the photos. He couldn't find the one of her kissing him and didn't know why he felt disappointed. "I'll never understand you."
"How many times do I have to tell you that it's better that way," she reminded him and looked at her watch once again. "And right on time. You should start heading to see Red. I still have some things I need to pick up so I'll see you at home later."
She ran off before he could wave and he wondered how long it would take for her to follow him.
"You look like a mess," Red commented when he saw his friend. Green's clothes were slightly torn and there were leaves in his hair. He couldn't blame him for being worried since he looked as if he had been in a fight. He was able to shake off Blue and he was now out of breath but he wanted to respect Red's privacy since he wanted to speak to him alone.
"Just be grateful for what I do for you," Green muttered. Blue must've been determined to chase him through hell because he had to climb out of a bathroom window to escape her. He sat across from his friend and noted that the table they sat at was pushed away from the other tables. "It's been a while since we've eaten here. Did you already order?"
"I told the waitress that I'll call her when we decided," Red said in a low voice and Green raised brow at that. The man had the stomach equivalent of a black hole and for him to deny food must mean he didn't want anyone to overhear him. That made Green worry more and for once wished it was something miniscule he was worrying over.
"I was worried about where Missy was going I followed Dia to see if he would meet her somewhere. I know they're close and he would always try to protect her. Sure enough I saw him help her into a car but I couldn't follow them after that. I also looked into the locket you asked me about and I've been hearing rumors that it has been stolen."
"You already told me that when we met at the museum and I told you that it was probably nothing. Just let it be before you get yourself in too deep again." Green knew it was underhanded to bring up past events but knew he had to discourage his friend from searching any deeper. "They probably sold it off. If you accuse them without proof, you'll risk your job."
"But my job is their safety," Red pointed out. "If someone was able to break in to steal heirlooms, they're probably be able to do so again. And I don't think they're rumours anymore. I was checking some things at the police station and found a report about a mission mirror. The crest on the mirror is similar to the Berlitz's but the report was under another person's name."
"A mirror with a similar design is little proof," Green knew that the excuse wasn't enough to discourage his friend but he had to try. Red was not a stupid man but he was devoted to his work. Once he committed himself to something, he would not give up. What could he say without hurting his pride? "I just don't want to see you hurt again."
"It's not that bad," Red put his hand in his pocket discretely. "I'm not stupid anymore and I learned my lesson. I'm keeping my distance and using my gut so I won't get into trouble. It's obvious that someone was able to steal that mirror and I need to know how so I can stop others from doing the same. I don't want to go in alone so I'm asking if you can help me."
Green wanted desperately to say he would help but he couldn't risk involving him. Red might've found parts of the story but he didn't know what he would get himself into. "I'll think about it but until then I don't want you to do anything. Promise me that you won't."
"Okay I won't," Red reluctantly agreed even as his gut was telling him to pursue the rumour of the stolen Berlitz's heirlooms. But once he had more proof of someone stealing from the family he was assigned to protect, he would find that person.
"This is on the house, sweeties." They both jumped at the sweet voice. A waitress placed a scone in front of Red as she explained a secret admire bought it for him. Green eyes narrowed and tried to see Blue in her and sure enough her ocean blue eyes laughed at him. "Sorry to interrupt you but she was so shy that I took pity on her and brought it to you in her stead."
"Thank her for me please," Red took the scone and scanned the café but he couldn't see anyone watching them. He couldn't believe that he had a secret admirer but people had told him that he was oblivious to most women. The waitress left rather quickly and she didn't show any sign that she heard them so he told himself not to worry.
Green on the other hand had to worry about what Blue would do. He didn't doubt that she was listening and he didn't know how she knew where they were. Red was his friend and he wouldn't let him become involve with the vigilante group. "Red, you said that your gut tells you to pursue this but my gut tells me that it's dangerous. Drop the issue."
"I will for now." Red sighed.
I needed some fluff after writing some angst (for another project, not this one). I hate to do this twice in a row but I'm not going to have the next chapter ready by next week. I have three finals in a row for this week. But after that I don't have any more finals so I'll cram as much writing over the winter break and get my updates on track again ^-^