Day 10 - Laugh

Warning ahead for second-hand embarassment.

"Just... Leave me alone for a while. Please."

Edward stared at his friend, brow creased in worry. Every now and then, the blond had a tendency to pull himself back into his little bubble, but this was the first time he had indirectly told him to go away.

Sure, he actually just said he wanted to be alone, but the brunet certainly took it that way. Leonardo sighed, shaking his head at the hurt expression on the other's face. The archer had halfway expected for the myrmidon to be mildly peeved at the statement, but he certainly didn't expect the kicked puppy look. But he resisted, turned away and walked off to his room, closing the door almost silently besides the squeak of the hinges.

"What's his problem?" Edward muttered, crossing his arms and pouting. The slightly introverted behaviour of his partner was normal, but never this much... Maybe something was bothering him? If that was the case, what exactly was bothering him? He had to get to the bottom of this-

And if he couldn't, the least he could do is cheer him up.

Because that's what best friends do, right?

Knock, knock.

The blond looked up from where he had collapsed on his bed to think, glaring at the door. Before promptly re-burying his face in his pillow, hiding under the sheets. Perhaps a 'go away' would be fitting, but that would be terribly rude. So he opted to remain silent instead.

Whoever was outside knocked again.

"Hey, Leo!"

Edward, of course. Then again, he could've thought that the brunet would insist in not leaving him alone, much to his irritation. But once he had set his sights on something, he wouldn't let it go. So, he got up, painfully slowly and stretching, before dragging himself over to the door, hoping Edward would've left while he was stalling and moving at the speed of a snail. Or a very fat bird.

No such luck, of course. Leonardo squinted at the cheeky grin on the other's face, before groaning and slumping back off to the bed and collapsing on it in a heap. The brunet followed, seating himself next to him, much to the blond's annoyance.

"Sure you don't wanna talk about it?"

The archer muttered something through his pillow which sounded suspiciously like a 'no'.

Edward simply tilted his head. "Come again?"

"Not now Edward. Just... Wake me up when it's dinnertime. I'm tired." Silence, before the weight next to him lifted itself off the bed with a creak.

"Alright." Said brunet whispered, before closing the door softly, as to not disturb his friend.

At least he had some sense of personal space. But Leonardo felt oddly... Hollow, after sending him away. Shrugging it off, he curled up under the sheets, drifting off into a light, but dreamless, sleep.

Edward would be back later, he was sure of that.

"Leo, buddy! Dinnertime!"

Warily blinking the sleep out of his eyes, he sat up with a groan and squinted at the door, where a particularly impatient brunet was waiting for him to get up so he could drag him off for dinner. He knew it. Rolling out of bed and landing on the floor with a thud, the lethargic and spacey blond hauled himself to his feet, rubbing his (somewhat numb) face. Edwards put a hand on his shoulder to keep him from diving back on his bed or toppling over. Leonardo wasn't sure if he should be thankful or annoyed.

Moments later (which actually was because of Edward dragging him to the table as soon as they were out of the room), the two were sitting among the rest of their company. The meal for today was a vegetable stew of some sorts, not much, but still better than nothing. Not to mention that it was made by Micaiah and Laura, with help from Aran (who was a surprisingly good kitchen helper).

Pretty much everybody dug in eagerly, although some with more refine with others.

Dinner wasn't too loud, as always, besides the usual friendly banter and casual conversation. Edward lightly elbowed Leonardo in the side to gain his attention.

"Am I Micaiah? Because I see a future ahead of us." he whispered, with a grin plastered onto his face. The other blinked. Micaiah glanced over at them briefly at the mention of her name, but shrugged and went back to her conversation with Meg.

Edward didn't stop with the seemingly random sentences there. "Hey, I need to raise my sword level. Mind if I practice on you?" Blue eyes narrowed slightly at him in suspicion.

"What on earth-"

"Are you an interior decorator? Because when you entered, the whole room became beautiful."

"Edward, what-"

"Hold on, I got another one. What did Ike say when Haar told a joke at his expense?"

"What."

"Haar, Haar, Haar." Jill's head whipped around at that one, a smile barely repressed as she tried to not laugh and keep a straight face.

Then Sothe spoke up. "Well, I have to say, with that big mouth of yours you might as well block axes with your face." This got an embarrassed splutter from Edward and a snort from Nolan.

"Oh c'mon guys, this is a private conversation here!" he yelped in response, gesturing at a still very confused Leonardo. Poor, oblivious Leonardo.

"Sure, if private conversations include throwing horrible pickup lines at the poor guy!" Somebody- Probably Aran, still in the kitchen- yelled. How on earth had he even heard all that?

I think we can agree that he may or may not have eyes at the back of his head. Zihark was quietly snickering to himself at the entire situation.

That's when it all dawned upon the archer as his blue eyes widened fractionally, before narrowing and staring at Edward.

"Were you honestly trying to cheer me up with pickup lines, of all things?" he asked, expression dangerously neutral, one eyebrow raised. The brunet nodded meekly. The inhabitants of the room grew quiet, to see what happened next.

The blond's shoulders started shaking, while he covered his face with his hands. Edward's eyes flickered back and forth between everybody else, the ceiling and his friend.

Oh gods, did I fuck up?

"Pff..." The blond trembled again, before-

Bursting into full-out laughter, tears of mirth brimming in his eyes. The other's could've sworn he had snorted.

"Of all the idiotic things you've ever done, this takes the cake, Ed. How on Earth did you even think of those?"

Blinking blankly, the brunet stared at his companion. Before cracking a grin and chuckling bashfully as well.

But he was glad he managed to cheer his friend up.

Soon, the contagious laughter spread throughout the entire room, and the atmosphere turned much merrier.

A very confused Fiona was standing in the doorway at that time, too.

"What did I miss?"