Author's Notes: I tried to proof read this, but truthfully I'm just too tired to. I've been working overnights all week and my brain is in a fog. It can't make sense of what day it is much less pick out grammar and typing errors. So if there are a lot I'm sorry. I'm just not in the right frame of mind to pick them out. In fact I'm surprised I even managed to get this part written. Again it's fillerish. But don't worry the boys are going to be coming home very soon.
Just Waiting
Part Eleven, Day Thirty-four – 56 Days to Go
By Relm
Luna looked out the window the 'Devil's Spoon' restaurant with a reflective calmness to her eyes. She was staring out at the rain as it pattered down on the streets of Zelphilia. Rainy mornings usually brought in a different sort of a crowd to the restaurant. Never did the visitors come on those really cold rainy days. It was usually only the locals, the lonely ones that didn't have much reason to stay home in the first place. The ones that didn't have people waiting for them to return. On cold days like this a hot bowl of soup or a warm breakfast was a creature comfort that the lonely sought out.
So the patrons at the restaurant that cold morning were few and quiet. No one to complain about Luna's distractedness or try to get her attention. Luna was left alone in musing for the most part.
It was hard to say what was going through Luna's mind at that moment. Even as she went back serving her customers she seemed to be far away. Drifting off into space and daydreaming wasn't something that Luna was known for. So with such an uncertain state of mind most knew questioning Luna on this was probably not a smart idea.
Leviathan however didn't fear his older sister like most people in the city. "Luna what's wrong? You seem to be a mile away."
Luna snapped her head to glare at her 'newest brother'. "Why don't you get back to serving drinks rather than pry on my private life."
"Everyone is drinking coffee, so not requiring much of my bartending skills. And why is wondering why you're so far away prying into your private life? Are you thinking about someone special?" Leviathan looked at Luna with a slightly smug smile.
"Just because everyone in town comes to you with their problems doesn't mean I'm going to spill my soul just because I'm 'far away'!" Luna sneered grabbing an order from the kitchen to serve.
"Alright I'm sorry I pried." Leviathan let out a sad sigh. It was true that everyone usually came to Leviathan with their problems but Luna was never one of them. Sure she might have whined to him once and awhile when he was still a serpent dragon but she broke down and really vented. And since Leviathan had gained his 'humanity' Luna wouldn't even whine to him like she used to. Most people in the city had either treated Leviathan the same or better then they had when he was a dragon. But Luna was a different story. She seemed to have problems accepting this new Leviathan. Leviathan could have been upset by this. But he knew that it all boiled down to Luna's trust issues. When he couldn't talk back it was safe to talk to him. Now that he could Luna didn't feel like she could trust him like she used to. It did hurt but he knew that time was what Luna needed to feel like she could trust him again. Leviathan wanted to be helpful and be liked. And even though Luna didn't appear to like Leviathan by outsider's standards he did care quite a bit about Luna.
After Luna placed the order at its appropriate table she looked back at Leviathan noting his hurt expression. Mentally she kicked herself. Usually she didn't care if she upset anyone but Leviathan was always a different story. He was like a dumb loveable puppy that followed you around no matter how mean you were to it. It's not like she cared for Leviathan any less then when he was a dragon. But Luna was never one to express her emotions well. And it didn't help matters that Leviathan didn't seem to be rattled by her presence and/or temper like most. Leviathan as he did with everyone he met saw a person not for their worst qualities but for the best that was in them. Even if it was so hidden away that it was doubtful that there was any goodness in them to be begin with.
Luna was used to be being feared. She was used to having people accommodating her wants and demands. She was also used to having people accept whatever orders she made. She wasn't used to having someone questions the motives behind the commands. She wasn't used to someone standing up to her with not an ounce of fear. Try as she may Luna just couldn't scare Leviathan. At least with De Tanga there was some understanding albeit strange but it was something that Luna was comfortable with.
Faithe had said many times to Luna to look out for Leviathan. To help him fit him so he didn't get persecuted. But the reality was Leviathan did extremely well around people. A hundred times better than she ever did.
Still snapping at him when he was just curious wasn't being a good sister. Leviathan had done nothing in his 15+ years of life to warrant such behaviour. "It's raining." She said plainly.
Leviathan's face perked up. Though it was just a simple two word fact Leviathan knew this was Luna's way of apologizing. "Yeah and it's really cold too. I'll be surprised if we even get enough customers today to even fill half the restaurant."
Luna studied her 'brother' curiously. The dragon born human seemed to have brushed off the earlier indifference and was back to his cheerful self. "I wonder if it's raining hard for them."
'Ah.' Leviathan thought to himself triumphantly. 'Either she's thinking about dad or De Tanga. I bet she's thinking how much she misses De Tanga.' Luna had been acting strange for the whole time the men were off on their trip. Some days Luna was very quiet other days overly irritable. "It probably is raining hard and Dad is probably in a foul mood. You know how much he hates the rain."
"Yes he does."
A silence followed the two Inverse siblings as they both stared out at the rain.
"They're supposed to come back today or tomorrow." Luna observed breaking the silence.
"And you're wondering if the rain is going to delay them?" Leviathan guessed. "Are you worried about them?"
Luna scrunched her face into a frown. "Why would I be worried for? They are grown men and they can take care of themselves!" She scoffed while wiping down a table.
"Because it's raining. The ground is going to be more slippery, so more chance of slipping and hurting yourself. Devon can cast black magic very proficiently but he's not so good when it comes to white spells. If one of them got hurt they wouldn't have magic to rely on. And not to mention the rain is cold and a bit out of season. So I doubt any of them brought proper coats. They could all get sick." Leviathan mused.
Luna glared at him. The only thing had she had been thinking about was how the rain might delay the boys coming home. Now she had a host of bad things to think about. She didn't worry that De Tanga was going to get sick or hurt himself. Both things seemed unlikely for a monster. But she did worry about her father. After how badly injured he was coming back from that last trip Luna just couldn't help it. Of course she did care about her cousin as well but Devon was never the first concern on her mind. 'De Tanga you'd better be taking care of my father!' Luna mentally declared. 'And get your butt back here soon.'
...
De Tanga looked at the droplets of water that splashed down on the ground almost in a trance. There was something hypnotic about the rhythm nature chose to play. Though the sounds were just random drops it was a slumbering melody both calming and soothing to the soul. Perhaps if De Tanga had not been a monster and was a human he'd feel sleepy watching and listening to the rain. Either way he still appreciated the concert nature played for them as they all huddled under a couple large trees.
As soon as it started raining both Blitz and Devon decreed they were going to stop and wait out the rain. Neither man was found of the rain and didn't want to be traveling in it.
"It's too cold for this time of the year!" Devon whined as he shivered.
"Why are you complaining so much?" Blitz snapped at Devon while also shivering. "You're not in your chimera form so you should be fine in the cold!"
"It doesn't matter I don't like the cold to start off with!" Devon tried to rub some warmth back into his arms though it was in vain. A gust of wind blew by making Devon shiver more.
De Tanga held out a hand to capture a few of the falling droplets. The rain was cold against his skin almost like ice. Add it with the freezing breezes it was definitely cold. "It shouldn't be so cold around here during this time of the year." De Tanga mused.
"It happens." Blitz explained. "These freak rainstorms blow in and it's really cold and rainy. It doesn't matter if it's in the middle of summer, when these storms blow in it might as well be the dead of winter."
"Something like that would generally imply magic was involved. Perhaps a curse placed on the area long ago?" De Tanga suggested.
Blitz didn't answer he just shrugged. Or rather you could assume he had been shrugging as it was hard to tell with the large man shivering so much.
Blitz and Devon weren't the only ones shivering and not enjoying the cold. Milo and Dragon both weren't fairing well. Dragon was still tucked away in Devon's shirt and Milo had curled up in a little ball huddling as close to De Tanga as he could. De Tanga felt bad for the little guy and wrapped the little kitty in his arms almost like a baby. Usually not liking confinement Milo actually seemed to enjoy being held for once. He purred into De Tanga's arms as he drifted off to sleep.
The only person that seemed to enjoy the rain was Imp. And he did so with much gusto. The large feral looking demon danced around in the rain looking happier than a chocoholic in a candy store. It was a truly strange sight.
"I'm actually surprised you didn't want to go pressing forward despite the rain." De Tanga admitted while trying to ignore the dancing demon. "You don't seem like the kind of guy to back down to any foe."
"When that foe is mother nature you always back down. Because she can be one fearsome bitch. She doesn't care who you are or how powerful you maybe, if she wants to make your life miserable she can do so with much ease."
"This is going to delay us getting back home on time. We're supposed to be in today or tomorrow. Do you really want to wait for the rain to let up before we continue on?" De Tanga questioned the large swordsmen. He himself didn't really care for the rain or the cold. As a monster it didn't really affect him that much. "What if the rain doesn't stop for days? Even with the food we managed to get yesterday it's not going to last more than a few days. Waiting around for too long wouldn't be a good idea." Even though De Tanga didn't say it out loud both Blitz and Devon knew what De Tanga was getting at.
"Again with the teleporting! What is it with you? This whole trip you've been looking for excuses to teleport back to Zelphilia." Blitz snapped. "Do you really miss my daughter that much that you can't stand to be away from her?"
De Tanga chewed on his bottom lip debating on how to answer that delicate question. Truthfully he was more or less thinking about what was best for Blitz and Devon. But as he thought about it the desire to return quickly may have been a factor in persistently suggesting taking them home via teleportation. "Do I?" De Tanga mumbled to himself.
Blitz let out a shivered chuckle. "She's got you wrapped around her little finger and you don't even know it. Faithe is very good at doing that, so I'm not surprised Luna is good at it too."
"Luna doesn't have been wrapped around her finger." De Tanga protested even though he knew that wasn't true. He'd tried many times to exercise his free will by refusing to do the things Luna ordered him to do. Though he was very defiant about saying no somehow how he just ended up doing it anyway.
"Ah yes denial. I remember what that was like. Thinking you were a man who dictated his own actions and didn't take orders. But then you'd be doing her bidding and she'd even have you think it was your idea to do it in the first place! It used to drive me crazy because I'd tell no to Faithe a dozen times just to find myself doing what it was she wanted me to do. And I wouldn't remember how I ended up doing it. Either she's just really good at manipulating people or she's just using magic on me." Blitz mused reflecting back on his 'dating' days with Faithe. Of course it wasn't so much as dating as it was bickering. The two used to argue like cats and dogs. But both of them loved to argue so though it looked like they hated each other truthfully they just couldn't stay away.
"Something tells me she wouldn't need to use magic on you."
"Are you saying I'm a simpleminded fool that can be convinced to do any stupid thing?" Blitz growled.
"That's what I'd say." Devon interjected. "But that's only because I know you."
Blitz glared at Devon before returning his glare back to De Tanga.
"I just think your wife is good at convincing people to do things." De Tanga observed with a sweatdrop.
"Oh so you're calling my wife manipulative?"
De Tanga frowned. "No, actually that's what you called her."
Blitz was going to argue but then he realized what De Tanga meant. "My wife is a wonderful woman."
"Yes and you just like to be a good husband and do what she asks." De Tanga offered.
"Yeah!" Blitz agreed sheepishly. "I am a good husband. That's why I do what she asks me to do. Because that's what a real man does."
Devon rolled his eyes. "No you're just whipped and too proud to admit it. You're actually kind of pathetic."
Blitz glared at Devon again. "I will kill you you know that."
"No you won't. Just like you won't kill De Tanga either. Because you're scared of the women in your life."
"I could still hurt you."
Devon snorted. "You could try but my magic says you couldn't land a single blow."
"A real man doesn't use magic to fight his battles. He does so on his own skill and strength." Blitz boasted proudly.
"Says the man that can't even cast magic. And besides why would I need to fight back in the first place? Just because a crazy fool wants to fight doesn't mean you have to."
"Are you calling me a fool?" Blitz growled.
"No I'm calling you a crazy fool. Are you deaf too?" Devon countered back.
During this whole spat De Tanga could help but notice one thing. Neither the swordsmen or the elf were shivering anymore.