Did you know that Eruka Frog has an appreciation club? Honest to Shinigami, she does. What I don't understand is the lack of an Eruka x Free appreciation club. Hence this short, (hopefully) cute moment. If you're an Eruka fan and don't think I focused on her enough, don't worry because she'll definitely appear in at least two other chapters.
Thank you to all my reviewers!! Next up: Jackie.
"For us, there is only the trying. The rest is not our business." ~ T. S. Eliot
"Are you implying that witches don't need love, too?"
Free backed away, hands raised in surrender. Actually, he had been under that impression, what with primary example being Medusa. However, he sensed that telling that to Eruka, who was holding a tadpole bomb in either hand and wearing a rather manic, homicidal expression, would probably end with his guts splattered against the apartment.
He was immortal, yes, but he wasn't a masochist.
Eruka hefted the bombs higher, and Free backed into a wall. "Wait, wait, wait! I said wait, dammit!"
Eruka paused, though if anything, her scowl deepened. "Well? What did you want to say?"
"Uh… um… no."
"No what?!"
"No, I didn't think that." Free heaved a sigh of relief when Eruka lowered her weapons. Who knew a simple question like, "Why would a witch want a boyfriend?" would cause such a ruckus?
"I just wondered why you wanted a boyfriend."
"What do you mean?" The scowl was still there, but her tone had taken a more curious and less dangerous turn.
"Err…" Free's mind refused to function. He was too old for this. "Aren't you busy—?"
Eruka tossed the tadpole bombs in the air, and they disappeared with a small poof. "Yes, I'm busy, but I'm bored." Eruka turned away, walking back toward the leather couch of the pair's shared two-bedroom apartment. She flopped onto the seat and picked up her Sudoku puzzle again. "I'm sick of math and frog ponds."
Free rubbed his neck. Women, especially witch women, were unpredictable. Until about a week ago, Free hadn't been aware than anything except math (surprisingly, Eruka loved that kind of stuff) and frogs meant anything to the cerulean-haired witch.
He leaned against the couch behind her, stealing a glance at her puzzle. Then he pointed to a square. "Three there, and seven in one below it."
Eruka wrote the numbers in without thinking. "Really, I just need something new."
New? Now that meant something to the immortal werewolf. "I heard they just opened a Thai restaurant down the street."
Eruka looked up. "Trying to distract me?"
Free pointed at the puzzle again. "That nine goes here, not there." As Eruka fixed it, again not questioning Free's assessment, the werewolf leaned down to whisper in her ear, "I'm always up to try something new, you know."
Eruka didn't bat an eyelash. "Werewolves need love, too, huh?" she asked as she pulled away to look him in the eye.
Free grimaced. "There's no way I'd admit to something that girly. Now you want Thai or not?"
"Give me a straightforward answer."
Free grinned. "Hell no."
"Eh, close enough." Eruka tossed the only half-finished Sudoku puzzle onto the coffee table, and as she hopped toward the door, Free followed. She was different, as far as witches went, and Free meant what he said. He was always up to try something new.