It's been a month since Rufus has seen or heard of Hild. He's been trying to give the storm dragon her space since her surgery. He tried visiting her a week ago, only to be pushed away by Sting and Rogue. He wondered why they were so protective with her, but he guessed that Hild told them to keep Rufus away from her. He tried not to think about it too much.

He tried calling her, only to get hung up in the face by rather Rogue or Hild's talking dog Rufus. How the hell was the dog able to pick up the phone was beyond his wonder.

So all he could do was wait till she healed up and head back to Sabertooth.

Weeks have passed now and Rufus began to wonder if Hild was done healing. He had asked Frosch, knowing that the green cat wouldn't lie, if Hild was done healing. Only to hear, she's been healed since two weeks ago.

But why haven't he seen her in the guild? Almost immediately, he figured why.

The earliest time the guild would open is six in the morning. Just incase people wanted to get a mission and the train ride would also be early. Knowing Eferhilda Wyvern, Rufus figured she would come really early to get a mission and leave out. He was proven right when he noticed a yellow-green haired woman walk in.

Eferhilda, who was planning on coming into the guild early only came early for three reasons. One, she needed to go on a mission to pay her bills. Two, she wasn't in the mood to jog today. And three, she wanted to avoid Rufus.

Unfortunately for her, as soon as she walked into the guild she was the blond himself not far away.

'Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn…' she kept thinking as she tried to leave out.

"Eferhilda!" He called out.

"God damn it." She huffed as she turned around. He already seen her, but that doesn't mean she was gonna talk to him. She started walking, ignoring the guy who as trying to get her attention.

Rufus got up from his seat and followed her to the mission request board.

"What do you want Rufus?" Hild asked, not looking away from the board.

"Well first things first, I want to apologize for what happen a few months ago. I kept trying to apologize, but you had your 'bodyguards' keeping me away."

"Mmhm." She only hummed. 'Not many good missions.' She later thought.

"Eferhilda?"

"What Lore?"

"If there's anything you need, you can just ask me. Okay?"

"I don't need anything from you." She took a mission off the board. "Now if you excuse me, I need to go to a mission. I'm behind on my rent."

"If rent money is what you need, I will be happy to…"

"I don't need your charity Rufus!" She shouted, making him slightly jump.

-o-

A few days have past till Hild had came back from a mission. As expected from her, she still wasn't talking to him, or anyone for that matter.

Currently, she wasn't at the guild at the moment. But he knew she was coming in today, rather for drinking or get another mission.

"Ooo cookies." Sting said with a grin. He tried to reach for one but got his hand swatted back from Rufus's hand.

"They're not for you."

"Let me guess." Sting crossed his arms with a serious face. "It's for Hild, right?"

"That's right. Nobody has ever disliked my cooking."

"Well, I'll give you that. So, let me get a cookie." He tried to reach for a cookie, but got his hand swatted again.

"Rufus, I don't think she'll like you just because you made her some cookies. Now… GIVE ME A COOKIE!" Sting tried snatching a cookie from the plate. Rufus moved the plate around in different positions away from the white dragon slayer. Then all of a sudden, he remembered something.

"Sting, remember the day Eferhilda came back from the hospital. I was talking Rogue on the phone but by the end of the conversation he said 'it's not funny' to you. What happened?

Sting stopped what he was doing and almost started laughing. "Oh yeah. It's what Hild done that made me laugh."

"And that was?"

"Well…"

(Flashback)

Hild had recently took some painkillers and was now, higher than a kite, as a Rogue had said. She looked spaced out as she looked down at her bowl of oatmeal.

Sting walked in the kitchen after being in the bathroom. He noticed Hild's expression and walked closer. He started moving his hand up and down in front of her, trying to see if her expression would change. It didn't.

"Are you okay Hild?"

"I feel really good." She replied, still looking spaced out.

"Did you take those painkillers?" Sting wondered.

A smile appeared on her. "Yeah."

Sting started chuckling at her while everyone else seemed a little freaked out by her expression.

"Maybe Hild-kun should sleep." Lector said.

"No I feel really really real…" she wasn't able to finish cause she end up fainting. Her face ended up landing in the bowl of oatmeal."

Sting started laughing out loud.

"That's not funny Sting!" He heard Rogue shout at him.

It was a few more seconds till he stopped laughing, but still had a smile on his face. "Oh come on. You can't say this isn't funny." He picked up Hild's head, only to see a bunch of oatmeal covering her face. She also seemed to regain consciousness and was still acting high. "See it's funny."

"No it's not funny." Rogue said, crossing his arms.

"I guess I just don't know comedy then."

(End of flashback)

By the end of the flashback, Sting was laughing again. He looked over to Rufus, only to see a disapproving expression.

"That's not funny Sting." The memory wizard said to him.

Sting kept chuckling a bit. "That's because you don't have any comedy."

After some seconds, Rufus looked away from Sting and saw the greenette walking in. Rufus walked over to her.

"Hello Eferhilda. Would you like a cookie? I made it myself." Rufus offered the plate.

She looked down to the plate of cookies. 'Should I?' She thought. "I'm on a sugar diet, then again… I deserve a cookie.'

She shrugged and took a cookie from the plate. She took a bite from it, chewed, and swallowed. Before she knew it, her neck was itchy. She scratched and then it was getting a little hard to breath. She started to wheeze.

"A-are you okay?" Sting asked, actually concerned.

"What did you put in this?" Hild wheezed.

"Flour, eggs, milk, brown sugar…"

"I'm allergic to brown sugar!" She screamed at him. She went into her knee high combat boots and pulled out an EpiPen. She took the top off and stabbed herself in the neck. "Ugh, I can breath again."

"Oh my god, Please accept my apology. I-I had no idea you were…"

"Just leave me alone…"

She said walking off to a nearest hospital to get both medical attention and a new EpiPen. Just more bills she had to pay for. Great. Just great. Rufus would of followed her, but he knows when to keep his distance.

Sting shook his head. "…You almost killed her. I can see she'll be in love with you again. Now… can I get a cookie?"

"Take the damn cookies." He gave the plate to Sting then walked out the guild door. He sounded and felt so remorseful.

(Three days later)

Rufus was sitting at the table. He cupped his cheek, his eyes were closed, and had a frown on his face.

"Hey, Ruf." Sting said.

"Morning Rufus." Rogue also said.

"Morning." He grumbled.

Sting raised his yellow eyebrow. "What? No plan of getting Hild to like you more."

"Nope. I give up."

It felt like time had stop. Sting, Rogue, Lector, and even Frosch didn't expect to hear that from him. "…You what?!" They all shouted at him.

The masqueraded wizard opening his dull green eyes. "I give up."

"Why?"

"You saw what happen a few days. She could've died from the cookies I gave her. She hates me now and I should just accept it."

"Damn. I feel sorry for you." Sting said to him. "And to think, Hild really did like you."

That last comment made Rufus feel worse. She did like him. He knew. He knew for a while now. And he was so close. So close, yet so far away.

Minerva, who was only a few tables away heard what was being said. Usually, she wasn't the type of person to get into people's personal life, unless it was entertaining, but she couldn't help but feel bad for the memory-make wizard. That's it, she was gonna try to do something about it.

A few hours later the nature Sabertooth mage came back to the guild. She sat at the bar, drinking a strawberry smoothie. She wasn't allowed to drink alcohol for the next week cause of that allergy she had. Great, another reason to dislike Rufus some more.

"Hey Hild. How's it going?" Minerva said taking a seat by the Hild.

"Okay I guess." She said.

"That's good. Quick question. If I tell you to do something you would, right?"

Hild made a slight nod. "Of course. You're the master in this guild."

"So, no matter what I tell you to do, you'll do it, right?"

"Yeah. Where is this going?" Hild say, suspecting something.

"Go on a date with Rufus."

Eferhilda blinked. "…No."

"You just said…"

"I know what I said, but I don't want to go out with him. Besides! you can't tell me what to do life wise. You only can if it involves the guild and magic."

"Why not? I know he messed you up a few times, but can't you just let bygones be bygones."

"Do you have any idea what I went though. Look, I know he's sorry, but I just don't want to forgive him." Then all of a sudden, she started talking about her financial business. "Do you have any idea how much I'm backed up in my bills because of him?"

"No, but I'm pretty sure you're gonna tell me."

"One million seven hundred eighty-three thousand nine hundred ninety-one jewles."

"God damn. Really?"

"Yep, this all involved, the hospital bill check up for my ankle and the allergy attack I had. Surgery, painkillers, my rent which is ninety thousand jewel a month, physical therapy, electric, water, and the vet for my dog because he has heartworms."

"Wait, how can you blame him for your bill for the vet?"

"Just think about it. If I was able to walk for the last month and few weeks, I wouldn't be behind on this stuff, cause I wouldn't have to pay for any hospital bills."

"If you need help paying for that kind of things why don't you ask Rufus? I'm pretty sure he'd want to help you."

She shook her head. "I don't want his money or anyone to tell you the truth."

"You need help." The raven muttered. "Anyway… I won't force you to go on a date with him." She stood up again. "I have to go deliver something." She said.

"Deliver?"

"Yeah, there's this woman I know who needs this package. I would mail it to her, but it'll take some weeks and she needs it in week." Taking a few steps she stopped and thought of something. She walked back over to Hild, this time, not sitting down. "I just remembered, I had to go to a meeting with the magic council. Can you deliver it? I'll pay you."

"Sure." She could always use the money.

"Great. You're pairing up with Rufus."

"What?!"

"That's an order. Do it, or leave Sabertooth."

Eferhilda frowned upon the woman. "…Okay lady." She grumbled.

After Minvera told her where she was going and where the place was, she started leaving.

"Okay. I have to go tell your partner."

When she walked off, Hild sighed. Just what she needed.

"Rufus." Minerva said, walking up to the depressed memory mage. "Pack up and go on a request."

Rufus opened his eyes. "What?"

"Pack up a bag and go on a request I'm assigning you on."

"Forgive me Minerva, but I'm really not in a mood for a job."

"To bad. Do it, or leave Sabertooth."

"What?" He quickly moved his head towards the lady.

"The request is really easy and you'll be working with a partner."

"Who's that?"

"… Eferhilda."

Rufus turned full white. "I'm dead." He said cupping his face with his hands.

"She's not gonna hurt you."

"She hates me though."

"I don't think she hates you Rufus. Then again, I can't figure out what goes in her head. She can be a little unexpected."

"Tell me about it." Sting muttered in the background.

"It shouldn't be bad. I'm sure she'll be on her best behavior."

"Right." Was all Rufus said.

"You're doing it Rufus. Now go get packed. You're gonna be gone for a week. Hild will explain the job to you." The lady in blue ordered.

Not wanting to argue anymore, the masked man got up and started walking out the guild hall. When he reached to the outside area, he saw Hild about to walk out. Their eyes meet each other.

"So… we'll be working together." Rufus said awkwardly.

"Yes." She only responded. "Meet me at the train station in forty-five minutes. Got it?"

"Got it."

This was gonna be a long week.

An EpiPen is used to stop someone's allergy.