Sorry it took so long! We've got some rough waters ahead of us, so please enjoy just a bit of peace and comfort before things get messy :,)
I do not own DGM.
The Good, the Bad, and Her
Chapter Thirteen: Good and Joy
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"What makes you the happiest?"
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How much farther should I keep going?
She lifted her feet out of the snow, trudging with one foot in front of the other. Her breath puffed out in heavy, big wisps of clouds. Her lips were pale with the cold, fingers bitten and rough. She ignored it though, watching her feet as she lifted one foot and then the next. Then the next.
Again.
It took some effort to haul each step out of the snow. Around her mounds of it gathered up along the hillsides. It continued to fall, more and more without letting up. Small, soft flakes that piled higher and higher and made it harder and harder.
The snow fell up to her small knees, sinking deep into it with each step. She huffed, rubbing once at her cheeks to warm her stiff face. Her expression was content, quiet as she continued to trudge through the snow.
Crunch. Crunch.
"The piles?" she looked over to her right, following the outstretched finger. "Mhm. They're big. No, I dun 'ink so."
The little girl looked up. Her stiff lips pulled up into a smile. "Really? All that? 's bread?"
She blinked in shock. She turned back to the mounds of snow, taking particular care to look at the taller piles. "They hang 'em up to scare stuff? Like what?"
She quickly turned her head. The snowball crashed into a mound several feet from them. In an instant, wings flapped, rigid and wild and birds surged upwards from the snowy banks into the sky. A few feathers drifted downwards.
She laughed, light, bubbling giggles. She moved with renewed energy. Her feet trudged harder through the snow. "Uhuh. 'das good. Mhm. I like it."
She looked up in surprise. "Me? No."
She shook her head. "I mean it."
She trudged a few more steps. She looked back up, hesitating. She looked down at her feet before finally reaching her frigid fingertips outwards. She set her small hand down in the other, unable to stop the wide, wide upturn of her lips and the flush of red along her cheeks. She almost squealed in delight, letting the hand tug her along as she hurried, rushing through the snow.
"Me too!"
A hare sprung out from the snow. It raced across the snowy plains, hopping and hopping until it disappeared into the distance. She watched it, keeping her grip on that warm hand.
A single track of footprints were left behind, slowly covered up by the fresh falling snow.
"There's a lot of fun things to see, aren't there?"
A paper rabbit leapt into the air, rippling against the warm breeze as though bounding against an invisible scenery.
The little boy holding the cut banner, acting like a kite of sorts, laughed, gleefully dashing across the cobbled streets with several other children in tow. They all waved matching banners of cut-animal shapes, shrieking as they wove in and out between the crowd of adults.
Rye stared at the shifting paper animal, hands folded in her lap as she leaned back against the bricked wall of a small chocolatier. The few bits of luggage Lenalee and Allen had been carting with them sat on the other side of the bench while Rye's own bag sat on the floor. She watched the paper rabbit leap, bounding over the boy's head as the children rushed past overhanging flower pots, bursting full of color. The entire street was lined with similar decorations, smatterings of colorful streamers and cloth hanging from the balcony of homes and verandas, draped across the narrow streets in a way that seemed to hint the coming of festivities.
People spoke with each other, laughing as they cupped hands over their mouths or settled on bursting bellies. A few men around a small table cheered, clinking beer mugs together as the amber sloshed outwards. Women strutted past, linking arms with baskets full of flowers and bread. Rye's eyes strayed to the crispy golden mounds or long, fresh baked baguettes.
It was a terribly far cry, Rye realized, from what they'd left behind in Barcelona. Grieving Finders, destroyed and broken buildings filled with empty streets.
We dealt with most of the akuma on the way here. Rye watched a woman laugh from a balcony, tossing a garland to the one across from her as another woman caught it with a laugh. They blew kisses to each other. Allen said he wasn't seeing anything yet and I haven't smelled anything either.
She wondered if it could stay like this for them. Untouched.
I wonder if there's going to be a party… Rye watched from the slanted shadow of the building, cutting diagonally across her frame. Bits of fading frost still clung to the window sills and streets. Soft piles of snow lingered, the tail end of winter not quite gone. Her golem bobbed in the air beside her, daintily flapping its wings, content to observe for now. Everyone seems so carefree.
Lenalee was off scouting for lodgings for them tonight. They'd be spending the next two days here before a ship they intended to catch heading east would leave port. The short trek so far had been almost uneventful, with akuma rearing their ugly head on more than one occasion, but it seemed this town would see more quiet days. If all went well, they'd be meeting up with Bookman and Bookman Junior before long.
Rye leaned back against the building, watching the small festivities in silence.
The boy with the rabbit appeared again, jumping in the air. Rye watched the rabbit leap above his head.
"Let's go this way, love."
Something in her chest felt a little light.
"Rye?"
She sniffed the air, blinking. Amidst the storm of smells, the thickly sweet scent of chocolate quickly flooded all around her, mingling with one growingly much more familiar smell. Rye turned to the side, blinking in silence at Allen's pleasantly smiling face. "You look like you're in a good mood! Did you see something nice?"
Rye looked down to his arms.
Her nose twitched.
Thin paper brown bags were stuffed in the crook of Allen's elbows. Fluffy, bright bread pastries threatened to explode from their confines. The white, soft flesh wafted steam from the heat of it, the crispy outer edges crinkling with a bit of a crack. Coupled beside them were an arrangement of dark and light colored chocolates, varying in shapes and sizes. Melted brown smudged the corner of Allen's mouth, making his smile look crooked.
Her breath crowded around her lips in the chilling air.
"...you seem to be in a much better mood," Rye said quietly.
She looked at the bread again.
Allen grinned sheepishly, making his way over to her. She slightly shuffled to the side and Allen plopped down right beside her, Timcanpy swishing over the top of his head. "...And no, nothing in particular."
Her golem and Timcanpy looked at each other, Timcanpy's tail swishing while her golem's wings beat slowly, eye slightly narrowed.
"Really? But you had more of a Rye kind of smile than just your usual face," Allen said. "What was it? Something good? More food?"
Rye's brows furrowed. "A… a my face?"
"Mhm!" Allen said around a mouthful of bread. He handed her one, crispy gold on the outside and crumbling under the tip of his fingers. "See, since you don't really quite smile, Lenalee and I started devising a way to figure out when you're a little closer to smiling than other expressions."
Rye stared at the bread a bit before finally taking it with one hand, inspecting the sides and sniffing once. Allen watched her, pleasant smile still unnervingly in place while he munched through another set, nearly annihilating the bag tucked closest to him.
Rye took a bite. Melted chocolate slid across her tongue and she blinked, chewing thoughtfully, mulling over the pleasant mix of soft, fluffy dough and sleek, slightly bitter chocolate before leaning back, a bit more content.
"Haha, like that! You make this face that's a little more ah, that's fine than just okay, does that make any sense?" Allen continued to chew, looking up thoughtfully before he chuckled at Rye's scrunched up expression, deep in thought as she tried to imagine her own face and the expressions she made. "Wanna make a bet? I think I can guess what you were looking at."
Rye shrugged, eating Allen's offered bread. Timcanpy watched over the top of Allen's head, tail swishing like a cat. She paused before silently offering the golem a bite, ignoring the indignant fluttering of her golem beside her head.
Timcanpy opened massive jaws, clamping down on more than half. Rye blinked, stunned.
"It was that, wasn't it!" Allen pointed to a cart selling a strange collection of fruits—some Rye had never even seen before. The vendor was big and burly, making it look a little ridiculous when he handed children tiny, candied apples or berries. "You like weird, funny things like that, right? Was that it?"
Rye tried to understand what was so particularly weird about the candied fruits, mildly considering that yes, she did want to try them, but that was beside the point. Rye opened her mouth, closed it, then turned to Allen with a small frown.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"How do I explain it?" Allen said, tapping his chin with one gloved finger. "You just pick rather funny things to be interested in, does that make sense?"
Rye opened her mouth once more, closed it, and then proceeded to repeat the process.
"I… is that…" Rye frowned, looking increasingly perturbed. "Is that strange?"
Allen burst out into laughter beside her, light and melodious, both hands crushing the bags to his stomach. Timcanpy's tail swished in mirth and Rye continued to frown, squinting at the vendor, and trying to put together why Allen would draw a connection between the two to even begin with—
"No!" Allen said, wiping a tear from his eye. He smiled wide, handing Rye a stick shaped object dipped entirely in chocolate, decorating with white frosted flowers. "Not one bit."
Rye gazed at Allen for a moment, quietly drinking in the contours of his smile before she took the candy from his fingertips, rolling it between her own and taking a bite.
It was sweet.
"You two sure seem to be enjoying yourselves."
Allen beamed sheepishly up at a pouting Lenalee while Rye continued to contemplate Allen's words, trying to think of things she relatively liked and whether or not they were considered weird. "Sorry, sorry. It looked like there was a sale at the chocolatier and we couldn't help ourselves."
Lenalee took a piece of chocolate truffle from the box Allen offered, popping it into her mouth. She seemed to soften up at the taste, Allen shuffling over and Rye following suit on the bench so Lenalee could take a seat beside her. Lenalee let out a small, dainty sigh, setting her case down and offering a hand to Rye's golem who happily drifted up to her, flapping against her palm. "I tried asking every place in town—they're all booked through the roof for the little festival going on."
"So that's what it is!" Allen said, biting into an entire baguette. "Fwuguhed shomthin gwonin anh."
Lenalee quirked a brow. Rye continued to watch the occasional child run past in quiet content, chasing after each other's paper banners and laughing as they ran across the street. Allen chewed with stunning speed and continued, "Know what for?"
"Flowers, maybe," Rye said quietly. Allen looked over and Rye motioned with her chin toward the balconies draped in them and the people gathering baskets full. "...I'm not sure why though."
"You're right. The innkeeper said it's a little party the town throws for the flower fields that bloom in a few days," Lenalee said. "It's nice to see everyone in such lively spirits, but it looks like we won't be able to get a room."
Lenalee pouted. "I was looking forward to taking a real bath too…"
"Should we try the next town?" Allen said. "It'll take us a bit longer though… but it will put us ahead of schedule."
"The town is small so the only station is already closing up for the evening," Lenalee said. "Maybe we can try asking one of the locals if they'll be willing to board…"
"Why don't we just camp out in the forest right next to the town?" Rye said nonchalantly, thinking back to the thicket of trees they passed. It wasn't too hilly, so there would be a good dip for them to set up a campfire. She'd smelled some game birds too. If they ended up being a wild hen or two they'd end up eating well tonight. If Allen didn't finish all the bread, they'd eat exceptionally well. "We can build a fire pit and…"
Rye trailed off, unable to turn her head. She felt Lenalee's pitiful, pleading gaze on the side of her face and started to break a bit of a sweat. Allen muffled his laughter against his bread.
"We can ask more houses," Rye said.
"Thanks Rye, but camping out really might just be our only option," Lenalee said sadly in resigned agreement.
Lenalee slumped against the bench in a manner that ought to make her brother weep. She leaned her head on Rye's arm and the other girl didn't move, adjusting briefly to the weight before forcing herself to relax. "I don't mind, but I'm just so tired of dirt…"
"A warm bed does sound nice," Allen said with a sigh. "Train benches get a bit tiring after so long…"
"And we still have a long way to go…" Lenalee continued.
The two of them sighed in unison, Allen's muffled by his bread.
"We can look around and see if one of the houses is empty," Rye said quietly. "Pick the lock or open one of the windows and spend the night."
"Rye!" Lenalee gasped, looking scandalized. "That's a crime! It's called breaking and entering!"
"Well, if we don't take anything and leave it all the way it was…" Allen mumbled, rubbing his chin in thought. Lenalee smacked the side of his head. "I mean, Rye, that's not right!"
Rye didn't look impressed, leaning back against the bench and considering their options. Roughing out the night in the forest really did seem like their best bet, especially since akuma hadn't been a problem since they arrived at the town. Any akuma along the way had been quickly snuffed out by the three of them, but Allen especially. But there are only akuma because there are people, so out in the forest would make sure we'd stay away.
The vendor selling the fruits laughed as the children crowded around his pair of oxen. They decorated the straps to their harnesses with flowers. One of the children's banners dragged along the floor, the white rabbit rippling.
But on the other hand, she was with Allen and Lenalee. If there was an akuma anywhere nearby, they'd want to do something about it so it wouldn't be able to hurt anyone else.
Guess that's the difference between us.
Lenalee argued with Allen around Rye's body about what they should do about their lodgings. Allen seemed to be politely insinuating Rye's idea of crime wasn't a bad one while Lenalee protested that they were better off trying to sweet-talk their way with one of the inns again. "You can help, Allen, since you seem to be such a charmer with your words."
"But Lenalee, if you can't do it, then I surely can't—"
Rye watched another of the vendors go by with his cart, rubbing his ox's back as children trailed after the colorful goods behind him, spinning pinwheels.
"We only need it for the night," Lenalee said. "There has to be a way they can spare us even one of their living rooms, just a roof! Or maybe we can…"
"If we have to, we can sleep in one of the carriages—but I doubt Komui would be very happy if he found out about that."
"I think it'd be better not to tell my brother how we've been handling lodgings on this mission. Rye said we can camp, so I'm fine with camping! It should be fun anyway, Rye seems to be rather fond of it."
"I'm just as willing as you are, Lenalee, but Rye could probably make herself at home on a pile of dirt and pine needles if we really left her to it."
"Oh, you're right. Rye deserves to sleep on a nice, warm bed just as much—"
Rye's nose twitched at the smell of hay. She blinked, looking back after the vendor. Rye stared after the oxen, watching their tails swish before she focused on the back of the vendor's head, wordlessly standing up.
"...I think I have an idea," she said, stopping their chatter. Rye turned to their curious expressions, pointing after the vendor. "Let's follow him to his place."
"Rye, I appreciate it, but we can't break into any houses!"
Rye paused. She pretended to contemplate Lenalee's words. Despite her stoic expression, there was the faintest, light glimmer of mischief in her eyes. Allen and Lenalee blinked.
"What about farmhouses?"
"Do you like it? All these things?"
A pigeon up in the rafters cooed at their arrival, rustling as a bit of wood dust trickled down from the beams. The wooden beams creaked upon their entry, groaning as the barn door was pressed open, letting in molten strips of the evening sunlight. Bright, golden mounds of hay were piled and layered together toward the corner of the barn beside several other bales. Tack and rakes and other tools were lined up against the wall, coupled with faded banners of flowers. A ladder led to the second loft above their heads where more hay was stored and dried for the rest of winter.
A horse snorted from the corner of his stall, tail swishing as his ears swiveled to hear them. Beside him were the two oxen from this afternoon, happily munching away while a candlelit lamp was placed in the center before them.
Rye sniffed a few times, reaccustoming herself with the familiar scents. Alfalfa and hay, coupled together with their mingling traces and the old smell of wood and animals. Nothing out of the ordinary.
Lenalee looked only the littlest bit disappointed, seeming far more willing to shift gears about this whole situation and face it with a warm, beaming smile. Allen didn't look bothered either, adaptable and amiable as always. The two of them stood on either side of Rye, resigning themselves to the fact that this was the best compromise with what they had.
Rye was beginning to figure the empty stalls would be a good place to sleep the night if the loft was off limits. The hay was piled there and with a little organizing it would become a decent place to close their eyes. The rafters would only be good if she felt her place should be a little more isolated from the rest, or perhaps if Lenalee wanted some privacy.
"There's plenty of space, so make yourselves as comfortable as you can," the vendor said amiably. "Animals won't bother you none. We get mice from time to time, but you should be fine there too."
Lenalee's face went a little pale at the thought, but she took it all in stride. Compared to akuma, right? Allen watched Rye already start making mini-rounds, pushing at hay bales and sniffing the air as she examined the barn like a dog. He tried to stifle his laughter when one of the oxen slung its head over the top of its stall, snorting at Rye while she blinked at it, thoughtful.
Would eating one of them be like eating a cow? Rye sniffed again. The ox blinked beady eyes back at her. Tougher maybe? Leaner meat?
"Thank you so much again for having us," Lenalee said graciously. "We really, really do appreciate it."
"It's no problem, I hardly use all this extra space anyway," the vendor said, gesturing around them. "You're welcome to use the loft. We've got plenty of milk and cheese if you're hungry, some bread in the back storage house too. Just make sure you blow the lamps out when you go to sleep."
"We will," Lenalee promised. "Thank you again!"
"Can't leave three ladies out in the cold," the burly vendor grinned, rubbing his neck. Lenalee blinked and Allen's jaw slid open while Rye couldn't help her loud snort. "If you three had come a bit sooner, I'm sure you would've found a place to stay. Sorry this is about all I can offer."
"No, no, this is perfect," Lenalee said, hitting Allen's gut with her suitcase before he could protest. Rye offered his back a reassuring, awkward pat. "The festival itself looks lovely! Is it always this busy?"
"Sure is," the vendor said. "Get plenty of people from out of town. The three of you should head back to the main square to see for yourselves! Plenty to do for three lovely—"
"Right," Allen quickly cut in. "We'll definitely think about it. Thank you again, we don't want to keep you!"
"Of course, of course," the vendor laughed, waving to them as he made his way out of the barn, leaving the lamps. "There's an outhouse to the side of the barn and an outdoor shower connected to a separate part of the house, so feel free to wash up!"
Allen smiled grimly, waving his fingers as the man finally left the three of them to their own devices. Only when the barn door finally shut did Lenalee let loose a mad fit of giggles, stifling her mouth with her fingers as Allen looked dully off to the side, slumping against one of the wooden posts.
"It's just this coat," Allen said glumly. "When I have it all covered up like this, of course he might get the wrong idea…"
"It's because you're very cute, Allen," Lenalee said, on the verge of laughing all over again. "It's a compliment!"
"Lenalee, it doesn't make me feel better when you—"
"'Cause you're beautiful," Rye said calmly, setting her bag down on a pile of hay and already setting to work, moving the bales around to arrange them into beds. She might be able to swipe the blankets used for the livestock as well. "'s all."
Rye paused a moment at the unsettling silence that followed her words. She started to look up when gloved hands reached past her, taking the next bale of hay from her fingers. Allen smiled warmly right beside her, the corners of his eyes crinkling just a bit, something like mischief in the depths.
"Well, if it's you saying that Rye," Allen said smoothly, "I guess I have to take the compliment, don't I?"
Allen hefted the hay right over the two of them, arranging it the way Rye had been. She stood there, a little dumbfounded for a bit before asking, "Did… you don't have to?"
"Just don't take it back!" Allen warned, nose in the air as he continued. "Rye thinks I'm beautiful! Everyone, remember that!"
Should I have said handsome? Rye scratched the back of her neck. Was that not the right thing to say? But Allen is very pretty in his own right so...
Lenalee pressed her fingertips to her lips, watching Allen almost coyly with a laugh. Timcanpy floated over toward Rye, burying himself in her hair as she slowly returned to work on arranging their beds.
"We should think about what's for dinner," Allen said. Lenalee playfully rolled her eyes. "When we were walking around there were plenty of good looking things!"
"What are you in the mood for, Rye?" Lenalee said, perking up. Rye paused in the middle of making their hay beds again.
"Me?" Rye said. "...I'm fine with mostly anything."
"But what are you craving?" Allen prompted. Rye frowned. "If you could have anything right now, what would it be?"
Rye fully stopped her actions, giving their question serious thought. Catalogues of food and images and smells sorted themselves out in her head. She tried to keep in mind the country they were in too, and how certain things might not be available but…
"I guess," Rye said slowly. "Just something fresh?"
Lenalee made a bit of a confounded face, but Allen clapped his hands together, pointing toward the rafters. "Something fresh! You can't go wrong with that, right Lenalee?"
"Y-Yes! Absolutely!"
"Alright then," Allen linked his arm through Rye's pulling her away from the hay bales and offered Lenalee his other arm. She took it graciously with a bright smile and Rye blinked, dumbfounded as they made their way to the barn entrance. "Let's go get something to eat!"
"...don't you want to rest? We just got here—"
"If we want fresh food, we've got to make it quick after all!"
"He's, right, Rye!"
Rye blinked once, twice, before resigning herself to the comforting idea that there were merely some things she'd never really understand.
"I guess it's not… not fun though."
"My goodness, this is delicious!"
Lenalee grabbed her cheek in pleasure, eyes scrunching up as she chewed. Allen nodded vigorously beside her, already shoveling more of the complimentary rolls into his mouth.
Rye felt the thin paper crinkle a bit under her fingertips. Bits of grease or oil stained her fingertips, making them shiny under the warm lamplight.
The entire town center was loud and rowdy, puffs of steam and heat rising into the cold night as the throngs of people all moved about. Flower wreaths were strung up along with brightly colored ribbons in alternating yellows and pinks and purples. A few children were ducking between legs, waving candied sticks or clutching thin, waffle looking breads to their chests. The festival just right beside them was in full swing.
The smell of fish barely reached her nose, masked with the tantalizing odors of bread and seasoning, coupled by the sharper scent of mayonnaise or some kind of tartar sauce. Rye licked her lips, examining the fried, breaded heaps of cod in her basket while Lenalee and Allen continued to eat, small puffs of steam leaving their mouths.
"My cod is all fresh caught!" the vendor boasted, motioning for Rye to eat. "Try it! Go on!"
"It might not be like catching it yourself," Allen said with a bit of a laugh beside her. Rye watched him use a fork to lift another piece up and motion it toward his mouth. "But it's really good, I promise!"
Rye didn't need further prompting, picking up the fish and ripping an entire piece in half with her mouth. Allen beamed. She chewed, sighing in pleasure at the crunch of the breaded outside mingling with the soft flesh of the cod inside. Heat pooled into her mouth and she quickly dipped the other half into the creamy sauce, shoving it into her mouth and licking her fingers. Flavors and a sharp tang exploded in her mouth.
It was good.
A nice bit of variety from charred or grilled.
"It's good, isn't it?" Allen laughed at Rye's blissed out expression. "Rye, you really look the happiest when you're eating something, don't you?"
"Oh, Allen, you're exactly the same!"
Allen grinned holding out another forkful toward Rye instead this time. She blinked around her own raised mouthful, but Allen continued to smile, eyes twinkling almost with… mischief? Rye eyed him before finally opening her mouth to his advances. Allen's smile widened and he brought the cod to her lips.
Wet sauce smeared across her nose and Rye recoiled, startled by the strong smell. She blinked, turning cross-eyed to the glob of creamy sauce on her nose and Allen laughed, Lenalee breaking into a fit of giggles beside him.
Rye's tongue stuck out, trying to get the sauce and Allen's laughter increased, almost tearing as he quickly grabbed a napkin and wiped it for her. "I'm sorry, I couldn't resist! You took it so seriously!"
Probably because it's you. If it was Bookman Junior pulling the stunts then it might've been a different story. She couldn't bring herself to be quite upset with Allen. He likes teasing people more than I thought.
Rye opened her mouth again. Allen blinked, but Rye continued to wait, wanting her hard earned piece. Allen's laugh settled to a soft chuckle, feeding Rye. "Yes, yes, I'm sorry."
Rye chewed his piece, satisfied with the similar crisp and quality. She scarfed down the fish in her basket, licking religiously at her fingers and side-eyeing the multiple other vendors for more. Lenalee oversaw their funds tonight, claiming she always got her funds from the Order suspiciously quick, so they might as well put it to good use.
"So no stealing," they'd both chorused. Rye had given them both her driest look.
If you tell me not to do it, of course I won't if we don't need it. Rye grabbed a dinner roll from Allen's hands and dipped it into a sauce too, shoving it into her mouth and sighing, content. Like this, it doesn't really feel like we're on some kind of life threatening mission, does it?
"What should we try next?" Lenalee said. "I think there was a stall down the corner selling these small, battered cakes. Sort of like croquettes!"
"There's a man who sells whole Cornish hens," Allen said. "On a stick too! We can swing by and—"
Rye gazed out at the busy town plaza, watching the people shriek for joy, moving, living. Her throat bobbed in a swallow, watching the shadows sway and the light flicker. A collision of various scents, sweet and savory and sharp all at once. Smiles stretched over dozens of faces, expressions blossoming into mirth.
Yeah. She leaned back on her heels. It really doesn't feel like this is part of our mission at all.
And then she saw the broken cobblestones of Barcelona. The gracious feeling of the sun starting to warm her skin when the promise of dawn finally came, illuminating any of the bodies still left behind to bury. The familiar, secondhand stench of dried blood.
The smell of cigarettes.
Slender, powerful fingers wrapped around her throat, almost caressing her pulse.
Rye stilled. The last bit of bread between her fingertips crumbled, uneaten. She blinked once, shaking her head free of the thought. But the feeling of warm, slender fingers gripping her chin came alive again. The lingering stench of sewage water and the cold weight of a body no longer on her.
"Why should I kill you, pet?"
"Rye?"
Rye quickly turned her head. Allen and Lenalee were smiling at her, though Lenalee's gaze twinkled a bit with something she couldn't quite discern. Her smile almost unsettled. "Sorry, what did you say?"
"Hens on a stick or sweets," Allen said, his expression was warm. As though he were trying to say he understood. What? It made Rye feel a bit strange. "Which one should we do next?"
Rye considered the moon prepping to make its place in the sky high above them. It'd been a long day of traveling and Lenalee could use some rest, she was sure. All of us could. They ought to eat just a bit more and then head back to sleep.
"Sweets," Rye said. "Then we should probably—"
"Perfect!" Allen cut her off. Rye blinked in mild surprise. "More chocolate? Or should we try those? The waffles look good!"
"That's fine," Rye said. "Whatever—"
"Why don't we enjoy the festival for a bit while we're here?" Lenalee suggested suddenly. Allen perked up, eyes brightening at the idea. Rye blinked. "It seems like such a waste if we don't! What are the odds we'd get here while it's going on?"
"You're right, that's a great idea, Lenalee!" Allen said, getting excited. "Rye? Let's go check it out!"
They both turned to her, faces beaming brightly. Rye stared at the both of them, dumbfounded. She eyed Allen then swung her gaze to Lenalee and back to Allen. Timcanpy swayed happily above the three of them while Rye's golem kept its singular eye narrowed at Tim.
Is there something I'm missing? Rye thought. Did they just really not want to go back? Did they not want her to suggest the idea? Maybe they're not as tired as I thought.
"...I'm fine either way," Rye said quietly. "I don't mind." If you two wanted to see the festival, you could have said so. It's really no problem.
"Perfect," Lenalee's fingers slipped through hers and Rye allowed herself to be tugged along, the three of them disappearing from the shadows and into the brightly lit crowd of people. "Let's go!"
The smell of cigarettes slipped past Rye's nose, overladen with flowers.
"Tyki~ What are you doing out here?"
Tyki paused. Cigarette smoke trailed out past his lips into thin wisps of clouds by his face. He half turned over his shoulder, wiggling his fingers in a lazy wave. "Yo, Road~"
Road skimmed past his greeting in favor of observing the rapid thrashing beneath Tyki's fingertips. One fish had already had something ripped cleanly out of it with Tyki's Choose, the other unfortunate creature was flailing wildly beneath his firm fingertips, frantically wiggling its tail and gasping for air.
She'd wondered why he'd asked for one of her doors to lead to any beach nearby. "Hmm… if you felt like fishing so much, you could've just asked Milleni to do seafood for dinner."
"Right, right, but the taste just isn't the same if it's not fresh for yourself," Tyki exhaled a long drag of his cigarette. He held up the wriggling fish like it were nothing more than a rock. "I just had a bit of a… craving. Mhm, that's it."
Road raised a pretty brow at his little chuckle. Tyki turned the flailing fish to face him, looking it in one frantic eye. "You'll get scolded for getting so dirty~"
"Please," Tyki said. "My kills are spotless."
He laughed a bit to himself. "Usually, at least."
"How do you plan on cooking it?" Road crouched down beside him, tilting her head to the side as she observed Tyki's profile. Tyki grinned around his cigarette, pointing his fish toward the stack of twigs and sticks already set up like a pyre.
"Care for one?" Tyki said smoothly. "If you're nice enough I just might share."
"Missing your little vagabond vacation?" Road said. Tyki offered a lopsided grin.
"Not quite," Tyki tapped a free finger against his chin. "Hmm, how should I say… no, craving really fits the best. Just a craving, that's all."
Tyki turned to Road, eyes twinkling with something keen. Road let out a little hum of interest herself. "Say, Road, shall I tell you a funny story about a rather peculiar exorcist I met?"
"...alright," Road said, resting her chin on her hands. "What made them so funny? How you killed them?"
"No, no, not yet," Tyki said. Road's eyes glimmered. Tyki's fingers involuntarily flexed and the fish in his grip stilled, flailing weakening as beads of blood gathered beneath its gills. "Ah, but that does get rather tempting. See, she was a funny, feral little thing..."
Droplets of red rolled down the side of the fish's scales, falling soft and quick into the sand, staining it crimson.
"How about this one?" Lenalee proposed, showing Rye the small trinket in her palm.
Rye considered it. A few couples and groups of people were peering through the stalls around them, warmed by the lamplights and lanterns. The vendor right beside them was selling flowers, full and overflowing as the townspeople sighed, the floral scent sweet and wonderful. It was stronger than Rye expected, but not wholly unpleasant at all.
In Lenalee's palm was a small lion crafted out of cheap tin and metal. The vendor was selling a collection of small animals all made from reused and recycled metals, some of them animals Rye didn't even know the names to.
"These would make for a good souvenir," Lenalee said. Allen had gone off to grab them drinks, something to warm them for the rest of the night. "It's small and sturdy, so it'll last until we get back home."
Rye didn't comment on the word home, since it already made her feel a bit funny at how Lenalee remembered she'd taken to swiping things from her missions, setting them on the empty bookshelf of her room. She took the lion from Lenalee's palm, rolling it between her fingertips.
"Yeah," Rye said quietly. "Something like this should be fine." She turned her eyes toward the other animals, scanning over them. "...which is the best?"
"Oh!" Lenalee looked excited at the prospect. "Hmm, for Rye…. maybe this one?"
Lenalee held up a lumbering animal of some kind. Not a bear for sure, but shorter on all four legs. "What is that?"
"These are honey badgers!" Lenalee said. "I read about them in a book once. They look so cute and fluffy, but they're incredibly tough creatures!"
Lenalee laughed a little. "It's just, well, apparently they can eat almost anything, even get bit by snakes and just act like it was nothing! They're supposed to be very resourceful. They remind me a little of you."
Rye supposed there was a compliment somewhere within that. She set the lion down and picked up the honey badger, turning the animal over in her fingertips and scrutinizing it.
"I'm one of these, huh?"
"W-Well, not literally! It's just, the way they are—oh, I'll find you the book back home and you can see for yourself," Lenalee pouted. Rye's lip twitched upwards. "Now, pick one for me!"
For Lenalee? Rye grew a bit wary at the prospect, eyeing the assorted animals with care. Lenalee…
Rye picked up one of the animals, gingerly setting it in Lenalee's palm with her bandaged fingertips.
"A rabbit?" Lenalee said in surprise. She held up the cute metal animal, letting it catch light. "Me?"
"Mm." Rye touched the top of the metal ears with her fingertip. "The way you fight reminds me of a rabbit, because of your Innocence." Rye pulled her hand away. "But they're cute, like you."
Lenalee's cheeks flushed, lips pursing into a bit of a pout. Rye was mildly worried she'd upset her until Lenalee promptly paid for both of their souvenirs with a flourish, safely tucking her rabbit away. "I guess I can accept an answer like that."
"And which one would I be?"
Rye almost jumped, Allen's scent obscured by the dozens of flowers right beside them. She turned quickly over her shoulder to where he smiled, eyes crinkling a bit. Steam wafted from the two cups he held in his hands, handing one off to Lenalee and offering the other to Rye. Hot chocolate.
"Allen would be…" Lenalee trailed off, looking at the animals. "Maybe a piglet?"
"A piglet?" a bit of sweat rolled down the side of his face. "Lenalee, you're teasing me."
"Because you always eat so much and you're cute so…"
Rye felt the cup of hot chocolate warm her palms through the bandages. It smelled sweet, thick and comforting. She blew softly on it, eyeing the animals as well with Allen in mind. Allen… is a bit difficult. His mannerisms seemed perfectly polite and well-bred, but seemed to flip on a coin in little moments of mischief or when he got particularly upset…
Allen was a bit hard for her to read.
But I've been thinking lately it's not a very bad thing.
Rye eyed one animal, settled onto its haunches, carved into an eternal sort of smile across its features. She hesitated before reaching with her free hand while Lenalee teased Allen. "...this one then, I think."
"Which one? Which one?" Allen turned quickly in excitement, following Rye's fingertips.
Allen stopped, staring in silence.
"Cause they're loyal," Rye said. "But they've got minds of their own too. They can be kinda scary on the streets. They can be all kinds of things, but I think they're always better than people."
"Oh, I see what you mean," Lenalee said thoughtfully. "I was thinking it's because Allen can be a little simpleminded too…"
Lenalee blinked when Allen didn't respond to her jab. Rye paused as well, looking up from the animal between her fingertips to Allen's face.
Ah, did I… Rye went still. Allen didn't utter a word, transfixed on the animal between her fingers. Say something wrong?
Allen's face, half hidden by the flickering lamplight looked—
"Allen?" Lenalee said.
"Ah—oh! Sorry, sorry," the moment the expression appeared it disappeared. Allen quickly turned to both of them, smiling sheepishly. "I got lost in thought for a moment! What was that about me being simple minded?"
"Well, you might've just proved my point, silly."
"Hey! You're picking on me a lot tonight."
Before Rye could say anything, Allen's hand settled over hers. Warm. He gently took the animal from her fingers, closing his own over it and tucking it out of sight into his breast pocket. "Since Rye picked it, I'll keep it, okay?"
"...okay," Rye said. She couldn't take her wondering eyes off Allen's face, but he was already turning, ushering them to the next booth with the same jovial ease.
Rye couldn't help a final glance back to the metal animals, hesitating for a moment when her eyes lingered at the empty spot where she'd picked Allen's. Rye frowned, shaking her head and turning around to follow after the other two.
Now missing from the stall, their little empty spots: a metal rabbit, honey badger, and one perfectly carved, happy—
Dog.
Rye's eyes turned toward a familiar shape.
Lenalee was chatting amiably about the flowers strung up around them while Allen nursed his own cup of hot chocolate, Tim swaying his tail happily over his shoulder. The festivities for the night hadn't ceased in the slightest, but the three of them were beginning to wind down. They were stuffed full and warm, content with all the sweets and savory foods they'd sampled, simply happy to walk around and take in all the sights of a town they might not see again for a very, very long time.
"It's not every day we get to enjoy ourselves on a mission as long as this one," Lenalee had said warmly. "Let's remember it."
Rye slowed in her steps, eyes traveling over the room in its entirety. A small building to their left, warmed by lights from the inside with one massive windowpane showcasing everything within. It seemed to be some sort of postal service.
A woman stood, leaning against the wall inside, her fingers wrapped around a telephone cord.
I should...
"Do you need to make a call?" Lenalee said. Rye turned sharply in surprise. Lenalee laughed, soft. "It was obvious by how you were looking at it. Did you forget to report something?"
"...no," Rye said. She turned back to the phone. "...Headquarters. I wanted… to call to check up on something."
Someone.
Lenalee frowned in confusion before her eyes brightened in understanding. Allen looked confused over his cup of hot chocolate. Lenalee's smile turned impossibly wide and Rye had the sudden sense she ought to feel embarrassed when Lenalee quickly ushered her to the phone. "Of course! Oh, go on then! They should still be awake, they're always manning the lines. You know how it works, right? Do you need my help? You can use my golem instead if Shelly doesn't—"
"Shelly?" Rye said.
"Shelly!" Lenalee said. "Oh, did no one—oops, no that's because it's me." Lenalee laughed, rubbing the back of her neck. Rye's golem seemed to puff up in size. "Your golem! I gave it a name, Shelly! It's cute, isn't it?"
Rye considered Lenalee's line of thought and then looked at her red golem and back to her.
"...Shelly?"
"Because you always cover the poor thing up in blood," Lenalee laughed. "When you use your Innocence like that, it looks a lot like a shell! So I thought Shelly would fit."
Lenalee seemed tempted to say something else but she quickly stopped, clamping her mouth shut with a bit of a shy blush. Rye raised a brow. "Go on now, make your call!"
"...alright," Rye said. "I won't be long. Thank you."
"Take as long as you need!" Lenalee urged. "Go on, go on!"
"Have fun!" Allen said.
Rye nodded to the both of them, opening the door to the postal office and stepping inside. Warmth immediately greeted her instead of the brisk winter air outside. Shelly flapped its wings proudly beside her, smug. Rye ignored it, making a direct line to the phone after nodding in greeting to the man at the counter. She quickly pulled out several coins and slid them into the slot, picking up the phone cord and turning to Shelly expectantly.
"...you know how this works, right?"
It seemed to roll its singular eye. You're getting awful cocky these days. Shelly drifted up and attached itself to the cord, looking expectantly at Rye.
"...to Jordan," she said. Shelly beat its wings once before stilling. Hesitantly she pressed the phone to her ear and sure enough, a dial tone was ringing on the other end.
Lenalee said they should be up but it might be too late for them. Rye glanced at the clock on the wall. I should try again tomorrow before we leave if they don't pick up.
The line continued to ring.
Are they well? Is Henry adjusting fine? He might not like the Order much. I didn't make it sound like too great of a place.
Rye stared at the scuffed top of her boots.
What if—
"Hello?"
Rye's mouth opened to speak, but no words came out. She stood there in the middle of all the liveliness, quiet at the familiar sound of Jordan's voice. There was a bit of shuffling on the other end, a bout of silence, and Rye opened her mouth again before Jordan could hang up thinking it was—
"Rye? Miss Rye! Is that you?"
Rye went still.
Something funny twisted in the corner of her chest.
"...yes," Rye said. "Yes, it's me. Hello, Jordan."
"Miss Rye!" Jordan exclaimed. "It's so good to hear from you! How have you been? Where are you now? Oh! You must have so many questions for me—do you have time? Are you busy? Joey! Joey, could you grab—"
"I'm well," Rye said a bit breathlessly. She rocked on her feet. "I'm well. I… We're one stop away before we head east. I've already met up with Walker and Lenalee."
"That's great!" Jordan said. "We made it back to the Order not too long ago ourselves."
Rye opened her mouth, closed it, then managed to pry it open again. "...Jordan, is—"
"Oh, Miss Rye! Here! Someone would like to speak with you."
There was a shuffle, some incoherent grumbling and Rye felt her heart beat a little louder when a familiar, young voice came onto the line.
"Hello Miss Rye. It's about time you called."
"...hello, Henry," Rye said quietly. "How are you?"
"Hpmh," Henry said. "I'm well, of course. You sent us to quite the place. What you should be saying is how you are."
Rye's lip twitched. "Are you my doctor?"
"I might as well be," Henry said. "You're drinking lots of water? Are you getting some form of iron? You need a lot of it, you know. Make sure you're also getting plenty of rest on this crazy crusade of yours and—"
"How old are you again?" Rye wondered aloud.
"Funny." Henry huffed. "Well, I hope you know the food is just as good as you said."
"...I'm glad," Rye said. "...and everything else? You're fine? They talked to you about…"
"They've started explaining things to me," Henry said. "I'm getting the gist of it. My synchro rate is higher than they expected, so apparently that makes me quite the prodigy."
Rye hummed back in response, a soft sound. She tried to imagine Henry—somewhere in one of the Science Division offices? Or closer to the dining hall? She pictured Jordan leaning up against the wall beside him, waiting for the phone with a grin. The two of them, safe and sound.
"...when are you coming back?"
Rye shut her eyes for a moment. "...I'm not sure. It might be a lot longer."
"Not any chance of it being shorter?"
"...considering the man we're trying to find," Rye said quietly. "It might be better to assume longer."
"How irresponsible of him," Henry muttered. Rye snorted. "...I guess you don't really mind that though, right? You never sounded too fond of this place, welcoming as it's been. I came in with pretty low expectations because of you."
Rye paused at his words. She knew she'd been honest, but she didn't realize how transparent she'd been with Henry about the Order. Is it that obvious to everyone? Did she go around the headquarters always looking like she hated the place?
Was there any reason for her to care?
Rye's eyes flickered to the windowpane. Lenalee and Allen were waiting outside, chatting about something she couldn't hear.
"...sorry," Rye said quietly. "I didn't mean to give it such a bad rep. There's… lots of good people to be around."
"I think so too," Henry said, and for some reason it made Rye incredibly glad. "Alright, Jordan's saying I've got to give the phone up now. Will you call again?"
"The next time I get a chance," Rye promised.
"Good." Henry said, satisfied. "Yes, yes, here's the phone. You're so impatient."
"I don't want to hear that from a twerp like you—Miss Rye! Don't you worry none. I'm looking right after Henry and he's in plenty of good hands. He won't be going on any missions anytime soon since it seems the head nurse has taken a very fond interest in his Innocence."
The frightening image of Henry trying to stand up to a horde of Level Twos on his own—of gray skinned, leering smiles and clawed hands reaching for his neck disappeared.
"...good," Rye said. "...I'm glad. Thank you, Jordan. For everything."
"You really don't need to thank me," Jordan said. "You and the rest of the exorcists are the ones who we should be thanking. I'll let you go now, try to get some rest and call again whenever you get the chance!"
"Okay," Rye said. "Okay, I will."
"Goodbye Miss Rye!" Henry's voice echoed from the receiver. Jordan laughed. "Don't forget to eat lots of iron rich—"
The line went silent with a soft click. Rye stood there, cradling the phone closer to the side of her head, letting the dull noise ring before she quickly turned to her golem again.
"Suman Dark," she said. Her golem bobbed in understanding. "...Thanks."
The dial tone picked up once more, ringing. Rye waited, growing a bit more eager with each ring. Hopefully he's free. I'm glad I finally get the chance to call him. Is he well? I hope he's not working too hard.
The line clicked. Rye opened her mouth, "Suman—"
"Unable to reach Exorcist Suman Dark. Unable to reach Exorcist Suman Dark. Please try again."
Rye glanced to the phone in surprise. She turned to her golem. Shelly simply shook its entire body as a negative and Rye looked back at the phone... He must still be working or hasn't had a chance to be near a phone.
Rye couldn't take her gaze off the phone, looking into the depths of the broken dial tone, unsettled for a moment before she shook her head. She might be a bother—Suman could be trying to get some well needed rest. Rye placed the phone back in its placed and stepped out of the booth for the next person.
She paused a second before Rye took a seat on the bench. She quietly folded her hands in her lap, slowly sinking into the back of the bench and tilting her head to look up at the warm ceiling.
She thought about Henry. About Jordan. The two of them back at the Order. She thought about Henry's face the first time he took a bite into Jeryy's food.
"I'm really glad," she said out loud to only herself, soft and silent.
"Safe and sound."
"Allen."
His fingers smoothed over the cold metal, warming it between his fingers. He could feel all the little individual grooves making up for shifts in the fur. Allen held the sitting metal dog figurine between his knees, head bowed as he gazed intently down at it.
"Allen!"
Timcanpy was silent above him, peering down over the crown of his hair at the small object. Allen pressed his thumb into the side of the dog's head. It seemed to be grinning, panting happily for the rest of its life.
"Allen, thank you. I'm sorry I can't cry for you."
Allen shut his eyes. He pressed the metal to his forehead, clasping his hands around it as though in prayer.
"Because they can be whatever they want to be," Rye said. "Sweet or nasty… but they're always better than people, huh?"
Allen opened his eyes. He lowered the dog back into the pocket of his coat, standing up from the hay bale he'd been relaxing against. No use thinking about all that now. He brushed off some hay, looking around in the dim lighting of the barn. Did Lenalee and Rye finally go to sleep?
He picked up the lantern beside him, walking as softly as he could past the slumbering barn animals. One ox turned its head, following the light and Allen quietly pressed his finger to his lips, getting a soft snort in response. He peeked over into one empty stable and smiled at Lenalee's sleeping form.
The biggest hay bales had been stacked up courtesy of Rye, settled and arranged with packets of alfalfa to work as some form of cushion. Lenalee was curled up in on herself, her coat tucked under her head over her bag as a pillow while another coat had been draped over her as a blanket.
Allen paused, realizing the familiar design, and turned his eyes up toward the second story. Barely a sound could be heard, not even a creak of wood save for the soft scuttle of a mouse. Allen gingerly held his lantern with one hand and made his way up the wooden ladder, peeking over the edge.
A single tendril of blood pointed directly between his eyes.
Allen went pale, almost losing his grip on the ladder as he lurched back. A hand quickly shot out from the dark, snatching the front of his shirt and roughly pulling him forward again. He flailed around for a second, quickly setting the lamp down and grabbing the ledge with his now free hand to steady himself.
He felt the ghost of a warm exhale against his lips, frozen in place at the cold eyes gazing back at him until they cleared of their wariness and distrust, softening into something much more familiar.
He'd almost forgotten Rye could make faces like that too.
Ready to tear the world apart.
Was that what Mana always saw in his eyes too?
"Allen," Rye said softly, already speaking in whispers. "…sorry, did I scare you?"
"…no," Allen said. "No, no, not at all."
Rye looked a bit confused, maybe even unconvinced and Allen quickly wrapped his hand over hers, lifting himself up into her loft in one smooth motion. "Pardon the intrusion."
Rye shuffled back to make room for him. Up here Allen could see now how she'd arranged some smaller piles of hay into a makeshift mattress. There were broken, missing boards in the roof above her let allowed them small glimpses at the night sky. He lowered the light on his lamp and smiled, "Couldn't sleep?"
"I was considering it," Rye said. "I was also about to ask you the same."
"Haha, I just wanted to make sure you and Lenalee were sleeping well first," Allen half-lied. The intentions were true, even if some context was missing. "Am I being a bother?"
"…no," Rye said quietly. "…but I don't think you'd leave… if I said yes, right?"
Allen grinned, completely polite. "Only if you really, really meant it."
Rye looked a bit skeptical and Allen already felt his mood start to lift. "Is it alright if I lay down for a bit?"
She nodded and Allen let out a sigh of relief, stretching out beside the pile of hay and shrugging his coat off to lay beside him. Rye eyed him for a moment longer, seemingly contemplating a few more things while Allen mentally willed for her to hopefully let it all pass this time.
As if hearing his wish, Rye quietly moved to settle down beside him, resuming her spot in the hay and turning her gaze up to the missing roofboards.
Can I rest here, just for a bit?
Allen dragged his coat sideways over the two of them.
"...thank you," Rye said. "Sorry."
"Why are you apologizing?" Allen chuckled. "But you're very welcome. More comfortable, right?"
Rye was silent for a moment longer before she said, "Instead of sorry… I think I meant thank you."
Allen chuckled quietly. "You're very welcome—"
"I mean for today," Rye said. Allen paused and she turned over on her side to look at him. "You and Lenalee both… thank you for today."
Allen felt his gaze soften. Rye turned her eyes back towards the faint catches of light in the sky, the stars brighter tonight than yesterday, for all of them. "You two are naturally like this… so I didn't realize it at first."
Rye's lips didn't turn upwards, but her brows creased in a way that hard started to feel the same as a smile for Allen. "I'm alright. I promise. But thank you for making today… comfortable."
"…I just hope we didn't push anything on to you," Allen said. Rye turned her gaze sideways and he met it, always lost a bit in that redness. "We know you can handle yourself fine, it's just… Lenalee would like most of your missions to be… better memories."
Rye remained silent and Allen continued, "We know they all can't be good. As exorcists, we all know some of our missions won't turn out for the best… But if even a few more end up good than bad… I think that's what matters the most to her for you."
Anything better than finding Rye's cold, quiet body asleep in one of those heavy wooden coffins, waiting to be rendered to ash. Something beyond that quiet look of desolation on her face when they found her on those steps.
"…it wasn't that I was feeling sad," Rye said. Her voice dropped, more hushed in its subduedness, as though she were telling Allen a secret. He listened with care. "I was just feeling bothered by a few things…but I think I'm realizing now there will always be some things we'll never really get."
"…it's probably more in that Noah's favor that you're left feeling worse instead of better," Allen said. Rye looked at him. "He'd probably want you to agonize over why he didn't kill you… leave you feeling afraid."
"…I could see that," Rye said.
"So it is true, what you said," Allen said. "It's better not to let the things we'll never understand bother us too much. Our time's better spent trying to understand the things that mean the most to us."
Rye gazed at him for a heartbeat longer. Allen felt it then again, that quiet, rolling sense of comfort and ease that came around whenever he was with Rye. A strange sense of belonging.
"Okay," Rye said. "I'll try."
Allen smiled, beaming brightly at her. Rye's eyes crinkled a bit at the corners in response and they both turned back onto their backs to face the sky.
"Do you like stars, Rye?" Allen asked.
"Not particularly," Rye said. "It's just something to look at."
"I don't know many constellations either," Allen said with a laugh. "The two of us are lacking a bit in education, aren't we?"
Rye hummed quietly in agreement. Allen grinned, "But you know, Krory's been giving me lessons from time to time! It's ridiculous how much he knows, maybe you can sit in next time and he'll help you learn a thing or two like me…"
"From that star to that one," Rye said. "The lovers."
Allen whipped his head to her in surprise. Rye didn't meet his gaze, carefully pointing her fingers up toward a spot in the sky. Allen strained to make out the brighter stars, frowning when he wasn't quite sure if he'd found it or not.
"The lovers?" Allen repeated. "Those stars?"
"Altair," Rye pointed. "Vega. The lovers."
Allen turned again to look at her and Rye laid her hand down. "It's the only one I know."
"…Rye," Allen said, eyes glinting with mischief. "I didn't realize you were such a romantic. Do you know the story behind them too?"
"…yes," Rye said. "I… like these kinds of stories."
Allen's eyes went round with surprise and it was Rye's turn to look a little mischievous.
"The unrealistic kind."
"I can't help myself."
"These must be the flower fields!" Lenalee exclaimed, eyes wide in wonder. "Oh, they're lovely!"
Allen and Rye both stopped, hands caught in stuffing the bag between them with as much bread and chocolate as they could carry for the road. The hardest trick was getting the chocolate not to melt on the way in the sunlight, and they were currently torn between eating it now in one sitting or hoping the bread could somehow halt the inevitable.
Lenalee was a few steps ahead over the stone bridge leading them towards the final path out of town. They'd just crossed the hillside and beyond that, they'd make it to the last train stop to final deliver them to where Bookman and Bookman Junior were waiting.
The wind played with her pigtails, tugging the long strands out into the air. Rye sniffed the air, the three of them surrounded with the warm scent of the sun, of dark green grass, and the sweet, faint smell of flowers.
Allen followed Lenalee's finger toward the wide birth of meadow surrounding the flat land of the hillside they stood atop. Rye blinked in surprise. The entire thing stretched for what seemed like miles, long and full and promising. Hundreds of stalks stood proudly up toward the sky, faded colors surrounding the closed petals of their buds, just on the cusp of blooming.
"Tulips!" Lenalee said. "Oh, they're gorgeous!"
Rye had to agree, even if they hadn't bloomed yet. The stretch of color and greenery made the entire thing beautiful regardless. Allen set the bag down at his feet, starting to make his way down the hill and Rye and Lenalee blinked in surprise. "Come on! Let's get a closer look, there's a path over here."
Lenalee hurried down in excitement, grabbing Rye's hand and tugging her along. Rye followed, silent as Allen helped Lenalee and then her down the rest of the way, the three of them immediately finding themselves amid all the waiting buds.
"Who do you think planted all of these here?" Lenalee said, hurrying down the path, careful not to step into the bunches. "This must be where they'll come to celebrate the festival!"
It was a little funny to Rye, the thought of someone or multiple people taking the time to plant so many flowers. Did it seem fruitless at any point, ridiculous? Did they worry none of the flowers would ever bloom, and they'd seem like fools for even trying?
Did they never doubt it for a second?
"It'd be nice if we could have a garden like this at the Order," Allen said. "Wouldn't it brighten the place up a bit?"
"Right?" Lenalee said, eyes excited over the idea. "I should bring it up to brother when we get back!"
"If it's you then he'll definitely say yes, Lenalee."
"I guess it's a bit of a shame we didn't come a day later," Lenalee said with a longing sigh. The tips of her fingers drifted just over the top of the tulip buds, gently teasing them as she smiled. "It would've been nice to see them."
Rye trailed a little way back behind them. Lenalee softly led a trail away from the flowerbeds, making sure none were trampled over. Timcanpy floated around them, inspecting the bright colored bulbs while Allen gazed out over the scenery, smiling a bit at the sight even though they weren't even open yet. Rye watched them in front of her, silent at the easy way they stood out against the bright reds and summery yellows. Hues of pink and purple colored the entire field, dappling the ground for miles and miles in the colorful, joyful swatches.
Lenalee's dark gown stood out amidst the brighter colors, making her look like an old painting against the spring backdrop. Scholars would look at it and think it meant something, like a widow mourning in a field of flowers. Allen's coat, ink black and silver made him move through the sunny yellow patches like something that didn't quite belong.
Rye's steps slowed. She glanced down to her own exorcist uniform, lightly pinching the fabric between her fingers and looking out across the tulip buds. The wind tugged at the small tuft of hair tied off against her nape, bringing the sweet scent of flowers with it.
The sky was shimmering blue above them. The sun was out and only a few clouds dotted the sky, rolling along without a care. Everything about this moment felt joyful, full of life and color and brightness but still… still…
It felt like none of it could breach the heavy fabric of the uniforms, bouncing off like rain rolling down their shoulders.
"Do you see something over there, Rye?" Lenalee called over, cupping her hands around her mouth. "They're beautiful, aren't they?"
"Maybe you saw something to eat?" Allen teased. "I'd be happy to stop for a snack!"
"Allen! We just ate!"
The wind rustled Rye's bangs. It tugged the ends of her coat. She turned over to her two companions.
"We don't really fit in, do we?"
Allen and Lenalee looked over at her, confused for a moment. Lenalee's expression went thoughtful and Allen was silent, lowering his hand. Rye looked from them and back to the flowers, wondering if she stood out against the colors, all these shining hues, just as much.
"...with these clothes, at least," Rye said. "We stand out, don't we?"
Exorcists in a Field of Flowers. What a painting. There was someone good at art in the science division wasn't there? No, that was Kanda's General… perhaps it'd make for some fitting piece in a history book somewhere.
But this isn't the kind of history recorded for the world either. Rye almost laughed a bit at the thought. Aside from the Bookmen. No one knows.
"I guess you're right," Lenalee said a bit sheepishly. She smiled, holding the end of her dress out as though to courtesy. "Should we try a different color for the uniforms? Although, black has always seemed to fit the best for our line of work…"
"No," Rye said quietly, not quite able to take her eyes off the flowers, standing in the midst of them as they came up almost to their waists. "It looks good… Lenalee… it looks fine."
Lenalee beamed back at her, pushing hair out of her face and twirling once for show. Allen smiled, a bit soft at Lenalee as he turned to look back at Rye. His brows creased a bit, the breeze tugging his hair away from his face. A stray petal ghosted by his cheek.
Allen committed the sight before him to memory.
"Then let's come back again," Allen said. Rye looked up at him. His lips pulled into a smile, the kind that made the corner of his eyes crinkle up. "In better clothes. All of us. Let's come back, alright?"
The wind rustled the buds. The heavy, colorful heads bobbed and swayed, turning against the breeze. Lenalee let out an exclamation of wonder, tucking hair behind her ear as she laughed. Rye stared at the dark, somber contrast of their uniforms against the colorful canvas, turning her eyes up to the bright blue sky above them.
"Alright," Rye said.
And Allen smiled, and everything seemed just like that, quietly brighter.
"After all this, let's come back. It's a promise."
I've really seen the love for Tyki in the comments, HAHAH. Thank you all so much for reading and for all your patience. I know it's been quite some time and the past year or so has been pretty insane in a number of ways, but I hope you're all healthy and well!
Next chapter we start to kick things off again, so hooray for more sadness to come! It's a bit strange Suman couldn't pick up that call, isn't it :,
Recent manga chapters have also been all pain, we've got a ways to go till we end up there too, hahaha.
Thank you all so much again for reading, I hope you enjoyed!
Marshmellow-
-OUT!