A/N: Okay... I know you've all been dying to read this chapter after the
teaser from the last one! So I hope you like it... *big, evil grin*
Disclaimer: I don't own Threads of Fate or Rue. They belong to Squaresoft. *curses under breath*
Chapter Three: She Said What!?
"Rue! Rue, over here!"
I looked over at Elena, then ran to her.
"What did you find, Elena?"
Elena grinned at me, then pointed. I looked in the direction of her finger and sweat-dropped.
"I bet it's your cousin!" she exclaimed, waving to the pollywog. I sighed and shook my head.
"We've been through this before, Elena; I'm not a pollywog!"
"I know!" Elena smiled widely. "But it's fun to tease you!"
I opened my mouth to respond, but Claire's voice cut me off:
"Rue, Elena, it's time to eat!"
"Coming!" I called to her. Elena ran in front of me, laughing. I followed her inside.
Dinner was great. Hellhound stew! It was delicious. And it was really fun to talk to everyone. Even Mint had a smile on her face, which I didn't think possible.
After dinner, Claire and I said goodbye to Klaus's family and went next- door to the inn. Mrs. Cartha was very excited to see us, and even though I insisted on paying for a room this time, she wouldn't hear of it. She gave Claire and me each a separate room, free of charge. After thanking her heartily, we both headed upstairs to our separate rooms.
"Good night, Rue," Claire said, smiling at me with her head poked out of her room's door. "Sweet dreams, dear boy."
"Same to you, Claire," I responded, returning her smile. "Sleep well."
We both went inside our separate rooms. I flopped down on the bed and sighed. Adventures like these always made my adrenaline start to pump, which tended to exhaust me afterwards. Yet, right now it was pumping, and I wasn't even going to try to sleep. After about half an hour of staring at the ceiling, I got up and made my way outside. It was dark; we'd had dinner at sunset. Everyone was probably asleep... or trying to sleep, one of the two.
I decided to go to the lakeside. It was quiet there except for the splashing of the lake against the shore. I sat against a tree, watching the rush of the water and losing myself in memories of the previous year's adventure: Belle and Duke, Rod, Doll Master, my assumed brother... Wylaf, Maya, the other three masters-Psycho, Trap, and Mode-and Valen. So many things had happened... so many gains... so many losses...
"You can't sleep either?"
A female voice broke my thoughts. I turned to face the owner, then let out a tired smile at Mint.
"No."
"...Can I sit with you?"
"Of course."
I moved over a bit so that she could sit. Mint walked over and sat down next to me. A silence followed while we both stared out at the water. Finally, I opened my mouth to talk-Mint had the same idea.
"Why-"
"How come-"
Mint blushed. "Go ahead."
I smiled. "No, after you."
"K... Why couldn't you sleep?"
I looked at the lake again.
"Adrenaline rush." I looked back at her. "You?"
"..." Mint looked at her lap.
"...What is it? What's wrong?"
Mint shook her head. "It's nothing," she assured me. I didn't say anything, just watched her for a second before looking back at the lake.
"What did you want to say?" Mint asked, still looking down.
"Already said it," I replied, leaning back against the tree. "Wanted to know why you weren't asleep."
"...You really want to know?"
I looked at her-her pinkish red hair shadowed her eyes. Her hands were clenching her shirt tightly. I sat up.
"... Yeah. Yes, I do."
"I... I wasn't sure at first, but then you came back, and-"
"What are you talking about?" I asked her, confused. She stood up.
"I've told you too much already!" she shouted. I stood up as well, my eyes soft and kind.
"...Mint, what's wrong...?"
"You wouldn't understand..."
"Try me."
Mint looked at me. I was shocked to see tears streaming down her cheeks. I stared-she stared right back.
"Rue... I... I'm in love with you..."
**
A/N: Woohoo! Another cliffhanger, lol. I hoped this got you hooked. I know, I know, you're saying that I said that I wasn't going to make this a Rue/Mint fic. Well, I know what I'm talking about. So just shut up before you start, lol. You will see in the next chapter what I mean. See you then!
Next:
" 'Dear Klaus... Something came up. I'm sorry I couldn't help you find the [relic]. Good luck, I hope Prima gets his wish. Signed, Mint.'" Klaus looked up at me. "Do you know what's come up?"
I watched him for a second, but then shook my head and lowered my eyes.
"No Doctor, I don't."
**
Chapter Four: And There She Goes...
Disclaimer: I don't own Threads of Fate or Rue. They belong to Squaresoft. *curses under breath*
Chapter Three: She Said What!?
"Rue! Rue, over here!"
I looked over at Elena, then ran to her.
"What did you find, Elena?"
Elena grinned at me, then pointed. I looked in the direction of her finger and sweat-dropped.
"I bet it's your cousin!" she exclaimed, waving to the pollywog. I sighed and shook my head.
"We've been through this before, Elena; I'm not a pollywog!"
"I know!" Elena smiled widely. "But it's fun to tease you!"
I opened my mouth to respond, but Claire's voice cut me off:
"Rue, Elena, it's time to eat!"
"Coming!" I called to her. Elena ran in front of me, laughing. I followed her inside.
Dinner was great. Hellhound stew! It was delicious. And it was really fun to talk to everyone. Even Mint had a smile on her face, which I didn't think possible.
After dinner, Claire and I said goodbye to Klaus's family and went next- door to the inn. Mrs. Cartha was very excited to see us, and even though I insisted on paying for a room this time, she wouldn't hear of it. She gave Claire and me each a separate room, free of charge. After thanking her heartily, we both headed upstairs to our separate rooms.
"Good night, Rue," Claire said, smiling at me with her head poked out of her room's door. "Sweet dreams, dear boy."
"Same to you, Claire," I responded, returning her smile. "Sleep well."
We both went inside our separate rooms. I flopped down on the bed and sighed. Adventures like these always made my adrenaline start to pump, which tended to exhaust me afterwards. Yet, right now it was pumping, and I wasn't even going to try to sleep. After about half an hour of staring at the ceiling, I got up and made my way outside. It was dark; we'd had dinner at sunset. Everyone was probably asleep... or trying to sleep, one of the two.
I decided to go to the lakeside. It was quiet there except for the splashing of the lake against the shore. I sat against a tree, watching the rush of the water and losing myself in memories of the previous year's adventure: Belle and Duke, Rod, Doll Master, my assumed brother... Wylaf, Maya, the other three masters-Psycho, Trap, and Mode-and Valen. So many things had happened... so many gains... so many losses...
"You can't sleep either?"
A female voice broke my thoughts. I turned to face the owner, then let out a tired smile at Mint.
"No."
"...Can I sit with you?"
"Of course."
I moved over a bit so that she could sit. Mint walked over and sat down next to me. A silence followed while we both stared out at the water. Finally, I opened my mouth to talk-Mint had the same idea.
"Why-"
"How come-"
Mint blushed. "Go ahead."
I smiled. "No, after you."
"K... Why couldn't you sleep?"
I looked at the lake again.
"Adrenaline rush." I looked back at her. "You?"
"..." Mint looked at her lap.
"...What is it? What's wrong?"
Mint shook her head. "It's nothing," she assured me. I didn't say anything, just watched her for a second before looking back at the lake.
"What did you want to say?" Mint asked, still looking down.
"Already said it," I replied, leaning back against the tree. "Wanted to know why you weren't asleep."
"...You really want to know?"
I looked at her-her pinkish red hair shadowed her eyes. Her hands were clenching her shirt tightly. I sat up.
"... Yeah. Yes, I do."
"I... I wasn't sure at first, but then you came back, and-"
"What are you talking about?" I asked her, confused. She stood up.
"I've told you too much already!" she shouted. I stood up as well, my eyes soft and kind.
"...Mint, what's wrong...?"
"You wouldn't understand..."
"Try me."
Mint looked at me. I was shocked to see tears streaming down her cheeks. I stared-she stared right back.
"Rue... I... I'm in love with you..."
**
A/N: Woohoo! Another cliffhanger, lol. I hoped this got you hooked. I know, I know, you're saying that I said that I wasn't going to make this a Rue/Mint fic. Well, I know what I'm talking about. So just shut up before you start, lol. You will see in the next chapter what I mean. See you then!
Next:
" 'Dear Klaus... Something came up. I'm sorry I couldn't help you find the [relic]. Good luck, I hope Prima gets his wish. Signed, Mint.'" Klaus looked up at me. "Do you know what's come up?"
I watched him for a second, but then shook my head and lowered my eyes.
"No Doctor, I don't."
**
Chapter Four: And There She Goes...