Author's Note: This will be, more or less, a sister collection to my story 'Ticks of the Clock'. Originally they were all going to be chapters in said fic, but because they (and there is a growing number of them) have a common factor (the fact that they take place during those 6 "alone" months), I figured I'd group them by themselves to avoid confusion. Other than that, they will be written in a nearly identical format to those moments in TotC, will still be ranging from humor to angst to romance to stupidity, and will continue to be nothing more than seconds passing between Rosette and Chrono.
I hope you enjoy this new collection.
WARNING: Spoilers (ranging from subtle to glaring) for the last episode of the Chrono Crusade anime.
X
Sunsets
X
God
"Do you still believe. . . in God?"
"—?" Rosette faltered, glancing at her devil from over her porridge bowl. "What th—?" she began, spluttering, blinking, and staring. But if he noticed her confused gaze he didn't react, simply closed his eyes and took a silent pull of coffee. "Where did that come from?"
Chrono shrugged, smiling in the way he always did—good natured and curious and sweet. "Just a question. After all that has happened, both the good and the bad, I was kind of wondering. . . do you believe in a 'silent God'?"
"I. . . uh. . ." The ex-nun considered for a moment, stirring her cold oatmeal with an idle (and crumbling) spoon. ". . . hm. . ." Scratching her chin thoughtfully, she finally cracked a small grinned. "I guess I do. Well, in a way. . ." Rosette pealed her gaze off of her demon and placed it instead upon the window. "You know I didn't join the Order for its religious beliefs, but at the same time, I still think God exists. I mean, those marks weren't from my own clumsiness with a knife, or anything." She snorted at her own joke before growing solemn again. ". . . It's just. . . I can't believe there's not a God. And I don't understand how people could think he's silent. After all, if he solved everything for us, there wouldn't be any suffering. And without suffering, we wouldn't be able to distinguish joy from sorrow. Without darkness, there is no light; without light, there is no darkness. So perhaps God can't come right out and fix things directly—for our own good—, instead, he does little things to cheer us up. . . like create sunny days and starry nights and quiet forests and families and lo— er. . ." Blushing a delightful shade of light pink, the blonde ripped her eyes away from Chrono (where they had accidentally slid during her monologue); staring at her breakfast with a sudden "wonder."
". . ." Hiding an amused beam, the devil swallowed back a laugh as he traced the rim of his cup. "I still believe, too," he then admitted, enjoying the expressions playing across his Contractor's face. "Because I believe in destiny." Fiddling nonchalantly with a fork, he continued—though his own cheeks heated a bit. "It'd be too much of a coincidence if everything happened the way it does without a reason. All of the good things, I mean—like making friends or completing a quest or falling in love."
Rosette started suddenly, casting the devil an interested look from across the tilting kitchen table. "You think God determines who we fall in love with. . . ?"
". . . And brings them together?" Chrono finished, grinning. "Yes, I do. Again. . . it'd be too much of a coincidence if things happened without reason. How else, for example, would two children manage to tumble into an underground cave that was nearly impossible to find, and even more impossible to unseal, unless fate was involved? Seems a rather odd twist, don't you think? Especially with all that followed. . ."
". . ." Horrified and flushing, all she could do was nod timidly—avoiding those soft ruby eyes. He chuckled, standing; taking her silence as agreement. (It was a solid assumption.) ". . .I think I'll fix the windows, today."
And that was the end of that. (Thank God.)
(NOTE: I hope that made sense. . . XD)