Chapter 29: A way back home

"You're paying for his debt?" Larette repeated in disbelief.

Azami drew a pouch of gold from her pockets, without a second look she threw it in the disgruntled thief's direction. Larette caught it and quickly checked its contents. "Yes, I am. Is there a problem with that?" the alchemist-in-training replied coldly.

"Just surprised." Content the thief placed the pouch in her bag. "I would have wanted the boy to stay here a bit longer."

"Don't even think it."

"Why shouldn't I?"

"Because..." Azami blushed furiously. The thief stretched her arms into the air grinning. "He was so good in bed, must be why you're paying so much for him." Azami quickly bolted up from her seat, hands firmly on her blade's hilt. Larette tried to keep her face rigid, but laughter soon escaped her lips. "You must really like him if you'd fall for such a lame joke."

Azami embarrassed sunk into her chair, the crimson-tinge obvious for anyone to see. "You see-" she brought both index fingers together shrinking from the thief's gaze. "-It's not really like. I mean not like like. It's like…" she was making no sense, and she knew it.

"Like you're in love." Larette finished for her.

"Exactly!" Azami blurted out, upon realizing what she said she vigorously shook her head. The payonese girl placed two hands on her lips turning paler by the second. "No! No! It's not love, it wasn't supposed to come out like that!" she stammered.

"Sure you don't." the thief told her in a mocking voice.

Azami excused herself from the room. Once outside she leaned a balcony overlooking the Morrocian reservoir, after a few moments of silence she asked herself. 'Maybe… Maybe she's right.'

The four students proceeded to the train station's office, everyone of them save for Azami wearing a smile. Yukino tapped the Alchemist-in-training's shoulders giving her a concerned look.

Azami crossed her arms and kept her head bowed, she had a troubled look on her face. "I calculated the expenses, we don't have enough to get back to Geffen…" She looked at Yukino, a worried look flitted over her face. "Don't worry, I've thought up a plan."

"A plan?"

"The money's enough to get us tickets to Payon, we could stay there for awhile and I'm sure my mother would lend us enough money to get back to Geffen." She explained.

Azami thought of the complications that would bring. Her sister would tease her to no end. It would've been alright if it was just Rae and Yukino. But bringing a man home was an idea she didn't like to entertain, however, there was no choice in the matter.

"Are you sure we won't be a bother… I mean there are three of us and—" Azami interrupted. "Hardly, my home you see is rather large. I'm sure mother would be thrilled to have visitors… there's just a small problem."

"A small problem?" Yukino wondered.

"Yes. My mother thinks Lei's my boyfriend." she said as quickly as she could in a voice devoid of emotion.

"That's-" Yukino stared at Azami in disbelief. "How, when, why?"

Upon hearing the last sentence Lei's eyes snapped open. "Is that what she thinks?" he asked.

"Err… well yes. You did give me a ring for a gift, so, everyone assumed…" she fumbled with her words. The gravity of the situation suddenly dawned on her.

"Lei I have a favor to ask of you." she said in a hushed voice.

"A favor…"

"Yes a favor."

"What sort of favor?"

"Could you, well." Azami bit herlips hard, eyes avoiding his. "Pretend to be my boyfriend… for the duration of our stay there." she asked him in a pleading voice, her eyes trained on her feet, face crimson red with embarrassment.

"What!" both Yukino and Rae screamed in unison. Lei on the other hand looked pale. His mouth was hanging open collecting desert dust, a look of pure shock plastered on his face.

"I suppose." his voice trembling.

"I… thank you."

Lei stared outside the window, he still couldn't believe he'd agreed to Azami's request that easily. Not that he didn't want the girl as a girlfriend, it was just he was caught off guard. Yukino didn't take the idea so bad, but Rae did. He watched the Rae as she snored on his shoulders, outside, snow was collecting on the window frame. In front if him Azami and Yukino were both sleeping soundly.

"Hey Perv!" Azami growled.

Lei raised his arms in front of him, a new habit he'd developed over the last few months. He was surprised when the strike never came.

"I love you…" she retuned to snoring. He waited for the words to sink in, never mind that she was dreaming, but it was Azami who said that. And the word Perv was a word she reserved only for him. It was just now that he had thought of it. But maybe, she really did… dare he think it. Fall in love with him.

Lei looked over to Rae and noticed something odd, underneath the cap she was wearing, there were a few strands of green hair.

A voice tore Lei from his thoughts. "Excuse me sir, we'll be arriving at the Payon Station in am hour. Please prepare your belongings." the conductor told him.

"We will." he replied with a smile.

The conductor moved to the next cabin leaving Lei with his thoughts once more, or so he thought.

"Lei." It was Azami's voice, this time she was awake.

"Y-Yeah?"

"Why are your hands on her knees?" she asked in an angry voice.

Lei followed her gaze, she was right. His hands were on Rae's knees, thought how it got there he couldn't remember.

"You-are-dead." she shouted yet again.