Chapter Four: Domestic Problems

It didn't take long to unpack our stuff and take a quick look around the place. Chrno didn't exactly look like he was ready to get comfortable anytime soon and kept muttering to himself about all the work that needed to be done. I was too tired to think about it at this stage, my head was spinning and my eyes were drooping.

There were still some doors unopened around the place which Chrno and I hadn't bothered to look in last time we were here. That was due to the fact we had already felt like trespassers and didn't want to be anymore intrusive than we already felt we were being. Chrno was especially worried about that type of thing.

The sun was about to set. I noted to myself how beautiful the sunset was, pinks and oranges lighting up the sky and the beautiful scenery in front of us. A small grunt coming from Chrno turned my short attention span to him. I watched as the cause of the sound was Chrno setting my luggage down on the couch. My cheeks puffed out at him impulsively. He hadn't given me a choice; he was doing everything for me. What was I a baby?

"You're weak Rosette!"

"You shouldn't be carrying heavy things, you should be resting!"

"Let me do it, its fine!"

Sure he thought it was fine but I hated feeling like I was a bother. Besides I knew of my wounds and of my steadily weakening body. But did he think I didn't know about the wounds on the inside of him? The wounds Aion had inflicted. If he wasn't going to allow me to open the seal to heal those wounds he could be in the same boat as me in a year's time. Dying.

I felt my eyes squint shut with the sudden pain in my chest at the thought, my hand unconsciously tightening around the pocket watch. Maybe if I could open it one night while he was sleeping his body would heal itself with the power flow. I looked over at him with painful eyes as he tightened a hand around his suddenly aching stomach and coughed horribly. I glanced down at the watch again… while he was sleeping.

I was suddenly awakened by his hand clasping over mine on with pocket watch. He opened his mouth with a look of admiration in his eyes, a weak smile on his features that just hid his inner pain.

"Still not thinking about your own wellbeing Rosette?" I looked away from him, down to the termite eaten floor. His voice was gentle, yet hurt. You know those disappointed looks you got from people? The ones that cut you up on the inside, the expression that would rather be scolded for than see. Well, that was the face Chrno was pulling on me now.

"I know what you are thinking, and if you even try to pull one like that I won't be happy. We are never opening this thing again, do you understand me?" His voice darkened slightly and I remembered a conversation I'd had with him once. The night he had told me he wouldn't live once I had died. The thought pained me, yet it also put my soul at rest. Did that mean Chrno and I could be together after death? Did it mean one day Joshua would join us? Would this happen in some distant alternate reality where I hadn't completely screwed everything up and had chosen to ignore that the most important thing was right in front of me?

"Do you understand Rosette?" He repeated.

I nodded slowly and my hand was released by his. As if nothing had happened between us at all the atmosphere returned to the normal happy cheery atmosphere I was surrounded by with Chrno. He turned to look at the mess of a place and sighed with a shrug.

"Now that that's out of the way, we have to figure out a few things."

I looked up at him with a nod and grinned! Yeah like a hot bath! Warm fluffy sheets and a nice dinner! I started to drool when Chrno pulled me back into reality. I had spent a whole day on the road and I wasn't going to get any payback.

"Like one, what we are going to do for dinner…" Chrno looked around, he noticed the kitchen was useable but there were no tables and chairs. "Or even where we are going to eat it." He sighed once again and pulled some paper and pen out of his bag and placed it in my hands. He then pulled me down to the couch. I frowned with annoyance.

"What the?" I questioned, holding up the pen and paper.

"I know you're tired but we have to get through this." Chrno turned his worried eyes from me to the kitchen.

"Yes, but I don't understand exactly what this is!" I jiggled the pen in my hand to get his attention.

"Oh, a to-do list of course!" He beamed. And if you're wondering, yes, I do sometimes question his age.

"WHAT?" I looked at him with one of those 'what the hell' looks. "A to-do list? In a place like this it would go on forever!"

He completely ignored me and started yapping again. "Tonight we need to go down to the village to eat, I was thinking we should stay in a room too so we can shop tomorrow." I stared at him with disbelief but began to write when he threw me an accusing glance. You know? His serious don't mess with me eyes had affect on me.

"So write this Rosette. We need pots and pans. We need groceries." He stood up and observed the room as I tried to keep up with his words; I was a slow writer after all.

"It's freezing so I need to chop some wood tomorrow for the fireplace. As for table and chairs I can probably make them without trouble." I wrote furiously as he walked to open some doors around the cabin. "Okay, the bathroom has a drain and a wash area and a bath, unfortunately it's all made out of wood so if you want a hot bath we have to heat water and pour it in."

I slapped my forehead with annoyance. "You're doing that you hear me Chrno!" I yelled out in frustration, I shook my hand at him but it was just a wasted gesture. He ignored me and walked to the other room.

"Okay the bedroom… err…"

I peeked over the top of the couch to see him standing there and pondering something.

"What?" I stood up with curiosity and followed him into the bedroom.

"Well it kind of only has one bed," I froze with his words, "but we can be mature about this right? You one side me one side, it's a double after all."

Chrno might have been mature about this but I sure wasn't going to be able to be, I couldn't even control the blush that was rising to my cold cheeks.

"The body heat will be good too because it is freezing out here, I don't want you to catch a cold or anything."

Body heat? OH – NO – HE – DOESN'T! "NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO WAY! NO WAY! No way! Just no no NO WAY!"

Chrno sighed. "Well what do you suggest Rosette?" I stood there with my arms crossed and tried to remain oblivious to the fact that Chrno made more sense than me.

"We have one blanket! One mattress and one bed!"

"Buy some more!"

"We barely have any savings in the account, just food for the rest of the year could use up the money, if you want more luxuries; I'm going to have to get a job. Isn't that why we came out here? So we wouldn't have to worry about that stuff? I mean I don't mind getting a job Rosette but do you really want to be alone all day?"

He had a point, I didn't want him to work, and I didn't want to be alone all day or all night when I only had so long to live. I just wanted to be with him. But that didn't mean I was going to let him sleep with me and do perverted stuff to me in my sleep.

And in that form… that form…! It just didn't feel right to be sleeping with him, he was… he was… a man! A tall man! An attractive man, but that was beside the point! Why couldn't he be a child? A small cute child! Was I ever going to get used to him being like this?

"You sleep on the couch! I'm sure we will be able to afford one blanket okay?" It was unfair, I knew it was unfair. The couch wasn't big enough for him, he would have to curl up, and it was lumpy and uncomfortable… and it was out in the living room with windows you couldn't shut and it would be cold. But… if I slept on the couch…

"Or I can sleep on the couch…" I spoke up when I saw the defeated look on his face.

"Don't be stupid Rosette, you take the bed."

"Okay…"

"So then…" Chrno took a deep breath in. "Get ready if you need to, and we will go back to the village."

"Chrno…"

"Mmm?" He turned to look at me with slight confusion, but I was confused myself. Something was wrong and this wasn't the way I wanted it to be when I thought of us living together. We were already fighting.

"Do we really have to go back tonight?" I asked, feeling my body cave in slightly from fatigue.

"Rosette… we have to eat don't we? And how are we going to work out sleeping arrangements? Besides the sheets here are dirty aren't they? We have to wash them before we even think about using them."

"You know I'm really not that hungry… and…"

Chrno blinked. "I get it, you're tired. I'm so stupid! How about I go and get everything organised and you can lay down for a sleep. I will try not to be too long. There has to be someone in the town generous enough to lend us blankets for the time being. I'll bring some dinner back okay?"

Somehow that sounded even worse.

"Don't leave me…" I grabbed his wrist and stood my ground firmly. "Get one thing straight Chrno, you are not leaving me by myself once! Its cold, it's dark and I'm scared of being alone."

Because you're the only one I have.

Chrno was silent for a moment or two. But I was about to break that silence, I had a few things I could say to him. I didn't like how he was suddenly acting, it was like he was distancing himself from me to protect me. He was acting like my father; I didn't need a father I needed the partner I was used to having beside me. I didn't need a stuck up Chrno trying to baby me; I just wanted us to laugh.

"It seems hard at the moment doesn't it Rosette?" I looked up at him with slight surprise, his fingers suddenly entwined with mine. "But it's going to get better. I promise you it is going to get much better okay? Trust me. Tomorrow is another day." He leaned forward slightly to place a kiss on my forehead. He didn't need to say anything more. I trusted him completely.

"So for tonight let's just go find somewhere nice to sleep. You're tired you need a good meal and frankly so do I. Deal?"

I flashed a smile at him. That was better; at least I knew his motives were also slightly centred on himself instead of just going out of his way for me. It made me feel better.

"Deal!"

Saturn Stars