27. Overflow

Sophia rushed up the stairs, excitement bubbling up inside of her. She reached the top and rounded the corner reaching her destination. The occupant of the room had just arrived from Airyglyph. She hesitated before knocking on the wooden door before her, excitement quickly turning into doubt. Maybe she was assuming too much, maybe he really didn't want to see her? He could just be tired, that would explain why he hadn't talked to anyone upon his return.

When she and Fayt had come back Maria had been the one to tell them that Albel was back. She said she saw him check in that afternoon while they had been out. She had tried to ask him about his mission but he just ignored her and shut himself in his room.

Well she had already come this close might as well go all the way. She rapped her knuckles against the door quickly and waited for a reply. When none came she knocked once more and waited. She opened the door and poked her head in. In the dim light of the room she could see Albel laying on his back on the bed. "Are you sleeping?"

He opened his eyes and glared in her direction. "With all the racket you make how could I be?"

She giggled and came the rest of the way into the room shutting the door behind her. "How was your trip?'

He rolled over on his side facing away from her. "What do you care? Don't you have somewhere better to be?"

Sophia looked at him confused for a moment. He sure seemed to be in a foul mood. She sat down at the foot of his bed, her body lightly leaning against his legs. "What's wrong? Did your mission go badly? In your letter it didn't seem like it was anything too difficult?"

"That!" he snapped at her "Was a mistake! Just forget that damned letter."

"Albel? What's wrong?"

He shifted on the bed no longer wanted any contact with her. "Shouldn't you be off with Fayt right now? I'm sure he's missing you. I don't know why your wasting you time here with me."

Sophia pulled her legs up on the bed and leaned over him trying to look at his face. "What does Fayt have to do with anything? Why are you mad at me?"

Suddenly he moved to sit up, pushing Sophia away from him in the process. "Don't fool me, if I had know you were more concerned with the maggot than me I would never have written you that letter." She looked at him confused as he continued on. "I saw you and that maggot in the garden today."

She felt her face flame up and her eyes widen in surprise. "Oh my god you saw that! I'm so embarrassed!" she brought her hands up to cover her face trying to hide a bit. He must have heard everything she said. Now he knew how she felt and he obviously didn't feel the same.

"Of course I saw, the way the two of you were hanging all over each other. Really it was disgusting!"

She pulled her hands away and looked up at him. "Did you hear what we were saying?"

He got off the bed and stood up, he kept his back to her. "You didn't look like you were talking much, you were too busy letting that fool kiss you."

Sophia pulled her knees up under her so she was knelling on the bed staring at Albel's back. "I don't think you understand, Fayt and I were just talking."

He crossed his arms in front of his chest. "I didn't realize he had to press his lips to your head to talk to you." She reached out and lightly touched his back. He quickly moved away from her not wanting to feel her touch. "Just get out of my sight!"

"You know before you go jumping to conclusions you should really get the full story. Fayt and I are just friends, more like family really."

"Oh don't give me that bull shit! Family doesn't act like that."

"Albel it's true, in fact we were talking about you." He was really angry and she would have told him anything if it wold only calm him down. Now was not the time to get all giddy about her emotions.

"Oh what about? How big of a fool I was for sending you a letter?" he walked over to the dresser picking up a plainly wrapped package and tossing it on the bed next to her. "Or that I actually brought you back a stupid gift?"

Sophia looked down at the package for a moment before getting off the bed and moving to stand beside him. "We were talking about how you and I had become friends and how even though you two don't get along he was ok with it as long as I was happy." He still wasn't looking at her but he wasn't arguing anymore either. "I was really hurt when you left without saying goodbye. When you sent me that letter you made me so happy because I knew you were thinking of me and I was happy you wanted to see me again."

He huffed a bit before looking down at her. He was searching her face to see if she really was telling the truth. Her green eyes stared straight back at him and she was smiling slightly. "There was no need to say goodbye because I was coming right back." And then a bit quieter "I wasn't trying to upset you."

She reached out and wrapped her hands around his arm. "I really missed you."

He reached out and touched her arm lightly letting his fingers glide down her skin. "Aren't you going to open that thing." He said nodding to the still untouched package on the bed. Her smile widened and she moved to pick it up.

She noticed for the first time that it was rather large and yielding under her fingers. She untied the string and moved the plain brown paper away. She pulled out the light pinkish color fabric, marveling at how soft it felt beneath her fingers.

Abel watched as she unfolded it and held it up under inspection. "It's a traveling robe. It will help protect you as well as keep you warm. It's light so you won't be weighed down and can move freely. It's made from very sturdy fur and wont rip easily. It's better than the normal armor you wear."

"It's beautiful." She said still looking it over in amazement. It had very intricate dark purple stitching on the sleeves and the front of the robe. No matter how he tried to play it off this was a very expensive gift.

"What are you waiting for? Try it on."

She nodded and slowly slipped the light garment over her shoulders. Albel moved next to her examining how it fell a bit too far off her shoulders. "I though it would be to big for you. I'll have to have it tailored before you can use it."

She smiled up at him and moved to get closer. He didn't know why but he found himself moving back slightly with her advancement. "This is the most beautiful gift anyone has ever given me."

He didn't like where this was going. If he wasn't careful before he knew it she'd be hugging him. "It's noting really just something to keep you out of trouble."

She tilted her head a bit still smiling at him "Yeah but you didn't HAVE to get me something so soft and beautiful. You even picked out a color I absolutely love. You put a lot of thought into this." She was still advancing on him and soon he would have his back up against the wall. At least he would have if he hadn't forgotten about the bed. He wasn't ready and when his legs came into contact with the mattress he immediately lost his balance and fell backwards so he was now sitting on the bed.

Sophia giggled looking down at him. Her hands moved to her face to surpress her laughter. The sleeves being to long completely covered her hands and he couldn't help but think how cute she looked in the oversized robe. Maybe they didn't have to get it fixed so quickly. His thoughts were interrupted when he noticed the way she was looking at him, like she expected something. "It's nothing really, I really don't think at all."

"You don't think at all huh?"

"I mean I didn't put that much thought into it."

"Well it's lovely no matter why you got it for me. You deserve a thank you."

"Don't be ridiculous, I wouldn't have done it if I didn't want to." He froze as he felt her knee rest just on the outside of his. This wasn't good, things were getting way beyond his control. As her other knee was brought to rest on the outside of his legs he knew he should push her off. Somehow his hands just wouldn't move like he wanted them to. "What do you think you're doing girl?"

Sophia smiled slyly down at him. "I'm going to thank you." She slowly leaned in closer 'til her face was only inches from his. She softly brushed her lips against his cheek all the way up to his ear. She paused for a moment before quietly whispering "Thank you." She then moved down to the juncture of his neck and kissed the spot were she could feel his pulse hammering under his skin. She pulled away slightly allowing her breath to slide over his skin. She was satisfied when she felt him shiver.

She pulled away from him and started to leave. Albel stayed were he was at hardly moving. She made it all the way to the door before she turned around. "Oh and Albel?" He turned his head to look at her. "You really shouldn't let your enemy find your weakness like that."

He tried as hard as he could to come up with something to say back. The best his mind could come up with was "I don't have a weakness."

She smiled back at him "Well than I guess you learned a lesion today didn't you? Emotions don't make you weak. In fact that's the best part about being alive." With that she turned and left. For a long time after that he simply sat staring at the space she just was, contemplating what she was doing to him, and wondering why he actually liked it.

A/N

The theme for this is overflow. Albel may seem OOC because I wanted his emotions to get the better of him. So going with the theme Albel's emotions had bilt up and finally overflowed.