Title: An Adorably Grumpy Intruder
Summary: Flavio gets an unexpected visitor.
AN: Thanks so much Akira3 and Secret Wind for reviewing the previous chapter~! Glad to see that you're enjoying these oneshots. Hope you'll enjoy this one as well!
Before trekking into the labyrinth, Flavio always liked to spend a moment checking his equipment and supplies, and to make sure that he always had two Ariadne Threads on him; one in his kit, the other tied to his wrist for when things turned south far quicker than he would like, using the time that it would take to search for the thread by putting it to better use. Like checking to see where everyone was and such.
He also liked to recheck the monster codex to get a quick outline to what kinds of monsters he would be expecting to encounter for the day. He kept his door to his room unlocked and slightly ajar during this time to let Fafnir and the others know that he was ready when they were.
Flavio was abruptly pulled from his routine when the door to his room suddenly burst opened. He jumped in his seat and spun around in time to see a young man with messy brown hair in a forest green overcoat that gunner's wore practically hurl himself into his room and slammed the door shut behind him.
"I'm not here!" he unexpectedly hissed at him before scurrying across the room and ducking down behind a large chest of draws. He crouched down, knees toward his chest as he covered his head with his hands.
Flavio openly gaped at him, rendered speechless. Was he hiding? From who? Why? What in the world-?
"Macerio~!" a feminine voice sung cheerfully outside, followed by the sound of someone skipping. Yes, skipping in an overly cheerful manner.
Macerio…? Wasn't that the name of one of Lynus' guildmates? Yeah, pretty sure it was. So he hazarded a guess that the one calling his name outside of his room was one of the Pinkettes called Binah? The fearsome matchmaker.
Throwing a glance over toward the gunner to find him all but cowering, Flavio quietly got up from his chair and made his way to the door. He opened it enough to peek out, his gaze immediately falling upon the lone occupant of the hallway. A young woman, probably mid-teens, with pink-hair in pigtails and a troubadour's outfit stood in the centre of the hall, her hands planted firmly on her hips in an irritated manner as she looked around.
"Macerio, you jerk!" she called out again, a strong sense of annoyance in her voice as she lifted a threatening fist into the air. "You can't hide forever! I know where you live!"
Barely smothering a snigger, Flavio watched as the young girl huff loudly before continuing on her way. He waited until she was out of sight, and hopefully out of hearing range, before quietly shutting the door and turning his attention to the cringing gunner.
"She's gone now," he said with a smile.
Wordlessly, the brown-haired gunner shifted in his position, turning around to grip at the corner of the dresser and peering over it in a skittish manner. He wouldn't come out of hiding, though.
"Are you sure?" he asked as he stared suspiciously at the door, ready to duck down and hide again with just a second's notice.
"For now, at least," Flavio continued as he sat backwards on his chair and rested his chin on his arms. "Let me guess; you're Macerio?"
The gunner immediately snapped his attention toward him, his eyes narrowed slightly. "How did you know?"
"Lynus mentioned you," Flavio said simply.
Macerio perked up a little, almost in relief. "What did he say?"
Flavio smiled. "That you are the unwilling accomplice for the Pinkettes."
"Damn it!" Macerio unexpectedly said as he dropped his forehead against the chest of draw, letting out a low groan. "Totally not fair! He could have at least told you about my gun prowess…"
"If it helps, he did say that you are adorably grumpy."
"That doesn't help!"
Flavio laughed to himself. His reactions were amusing.
"Macerio?" another voice from outside the room called out, immediately causing Macerio to lift his head up and look over at the door. "You can come out now. Binah has left the inn."
Macerio released a loud and perhaps overly dramatic sigh of relief and heaved himself to his feet. "That's Lirit," he muttered as he opened the door and peered out. "Is she really gone?"
Pushing himself up off his chair, Flavio also wandered over to the door to stand behind the shorter gunner and peered over the top of his head. Outside was another young man, probably about the same age, with orange hair that reached his shoulders and the attire of a troubadour.
"Yes, she's gone," he said as he tried to coax Macerio out of the room with a reassuring smile. "What room where you hiding in?"
"Mine," Flavio said as he opened the door fully.
Immediately, a look of surprised appeared on Lirit's face and he gaped at him for a moment. However, his surprised quickly gave way to suspicious caution as he slowly sneaked out a hand to grasp at Macerio's elbow and pulled him toward him. And the gunner was too busy skittishly glancing around to notice his companion's protectiveness.
"Don't worry," Flavio said as he raised his hands in a pacifying manner. "The name's Flavio. Hanna knows me and so does Lynus."
Lirit seemed to relax a little after that, although he kept hold of Macerio's arm, either just to be sure, or out of habit of protectiveness. And the gunner still hadn't noticed.
"I'm really sorry about Macerio unexpectedly invading your room," Lirit said in a truly apologetic manner before he abruptly turned his attention toward Macerio, an expression of disapproval on his face as he tugged lightly on his arm. "That's dangerous, Macerio. You can't throw yourself into just anyone's room. You are honestly too cute for your own good."
"I'm not cute!" Macerio immediately rebuked in an indignant fashion, still seemingly unaware that Lirit was holding onto his arm. "I'm a fearsome gunner!"
"Yes, of course you are," Lirit said as he nodded his head idly.
Macerio tried to scowl at him, but honestly it looked more like an annoyed pout. Honestly, Flavio was having a hard time imaging him anything remotely fearsome or threatening.
"Are you patronizing me?" Macerio asked Lirit in an accusatory tone.
"Of course not," Lirit said with an innocent smile before he turned to look over at Flavio and his grin widen into an almost…devious manner. "Isn't it endearing how he pretends to be so manly?"
Flavio barely managed to hold back a laugh and nodded his head in a playfully serious way. "Very adorable."
"I'm not adorable!" Macerio immediately squawked. "Now you're both picking on me!"
"No we're not," Flavio said with a pacifying tone.
"Just stating the truth," Lirit continued.
"Shut up!"
"Huh?" Lirit suddenly muttered as he turned his head slightly, appearing as if he had just heard a noise behind him. "Is that Binah?"
Macerio released a sound that could really only be described as a startled squeal before abruptly diving back into Flavio's room, to no doubt hide somewhere once again. And Lirit just watched him disappear with a small smile on his lips. He then turned to face the stairs, his arms folded behind his back.
However, instead of the pink-haired troubadour like Lirit had said, an easily recognisable orange-haired medic ascended the stairs instead.
"Hi Lynus," Lirit greeted cheerfully.
"Oh, hello Lirit," Lynus replied with a warm smile before a flicker of realisation appeared in his eyes. "Ah, Flavio, too?"
"Hey," Flavio greeted in return as Lynus made his way over to them.
As soon as Lynus was close enough, Lirit hugged the other carrot-top, the medic allowing him to virtually cling to him without a hint of annoyance. In fact, he looked used to it, so it was obvious that it had happened numerous times before. And, to be honest, Lynus did look somewhat huggable.
"We're just chatting," Lirit said as he shifted to stand behind Lynus, but kept his arms around his neck in a purely platonic hug, his chin resting on Lynus' shoulder.
"Oh, good," Lynus said as he idly patted Lirit's arm, looking completely comfortable as he glanced over at Flavio. "I'm glad that you were able to meet my little brother, Flavio."
Flavio quirked his head to the side as a small played on his lips. "Little?" Lirit appeared a few good inches taller.
Lynus tried to give him an annoyed look, but he still had a smile on his lips nonetheless, smacking at Lirit's arm light as the other sniggered softly. "I should say younger, shouldn't I? Lirit had the audacity to grow taller than me."
"You're still cuter than me," Lirit said as he hugged Lynus tightly before pulling away.
"Don't patronize your elders," Lynus said simply in response before frowning slightly. "Anyway, have you seen Magnus? He had a slight headache this morning, but now I can't find him."
Lirit shook his head regretfully. "I haven't seen him. But I'll send him to the clinic if I see him."
"Good," Lynus replied with a grateful smile. "Thank you."
"Hm? Another guildmate?" Flavio asked, prompting Lynus to turn toward him once more.
"Oh, yes," Lynus replied. "Magnus is an alchemist. His blond hair and dark clothing gives him a slightly intimidating look, but reality is that he's shy and skittish, but still very endearing. You haven't met him?"
"No, but I have met someone else," Flavio said as he shared a glance with Lirit, the troubadour's grin growing a fraction wider with amusement.
Lynus tilted his head to the side in curiosity. "Hm?"
"Lynus!"
"Wha-?" was all Lynus was able to mutter before Macerio suddenly appeared in front of him, flung his arms around his neck and then positioned him in such a way that he was using him as a human shield.
"They're picking on me," Macerio said as he tried and ultimately failed miserably to glare angrily at Lirit and Flavio. "Tell them to stop."
Lynus made no attempt to pull away from the brown-haired gunner, simply lifting a hand to tug at one of his arms. His violet eyes flickered over to Lirit before stopping on Flavio. "Do I want to know what's going on?" he asked.
Lirit smiled brightly. "Macerio is just being adorably grumpy again."
"I am not!"
Flavio couldn't help but laugh as Macerio protested, Lirit teased, and Lynus simply regarded the two as a mother who was used to their playful bickering.
The members of the Guardian Guild sure were interesting.
