Chapter eleven: Admitted feelings

The three exorcist were sitting on the back of a hay cart (those carts that carry the hay, I can't think of a better name at this moment). They were getting a lift back to the train station when Ayume spotted something she really liked.

"Hey look! A flower field!" She yelled pointing to it.

"Hm?" Allen and Kanda said as they looked at the blooming flowers. The city, was dry and desolate because of the Innocence, when it was removed, everything returned back to normal. She was smiling at the flower field before she turned to Allen.

"Allen-kun, can we please stop for a while?" Ayume said. Allen looked at her, her wounds were tend to, but her smile made him forget about that.

"Che. Don't you know we have to go straight back to the order with the Innocence as soon as possible?" Kanda said. Ayume looked at him, then turned back to Allen, a little pout on her face.

"Unfortunately, he's right Ayume." Allen said, rubbing the back of his head. She looked away, thinking for a while, before she got a big smile on her face. She then turned back to Allen.

"How about this? You two go back to the order and I'll catch up later?" Ayume said looking at the two of them and before they gave there answer, she jumped off, Natsu with her.

"Wait! Ayume!" Allen yelled, too late though. He looked back at Kanda who just glared at him.

"Just go. I'll bring the innocence back." Kanda said.

"Thanks Kanda." Allen said before he jumped off.

"Che." Kanda said, looking away from the two. My God, they're perfect for each other. He thought.

Ayume was sitting in the middle of the flower field, she was surrounded by flowers white, blue, and red. Her eyes watch what seemed to be a million butterflies dance in the air.

"Ayume!" Allen called. She turned her attention away from the butterflies as she looked at Allen, she smiled softly at him. Her smile caused him to trip and fall on his face.

"Allen-kun!" She yelled quickly getting up as she ran over to him. He rolled over, holding a part of his head he hit really hard. He opened his eyes, seeing Ayume looking down at him with a worried face.

"Are you okay Allen-kun?" She asked him.

"Yeah, I'm fine." He answered as he stood up.

"That's good." Ayume said, eyes closed smiling. What's going on? Just looking at Ayume now... and when I comfort her before, there was something else there, it was as if there was more reason behind it. I think i wanted to hold her in my arms, I think I may still want to. Allen thought, looking at his two hands. Ayume was looking at him, but a blue butterfly that flew near her got her attention. Ayume, suddenly dropped down in the flowers.

"Ayume?" Allen said when she suddenly laid down. Ayume didn't answer, her eyes watch the blue butterfly as it got closer to her. Eventually, it landed on her nose, slowly spreading its wings. Ayume slowly smiled at it, happy in her moment. Allen sat down next to her, watching her as the butterfly slowly opened and closed its wings on her nose, he could feel his heart beat faster in react. I think I'm in love with Ayume. He thought.

Ayume's eyes were on the butterfly, but suddenly her eyes (well eye since Allen could only see one) looked at him, and her smile grew even bigger. Allen started to blush, but then he realized a butterfly landed on his head, a red one. It's wings slowly opened and closed in rhythm with the other one. She looked at him before a while. She closed her eyes and toke a deep breath. Then she began to sing this one part from Hiro no Tsuki (yes it's a Japanese song, look it up if you want). Allen just sat there, he let his ears soak up the pureness and innocence of her voice. It was so soft, but everything sounded like it belong, it was at that point that Allen finally admit what his feelings was to himself. I'm in love with Ayume. Allen thought as he smiled softly at her, though she still had her eyes closed. When she was finished, the two butterflies flew off. She sat up and stretched a bit.

"Well I guess we can go now, Allen-kun." She said.

"Yeah, wait. Where's Natsu?" He asked quickly looking around for there scaly companion.

"Oh him? He's probably smelling the flowers somewhere." Ayume stated, she looked around a bit before she pointed out to a flower off a bit. Natsu was above it, taking in deep breath.

"There he is." She said.

"Why is he smelling that flower?"

"Not a clue, he just stops and smells the roses, maybe a little too much." She sighed, bringing her hands to her mouth.

"Natsu! Come on, we're leaving!" She yelled, Natsu turned to her and quickly flew to her. She turned back to Allen having the same smile as before.

"Shall we go Allen-kun?"

XOXOXOXOXOX

The train back was long. Allen and Ayume sat on opposite sides, she fell asleep a little after the train started to move. Natsu slept next to the in a little ball again. Allen watched her sleep, thinking of everything that happen to them in the mission. She didn't reveal as much as the time they met, but he felt like he's learned a lot more. Allen thought back to the time when the Akuma was destroyed. What was that strange light? It looked like the kind Ayume used but at the same time, it didn't. Allen thought. What was he going to tell the supervisor? What could he tell him, he didn't understand it himself. He thought back to when he was helping Ayume tend her wounds.

"Thank you for saving me, Allen-kun." She said smiling at him as he cleaned her right arm. That line kept repeating itself in his mind. I didn't save you, Ayume. He thought as he looked at her. I was too weak to save you. He sighed looking at her again. Sure she was pretty, but you can't really fall in love with someone when they're just pretty right? She's pretty though. But she's a bit childish but in a good way and she really is sweet. He thought of the smile she always has on. He didn't think it was a genuin smile, but she could just be smiling to help others. That was another reason he was in love with her.

XOXOXOXOXOXOXOX

They arrived at the Black Order late that night. Ayume yawned, obviously, that nap on the train wasn't enough.

"Allen! Ayume! There you are!" A voice said, the both of them looked up to see Lavi.

"Lavi!" Allen said.

"Good evening Lavi." Ayume said as she started to go up the stairs.

"I got a bit worried when Yu came here by himself, but I feel better now that I know you're both okay. By the way, I like your uniform, Ayume." Lavi said. Ayume just nodded her head in thanks, but then she had it in confused.

"Who's Yu?" Ayume asked.

"Yu is Kanda's first name, but he doesn't like it anyone calling him that." Lavi explain and with that Natsu busted out laughing.

"WHAT KIND OF NAME IS YU!? HAHAHAHAHAHAHA! NO WONDER HE HATES EVERYTHING!! MY GOD, AM I GOING TO TORTURE HIM WITH THIS!!" Natsu roared. The three exorcist ignored his laughter and comment.

"Oh yeah! Komui wants to see you, Allen." Lavi told the white haired exorcist.

"Hai." Allen said than began climbing up the stairs.

"What about me?" Ayume asked Lavi.

"He didn't say anything about you, Skater-chan. So I guess you can go to bed." Lavi said.

"Okay, night then." Ayume said as she waved to the two male exorcists before she headed off to her room.

"She's pretty cute isn't she, Allen?" Lavi said. Allen didn't answer, just blush furiously.

Ayume made it to her room, her eye half filled with tears. Natsu made it in before she lock the door. The tears started to fall when she began to take off her exorcist uniform in the darkness.

"He's in love with you, you know." Natsu said on the dresser, eyes closed, wrapped up in a ball. Ayume stopped, the only thing she toke off was her jacket. More tears fell of Ayume's face.

"I don't think so. But..." She answered, her voice breaking.

"But?" Natsu said, his voice barely filling the dark room. New tears fell, almost soaking that one spot on the floor, she didn't answer, she just continued to take off her boots and soaks.

"Well?" Natsu asked. She swallow deeply, and quickly toke out her hair that was in a ponytail.

"I..." Ayume answered, her voice broke on the very first word. She held on to the exorcist coat in one hand as she brought up her other hand, holding against her right eye, trying to stop the tears.

"I love him, so much. I don't know why, I didn't even know him for too long. But he's so kind and caring, and he acts like he needs to say everyone, and ever since I met him, I felt as if everything was out of order. I loved the time when he held me in his arms, he felt so warm. But-" Ayume said, her voice was breaking the enter time as she tried to keep herself from breaking apart.

"But?" Natsu said as he looked at me.

"But, somewhere inside me, there's a part that's always reminding me how I'll be nothing but trouble to him." Ayume said she took a deep breath in, making a weird noise from her throat. "But I'm scared."

"Scared? About what?"

"Don't act like you don't know!" She snapped. "Why was it that I never came to the order in the first place!? Why do you think I was so scared when we first got here?!"

"You were scared that you would be caught, but no one recognized you."

"And I'm still scared! Only now I'm scared of what he'll think of me when he finds out! He'll hate me!"

"You can keep your secrets, you've kept them this long. Why not longer?"

"Natsu you idiot! Don't you get that this isn't the kind of secret that I can keep forever?! They'll find out! Sooner or later they'll find out! And I'm scared on how he'll react when he finds out!"

Ayume fell to the floor, she sat on her legs. She cried out into the darkness. She felt cold, she has always felt cold, since the day she was born. Being in Allen's arms was the first time she felt warm, and that scared her. She didn't know what to do, but she only knew that she was deeply in love with Allen, and she knew he loved her back, but still. She stood up, she played on how he might react in her head, her heart ached but she continued to get undressed and then put on her night gown. Natsu listen to bed springs creak in the darkness, he was still in a ball, his eyes were closed though the whole conversation.

"Ayume?" He said.

"How can you be so strong, Natsu? How can you not worry in the least?" Ayume asked as she desperately tried to find warmth from the blankets.

"Age I think. I have been around a lot longer than you." Natsu answered.

"I'm tired. Goodnight Natsu." She said, pulling herself into a ball.

"Goodnight."

No idea what to say. Sad.

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