Theme: Future

"Aren't you a little old for this kind of thing?"

Elliot's shoulders stiffened, and he glanced back at his valet, clenching and unclenching his fists. Leo stared blankly at him – or, he could only guess so. He never could see Leo's eyes under all that hair, and the glasses were no help.

"What are you talking about?" Elliot replied, trying to remain polite even though he knew exactly what Leo was insinuating.

"The fact that you're fighting an imaginary opponent."

Elliot's lip twitched and he took a deep breath, leaning back on his heels and folding his arms across his chest. It was a good thing he was taller than Leo; it helped with what little intimidation he could pull over the orphan. Raising his chin, he said matter-of-factly, "I only fight 'imaginary' opponents because no one else is good enough."

Leo scoffed. "Yeah, right. Just yesterday, you got beat up by that creepy white-haired guy for the… How many times did you say? Eighteen?"

"Shut up…" Elliot grumbled, resuming his trudge across the yard, toward the woods. That was where the imagined 'Zekred' went. Besides, Elliot felt like climbing a tree. Get up off the ground, feel the wind moving the branches… and ignore Leo for a couple minutes.

"That's a favored phrase of yours, isn't it?" said Leo as he followed, carrying the case that normally held Elliot's new sword.

The Black Rapier, sword of his father, and his father before him. A weapon that had been in the Nightray family for years. Since Gilbert had contracted Raven, Duke Nightray had entrusted the heirloom to him. Just like he told Gilbert, Elliot was going to represent his family his own way.

"What are you smiling about?"

Elliot blinked. "Eh?"

"You were staring at me with this weird look on your face."

Cue sweatdrop. The one downside to having a servant that didn't think anything of your nobility. Blunt as a spoon. Nevertheless, Elliot had no intention of letting the noire know that he'd almost gotten the upper hand. "Pah! Don't flatter yourself! I was thinking about my sword!" To punctuate that statement, he gave the black weapon a test swing or two, and paused at the nearest tree. "Which you will be holding now."

Leo had barely caught the hilt of the sword that was thrust into his hands before Elliot had swung onto the lowest branch, and hoisted himself into the tree. He glanced down to find his valet, again, staring blankly up at him.

"You know, for someone who thinks so highly of their place in society, you certainly don't act like it when no one else is watching."

"JUST BE QUIET! You're ruining the effect!" But he didn't miss the slight smile that crossed Leo's face. That irking grin that meant he'd found Elliot's irritation amusing again.

"Ugh, why do I even bother?" he muttered before climbing higher.

"Does this have anything to do with the fact that you're turning fifteen next week?"

The treebranch he was leaning on snapped and he wavered.

"If you fall, I'm not catching you," Leo deadpanned.

"What makes you think it has anything to do with that!?" Elliot snapped over his shoulder, moving his hand to a steadier branch.

Leo shrugged. "Call it a hunch. 'Cause as soon as the Coming of Age Ceremony is over, you won't get away with doing this sort of thing. I don't doubt you'll get a tongue-lashing from your sister as it is."

"Eh. Let her scold me." Settling himself on a broad limb, Elliot leaned back on the trunk, looking out over the countryside beyond the walls of the Nightray estate. "My future comes in seven days. I'm going to enjoy what's left of the present while I have it. Is that okay with you?" He saturated his last 'question' with sarcasm, and peered down at his servant.

After a moment, Leo sat down at the base of the tree, laying the sword and its case gently beside him. "I don't mind."

"Good. Because I think I see what direction Zekred went."

The noire looked up. "I thought you'd forgotten about that."

"Why do you think I'm up here, stupid? I needed to get the layout of the land! He's over that way someplace." Elliot waved a hand in a vague direction before swiveling to climb down. Unfortunately, the first limb he put his foot on snapped under him, sending him flailing straight to the ground. He landed hard on his back with a thud, and the breath whooshed out of his lungs in a pained gasp.

With a groan, he sat up, back aching. It was then he heard a cough right next to him.

"Okay, I lied," Leo moaned through clenched teeth, rolling onto his side with his arms wrapped around his stomach. Yet, a ghost of a grin was on his face. "You fall, I'll try to catch you, and we'll both end up breaking something."

All Elliot could do was laugh.