Tomboy007: Hello folks, log time no see! You can kill me if you want for that.
Allen: Trust me, you don't know how long I've been waiting to hear that –gets out a driller – now where were we?
Tomboy007: W-Walker, I don't think you know what you're doing. –backs away- Just put the dangerous toy away.
Allen: …What do I look like? A kid?
Tomboy007…Erm… is that a rhetorical question?
Allen: Oh forget it. You've missed the comical timing.
Tomboy007: -glares at Allen- anyway, ignoring walker and his … Weird ways, let's go right into the story.
Chapter 4
- The injuries -
Two months slowly passed by and I was assigned to many missions meaning that mine and Rhodes time together was limited. I had confessed my feelings for Rhode the day after when I kissed her in the dream world. We were a perfect couple now, a Noah and an Exorcist: isn't it great? Yeah, right! At this rate we are probably going to get ourselves killed.
If the Noah's found out about our relationship they would tear me apart with no regret and Rhode along with me. Then if the order found out, they would execute and kill me and then probably trap Rhode and experiment on her.
Either way, it was a huge risk if anyone found out. I'd die and so would Rhode. It was like our love wasn't to exist. It was like we were never meant to be together...
To hell with that theory!
We'd run away from our clans if it were like that. I would earn a living in the circus and Rhode could do some magic tricks with her telekinetic powers. It would be great, just the two of us on the run. Maybe it'll work and maybe it won't. Mana was on the run and look where it got him. The Earl killed him and now I carry the damn memories of the fourteenth Noah. Rhode said that she didn't like the fourteenth very much. They were cousins apparently, and didn't get on too well. She never said it, but I could tell that she didn't want me to go. That she didn't want me to emerge as the fourteenth. When we talked about the process of turning into a Noah, Rhode would nuzzle up against me, wanting to end the conversation between us there and then. She was afraid. She didn't want to lose me.
The past two months have been a bother. I was off on so many missions that it was nearly impossible to see Rhode and Christmas was fast approaching. The order was getting ready for the big celebration – the birth of Jesus Christ. Decorations were put up during the weeks leading up to the big day: trees, glitter, stars, you name it. The order looked beautiful and even comfortable then it ever had.
However, I got injured on my last mission and was stuck with a broken right arm and a completely wounded body. I was in the huge dinning hall as I ate my usual huge amount of food with Lenalee, Lavi, Kanda and Miranda around me. We were all tucking into Dinner while Lavi was read the newspaper. Lenalee ate her share of the small amount of food on her plate and started talking to Kanda about Christmas. Kanda kept his conversation as short as possible and said 'che' the whole way through it, acting as if he didn't care. The guy sure loved to play the lone wolf!
"Allen-kun," smiled Lenalee, turning to me with her vibrant violent eyes staring back at me "what're you expecting for your Christmas present this year? Not liquor I suppose."
I could feel myself wanting to throw up as she said that, but then again, also a knot of guilt at the pit of my stomach. Liquor – it was what my master, general Cross loved to drink. He died a while after he had told me the truth about the fourteenth two years ago. About the fact that I would one day destroy my friends. He had never gone into detail on it because we ran out of time when Mr. Tall dark and Hitler was listening to our conversation, but I was glad that Rhode filled me in on it a while back.
I smiled weakly at Lenalee and she quickly pulled back, a guilty look crossing her face.
"Allen-kun…. I'm so sorry," she began stuttering slightly "I didn't mean to..."
"Hey, don't worry about it," I said as I began to stuff my face again "It's no biggie."
Lenalee nodded and smiled a bit wearily, probably thinking that she'd brought back painful memories for me. In a way, yes, but I've learned to move on from my masters death. Life still went on and I couldn't stop to mourn over his death forever. And besides, I don't think he would've wanted that.
Talk slowly turned to the Noah's and their next line of planes. Lavi reminded us that the Earl said the curtains would open and the 7000 years of waiting had ended. Something was going to happen and we didn't know when or where the final battle would take place. We just had to wait. The gang began to talk about the Noah's in general and about their personalities and Rhode Camelot's name just kept on coming up in our conversation.
"I don't understand that Noah," sighed Lavi as he leaned forward onto the table "she's creepy. You saw how she gets when she's around Allen. I don't even know if she's being sarcastic when she flings her self at him or not. That kid creeps me out."
I looked down at my food, trying my best not to react to what Lavi was saying about Rhode. Miranda nodded and shuddered at the thought of the young Noah and the pain she inflicted upon her.
I was over the moon once the conversation turned away from Rhode and somewhere else. A small smile made its way across my face and I yawned as I got up and stretched. Lavi grinned at me.
"What's with you, Allen? Tired?" he asked with a smirk "What kept you awake all night? A girl?"
I gave Lavi a looked with a lifted brow.
"I doubt it, Lavi," I replied as I lifted my plate up "I'm just going into town for a stroll. If Komui asks where I am, tell him I've gone into town."
With that, I lifted my plates and began to walk when Lenalee got up and ran after me.
"A-Allen-kun," she began as she took some of the plates from me "I need to go to town too. So mind if I tag along?"
I looked at Lenalee for a while, trying to see if she was lying or not. There was a small pleading glint in her eyes that told me that she was desperate to come along with me. I was planning on meeting Rhode, but I guess I can't if Lenalee came with me. Well, I guess seeing Rhode would have to be postponed for the day. I look at Lenalee and smile at her.
"Yeah, sure," I replied with a grin "I'd be glad to have you tag along."
Lenalee smiled and walked beside me. We part ways to go and get our coats. I rummage through my cupboard and found a brown jacket to wear instead of my black exorcist jacket. I had given up wearing the exorcist coat seeing as every time I'm with Rhode I tend to wear my own little bits and bobs. I pulled the jacket on around me and left it open, revealing a black full sleeve shirt that I wore with a few white webbed designs on.
A small door appeared in my room with black and red checked designs, which I recognised to be the door to Rhode's dream world. I walked towards the door and stood right in front of it, examining it when suddenly it opened and I was pulled inside by my collar. I was immediately greeted with a full on kiss on my lips and I began to relax. I could feel the person's hands leaving my collar and making their way around my neck while my uninjured arm fell to around their waist. There's only one person in the world who would greet me with a kiss and that was none other than the one and only Rhode Camelot. I pulled away from Rhodes honey like soft lips and smiled at her as I looked down at the young Noah.
Her hands slowly wrapped themselves around my slim waist and she rested her head against my chest as she nuzzled her face against it. I smiled as I kiss her head and then pulled away.
"I won't be able to meet up with you today, Rhode," I said simply as I looked at her "I've got company so yeah. I can't see you today."
Rhode pouted and looked at me innocently, before she pulled me into another quick lip lock and pulled away.
"Oh well," She huffed as she lets go of me "I guess even a Noah can't have her own way. But don't worry; I'll see you today alright."
Before I could open my mouth to ask why she sounded so confident about it, I could hear Lenalee calling for me back in the order so I waved a quick bye to Rhode and walked out of the door. When I was back in my own world, the dream world door slowly faded away and I could see Lenalee speeding past my room. Phew, what a close call! Lenalee sighed when she saw me and smiled at me before we made our way down to the ship docks. The travel to the town didn't take us too long because while we travelled Lenalee talked to me like all the time. The conversation revolved more around Christmas than anything else.
When we arrived at the town, I went for a quick stroll with Lenalee running off to have a look at some of the gifts she wanted to get everyone. She'd grab my hand and lead me into a shop, then to another and then to another, looking for little gifts and presents. It was a chilly day, so I found myself zipping up my jacket from the cold. Snow slowly fell to the beautiful level ground and I could see that the sky was getting darker and darker by the minute. I tried to get Lenalee's attention, but she was too busy hurrying around the shops, trying to get something for everyone back at the order.
"L-Lenalee! Wait a sec!" I shouted as I stopped in my tracks "Christmas isn't until another two weeks, you don't have to rush around trying to get everyone something today. We can come back tomorrow."
Lenalee smiled at me, but there was something in that smile that wasn't genuine. As if she was upset or something. She sighed, but then her mood lifted yet again and she gave me that reassuring smile that she gave when she was slightly down.
"You're right, Allen-kun," she said as she walked towards me "I'll buy the things later," with that she smiled at me and we began to walk again, not to any place in particular. We just let our feet guide us to anywhere they went. Lenalee didn't seem like her self today. Usually she'd talk to me when we went somewhere or at least made the effort to include me in anything she did. But I didn't see that side of her today at all. Then there was the fact that she was really panicky as if she had to desperately get us something. Big deal! I can live without Christmas presents and she knows that. Lenalee was hiding something from me. We walk through a field covered with snow and I manage grab her wrist with my uninjured left arm, stopping her in her place.
"Lenalee, we need to talk," I said seriously as I let go of her hand, puffs of cloud emerging in front of me as I spoke "You…have you… are you alright?"
Lenalee looked at me, slightly taken back by the question, probably not expecting it in the first place. Her expression slowly began to change and she smiled as she laughed.
"Don't worry, Allen-kun," she replied as her dark hair was lit up by the diamonds and the moon in the dark night sky "I'm fine."
"No, Lenalee…. You're not. I can tell. There's something bothering you. Please tell me. I don't want to see you upset….Please."
Lenalee smiled weakly and looked away from me, her gaze directed somewhere else. It was a perfect night above us and the moon was at its fullest, illuminating snow covered field below it. Trees whispered around us as if giving words of encouragement to the young Chinese Exorcist. I opened my mouth to say something, but Lenalee started to speak so I halt.
"I… I'm leaving, Allen-kun." She said simply as she turned around and smiled painfully at me again.
"Wait, what do you mean 'leaving'?" I asked her with concern in my voice "You can't mean…. the… the head quarters?"
Lenalee nodded painfully, but kept a brave face, keeping her tears at bay. I looked back at her shocked and both angry at the same time – not at her, but at the damn headquarters. How the hell could they do this? Are they trying to separate me from my closest friend or something? I don't know what to say. I stare back at Lenalee, breathing heavily, wanting to kill who ever came up with this damn idea.
"But… you can't… you… I," I stuttered, trying to fit a few sentences together "This is absurd. It's stupid. You can't go by it, Lenalee. You… you just can't!"
Lenalee looked up at me, tears in her eyes, threatening to fall. Then suddenly she wrapped her hands around me and pulled me into a quick and desperate kiss on the lips. I stared back at her dumbly, not having expected that from her. I pull away from Lenalee and avoid her hurt gaze. Without knowing what I was saying I begin to ask her a question that popped into my mind. I had to know.
"How long?" I asked her, still avoiding eye contact "How long have you had feelings for me?"
"Ever since our first mission together – I've loved you since then…. Allen. For over three years."
"I-I'm sorry, Lenalee," I croaked as I began to walk away "I love someone else and she is the most important person to me… I'm sorry."
I don't have a clue how I even managed to talk to her, but I did and I even told her that I was in love with another person. I turn around and began to walk away, only to have Lenalee stop me and ask me where I'm going. To be honest, I didn't have a clue myself. All I knew was that I didn't want to look into Lenalee's perfectly innocent violet eyes, in fear that I might begin to regret the words that escaped my mouth.
"I'm just gonna walk around for a while. You head back to the order and if anyone asks, tell them that I'm out in town."
Lenalee didn't say anything to that, but I could hear her sobbing as I walked away from her through the snow-covered field. Did I do the right thing? Was it right of me to hurt and shatter Lenalee's heart? I don't know. I've never seen Lenalee as a lover before. Well, actually, I remember developing crush on her when I was younger. When I first joined the order. But I put that crush and the feelings for her aside long ago when I realised that it was never going to work because of the war. I continued to walk as the snow began to fall heavily. I smile weakly. The snow is so much like my hair. I hate it, but I like it at the same time. It's weird. I feel weird. Not knowing what to do now that Lenalee had confessed. I shook my head and shuddered from the biting cold. Might as well go and book in to stay in an inn. I looked around and found a small cosy inn where I booked in at the front desk. The woman smiled and took me to the first floor to show me my room. I settled in quickly, pulling off my upper attire and wrapping up in the blankets in my under garment. All I wanted to do now was to get a good shut eye and give my brain a rest from what happened earlier between me and Lenalee. Hell! I didn't even know why I didn't take her back to the order. I don't know why I didn't want to go back home. Maybe it's because I know I'll be hassled by what had happened today. Maybe I knew that I couldn't rest easy if I went home. Either way, I had chosen to stay out for today. I looked out the window beside my bed. The stars polluted the sky like how we humans do down on earth. They shone majestically in the black blanketed sky, their beauty only being recognised at the most unexpected time. Suddenly, a figure moved at high speed past the window, making me sit up on the bed, alert for any signs of danger.
"Wow, is it me or do you look hot in your vest?" Came a voice that I recognised all too easily. The figure from before revealed herself and hung from the window upside down. It was Rhode. "Hey, what're you doing in an inn all by yourself?"
"What the hell is that supposed to mean?" I shot back at her as she made her way down from the window "I only came here because I don't want to go back the order for today."
Rhode smiled and shrugged as her light weighted night gown swayed around her. Her yellow eyes stood out in the dark gloomy room like cats eyes as she made her way towards me. She took a seat on the edge of the bed and looked back at me, the moon illuminating her features much more and making her look like something so damn beautiful. I could feel my heart racing at the speed of light as I licked my lips nervously trying my best to let her appearance go unnoticed, but Rhode had other ideas. Her hands made their way up my neck, stroked my cheeks and then her lips met mine in a passionate and slow lip lock. I responded slowly, leaving my hands where they were. Rhode slipped underneath the covers along side me as she broke the kiss. We settled into the bed, with our arms wrapped around each other. My arms around her waist while her arms rested on my stomach. I moved forward and whispered something into her ear, letting my breath tickle her neck.
"I love you, Rhode Camelot."
With that, we cuddled up and let our dreams consume our minds.
Tomboy007: Hmmm.... I must admit, I'm getting really annoyed and tired. Agh! I had this stupid chapter done last year for Christ's sake and I can't even be bothered to check it.
Allen: You're stupid.
Tomboy007: I, for one, am not going to disagree with that statement. It's freaking true. –Cries like a chibi- I'm so sorry, fans. I'll try and get the chapters up and running, but I've got exams. I promise that I'll still try and update decent and quality chapters if I do. This means good grammar which has been checked for once!
Allen: Amen to that!
Rhode: Amen!