Chapter 15

That night after the tournament everyone in the Diasomnia dorm was celebrating their victory.

"That was great. We totally crushed it!" Sebek cheered as they all sat around one of the tables in the lounge.

"It was fun." Silver said as she sipped his tea.

"You both did great together today." Lilia praised them with a big smile. He had enjoyed watching from the sidelines as his boys played.

"It's too bad Odette did get to anything pass the first round, I think she would have enjoyed watching the whole tournament." Silver said.

"Oh did you want to show off to her?" Lilia teased.

"N-no, it just seems a little sad that she did all that work for Crowley and didn't even get to see the tournament." Silver explained.

"She has no one to blame but that companion of hers. He shouldn't be so reckless. It is a shame she didn't get to see Waka-sama play. Everyone should get to see that." Sebek said.

"That was probably his last match too." Lilia sighed.

"What are you all talking about?" Malleus asked as he approached their table.

"Just the days events." Lilia answered as he handed Malleus a cup of tea.

"Oh well please continue then." Malleus said as he sat beside Lilia.

Once all the commotion had settled down and he was sure his boys were in bed Lilia decided to go check on Odette.

He went to the infirmary to find it empty. 'How odd.' He thought as he made his way towards the Ramshackle dorm. On the way in the woods he came upon Odette walking around. She didn't look like she was dressed for a midnight hike, she was in jeans and a hoodie.

"The moon even looks different here." He heard her sigh as she stared up at the full moon.

Suddenly she tripped and fell to the ground.

"You klutz." She chastised herself as she limped over to a tree stump. She looked around at the small moonlit clearing she had found herself in. "Where am I?" She muttered as her eyes drifted around to try and find the path she had been on. She groaned in disbelieve realizing she was lost.

Before she could do anything else he floated up behind her and asked."Lost dear little ducky?"

He enjoyed her shocked look as she whipped around to look at him.

"Lilia?!" She grasped sounding just as happy as shocked much like this morning.

"Good evening Odette, what are you doing out here in these woods? Shouldn't you be resting. Rumor is you suffered a head injury today." He chided as he floated to in front of her.

"I did, I slept most of this afternoon so now I can't sleep. I thought a short walk wouldn't hurt, but I got lost." Odette confessed.

"It looks like you've tripped, your jeans are ripped and your knee is bit bloody. Lucky you I know these woods well and can return you to your dorm." Lilia informed her as he held his hand out for her.

She took it and winced as she stood. "I think I twisted my ankle." She muttered looking down at her ankle.

"I'll take a look at it, but let's not have you walk on it." He said scooping her up into his arms bridal style.

"O-oh okay." She muttered as he clung to him.

She fit so easily in his arms.

"Hold on tight." He instructed her as he began to fly back to her dorm. He could hear her heart pound as they flew but her laughing settled his nerves, she was nervous but seemed to be enjoying herself.

"Here we are." He cheered as he landed them softly on the front porch of the Ramshackle dorm. "Was that too fast for you?"

Odette peeled herself back a little but gulped but shook her head.

"Excellent, next time I'll go even faster. Now let's get that ankle looked at. I should probably check your head too." Lilia chuckled as he opened the door and headed towards the lounge. "You should really lock your doors."

"I didn't think I would be gone that long." Odette explained as Lilia sat her down on the couch.

Lilia took her boots and socks and looked over her injured ankle.

Odette winced as her prodded her ankle.

"It doesn't look too bad but we should still ice and wrap it." Lilia said as he got back and quickly disappeared then reappeared with a bag of ice and an ace wrap. "I'll be as gentle as I can." He said kneeling back down again. He began to wrap her ankle.

"You are very gentle." She whispered.

"As a fath…, I've helped raised three rambunctious boys so I've seen worse." Lilia explained as he gently looked at the small bump on her head.. "I can understand not sleeping but why wonder through the woods at this time of night? Something on your mind?"

Odette blushed as his intense gaze bore into her. 'I think this is the most serious I've seen him.' Odette thought. "I was just thinking of home is all." She answered.

"So you're feeling a little homesick?" Lilia asked as he laid Odette down, putting her foot on the arm rest and her head in his lap. "You should keep that ankle elevated."

"Yes of course." She muttered was as he began to brush her bangs off her forehead.

"Do you want to talk about home?" He asked as he continued to pet her.

"What were you doing in the woods in the middle night?" Odette asked raising her eyebrows.

"Oh trying to avoid the question? Talking about home might make you feel better but honestly I'm curious about your home." Lilia commented.

"You didn't answer my question." She pointed out.

"If your curious must be satisfied you aren't the only one who couldn't sleep tonight. Today's events were a bit disturbing." Lilia confessed.

"The overblot?" Odette asked staring up at him.

"That's part of it and the plot they were hatching to hurt my bo,...follow dorm mates. The fact that Crowley involved you and that this isn't your first over blot." Lilia said.

"I'm under the impression that these are rare yet I've seen two. Riddle was the last one. I think his was scarier than today's." Odette confessed whispering the last part.

"Why?" Lilia asked as his hands stileld on top of her head.

"Because he was the first and sand just isn't as scary as flying rose bushes." Odette confessed as she stared into his ruby eyes.

"Overblots are they rare. I guess you're just unlucky it seems." Lilia said.

"It would seem so." Odette sighed closing her eyes suddenly feeling tired.

Soon the grandfather clock strike midnight. "It's kinda late, I shouldn't keep you any longer." Odette said her eyes opening once the chiming ending.

"Are you in such a rush to get rid of me?" Lilia asks giving her the biggest puppy dog eyes she had ever seen.

'How does he do this?' She thought as she just shook her head. "No, there's no rush."

"Good then, so about home?" He prompted laying her back down.

"It barely gets this cold where I grew up." Odette explains as she stared up at him.

"So you grew up someplace warm?" Lilia asked as he went to gently brushing her bangs back off her forehead again.

"It's called Florida. It means land of Flowers in the language of the conquers. It's subtopic, surrounded by water on 3 sides. I grew up very close to the ocean." Odette yawned.

"Did you swim a lot growing up?" He asked a smile crossing his lips.

"Every chance I could." She answered as her eyes fluttered shut. "I love the ocean and I love to swim, is Thorn Valley near an ocean?"

"No, but we do have many lakes, some are very large. You've said there's no magical creatures in your world so what lives in your waters?" Lilia asked quietly.

"No magical creatures but I assume otherwise all the same creatures. We did have folk tales about mystical creatures. Manatees were called mermaids once." Odette muttered. "Are there water fae? Do they live near the lakes?"

"Really? What silly sailors. Yes they are water fae but they're not common in Thorn Valley." Lilia answered.

"I was worried I offered you earlier with my comment. I sometimes I say things without thinking." Lilia yawned.

"Don't worry Ducky. I wasn't offered." Lilia said resting his hand on top of head.

"I'm happy to hear that. I feel like I said it because I'm the same." Odette muttered.

"I would like to hear about more of these folks tales sometime once you're not so sleepy." He said as he noticed Odette was beginning to fall asleep.

He gently picked her up, got up from the couch and carried her upstairs and put her to bed.

Odette slept deeply and woke up late into the next morning feeling refreshed and the best she had since she began Crowley's investigation.

Thanks for reading. Sorry for cheating a bit on including a ficlet I've already written but I thought I could write it better and do it from Lilia's POV. I kinda like this version better.