A SURPRISE LENALEE APPROACHES; Command?

[windwaltz]

Despite all of everything the Black Order has been through, it was business as usual for the various teams. Lenalee and Allen were in one team with Miranda and a few Finders. Lucky them, their mission took them to the mountains - beautiful scenery, but cold weather. Fortunately they managed to find a small inn with vacancies, so they could stay indoors. Amazingly, Miranda was actually sleeping more peacefully than Lenalee at the moment.

Although after all of the scenarios and seeing all of the deaths in the war with the Earl and fighting the akuma, (...not to mention what she personally has been through), it really should come as no surprise that Lenalee's sleep was less than restful. While she managed to snatch an hour or two here and there of sleep, worries about her friends, her brother, and one exorcist in particular all contributed to making her nightmare particularly bloody and gruesome. When she jerked awake for the second time that night (or was it third, she wasn't sure), she knew she wouldn't be able to get back to sleep right away, so she silently slipped out of her room, padding down the hall. Maybe a glass of water would settle her nerves.

Comments

[windwaltz]

Sure. His imagination. Absolutely. Though Lenalee might regret that he insisted that they pull away to resume exploration. A little. She stepped lightly along with him in any event, happy enough to enjoy the peace of the day until they came to the clearing.

"Oh...? Oh..!" Oh wow, Lenalee stops short at the sight of the flowers, her hands rising to her mouth, "Oh they're so beautiful..!"

[thegraywalker]

Allen would certainly not blame her for big a bit miffed about that missed opportunity but then they both more or less forget about it as they stumble upon this gorgeous little corner of heaven tucked away in the deep woods.

"They are. Much like you I have to say." The dark purple matched her eyes perfectly.

[windwaltz]

She seems to agree -- about the color matching her eyes anyway. Blushing at the compliment as she glanced at him with a slow, blooming smile. It might have been a simple, truthful statement from him, but she just thought he was being sweet.

"I've never seen flowers like these before." They're not violets or tulips, that was for sure. "I should bring it back with us, to show Komui." He was knowledgeable, maybe he'd know what it was. She stepped over to the floors, kneeling to gently work one free. She'd carry it herself though, since she worried it might be fragile.

Although it meant she wouldn't be able to hug him until she was back at the order. Nuts.

[thegraywalker]

Well not if they went with Allen's idea as he plucked the flower from her hand and tucked it Lenalee's hair behind her ear.

"There. Looks right at home now~"

[windwaltz]

Even better! Also .. smooth, Allen, so smooth. Lenalee touched the spot where the flower was cozily nestled lightly, her smile widening. "You think so?" She slipped her arm around his again, hugging it lightly. "You know, this would be a nice spot for a picnic." Surrounded by beautiful flowers in the clearing. What could be better? Well. Maybe sitting by the ocean with said picnic.

[thegraywalker]

So smooth it would probably shock even Cross. Not that Allen cares about that in the least. Right now he just wants to shower Lenalee in as many compliments and praise as he can get away with.

"It does. And with my sense of direction I probably wouldn't even find it on my own again anyway~" Of course that was just another tricky way of saying he'd need her by his side.

[windwaltz]

Lenalee giggled, ".. that's okay, I remember the way." Which was her way of saying she'd be coming out here with him. So there would be no problems with directional sense.

"But I bet you'd find your way. You don't give yourself enough credit.. and you're marvelous." If he wasn't going to acknowledge how awesome and amazing he was, she'd do it for him. "You were the first to find the flowers here, after all."

[thegraywalker]

"I didn't aim to find them. This was just the result of wandering around with you." Allen was certainly flattered by the degree of trust Lenalee had in his performance but he knew all too well how horrible he was at navigation.

[windwaltz]

"Are you sure you aren't exaggerating the tiniest bit?" Lenalee grinned. She wouldn't be surprised if he planned for them to find these flowers. After a moment's thought, she reached down to carefully unearth two more flowers.

Of course, if she were asked she'd just tell him they were samples. But secretly she planned on sneaking a flower in a vase into his room when he was out, and keeping one in her own. And..hopefully that wouldn't make things too obvious if anyone saw them with the same flowers.

"Shall we keep looking, or do you want to head to the beach and catch some fish?"

[thegraywalker]

"I really didn't know these were here." Allen insisted before tilting his head curiously as Lenalee picked two more flowers. Well there was no harm in that so he didn't think anything was strange about it.

"I think we should keep going for a bit longer. Maybe half an hour more."

[windwaltz]

Good, he didn't question it. She paused to plucked one more, because she clearly liked them that much, before getting to her feet again. "Okay by me!" That meant she got to spend a half hour longer with him before they had to consider going back.

Ugh. Going back home meant keeping her distance from him didn't it? Well..at least until Komui knew about them, and that wouldn't be too long. "You wanted to see more of the island, right?" They kind of got side tracked on that.

[thegraywalker]

Oh he knew she liked them. That much was obvious from that smile she thought she might have hid from him. Allen didn't mind it. It made her so lovely after all.

"Well yes but I didn't really expect to explore the entire island in one day. It's pretty big after all. So this first trip has been pretty satisfying." Allen answered with a polite chuckle.

[windwaltz]

It was impossible to hide the smile on her face from him. And she wouldn't want to, honestly - if anything, she'd prefer to hide frowns or tears from him so he wouldn't worry.

She took her place at his side again, "Only 'pretty satisfying'?" She asked with a curiously tilt of her head. She'd have said it was wonderful - the only thing that could have made it better would have been if.... well! Let's.. not bring that up right now.

[thegraywalker]

Except he would rather she didn't hide those either. He wanted to help no matter what after all. Then again she likely felt the same so really they would only go around in circles telling each other this.

"I'm just being coy~" Allen admitted with a chuckle as he led Lenalee further in. Though the thought of certain things playing out differently was certainly present in his mind at the moment.

[windwaltz]

Definitely. She hated it when he hid his suffering. They were friends...well, more than that now, so they should support each other at times like thos.

"Oh, I see..! Well, I think it's been more than pretty satisfying," Wait, Lenalee, pay attention to your surroundings and not Allen or you both will get lost! ... not for very long of course, but that would still be a problem.

[thegraywalker]

Much more. Though really in the eyes of anyone other than Komui they would probably argue the two of them were already abnormally close to begin with.

"I'm glad to hear that. It means I can get to invite you again sometime." Allen answered with a bright smile of his own. This was simply the most peaceful moment he'd had in weeks.

[windwaltz]

That was definitely an accurate assessment. Abnormally close and abnormally quickly. "Hehee, well at least when you do I won't have to go searching for you."

"Well, even if I did have to I'd not stop searching till I found you. Ah~!" Hey, berries, awesome. Though again, she wasn't sure they were safe to eat, so she leaned forward carefully to break off a few small branches from the berry bush.

"You know.. I didn't tell you this, but the reason I wanted to learn to cook in the first place is because of you." And Komui, but that went without saying.

[thegraywalker]

That's why they were bringing back as diverse a haul as possible so Jerry could figure things out for the future. Then they'd know what to look out for and what to just outright skip.

What Lenalee said next actually threw him for a bit of a loop.

"What? Truly?" Because of him? He sparked her interest in cooking? But how?

[windwaltz]

She chuckles softly at his surprise, nodding with a bit of an embarrassed smile. "Well... you look so happy when Jerry brings cooks for you, I.." She paused to tuck the berries into his pack.

"I wanted to do something to make you smile like that too."

[thegraywalker]

"O-Oh. Well I'm flattered. And I hope you still will practice even if you have other ways to make me smile now." Allen said meekly, trying to not let his face turn into a ripe tomato in color.

[windwaltz]

Other ways.. that was so true, but Lenalee smiled even more. But that might be because of how impossibly adorable he was when he was flustered like that. Somehow it made her want to see how much more flustered he could get. -- ahem! "I will, of course..! Wanting to make delicious things for you is a big part of why I want to learn to cook, but it's not the only reason."

"It's a good thing I do have more ways to make you smile now though. I wouldn't want feeding you to be the only way to be the only way to make you happy." Between Jerry and her, he might get fat and -that- would be criminal. She definitely didn't want him to lose his figure and all those... gah, stop with the mind wandering, Lenalee!

[thegraywalker]

She would have an easy time flustering him without actually making him angry first. That would be one of the privileges she had automatically gained the moment they progressed things past just friendship.

"I-I see. I should think up some new ways too to make you happy then."

[windwaltz]

Good, because she didn't want to make him angry! "Well, you're already doing that, even without trying, you know." Cryptic comment from Miss Lee - but at a stray breeze, she's distracted with making sure the flower stays put tucked into her hair like that.

[thegraywalker]

As if she could ever make him angry. "Well I could say the same but that doesn't mean I shouldn't try to add some more to that." Allen started before he paused as the breeze rushed past, Lenalee moving to hold the flower in place. A simple gesture but one that left him completely speechless and entranced by Lenalee's beauty.

[windwaltz]

Lenalee lets out a pleased sigh. How often did they get to just walk around and enjoy the breeze and each other's company without having to worry about Akuma, or the Earl or Noahs or anything. Almost never, that's how often. "I bet there must be caves on the island too, don't you think ... Allen?" Oh..! It took her a minute or so to notice Allen's attention, at which point her face gets pink and she smiles gently at him. As she hits him with the full effect of a point blank smile full of adoration for him.