midnightstar | A SURPRISE LENALEE APPROACHES; Command?

Lenalee skirted a glance at Allen at mention of exploring the woods. That sounded like it'd be interesting - she certainly hadn't explored the island much herself, staying close to the Order. "Oh! You'll have to let me know if you find anything interesting then." She said innocently. See, she wouldn't just assume to go along with him.

She'd wait till the day of, or before, to ask him to go with him. When there weren't extra ears about. "I'm sure Komui would like to know too." She's... going to have to ask Allen if he thinks steak will bribe Timcanpy to keep certain memories private though. Or something.

Jerry looked thoughtful, and then brightened with a grin, making a note to himself. "What about you Lenalee?"

"Oh, I'll probably be training also. And helping Komui out around the Order while we're all still getting settled in." She flashed a smile at Jerry, reaching over to nab the cup of tea.

Yep, it's totally innocent and they're not going to be doing things together. Except maybe training, but that was normal. Wait, it would draw attention if she went out of her way to not be around him too wouldn't it..?

Allen was infinitely thankful for Lenalee's ability to act like that. He would have loved nothing more than to invite her openly but that was simply not a course of action he could take if he wanted to keep his head on his shoulders for the the rest of his life.

"Of course. I'll be sure to tell you as soon as I get back." Oh dear Allen might want to tone down how bright that smile of his was. Luckily Jerry moved on to Lenalee after that. As for Timcampy. Well he could be negotiated with and bribed.

"Of course. You are after all the one who brings the lifeblood of coffee to everyone in the research department. I've seen how they get when you are on a mission. Not a pretty sight."

It wasn't easy. She really wanted to sit closer to him; she had to consciously remind herself not to lean towards him in her chair. Being able to keep the conversation innocent and off of them helped. She laughed at the mention of the researchers, "Yeah, the Research Team and Komui are always pulling late hours --" Er. Maybe she should phrase that as 'because of Komui' but of course she wouldn't see that that way. This was a war - sleep was a luxury when you were racing against time and the enemy. "It's the least I can do to help everyone out." She wasn't a researcher and she'd only be in the way if she tried helping there, so keeping everyone awake so they could get the work done - which would eventually get passed on to the Exorcists - was the best way to help. "I guess they're even more tired and cranky when I'm away."

"MMm yeah. They also seem to have developed a taste for YOUR coffee specifically. The last time Jerry sent me up there with a tray they complained how it wasn't the same." Yes he was throwing the research group under the bus but it was perfect cover to keep things between him and Lenalee hidden.

Jerry gasped, breaking into the completely innocent cover conversation at that. "Wait a second, was this last week? Those ingrates should be lucky I brewed that coffee for them specially." Yeah, Allen you totally got the science division in trouble now are you proud of yourself? Shaaaaaaaaaame.

Lenalee set her cup of tea down with a laugh, "I.. I'm sure they didn't mean anything by it..!" She was about to offer to show Allen how she brewed the offee, but decided against it, quickly. More importantly Jerry looked like he was tempted to hunt down the poor researchers himself!

Allen could be fairly cutthroat at times. Still he would throw a lifeline for sake of saving them a bit of grief.

"Now now! I didn't say they hated it. Just that it wasn't the same without Lenalee's touch to it." That was all really. Hopefully it would help appease the outraged cook.

It was return of Dark Allen! Or almost, if he hadn't decided to show a little mercy to the scientists. Jerry glanced at Allen again, frowning a little, but eventually relented - with a little grumble. "Well... I supposed everyone has their own tastes.." Grumble Grumble.

Lenalee giggled quietly, glancing over at Allen again. Just -barely- dodged the bullet on that one - for the scientists anyway. Jerry took his grumbling back into the kitchen in any case, leaving the two to finish their breakfast and try very hard to not touch or get closer or blow their cover in any way shape or form. At least on Lenalee's part anyway. She kept her attention for the most part on finishing her breakfast calmly, glancing over at Allen, "Are you going to explore the island after breakfast?" Maybe she could offer to look for herbs for Jerry's cooking and join up with him~!

Did he ever really leave though? What if he'd just gone to sleep for a bit. Allen did watch Jerry skulk back to the kitchen. He couldn't do any more damage control than that though so he returned to eating and chatting with Lenalee.

"Yes that's right. I was thinking of starting at the docks and then just going from there in a circle around the HQ"

Well that wouldn't be a surprise then. Typical Dark Allen, the sneak! Lying in wait to pounce at the first opportunity. Lenalee will have to watch out for that! Only not really.

"Ah, okay..!" Lenalee answered, absolutely not planning on offering to get fish from the docks or herbs. And certainly not imagining sitting cuddled up on the dock with Allen and she really should stop that.

Quickly getting to her feet, she sighed, "Well then, I should go check in on Komui and the rest and see if they need any coffee or anything." She doubted it though - they usually didn't need it until later in the evening. Which meant she had all day to spend with Allen-- er...

He really didn't want Lenalee to god but again necessity trumped personality wishes and in a way that belied greatness too.

"Yes okay. Take care Lenalee." Oh that was a slip up but given he didn't make an effort to hide it, was more surprising it came out today of all days.

After that Allen handed the dishes back to Jerry and excused himself with all due haste eager to leave the surveillance net he could sense around him.

Jerry HEARD that Allen! ...so did Trash bot, but it was fortunately a relatively harmless comment to make. Lenalee flashed a smile at him, waving, "You too, Allen ..!" phew, she came close to tacking on something else to that sentence.

She turned and determinedly stepped out of the mess hall. She of course, would keep her word and see her brother and if the researchers needed anything. But the entire time she was almost antsy, wanting to scurry out to find Allen.

Unfortunately it was at least an hour before Lenalee was free to wander off, at which point she immediately made for the door outside. Allen couldn't have covered -that- much ground in an hour -- at least, not for someone who wore the Dark Boots.

She would find Allen standing on the pier looking over the water, throwing a stone he'd picked up from the shoreline, aiming to get at least ten skips out of each toss. He wasn't in a hurry to start exploring the forest. Almost as if he knew something was missing.

"Allen~!" Lenalee called out, sprinting through the air. For a second it reminded her of... nope, not revisiting that, thanks. And it had a far far better ending, when she caught sight of Allen skipping rocks at the pier.

She actually overshot slightly, then danced back through the air and landed lightly as a butterfly, stumbling a step forward and exhaling a breath. "There you are.."

Allen paused right before another throw as Lenalee finally came into view, prompting him to step back a bit to let her have room to land in front of him, catching her after the stumble with a small chuckle.

"Easy there. Were you having trouble finding me?" Allen asked with a warm smile as that missing feeling suddenly got sorted out.

"A little," Lenalee answered with a sheepish blush, "I almost didn't see the pier here, but I saw those rocks you were throwing. Or rather, the ripples they were making." Since he had caught her, she leaned in to wrap her arms around him into a hug, with a long sigh.

It was only an -hour-, it was crazy how much she had wanted to be at his side. What would happen if they were on separate missions?

Allen smiled ever so warmly as Lenalee landed in his arms. Yes finally. That feeling of something missing was finally gone and done with. Now he could enjoy a rare moment of peace with his dear...lover. THat thought was blooming early on his mind but he still felt it applied.

"Well you're here with me now nd I would not change that for the world~"

Lover. It was definitely out there - in both of their minds. Lenalee blushed everytime she thought of him. He could feel her smiling as her chin rested against his shoulder, her arms holding him tight as if she was afraid he'd disappear if she let go.

"Me either." She sighed softly. "It's strange..that it doesn't seem strange to me, that I feel almost..frantic when I'm not with you." Maybe that was her overprotectiveness though. Her fear that he'd die. "Is that bad...? That I want to be with you like this so much?"

How could it be bad when it felt so -wonderful- to be in his arms?

He felt it. That sheer joy radiating from her body as he pressed her close to his chest and just bathed in the bliss of the moment as the waters lazily lapped at the shore line and birds chirped a short ways away .

Rather than answer her with words, Allen pulled away just enough to put both hands on Lenalee's cheeks and kissed her again.

Was that her answer? She definitely could approve of that. Though there was a pause of surprise, it lasted not even a second before she was smiling in response. Leaning into him as her eyes drifted closed, instinctively kissing him back.

This ..this was what she wanted. Craved. Just from being near him. It wasn't hesitant like when she thought she was dreaming, and it wasn't timid when they confessed their feelings. It was full of warmth and love, and it tasted so, so sweet.

Feeling her smiling back he pressed a little more into the kiss as well, a pleased almost hum leaving his throat as he held Lenalee as close as he had wanted ever since their breakfast chat.

Finally he managed to pull away but it was with great great difficulty.

"That....I've wanted to do that for too long..."

She let out a long sigh of pure happiness, catching herself leaning after him when he pulled away. Embarrassed, she pulled back as well, but not by much - just enough to give him that sunny smile.

"I'm glad you did," she admitted, "..because I've wanted you to do that for too long, too." Her smile widened a little, "It was hard enough not to sit closer to you at breakfast." She couldn't wait till she was able to explain things properly to her brother, so she wouldn't have to ... okay well, they might still have to watch out for his little bots, but at least she wouldn't have a guilty conscience over hiding it.

That was all well and good though his hand did find Lenalee's and held it tightly not wanting to break contact with Lenalee completely now that they could have it in the first place without worrying about what others might say or start to rumormonger about.

"Hahaha yes I was the same too." Well if she decided to blow the news to Komui he would certainly go with her. The last thing he wanted was to be seen as a coward who let Lenalee handle her brother alone for this big event.

She absolutely wouldn't have blamed him if he had wanted to sit out the confrontation though! Komui was liable to lunge over his desk and try to strangle his friend for 'stealing Lenalee away'. As if Lenalee would let that happen. She'd just have to make sure he understood that he wouldn't have to worry about that kind of thing.

She squeezed his hand with a grin, "So, now that we're out here together...what direction do you want to go?" Since he came out here to explore, and she came out here to be with him and explore. He couldn't have explored already!

It was going to be the hardest battle of his life. Even harder than that time in the ark with Tyki. But that was a dark memory he did not want to revisit. Not with Lenalee there with him.

"Well I was thinking of heading east along the beach until we reach that cliff and then head into the woods and keep going until we circle the island."

Lenalee would be there with him for it at least! And she'd be able to actually help and not ...watch helplessly as her friends fought. "That sounds wonderful," she smiled her approval. Walking along the beach and through the woods. It was like a date!..oh how that thought simultaneously make her excited and flustered at the same time. But she kept his hand in hers because she wasn't about to let go of him at any point.

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