midnightstar | A SURPRISE LENALEE APPROACHES; Command?

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.

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"Mmn. Yeah I suppose that would help." Allen admitted with a silent nod and quickly finished the rest of his treat.

"I guess I'll see you around dinner then?" Since that was meal time in the order so naturally food would play a part in him actually being there as before.

Allen was around so much helping out, Jerry kind of thought of him as a little brother. And naturally he wanted to see the two of them happy. "Sounds good to me!" he grinned. Well, unless Lenalee got back by then - he mentally made a note to make some dishes for the pair of them come dinner time, just in case they were lucky enough to see the princess early.

He would be quite flattered to know that. Also very thankful it Lenalee did end up coming back earlier. Because the two of them would likely forget about dinner just from how happy to see each other again they would be.

"Alright then. I look forward to it." Allen said with a smile before he left the cafeteria and vanished from sight of the cook.

He wouldn't want it to go to Allen's head! .. nto that there was ever a chance of that happening, he hoped. Allen was always humble, after all. In any case, Jerry smiled, waving as he watched the Exorcist trot off to do ..whatever it is he planned to do to get his mind (or try) off of Lenalee.

And the time ticked by ..so..very slowly. Impossibly slowly. Who knew time would move so agonizingly slowly?

For Lenalee's part, somewhere on her transport back to the Order, she was -seriously- considering using her Innocence to dash back home so she could embrace the two men she loved most in her life. But that would be frivolous!

In the end Allen opted for a walk in the woods even dropping by the clearing him and Lenalee had first shared their more intimate desires. Even so that place was now quite special to him and even if they didn't go that far he would still eagerly invite her to just sit there together with him as they just let the nature soothe them both.

But Lenalee wasn't here yes so he wandered about, never leaving the path too far behind in case Lenalee would come walking up it.

Being that the beach wasn't too far from their precious, hidden spot, if the conditions were good, the wind may bring the sound of some fuss being made out in that direction. Voices calling for cargo to be unloaded carefully, light laughter, mostly male.

Allen's hearing was better than most even before he became the musician for the Ark. That had only increased since then so naturally heard the sound of human activity. With nothing better to do, Allen decided to head over and take a peek.

And he would come across the group of sailor and finders carrying some cargo and things off of the deck before making the way up the path and past Allen. OF course, not noticing him since he was where he was. Last to step off the ship was...

THE EARL OMG - no no, not at all. Two Finders were gingerly helping Lenalee climb off of the ship since it was saying unsteadily, but once she was on solid ground, she stretched mightily like a jungle cat. "Thanks so much for giving us a ride back, Captain." She was saying to one of the men on the ship.

"Think nothing of it Miss Exorcist; you really saved my skin back there. Get home safe - it's getting a little dark earlier these days."

Allen's eyes immediately homed in on Lenalee and the biggest most elated most delighted smile he ever made, was painted over Allen's lips as he quickened his steps to get to her.

And she caught sight of the love of her life out of the corner of her eye, a radiant grin stealing across her face as her heart soared. Almost enough to power her into the air without Innocence. "I'll be fine," she assures the Captain, "Someone's come to pick me up."

... Literally, in some senses, since with that said, Lenalee lingered only long enough to be polite before she darted off to run and, when she was close enough, jump at Allen he could catch her, her arms out so she could grab hold of him in turn for a tight, happy hug.

Allen was just as over the moon to see Lenalee, his arms opening wide to catch her after the initial surprise passed. She'd jumped quite a bit but like hell he would allow himself to miss Lenalee. He caught her in his arms and spun her around two times with a laugh before finally setting her down on the ground.

"God I have I missed you." He said pulling close to Lenalee's face by cupping her cheeks lovingly.

She couldn't even begin to express how elated she was to see him - and hear how much he missed her too. Laughing as he caught her, when he finally set her down she hugged him tightly, her pulse racing at those words. "I've missed you too," she murmured happily, breathless and pink cheeked from laughter. "Every night all I could think about was see you."

Getting hugged again after setting her down was a pleasant surprise. He'd been intending to settle for holding her hand a bit more. But now this was much much better.

"It was the same for me too. You were on my mind every moment I had a moment of peace to myself." Allen said and pressed a light kiss to Lenalee's forehead.

After spending so many days away from him, she didn't want to just settle for holding his hand. At least not right away. She wanted to be close to him for a little bit longer. Though eventually she does loosen her desperately tight hug, and lean away, the happy, warm smile never leaving her face, especially after that forehead kiss. "How did your mission go?" Well, she would assume, and considering he was on his feet, but she wanted to hear it from him directly.

He missed it so much. That smile. That warmth. Even her scent. Everything about Lenalee, everything that made her precious and dear. Allen couldn't help himself. Not anymore. Why would he though?

"It went without a hitch. Saved the village and took care of the Akuma base without losing a single person."

She gripped his hands in hers, squeezing them lightly, "That's wonderful, Allen! I knew it would go well for you too." She's ..not going to admit she was worried those Noah would show up, one in particular. Or the Earl. Oh she had a great many worries for Allen, especially with the Earl and the Noah's interest in him.

But she wasn't going to dwell on any of them right now. "And my brother? How is he holding up?"

"He's behaving for the most part. Oh and about that thing you asked him to do while you were away." Allen started before he playfully made a half-lidded gaze in Lenalee's direction before he pulled her by the hand to start walking away from the sailors and troops that were likely praying for Allen's unfortunate accident right about now.

Oh a great many of them were wishing for that - sure they were busy with unloading cargo but most of them were shooting dark glares at Allen's back when they started to walk away. Especially the Finders. Even the Captain of the ship! And he was three times Lenalee's age!

Dirty old man.

"I'm relieved," Lenalee sighed, lacing her fingers through his as they started up the path back to the Order. Though her expression was momentarily confused, "That thing..?" ... oh.. OH. WOW he got on that quick.

She flushed a deep red at the playful look Allen gave her, stifling a giggle as she glanced away, "O-oh... -That- thing..." Ahem. Quit looking at her like that, Allen, it's making her blush!

They would have to get in line as Allen had plenty of enemies in the war who either wanted to capture or kill him. Regardless he could not care less since now that Lenalee was there, he finally felt that missing part of him slide back into his existence, completing him.

"Yes that thing. Though he also took that chance to place some traps in the corridor leading to your room as well." Allen chuckled. He wasn't really worried of course. He had means to make it past.

She leaned against his shoulder with a mock exasperated sigh, "Oh, that Komui. I might have known he'd do something like that." She paused, "Wait, so then, does that mean he's finally realized about... us?"

"I don't think so. Or else I wouldn't be here with you right now. No I think he's just playing it safe or he might suspect something." Allen chuckled softly. Either way he wasn't going to think too much about the what iffs. They would find out one way or another. But right now he just wanted to get as much of Lenalee as he could before she would have to separate from him to give her brother the debriefing for her mission.

"That's true. I was surprised to see you waiting for me when I got off of the ship, actually..!" But it was the best sight she'd ever seen. And to be honest, were their roles reversed, she'd have wanted to meet him when he came home too.

"Am I terrible if I say I don't want to go back to the Order just yet..?" Except the Finders will surely mention that they saw her, and that she should have arrived ahead of them, and then Komui will panic and.. yeah.

"Not really. That would make me terrible too. But considering the alternatives, I think it's best you take care of speaking with your brother." Allen said with a disappointed sigh of his own. He really wished Komui would stop being so...Komui. But this wasn't something they could rush sadly.

She wouldn't mind him being... him so much as long as he accepted the fact that she and Allen were together, and weren't going to separate by choice. Ever. Chuckling softly, she nodded, "You're right.. at the very least we can relax once we're inside. And I do have to bring my belongings back." She glanced over to the knapsack she had brought with her, letting go of his hand only long enough to collect it.

"Shall we?"

Maybe it would bake a more direct confrontation to make him see. Or perhaps some kind of agreement. It was something they would have to figure out eventually because clearly the last time didn't get through to him. Allen looked over to the knapsack and quickly moved to pick it up for her first.

"Please allow me~" Allen said with a bright smile.