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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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.

"I was hoping you'd approve." Allen nodded before pulling away a bit only to bow and bring the top of Lenalee's hand up to his lips while his other arm came to a rest at the small of his back.

"Shall we~?"

Oh he was smooth. Smooth and charming and .. she felt the same butterflies fluttering in her stomach as when he held her hand when he was helping her up the stairs - before they were all trapped in the Ark. Only the butterflies were five times more powerful, bringing a delicate blush to her cheeks. "I'll go anywhere, with you." she promised, tightening her grip on his hand.

Her choice of words actually broke that gentleman demeanor and the young man at the core came to the surface as he looked up at Lenalee with a bewildered gaze. She knew what she had just said right? No of course she did. Allen could feel his heart leaping and hammering in his chest that much louder.

"And I would do the same for you too, Lenalee." That was an oath he would never forgive himself for breaking.

Did she say something wrong - or strange? That look on his face..oh, must have been her imagination. And the oath he made to her made her smile as she curled her arm around his to keep him close as they meandered towards the beach. "I know you would." She giggled, breaking into a jog to tug him gently, "Come on, I want to see the beach~" It's not like she hasn't seen a beach before - but this would literally be the first time she's been to a beach with someone she loved and while NOT on a mission.

Excluding years ago with Komui, of course.

She did nothing wrong. Absolutely nothing. Other than make his heart flutter every time she smiled or said words like that. Allen quickly fell in step with Lenalee as they ran down the beach laughing together in the bliss of the moment.

"Okay okay~ The beach it is~ Don't worry it won't go anywhere~" Allen smiled pulling in close to teasingly nip at Lenalee's ear since it was so close to him when they were holding together so closely.

She loved his smile. She loved the sound of his laughter, the sound of his voice. She could get intoxicated on that. Of course she knew the beach wasn't going anywhere, but it was just the joy in going somewhere with him like this. She slowed her steps to walk at his side again, and - being caught completely off guard by that teasing nip. "Ee-!" She squeaked, her blush intensifying. "Allen..!" Not even chastising him for that since it wasn't a bad sensation. Far from it -- the total opposite, even. But it was flustering! Does he want a flustered Lenalee on his hands!? DOES HE?

YEs yes he does. To be honest he wants any and all Lenalee on his hands. But seeing her cheeks dusted pink in a blush only made her that much mroe lovely to behold. Allen couldn't help himself about that.

"What? I hardly did anything wrong~"

Well he was certainly on the right track to that! "You surprised me..!" She grinned, reaching up to brush her hand against his cheek, through his hair. "Not that that's a bad thing. I like surprises. Well.. the good kind anyway."

He wanted to press his cheek against that hand, wanted to kiss her palm and maybe even tease a finger as well if only to test how Lenalee would take such unusual attention. "Then I'll have to find more good surprises~"

A whole lot of stammering and flustered, pink faced Lenalee, that's how she'd take it. "I'll look forward to them~" she murmured warmly, having absolutely no CLUE what she was getting herself into there. But she would enjoy it, no doubt.

She pulled her arm away from him, but only to lean down and slip her feet out of her shoes. "The sand is really warm..." She wiggles her toes in said sand, plopping down and holding a hand out to tug Allen to sit down with her. She wasn't tired or anything, but she'd dreamed of this sort of scenario many times. So why not indulge for a little while before meandering along.

To have her so eagerly expectant was such a great feeling for Allen. He would have to look into surpassing all expectations then.

Allen watched her pull away, taking off her shoes as she did. There was one advantage to her new form of innocence she could freely take off her shoes and not be at any risk in case something happened since the crimson anklets could arm her right away in case of an emergency. That and there was a strange kind of beauty once you looked past the obvious scars on her ankles.

He just chuckled softly as Lenalee pulled him down to sit next to her on the sand just a short ways away from the waves that lazily lapped at the beach.

"It really is. But I think you're a bit warm too. Not that I don't like that."

Not only that, but her feet wouldn't hurt like when she wore the first version of the Dark Boots. She shifted just slightly when he sat beside her, moving his arm around her so she could lean against his side.

Chuckling at his comment about her being warm, she rested her cheek against his shoulder. Oo, this is nice. "You're warm too," she told him, adding with an embarrassed smile, "And...really comfortable to lean against." Or lay on top of.

"... It's so nice out here like this I keep feeling like I'm going to wake up..."

This was nice indeed. It was almost nice enough to tempt him to just stay there with her until they had to go back for the day. She had that kind of effect on him.

"Wake up huh? That would be a scary thought if this really was a dream. But I know it's not." Allen murmured softly and pressed a kiss to Lenalee's temple before leaning his head against her gently.

She smiled, leaning against him. "I don't don't know what I would do if this wasn't real." Actually, she'd be really upset. "If I'd be able to tell you that I loved you, when I woke up."

She paused. She just said the l word didn't she? Ohgosh. And it came so naturally too.

"Well it is real so no need to ask what if...!!!" Allen drifted off as her words flew into his ears and finally reached his mind and heart...she..she said that phrase...a phrase he honestly never expected to hear. And she'd offered it so casually, so naturally.

"You...really?" Was all he could say but there was no denying the obvious spark of happiness hidden behind that shock.

It honestly surprised her herself, how easily she was able to say that. It just slipped out, since she didn't have any need to hide it or hold herself back here. Glancing up at Allen for a second or two, she remarked to herself about how cute he looked when he was genuinely surprised like that.

She smiled, "Yeah... really." But maybe it'd help if she were more direct about it. So she'll say it again. "..I love you, Allen."

That finally drove it all home and Allen couldn't help bursting into laughter! She loved him. She had actually come out and said it to him of all people. This was...even though he knew it was reality, only now did he really come to think it might have been a dream. But sure enough there she was, smiling at him having said those precious words.

"I love you too! So so very much!" Allen confessed and pulled Lenalee in for another kiss this time even more joyful than the last.

What th... That was NOT the reaction she expected to get for saying something so embarrassing. LAUGHTER? Lenalee stared at him incredulously, "..what's so funny?" Share the joke with her Allen, don't be stingy!

But then he confessed right back at her, and so enthusiastically it made her heart skip a beat. Twice. She smiled, and this time when he pulled her in for that kiss she wrapped her arms around him again, tilting her head slightly as she kissed him back with a soft and happy hum of pleasure.