Love Beyond the Ashes

Growing Closer

Fauna pov: Mumei and my date was going well. Mumei had a lot to talk about, and she seemed happy about this date. I still didn't know why she was so happy.

"Mumei, you are cute," I stated verbally. She stared into my eyes and smiled at me.

"Not as cute as you," she giggled.

"Why are you so happy?" I asked

Mumei looked at me and smiled more, laughing a bit as she rocked back and forth in the seat restlessly.

"Uhm... are you okay?" I was kind of creeped out by her optimistic personality.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" Mumei asked me as she tilted her head, even though that was cute.

I couldn't believe me. She was staring at me like a hawk. It was embarrassing how her attention was on me at all times.

"Mumei, don't look at me!" I said as I looked away from her flustered

"Why not?" Mumei asked as she leaned down to look at me better.

"Why are you so affectionate?" I asked

Mumei began to think I could see the buffering happening.

"Because I love you, Fauna," Mumei said.

"I love you too!" I blurted out in embarrassment.

"Really!?" Mumei asked as if this was the first time she had ever heard that before.

"Why are you acting like you've never heard me say I love you?" I asked

"Because it's cute to overeat," Mumei laughed.

That was true; she was cute in general, though "Mwha!" I went blowing her a kiss. She happily shot up and caught it, blowing me a kiss back. It was adorable.

"Fauna, you're cute!" Mumei said I could tell that she wanted to hug me.

"Mumei, why do you love me?" I asked

"You are the sweetest person I know, the smartest person I know, and the cutest person I know!" Mumei said

"Would you say that to Kronii too?" I asked

"No, she isn't any of those!" Mumei said

I really didn't know how to feel about that. I know Mumei loves Kronii as well, but she completely dissed her.

"Fauna, you are charming, and so is Kronii. I just love different things," Mumei said.

I completely forgot she could read my mind because I was so embarrassed by her sudden advances.

"Fauna, are you done eating?" Mumei asked

"Y-yeah!" I stated

She got up and wrote a check before she grabbed my hand, and we left hand in hand.

Mumei took me into a back alley, where she grabbed Bae and began dragging her away from Irys, the two girls not realizing what just happened.

"Eh!?" Irys said as she realized that Mumei had taken Bae.

"You knew I was here!" Bae yelled in shock.

"Yeah, I sensed you as soon as you left council," Mumei said.

"How we hid our signatures!" Irys said

"Uhm... was I supposed to?" Bae asked

"Yes!" Irys shouted

"Look, I'll let you two off the hook," Mumei said.

"Please spare us!" Irys and Bae shouted in unison.

"Eh?" They both said this in shock as Mumei began to walk away with us.

"Why are you letting us go!?" Bae asked

"I'm in a good mood," Mumei stated.

"Is it because of fauna?" Irys asked

"Yes!" Mumei said cheerfully.

"Heeheh!" Bae began to laugh.

Mumei glared at Bae and immediately made her stop laughing as her body went stiff from just being glared at.

"You can't tame me," Mumei laughed.

"Oh yeah, you can read minds." Bae mumbled

"Yeah, why can you do that, by the way, Mumei?" Irys asked

"Well, that is just an ability I was given," Mumei stated.

"Why are you babying me?" Irys asked, noticing the inflection in Mumei's voice.

"It doesn't matter," Bae said.

"Be quiet, Ms. "I like council better!" Irys yelled back.

"Yeah, Fauna and I are just going to leave now," Mumei stated as she grabbed my hand and dragged us away.

She must have read my mind and realized they were making me uncomfortable with their arguing. I began to question if Mumei and I ever had a fight, and if not, why would we fight? Would it be over something so petty?

"We did fight over territory, then I corrupted you!" Mumei said she sounded proud of that.

"You are too proud of that!" I commented

"Yeah, because if I didn't do that, I wouldn't have you to love," Mumei said.

She somehow turned that seemingly dark statement into something cute in a matter of seconds. I didn't know how she did that or why she made me so happy, but here I am walking with Mumei, just smiling at what she says. I began to wonder if Mumei had me in her clutches all along.

"Fauna, let's go shopping!" Mumei said

"Is that a date thing?" I asked

"We could see a movie," Mumei said.

"What movie?" I asked.

"Finding Ones-" Mumei was cut off by me.

"I know, I know, but it isn't a better live story than Twilight," I stated.

"That may be true," Mumei said.

"What do you want to do?" I asked

"Whatever you want to do!" Mumei said happily.

"Let's do the movie then," I stated as we walked towards the movie theater.

"If you want to see another movie, we can; there are documentaries!" Mumei said

"What do you want to see?" I asked

"It doesn't matter; either is cool!" Mumei stated

"We can do both!" I said

"You're right, there is one more showing for each after this!" Mumei laughed

We watched the documentary first; it was about moose; it was very interesting; and then we watched the other movie, which was, to say the least, interesting.

It was based on a popular book that was really good, but they never made a sequel, and it was discontinued.

"Did you like it?" Mumei asked

"Yeah, it was pretty funny," I said.

"Funny, I agree!" Mumei said

We both began to laugh. This is the second time we've laughed about a love story, and this wouldn't be the last.