ᴄʜᴇᴍɪᴄᴀʟ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ - ᴀʟʙᴇᴅᴏ x ᴏᴄ

Chapter 14 - Heart-To-Heart

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I Fall Apart Sometimes - CG5, OR3O
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A door slammed somewhere in the distance, jolting her awake. Her head shot up, her drowsiness no longer prominent. The lab was the same as it was when they crashed that night, but something was missing. Or more like, someone.

Melanie rubbed her eyes to prepare herself for standing. Her legs felt a bit numb from the cold floor, meaning she had to get the blood flowing, eventually. She eventually took hold of a nearby table and hauled herself to her feet. Instantly, the pins and needles of her waking feet left her standing still helplessly.

While she tried her best not to move, she took in her surroundings a bit better. It was a mess. That was the first thing she noticed in the light. Papers were thrown everywhere but the garbage bin, dust lined the shelves, and several pieces of glass littered the floor. She was grateful for her boots when she took a step forward and heard a crunch under her foot.

She leaned over to flick the shards off of the bottom of her boot with a huff. Next time Albedo dragged her to his lab, she was bringing a broom and a very large dustpan, one that preferably prevented the little dirt line.

The same materials as in Albedo's campsite were in his lab. As she looked around further, she noticed the setup was identical, too. He had a style; she had to admit it.

Speaking of the man, she wasn't sure where he was or when he left. She was the only one in the room, alone, unsure of herself. Waking in an unfamiliar environment did not provide her any comfort, especially because she was within the house of the enemy. At any moment, a Knight could enter the room, and she'd be the one to strike.

Her heart pounded in her chest, but she concealed it by summoning Sanna in a small flurry of snowflakes. The fox spun her head around, seeming out of place. She raised her head to send her a very confused look.

"I'm sorry, Sanna," Melanie apologized to the furry creature. "This place isn't one I'm familiar with either."

Sanna squeaked at her. Melanie scooped the fox in her arms and held the fluff close to her chest. Bits of white fur spilled out of her arms from Sanna's size, but nobody could truly hold back the white fur of the arctic fox.

The doorknob suddenly jiggled, causing both the fox and the girl to startle. Sanna bared her sharp teeth and softly growled, Melanie allowing the fox to show all the aggression whiles he hid behind her.

Sanna leaped from her arms, hair raised and tail spikey. For a moment, Melanie feared her companion wouldn't wait to see who it was. But she was proven wrong when Albedo walked through the door and the fox instead ran to twist herself between his legs like a cat.

Melanie expelled a sigh of relief. She shrank onto the floor, holding her face to her knees, trying to calm her racing heart. Sanna trotted back over to her on soft paws, snuffling hard into her hair.

Slowly, the alchemist walked toward her with the click of his boots. He sounded like he was taking his sweet time. Or maybe it was he was afraid of scaring her further. The poor man was likely very confused about what he did.

Albedo squatted beside her, the tail of his jacket brushing the floor with a smooth sweep of the fabric. His hand rested on her arm, and she raised her head to meet his eyes. They were slightly widened with concern for her, his teal orbs sparkling with their usual liveliness.

"Did something happen while I was gone?" he asked her quickly, looking over at her. "If someone harassed you, I'll take care of it. You just say the word..."