Curiosity Kills the Cat (An IDFB Fanfic)

Chapter 28

"Uh, I don't know."

"Oh."

He should have seen it coming, especially since she was getting the hang of things again. But it didn't bother him, seeing as he already had plans prepared for that day's dinner.

"Yeah, sorry. I haven't gone through any cookbooks, and I don't know what we have from the rations," Pin explained, pushing aside her hair.

"No, that's fine. I was going to make something sorta basic today. You can help, so it gets you back in the grove of cooking!"

His head couldn't stop thinking as he cooked with her beside him. The smile she'd give him, waiting for one in return. The words repeated as he ate, sinking in with every bite. He glanced at the girl, seeing her savor every bit of their dinner.

She can walk...

He wasn't sure what it meant. Despite the lingering feeling of knowing, he couldn't reach it. Maybe it was fear, as it always was, that kept him from thinking. Even if he had the idea set before him, it felt false.

Sitting in the armchair, he let his body ease into the crevasses as if trying to hide. It wasn't intentional, his mind kept trying to run the idea by his head.

She can walk, he thought. Pin could have seen me leave during the past two weeks...

He'd only gone to see Leafy twice; the first time, he'd gone after giving her the cans, a few days before GB called that meeting. The second time was his anxiety getting the best of him.

Either time, he hadn't checked his surroundings when leaving the house. It was only when he was out on the streets that he looked over his shoulders, fears heightened with every motion around him. He never did that in the house. He had his full trust in her—

No. He had trusted that she wouldn't be able to see him based on nothing. Leafy's words weren't helping him either.

"Just don't do anything dumb."

He'd done something dumb before she had said that. Augh!

"You still up for dessert?" The question caught him off guard, looking back at Pin, who had a plate of the pastries in hand.

He blinked. "Oh, yeah."

He picked one up, trying to keep cool as he sunk his teeth into the roll. Despite being at room temperature, he could taste the warmth of it, as if it had just finished baking. To say the least, it threw off his train of thought, the sweetness of it melting in his mouth. Between rushed bites, he spoke. "Wow, this is fantastic!"

Pin scoffed, setting her hand on her hip. "Figured you'd like them. You looked like you needed something sweet." Setting down the plate on the coffee table, she turned back to the kitchen, hesitating as she left.

She took only a few steps before looking back at him, words clearly wanting to be said. "Coiny," the gray-haired girl called, hushed between the faint steps she took toward him.

"Mhm?" He had already picked up another cinnamon roll, halfway through eating it.

A low chuckle escaped her, the sight being nothing more than comical. Even if hesitant, she finally gave in to the need to speak to him, the exhaustion in his eyes being her final push.

"I think you should sleep early tonight, you seem," she paused, "exhausted." She sat down on the couch before him, hoping to see him eye-to-eye. "I can clean for today. You look like you need it."

He took another bite of the roll, hearing her speak, trying to finish it as swiftly as possible. He swatched his hand across his shirt instinctively, forgetting he was wearing white.

"Woah, woah. I'm not exhausted, just tired. I've done this before, so I can do it again," he bragged.

She rolled her eyes at his response. "That's my issue. I want to help you, like all the times you've helped me."

Oh.

"It's the least I can do, even if it's for this one time," she muttered, audible enough for him to hear.

It really was funny.

He scratched the back of his neck, not knowing how to respond. The words were there, but without a proper execution; he kept silent.

"I'll clean, alright?"

There wasn't much to say, so he simply nodded. "Fine. But just for today. It feels weird not having to do anything," he said with a huff. Although he had to admit, it was nice to be free of responsibilities for a night. Well, at least for the evening. He still had to meet up with...

Leafy.

He hadn't thought about it that far ahead. So much that he'd completely forgotten he was going to see her that night.

Coiny glanced behind him, seeing Pin beginning to clean the counters, setting the dirty dishes in the sink.

How in the world was he going to go see Leafy now? If she saw him gone one night, his entire charade would fall apart. Of course, he could say he took a midnight walk, but it was something he wasn't willing to pull off half-baked. He hadn't planned this far ahead, mostly out of thinking he still had time. Though it was quite clear to see he didn't. It had all slipped through the creases of his hands.

He sunk again into the armchair, pressing his hand against his forehead. There wasn't a proper way to go through with it. Even if there was, there was a risk, one that he was unsure to take. It would risk everything with Leafy. And his relationship with Pin. It would be in tatters seeing how she felt regarding the once green-haired girl.

He grumbled in frustration, his possibilities eroding before his eyes.

There was no way around it, nor through it or over it. The only way to play it safe would be to remain still—nonchalant until there was a signal—if he could even identify it.

Even if that meant not seeing Leafy.

A/N: Okay! I know this chapter is a tad bit shorter than the past few ones but, I think it's important to the story so there's that. :D

IM ECSTATIC FOR THE NEXT CHAPTER!!! Because I've been writing this for the past 3 years (Wowzers!), we're actually going to hit the main point of this fanfic! If you wanna guess what it is, then do cause EEEEEE!!

Although truthfully, I can save it for Chapter 30 just so it feels more whole. Like Gatey said, "ya' know, whenever I see 25 minutes, I think, Why not 30 minutes, you know what I mean?"

But I also can't wait that long so we'll see. ._.

Also no art this chapter, even though I have the sketches of it ;-; My stylus's nib is getting dull so I need to replace it :P

Other than that, I can't wait to see you all next Chapter. Bye!!