Hello my beloved readers! New week with a new chapter! It finally has some fluff moments between Law and Elga and I must admit it felt like centuries since I wrote a slightly romantic scene for those two xD. Though I am very afraid I got Law ooc so comments are more than welcome XD.
I don't own OP but I do own the OC.
I also don't own the picture!
Have fun!
Everyone was currently gathered around the living room's fireplace, drown deep in their own thoughts after Law's explanation about the officer's conversation or better, interrogation about his suspicions for Elga.
"I'm gonna give tha pal 'f mine, Larry, a good piece of my ol mind.", Volff broke the silence exhaling heavily under his thick grey moustache. His face all red probably from an increase of his blood pressure and definitely not from the fire's heat. His eyes widened and awoke like a true wolf's, ready to devour anyone who thought of harming his cubs. "Lassie wouldn't do somethin' cruel as tha. I mean look at her.", he added pointing at her figure.
She was sitting like a scolded child at the coach's corner with her head buried between her knees and her glassy gaze from tears, focused on the flames' mesmerizing dance above the burned woods.
The two cousins were still looking at the wanted poster while leaning against each other on the couch of the other room's side, against Elga's position, trying to figure out if the picturing girl was indeed their beloved friend or the news were false.
"Well, the hair look the same.", Shachi observed.
"But check here! This one doesn't seem the same height. She looks shorter than Elga-chan.", Penguin answered.
"Maybe the victim was just very taller!"
"Whose side are you with now?!" the black haired boy barked slapping his cousin at the back of his head.
"Uhm, I have to point one important think though..." the red haired said and everyone turned their attention at the said boy. " Whether this girl is Elga-can or someone else... she is sure a hottie!"
"Jeez Shachi!" Bepo exclaimed and made a cringed expression.
Law who was sitting on the armchair near Elga's spot, just face palmed for his friend's stupidity as he truly enjoyed the older's company but the boy could be a real bird-brained(a.n. lol Hawks vibes for a moment) on situations like this.
"Hmph, ah boys this age. Yar al' thinkin' of one thing.", Volff snorted and threw two more pieces of wood inside the fireplace to rekindle the fire.
The brunette stood up from her seat and walked towards the window that was located a bit further from the place the others were sitting so as to gain some time of peace and silence.
She wasn't still sure if whatever she saw that night was true or just a realistic dream. She still remembers her own little adventure when these shining fireflies guided her at that small cottage inside the very depths of the frozen forest. Her heart felt as cold as the environment temperature but that sweet old lady's words and kindness melted away the pain and discomfort.
*The truth you search for is near but you have to decide between peace and fear.
Choose wisely because consequences may destroy your self-defenses.
Wrong will be right when the darkness comes in light.
Keep that phrase dearly in mind if you want the memories to come in sight.
Choose wisely what it needs, to set your mind finally in peace but don't forget whatever you do, to keep the love in your heart too.*
The girl could clearly recall the words of that sweet female mysterious voice. She still couldn't figure out what that old lady meant and how she was aware of her amnesia case but she knew this memory couldn't be just a dream!
She also had kept that red scarf this lady had knitted for her and she could show it as an evidence of her alibi at Officer Larry! Yeah, that's right she only needed to find this old woman and ask her if she could verify her visit at her house that night!
Her gaze fell on a small whirlwind that danced right outside of the window, rising forcibly crystalized snow and dead leaves from the cloudy white ground. Her eyes stuck on an orange colored leaf that moved here and there according to the wind's will even though one moment ago was peacefully positioned stable on the land.
She couldn't help but not sympathize this insignificant leaf when her mind was wandering on troubling thoughts that resembled its previous movements. She felt like a whirlwind came and destroyed whatever she tried to build those past months and had to begin from level zero again.
She knew the news had been spread quickly and so far almost everyone thought of her as an untrustworthy monster, capable of murdering with such a brutal way an innocent person. To be honest she felt anxious she found even herself doubting her abilities as still an important part of her past was well entombed inside the depths of her mind, though the name Mary Pearcey didn't ring a bell to her poor memory.
However, even if she didn't feel familiar with the name, she had a strange recognizable sense in her gut with the whole atmosphere like she had been in a similar situation before. Everyone against her. The curious glances, the disgusted expressions of disapproval, the feeling of rejection from society, the loneliness of being different from the others.
Elga could feel the aching sense of loneliness overwhelm her heart and the dizziness of negativity flooded her brain like she was drowning in a tsunami. Her palms felt sweaty from nervousness and her face was filled with small droplets of cold salty water that rolled down her temple. She couldn't or better she wouldn't dare to bother for once again her friends, the only people who came to call family after so much time living in the wild. It would be despicable of her to trouble those people who took her under their roof and gave a second chance in a normal life. But yet, she couldn't stop this suffocating feeling like she would have a stroke every minute possible from humiliation and embarrassment. She wanted to live in peace and silence. She just wanted to be friendly with everyone.
Her breathing became erratic and heavy and her face pale in front of the thought of her family hating her too.
She remembered Law's outburst the previous week and she couldn't bring herself to object his points. She knew if she kept provoking trouble at this pace they would come to detest her too as everyone else.
The brunette hadn't realized she had been biting the inside of her cheek so hard this whole time until a thought crossed her mind and drew blood. The metallic taste on her tongue reminded her of the only place she had seen, smelled and tasted so much of the thick red liquid.
Flevance kept a huge part of her mind busy after the recovered memories. Maybe this familiar feeling had to do with her living on that city of death. Yes, this must be the case. She was alone there too, hanging only from her thoughts about this mysterious boy of hers.
Is he aware of the news too? What does he think of her? Is he with her side? At this very time of her drowning in a sea of despair, will he reach his hand and grab her to the surface as he did through his writings in the past?
The girl suddenly felt the warmth of a gentle touch on her shoulder and she flinched turning abruptly to look at the person of her dreams only to meet the young doctor piercing her with his worried eyes.
"Are you ok?" he asked in a concerned voice removing his hand on her reaction.
"Huh?" the girl looked at him in puzzlement. A strange thought passed by her tired brain like a bird resting on a tree branch for a moment before it flies again. For a second she thought her mysterious boy of her past looking like Law and she didn't find the comparison weird at all.
"Your eyebrows were knitted together for some time and you looked worried. Do you want to talk about whatever troubles you? Is it about the wanted poster?"
"Uhm, I'm fine." The girl replied and gazed the carpet which seemed to be very interesting at the moment.
Law only narrowed his eyes on suspicion and cupped her chin to make her look at his eyes.
"Don't lie at me."
Elga left a sigh escape her lips and the warm air hit the boy's hand, something that made his skin feel goosebumps as if he just realized how close his hand was on those cherry colored lips he so much missed.
The girl took one step closer and placed her hands around the boy's torso, embracing him in a comforting hug.
Law forgot how to move his hands in awkwardness from the sudden touch that took him off guard and a pink color dusted his features.
"Now, I am fine." The girl spoke in a sincere and confident tone and hided her face on his chest.
"Don't go tomorrow. You don't need to come to work either. I will deal with it.", he spoke in a whisper that sounded more like a protection spell and finally placed his hand on top of her head and caressed her soft hair.
"No, it is my problem and I have to face it.", she responded giving him a serious glance. She was determined she wouldn't let him take part on this misunderstanding.
For goodness shake she had survived worse living alone in the woods among the wild animals. And now she probably wasn't as alone as she thought some time ago...
Her mood had lightened with the boy's appearance in front of her and suddenly she felt more confident about the situation.
Everything will be alright in the end, right?
"Don't put yourself in danger. You have to think carefully of your next moves and prepare a plan."
"I've already thought of something, don't worry."
"Ahh, for a reason I feel more concerned right now..." Law replied sweatdropping and Elga just rolled her eyes in irritation.
"Hmpf, younglings don' make up thar minds these days. One momen' thar be on each other's throats and next all lovey dovey." Volff commented on the scene in front of him, placing on more wood into the fireplace.
Even though the old man was annoyed by Law's and Elga's affectionate behavior, the other three where over the top by their relationship's development.
"Do you think mission cookie was a success?" Shachi whispered to his cousin's ear.
"It seems so! I always believed food brings people closer." he answered and Bepo popped his head between them.
"Will they kiss? Will they kiss?" the innocent white bear questioned the boys and brought his paws in front of his eyes in an effort to cover them from the view.
"NO WE ARE NOT!" Law yelled at their exaggerating reaction clearly embarrassed and the girl removed her hands from around his torso with a smirk on her lips.
"I think we should go for sleep. Tomorrow will be a long day." she suggested and the raven haired nodded his head in agreement.
Despite the other's disapproving moanings and accusations such like it was still early for sleep time, with only one Law's glare everyone stood up from their seats and headed towards their rooms, leaving a clearly amused Volff behind.
When the girl was about to open the door and walk off for her own place too, Law grabbed her wrist and stopped her.
"Wait, I will accompany you. The weather is heavy outside.", he explained and Elga waited for him to put on his shoes.
"It is not necessary, it is only 10 steps from here.", she objected but Law didn't think of his actions twice.
They walked outside until they reached Elga's place that was right in front of the small wooden cabin and the brunette opened her door.
Law who was still holding her hand glanced at her dark brown eyes like he was waiting for something.
He wasn't a person of having discussions over something trivial as a physical touch and its meaning but for the moment he felt like he wanted to clarify this girl's action so as not to fall into misunderstanding analyzations. It was too embarrassing for him to even wonder behind Elga's hug and the feeling of expectation burned inside his heart.
He tried to clear his throat so as to gain some more precious time of preparation and picked carefully his words.
"That hug... You are not scared of me anymore." accidentally he let the sentence slip off his tongue more like a statement than a question, probably because he was hoping his observation was right.
The girl gave him a puzzled expression not used to talk about those things with him so directly. They had even kissed in the past and she doesn't remember them discussing about its meaning.
"That time I only touched your shoulder and you stepped away from me.", he explained meaning the time they talked about the girl's mysterious boy back at the doctors' office. He tried with difficulty to maintain a blank tone on his voice and not reveal the painful feelings behind his words.
"I am not scared of you." Elga verified his statement thinking what would be the boy wanted to hear.
"That's good to know." he simply responded and left her hand turning his back to leave when he heard the girl calling after him.
"Thank you!" she shouted at him and the raven haired could distinguish for a second a melancholic look at the girl's eyes, before though he could name the feeling for sure.
It was like this expression of her gratitude was referred to someone else except him but he ended up calling himself crazy for even overthinking a simple 'thank you'.
Law just replied with one of his infamous smirks and headed back inside the small cabin.