Disclaimer: I do not own anything

"Talking"

'Thinking'

*SPELL/ABILITY*

A/N: Sorry this took so long. A good portion of this chapter has to do with Lili, and it is difficult for me to get the motivation to write a character I hate... Unfortunately, this chapter was necessary to write for the story so I had to suck it up and write it... hope you enjoy it and sorry again for the long wait.

Next Chapter Time!

The Hestia familia had a pretty good day in the dungeon. They did not go as deep as planned, but that had been Bell's decision to cut their little expedition short. Everyone had seemed to be working well together and gelling today. Well, all but one.

Lili seemed distracted the entire time they were in the dungeon and that was not like her at all. She had been staring off at nothing a lot, and a few times he noticed it happening during combat. Bell didn't think it would be a good idea to continue much further so he called an end to their day.

Lili had said almost nothing to him all day long, and it sort of worried Bell. It was true that she annoyed him sometimes with her attitude toward him, but that didn't mean he didn't care for her. He didn't truly notice it until they started making their way back, but it seemed everyone was less talkative today to him.

Well, Haruhime wasn't, and the others who weren't Lili were focused in the dungeon so he didn't put much thought into it. It wasn't as if calling it early was very detrimental to his objective.

Now that Bell had a proper party to adventure with, earning valis was becoming easier and easier by the day. Their shortened venture down into the dungeon today still netted them over five times what he used to earn in a day with just him and Lili.

If it wasn't for the valis he was setting aside for personal reasons, and helping Hestia pay off his knife, Bell would probably have millions of valis for himself by now. He already had enough for his gift for Haruhime and their date night in a few days so he wasn't too concerned. He even had enough for the festival already, but the Hestia familia needed every valis they could manage so daily trips to the dungeon were in everyone's future for a while.

Even as they made their way out of the dungeon and Bell tried to talk to Lili, he got little to nothing from her. Her answers were short, to the point, and gave him nothing except a blunt answer. Before he could simply ask her what was wrong, they had exited the dungeon, and Lili had made a beeline for the manor.

Bell was about to chase after her so he could talk to her, but Welf saw what he was about to do and told Bell he'd go have a talk with her. Bell still needed to speak with Eina about their trip and wait for her to get off. He was still walking her home so he agreed.

Mikoto ended up following Welf, and Haruhime went with Bell to talk to Eina. Bell did wonder why Haruhime didn't go with them. He certainly didn't care if Haruhime joined him to walk Eina home, but she hadn't done that before and hadn't said anything about it today at all.

'Perhaps I will find out what they talked about this morning and that is why Haruhime is coming?'

It was honestly the only thing Bell could think of as to why Haruhime didn't leave with the others. Since they hadn't gone as deep as they planned, the talk Bell and Haruhime had with Eina was relatively short. When the three of them finally made their way out of the guild, someone greeted Bell that he was not expecting.

"Bell Cranel..."

When Bell looked toward the voice, he realized who was calling out to him pretty quickly. It was a boy, well a man really, he just happened to be the size of a boy. He had light golden hair, he was small of stature, but it didn't take away from the power and authority the man possessed. It was none other than...

"Finn Deimne?..."

Bell might have known who it was, but the name came out like a question anyway. Bell had no idea why the Captain of the Loki familia was calling out to him. It didn't take long for Finn to give Bell some idea what he was doing here.

"I'm sorry to stop you like this. I'm not here to cause trouble or anything so no need to get worried."

"It's not a problem. What can I do for you, Captain Finn?"

"No need for the Captain, Bell Cranel. You can just call me Finn."

"Then I insist you call me Bell, Finn."

Finn chuckles a bit at this. He honestly didn't believe someone so new to being a captain and adventurer would be this relaxed around him. He usually had to spend the first ten or fifteen minutes after meeting someone just getting them to calm down so he could have a productive conversation.

"Very well Bell. I was hoping we could sit down and have a talk. Since your familia has gotten pretty famous recently, I couldn't just come knock on the door of your familia manor so I had to wait for you here. Some of my familia members told me they saw you going to the dungeon while they were coming back. I was hoping you would have some time to come chat with me now if that is possible?"

Bell didn't want to tell the man no, but he still needed to walk Eina home. Hopefully, where he wanted to chat was in the direction of Eina's home, but he didn't need to worry about that as another person let themselves into their conversation.

"Don't worry Bell Cranel, I'll get these two cuties home safe for you!~"

Bell turns to see Aisha walking toward them. He shouldn't be surprised, she had a habit of showing up when he needed help.

"Hello Aisha, do you just stalk me until you realize I need help then pop out?"

Bell was obviously joking, but the smirk on Aisha's face meant she was going to say something that probably embarrassed him.

"Maybe~ Maybe not~" she couldn't help but wink at him. "I was here to meet Haruhime, but I overheard your conversation. I can walk Eina home with Haruhime then take Haruhime to Hearth Manor. We were supposed to meet up after her dungeon adventure today and chat anyway."

To Bell and everyone else's surprise, Finn looked to be taking slow, almost unnoticeable steps backward away from Aisha. They all wondered exactly why that was.

"What's the matter, Braver?~ You scared of women?~"

"No, I... Let's just say I know how aggressive Amazons can be and leave it at that."

"Oh, you got nothing to worry about with me, Braver~ You're strong, but..." Aisha eyes Bell like a cat who found her cream. "I have my sights set on a much tastier morsel~"

Bell's jaw drops open and he isn't sure why. Nothing that comes out of Aisha's mouth should surprise him anymore. Finn chuckles and Haruhime has the audacity to giggle at him! Bell tries to get the conversation back on track as soon as he recovers.

"You don't mind walking with them, Aisha?"

"Nope~ Go and have your talk with Braver~ I'll make sure these two make it home safe and sound~"

"Thanks, Aisha!" Bell surprises everyone, especially Aisha when he plants a quick kiss on her cheek before turning and doing the same to Haruhime and Eina then turns back to Finn. "Lead the way, Finn."

Finn and Bell walk away leaving a stunned Aisha alone with Haruhime and Eina. Haruhime and Eina both started to walk toward Eina's house when they realize Aisha isn't following them. Haruhime turns and says.

"Aisha? You coming?..."

Aisha still looks to be in a daze and doesn't move from her spot. She does however say something at least.

"Give... give me... a minute..."

Haruhime and Eina can both tell that Aisha is still stunned. Haruhime walks up to the Amazon before she asks.

"Are you alright, Aisha?"

"I... I don't... think so..."

Aisha touches her cheek right were Bell kissed and starts to laugh. It was certainly not the reaction Haruhime and Eina were expecting from the woman. When she finally composed herself, she said something to both Haruhime and Eina neither were prepared for in such a public setting.

"By the Gods! I have no idea how you two manage to keep your hands off Bell! He just set my entire body on fire with a kiss on the cheek!"

The truth was, Haruhime rarely wasn't touching Bell in some form or fashion. Even in the dungeon, she was holding his hand, his arm, or anything she could grab onto every chance she got. Eina was much the same.

It took every ounce of control the half-elf had learned over the years not to jump into Bell's arms the moment she saw him every day. Not kissing him the moment he walked into the Guild was one of the hardest things she had ever done in her life. Both women looked at Aisha, blushed, and quietly murmured...

"It is not easy..."

"Well, I did promise Bell I'd get you two home safely~ We can chat on the way, Haruhime~ Perhaps you wouldn't mind if Eina here participated in our little discussion as well?~"

Haruhime looked at Eina who looked lost. She couldn't help the small blush that crossed her face as she thought about Eina participating as well. It would be a good idea though, but first...

"Why don't we tell her what it is about and let her decide for herself?"

"Sounds like a good idea~ Let's get going!~"

While Aisha, Haruhime, and an agreeable Eina started their walk and conversation, Bell and Finn had finally made it to where Finn wanted to chat. They stepped through the doors of a café named Wish in Orario's southwest district.

'He must have booked the whole place so our conversation was truly private.'

Bell thought this when he noticed the entire café was empty save for him, Finn, and staff of the place. It did make Bell a little nervous. He knew full well how strong Finn was. He only wasn't completely panicking because he knew Aisha, Haruhime, and Eina knew who he went off with.

They both ordered tea and took a seat. It didn't take long for their beverages to arrive. They both took a few sips of their tea and Bell waited for Finn to talk. He was the one who wanted to have this meeting, and it didn't take him long to start.

"I was hoping that since this is a meeting between two captains that we could keep what is said here a secret. Is that alright with you?"

"I can agree to that as long as what is discussed does not put any of my familia in danger."

"I assure you, you have nothing to worry about on that front. Let me start by congratulating you on your victory in the War Game. I watched the whole thing and was thoroughly impressed by how you handled yourself."

"Thank you. That means a lot coming from someone like you, Finn."

"You certainly earned the praise. Now, I suppose I should tell you why I wanted to speak with you instead of trading small talk back and forth. I would like for you to introduce me to your supporter, the Pallum with chestnut eyes."

"Umm... what?..."

"I suppose I should be more direct and tell you exactly why. As a fellow Pallum, I would like to offer her my hand in marriage."

"You're kidding... right?..."

That was all Bell could manage to get out. The expression of shock on his face was clear as day. However, the longer he looked at Finn, he came to realize that the man was not kidding at all.

"No, I'm not kidding. I want you to understand this is not a spur of the moment decision. I came to Orario to try and be the light Pallums need to call their own. I wanted my name to be legendary so other Pallums could have someone to aspire to be..."

Bell was blown away by Finn's ambitions - no not ambition, but cause - and it left him almost speechless. Bell understood in a way. He came to Orario to be THE hero, not A hero. Finn was trying to inspire his entire race to be more than they thought they could be. It was inspirational, to say the least.

"Well, you are a Level 6 and the Captain of one of the two strongest Familia's in all of Orario. I'm sure that is plenty to inspire your people. Why do you want to marry Lili?"

"Because it cannot stop there, Bell. My people can look upon my accomplishments and all the glory I can build, but that will be insufficient for my people. The light needs to be passed to the next generation, and the best way to do that is to have an heir with my blood in their veins."

"Then why don't you-"

Bell never got to finish. He was going to point out the beautiful Amazon that clung to him like a lost puppy, but like Finn could read his mind, he answered the unasked question.

"A half won't do. The pride of my race, my heir, must be a pure-blooded Pallum. That is why I would like to marry your supporter."

"I'll be honest. I have about a thousand questions. Do you mind if I ask you a few?"

Bell only waited a moment for Finn to nod, and he launched into his first question.

"Why ask me instead of just talking to Lili? It is her you want to marry."

"That one is easy enough, you are her captain. I didn't want anyone to have any misunderstandings if they saw me talking to a member of your familia."

"That brings me to my next question. She is in a different familia. I thought people in different Familias couldn't get married?..."

It was meant as a statement but came out as a question because Bell honestly believed that. He thought it was a rule people from different Familias couldn't get married.

"That's not true, it is just very rare. Familias rarely have alliances that are so secure they would allow their members to get married, but it isn't a rule. As long as the God or Goddess of each familia agrees to the union, members of different Familias are allowed to get married. I also already have Loki's permission for this. She agreed to not get in my way when she recruited me when it came to this."

Bell enjoyed hearing that, especially from Finn. It gave him an idea for a little further along in their discussion but he had more questions.

"I did not know that, thank you for the information. Now, this might sound a little rude, but I assure you I have a good reason for asking. How old are you exactly?"

"Over forty by now, I think."

Finn didn't hesitate to answer and Bell was hard-pressed to believe him. He certainly didn't look over forty. His jaw-dropping made Finn chuckle before he asked.

"I'm guessing you don't know about the side effects of having a Status?"

Bell shakes his head, still trying to process that the Pallum in front of him looks to be maybe eighteen but in reality is almost three times his age.

"Every time you level up, you slow the aging process a bit. The stronger your spirit, the less its 'container' wears down with age. Some even believe that if someone can level high enough, they will unlock the key to perpetual youth and immortality in us mortals."

"That is a lot to process. Is it funny that the one thing that is stuck in my mind is the fact that everyone already looks at me and thinks I'm 12 and now I'll have to put up with that for another ten years! I'm already Level 3..." Bell's pout is obvious now. "At this rate, I won't look like a man until I'm fifty!"

Finn doesn't chuckle this time, he busts out laughing. He couldn't help it. Bell was right though. Even Finn thought the boy was 12 when he met him. It was honestly shocking to learn he was 16, but Bell didn't realize the advantage it brought as well.

"While that might be true, people will underestimate you for that. It has already happened to you in Orario, and where are those people while you are sitting here with me?"

Not only did Finn's words bring Bell back to the moment, but it also put a lot in perspective for him that had nothing to do with this conversation. Now that he was focused again...

"You have a point. Sorry for sidetracking you, the reason I asked your age is Lili is only 16. Does the age difference not bother you?"

"It doesn't. I know she isn't a full-grown woman or anything, but she isn't a child."

"Why Lili? I'm sure you could have any Pallum woman you desired."

"Because of what she did that day you defeated the Minotaur on the ninth floor. She was so determined to save your life that she ignored her own injuries and begged us to help you. That left quite the impression on me."

Bell nodded his head at that. He was proud and touched at what Lili did when Nine Hells explained it to him. Bell understood that Finn didn't just want any Pallum, he wanted one that was special, but there was still one thing he needed to make sure of.

"I want you to be truly honest with me about my next question. Are you just going to marry her to bare your children and that is her only purpose in your life? Or... do you actually want to get to know Lili and maybe one day learn to love her?"

Finn didn't hesitate to answer, but he mentally smiled at Bell's protectiveness of his supporter's happiness and safety.

"I'd like to love my wife if it is possible. I won't lie and say it is necessary, but I would very much like to love the mother of my children."

Finn can tell that Bell is happy with that answer, and he was being truthful. He could definitely see himself falling in love with Lili. He would just have to figure out how to keep Tione from killing her.

"Well, I'll be honest and say I don't mind your proposal, but I can't exactly say yes on Lili's behalf." Bell and Finn both chuckle. "However, I would also like to ask a favor. Well, two really..."

Bell can feel Finn narrow his eyes. This part might not go over as well, but this was an opportunity he couldn't pass up even if the reasons were selfish.

"I'll be honest and say both are selfish, but I have to ask. First, would it be possible to spar with you every once in a while when you have the time?" Bell sees Finn's shock and quickly continues. "I mean... I've never sparred against someone with a spear, and you are the best in the city. I know your busy and all, but whenever you coul-"

Finn cuts him off before he can keep ranting with an amused chuckle before saying.

"That was not what I was expecting." Finn chuckles again. "I see no problem with that. It wouldn't be often, but I think that would be fun every once in a while. Your other request?"

Bell gulps at this one. This was way more selfish than wanting to spar with Finn. It felt kind of wrong using this situation for this kind of personal benefit, but Bell couldn't think of another chance like this he would have ever again.

"I was hoping that if the situation ever arose where I might possibly date a member of the Loki familia, you'd not only give your support but help me convince your Goddess to allow such a relationship."

Finn's amused expression from before was gone and he narrowed his eyes once more. Finn wasn't an idiot, he knew there were a lot of girls who fawned over Bell. He wasn't sure which member he was talking about, but he was certainly going to find out before agreeing to this favor.

"That favor, I'll need more information for. Not only do I want to know which one of my familia you are speaking of, but Loki is unhealthily attached to a lot of girls in our familia."

"Couldn't we just cross that bridge when we come to it? I'm not even sure your familia member would want to date me..."

"No." Finn says as he shakes his head. "Depending on who, you might as well not even try. If it is say... Ais? Loki would sooner return to the heavens than give up her golden princess."

"It's not Ais." That doesn't look to be enough for the Pallum though. "Don't get me wrong, Ais is great. I've learned a lot from her, and I'd be lying if I said she wasn't beautiful. However, it is because I have gotten to spend so much time with her that I know why those 1000 suitor's all failed, and I'm not looking to be number 1001. Ais is not the Loki familia member I'm interested in, it's Tiona."

The shocked look Bell had early is mirrored perfectly in Finn's expression. He even blurted out the same words.

"You're kidding... right?..."

Bell frowned but answered immediately.

"Absolutely not, she's energetic, happy, fun to be around, and loves hero stories. Not to mention, she's beautiful. I got to know her pretty well while she helped train me as well. Why would I be kidding about her?"

Finn finally notices Bell's tone and the frown he is sporting. He should have realized Bell might take his shock the wrong way, and it looked like he had.

"My reaction isn't what you think. Tiona is great. A handful, but great anyway. I was shocked that you might have said the one person Loki would probably be alright with some sort of arrangement with, but..."

Finn looks confused, amused, and curious all at the same time before finally asking.

"Aren't you already dating someone? It isn't just Gods and Goddesses that love their gossip in this town, everyone does. If I recall correctly, you are dating one of your familia members. Haruhime is her name, I believe?"

"Yes, Haruhime is her name and I am dating her."

"I won't help you deceive my-"

Bell cuts off Finn before he could finish. Bell knew exactly where that statement was going.

"Haruhime knows and is alright with it. I will tell Tiona also. I won't be doing anything behind anyone's back."

"Do you really think you can pull off having two girlfriends?"

Bell does something that shocks Finn once more, he laughs again. Finn gets an explanation quickly though.

"Since this is a secret meeting and we agreed not to speak about this..." Bell looks amused at what he is about to say. All the other times he talked about this it was explaining to someone he liked. It felt different saying this to a guy. "If she agreed, she'd actually be my third girlfriend."

Bell watches Finn go through a few emotions and it is almost as if he can see the conversation playing out in his mind. After only a few moments, Finn chuckles and says.

"Well, I'm not sure what happened to you, but you are much different from when I met you on the Ninth Floor..."

'Ishtar...'

That's all Bell has to think when Finn says that. He knows this part of him changed after she tried to charm him. He didn't see any difference in himself though except for his sudden ability not to be overwhelmed with the women around him.

Honestly, he kind of wished Ishtar did this sooner. He was having to make up for a lot of lost time when he was a bumbling, stuttering mess around the women he liked.

It wasn't like there was a secret to getting more than one girlfriend either. He just finally had the ability to tell them what he was feeling and thinking. It just happened to work out better than he ever thought it would.

"So, do we have an agreement?"

Bell asked as he extended his hand over the table. Finn didn't lose the amused smile that was there before taking Bell's hand and shaking it.

"Deal."

"Is this something you want me to talk to Lili about as soon as I get home or do you want me to wait?"

"It doesn't have to be the moment you get home, but I'd like it if you could do it by tomorrow at the latest. You can send a message or someone to the Twilight Manor when she has made her decision. I'll meet her anywhere she is comfortable. Unless of course, she rejects the idea. Just let me know as soon as you can."

"I will."

Finn finishes off his tea, shakes Bell's hand once more, and heads to the door. He turns around right as he is about to leave and says.

"I almost forgot. If Lili rejects the idea, I promise I'll drop it. I won't pursue her if she does not wish it."

"I promise to do the same if Tiona isn't agreeable."

Finn nods his head and walks out the door. Bell finishes off his tea then heads for the exit himself. He wanted to talk to Lili the moment he got home but didn't know if he should. She did not seem pleased with him today for some reason so he wasn't sure if it was the right time.

Lili was happy that Bell had ended their dungeon expedition early today. She was having the hardest time concentrating after what Goddess Hestia had told them this morning. The moment they exited, Lili headed toward Hearth Manor as fast as she could without drawing attention.

She thought she made a clean getaway, but apparently, she hadn't. When Welf came striding up beside her, she cursed him and her short legs. If only she was taller, the blacksmith would have never caught up to her.

"Why don't you slow down and talk to me, Lil Bit?"

"Lili doesn't need to talk. Lili is fine."

"Come on Lil Bit. Your gloominess and unfocused mind even penetrated the Bell/Haruhime happy bubble. Talk to me, Lil Bit."

"It doesn't matter what Lili says. It won't change anything for Lili."

"You really love him, don't you?"

Lili didn't say anything, but the glare she sent Welf was all the confirmation he needed. If that was why she is this upset, there is really only one thing Welf can say to her.

"The way I see it, you have two options then. You can stop trying to be so controlling over Bell, and get him to love you like he does Haruhime. If you can't do that, I think you should try and let Bell go now."

Welf didn't wait for a response and walked away since they were nearing Hearth Manor. That wasn't really a question that had an answer he needed to hear. He simply needed Lili to think about what he said then it would be up to her what she did with that.

When they walked into Hearth Manor, Lili plopped down on a chair in the living room while Welf did the same on the couch. Mikoto walked right past them after setting her weapons down and went to the kitchen to start dinner.

The Manor was dead silent after that, longer than anyone realized until the door opened once more and Haruhime walked in. She had a bright smile on her face as she always did. Haruhime greeted Lili and Welf before walking into the kitchen to help Mikoto with dinner.

The Manor fell into another round of silence after that. Lili stared at the table in front of her trying to figure out what to do. Her mind felt like it was scattered in a million pieces and she was trying to put it back together.

Welf simply sat there in silence. Occasionally, he would glance over at Lili to make sure she was alright. It didn't look to Welf as if she had any idea what to think anymore.

It definitely worried Welf. Lili was usually the most composed of the group. It looked to him though as if she was slowly falling apart.

They could both hear Haruhime talking to Mikoto and it was nice to hearing something other than complete and utter silence. It didn't last much longer though as the door opened once more, and Bell stepped into the manor.

As she always did, Haruhime rushed out of the kitchen and into Bell's arms. Welf didn't think Lili could look any more broken than she already was, but he was wrong about that. It looked like she wanted to disappear when she saw them kiss before Bell set Haruhime down.

"I need to go back and help Mikoto."

"I need to talk to Lili. I'll come to help you after, my love."

Welf and Lili both heard the quick conversation between Haruhime and Bell. Welf was quick to put a look of disapproval on his face for Bell to see when he turned around. It did work somewhat, but not enough to deter Bell from asking.

"Lili? Can we talk in private for a moment?"

Bell wasn't sure she would even agree since she had been so distracted today, but he had to ask anyway. If he only had until tomorrow night to talk to her about it, she had to know he wanted to talk now so she couldn't turn him down tomorrow.

"Sure, Master Bell..."

Bell was about to thank her and tell her where they could talk, but Lili got up and started walking away before he could. Bell still wasn't sure what was wrong with Lili, but it looked like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders from the way she was walking.

Lili was dragging her feet a bit, her shoulders sagged, her head was down, and she was staring at the ground as she walked away. Bell thought maybe he should put this off, but couldn't back out now.

Lili already knew he wanted to speak with her so there was no going back now. Bell contemplated asking her what was wrong first but thought better of it. It looked like she was still working out whatever it was and she could tell him later.

Bell planned on taking her to his office so he could shut the door and they could have some privacy, but he simply followed Lili. They ended up in the inner courtyard, not exactly the best place for privacy, but it would be private enough as long as no one decided to spy on them.

"What did you need to speak with me for, Master Bell?"

Bell once again questioned if he should wait to do this. It did not seem like Lili was in the right state of mind for such a conversation, but if it had to be done by tomorrow night, he might as well get it over with as soon as possible so she had time to think.

"Do you happen to know who Finn Deimne is?"

"The Captain of the Loki Familia?"

"Yes, I see you have heard of him before."

"Of course, he's not only well known for being the Captain of the Loki Familia but Pallum's know about him as well. What does this have to do with him?"

"Well..." Bell is still wondering how to do this and he can only think of one way. "I was late tonight because Finn wished to speak with me. We had a private chat at a cafe and what we discussed was you."

"What?! Why me?!"

"Finn told me about his goals in the future. What he wanted to accomplish not just for himself, but for his race. He mentioned you because he was impressed with your bravery when you tried to get the Loki Familia to help me with the Minotaur."

"Lili doesn't understand, Master Bell?"

"Finn wants to leave a legacy behind and not just of his achievements. He also wants to have an heir to carry on said legacy. He told me his heir needed to be a pure-blooded Pallum, and that is why he was asking about you." It looked like Lili was catching on so he just finished what he needed to say. "He wanted me to ask you if you would consider his hand in marriage."

After fighting with her emotions for the entire day, this was not what she wanted to her come from Bell's mouth. If he was comfortable asking her this, she knew what he thought of her.

She was an ally, a member of the familia. He did not love her as he loved Haruhime or Eina. Her eyes got misty, her lips trembled, and she didn't even look up as she forced the words to leave her lips.

"Your thoughts, Master Bell?"

"I think if it will make you happy, you should consider it. I just want you to be happy Lili."

"What would you know about what would make me happy?!"

"You were one of my first friends in Orario, Lili. I just want..."

Bell never got to finish because Lili didn't want to hear him say it again. She took off out of the courtyard, and Bell heard the front door open and slam shut right after she left the courtyard.

When he made it back into the living room, everyone in the familia was looking at him with expectant eyes. He didn't say anything though and simply sat down at the table to wait for dinner to be ready. He thought he got away with not having to answer questions until dinner was finally served and Welf asked him.

"So why did Lil' Bit go running out of here earlier, Bell?"

"Sorry Welf, I can't say."

"Can't or Won't, Bell?"

"Both, I made a promise that I would not say a word about my conversation to anyone. If Lili wants you all to know, she will tell you."

It looked like everyone but Haruhime was about to say something again so Bell got up from the table with his empty plate, washed it in the sink, and went upstairs to unwind from the day. He was glad when Haruhime came in about an hour later, he could really use the kisses and cuddles after the day he had.

When the next morning came, Lili was still nowhere to be found after they had all had their breakfast. Bell wanted to go in the dungeon but held off until they found Lili. Instead, he went to the Guild to let Eina know he wouldn't be in the dungeon today and could come to walk her home whenever she was ready to leave instead of her waiting for him to come back.

Next, he headed toward Twilight Manor to pass a message off to Finn. He wasn't sure if Lili went there last night to talk to him or if she went somewhere else, but he wanted Finn to know he told her already.

Once he had that handled, he headed back to Hearth Manor, and the rest of the familia trained outside instead of heading into the dungeon. Bell was glad to see everyone was improving.

Welf was getting as good with his sword as he was with his smith hammer. Mikoto was displaying techniques with her katana Bell was surprised she knew as a level 2, and Haruhime was getting a ton better with a blade and hand-to-hand combat than Bell ever thought possible.

Bell made everyone sandwiches while they were doing the last of their reps before lunch. They ate a good lunch and talked about what they had been practicing before getting back to it for a couple more hours.

Once training was complete, Welf headed to the forge, Mikoto and Haruhime headed to the market to get food for dinner, and Bell cleaned up and headed to the Guild to escort Eina to her home again.

When Bell saw Eina walk out of the guild, he saw her hesitation again. Eina was very affectionate in private but looked completely baffled as to what to do in public. After Bell watched her hand twitch repeatedly in indecision about holding his hand as he walked her home, he had to stop her and ask.

"Eina..." Bell turned her so she had to stop walking and look at him. "are you... are you regretting agreeing to share me?"

He's not sure why her horrified expression put him at ease, but it did, and when she spoke, he understood why it made him feel that way.

"No! Of course not! Why... Why would you think that?"

"You only seem to want to show any affection toward me when we are alone in your apartment. I thought maybe you were ashamed to be in this type of relationship."

"No, I'm not... I just... I'm not sure..."

"Eina..." she stopped looking at the ground and looked up into Bell's eyes. "I don't want you to think you are second in my heart simply because I get to spend more time with Haruhime. I love you just as much as I love her. I don't want to hide us, but I don't want to make you uncomfortable with our situation."

"Bell, I..." Eina looks at the ground again trying to formulate what to say. "Show me, please."

"Show you, what?"

"Show me what you would do if you were in my shoes right now."

"Are you sure you are comfortable with me doing that right here, out in the open, in front of all of these people?"

Bell tried looking into her eyes to see what she truly wanted, but she was still mostly staring at the ground. He did see her nod her head though so he did exactly as she asked him to.

Bell put a finger under her chin to make her look at him. When she finally did, Bell didn't waste a second and sealed his lips to hers. There was nothing quick or subdued about Bell's kiss especially when he gently ran his tongue across her lips and she immediately let him in.

She wanted to know what he wanted to do to her, and he would happily show her. Bell claimed her lips right there for every single person in the street to see and couldn't care less who saw what he was doing. He wanted Eina to know that he meant every word he said to her before this.

Kissing Eina was just like kissing Haruhime, Bell got completely lost in the kiss and everything else fell away around him. He has no idea how long they stayed like that. Bell claiming Eina's mouth for all to see while he held her by the waist to get her as close as possible. He knew it wasn't as long as he wanted to because he had to break away before he ran out of breath, and it had nothing to do with wanting to end the kiss.

Bell felt an extremely murderous set of eyes land on his back and that is what made him stop kissing those soft lips of Eina's. It took Eina a moment to open her eyes after that amazing kiss, but she immediately noticed Bell's expression.

"What's wrong, Bell?"

"Someone is watching us, and they want to kill me."

"WHAT?!"

"It's ok, Eina. I'll get you home safe."

Bell took her hand to continue walking her home, but Eina had other ideas. She took off holding Bell's hand toward the closest alley to them and pulled Bell to hide behind one of the houses to see if anyone followed.

"What are you doing, Eina?"

"We are ending this now, Bell! I'm tired of being afraid someone wants to hurt you. This. Ends. Right. Now."

Bell and Eina took up their hiding spot and waited to see if anyone would come after them. It only took a moment before a black shadow went past their hiding spot. The moment the hooded shadow hit the dead end, Bell jumped out from the shadow and the hooded figure turned around.

"Dormul?!"

Eina couldn't believe who the man following them was, but it didn't look like the Dwarf heard her. He was glaring at Bell with a completely red face, his seething glare directed right at Bell.

"What the hell do ye think yer doin' bringin' Eina ta a place like this, huh?"

"Protecting her from creeps lik-"

Bell never got to give his reason as Dormul unhooked his Warhammer from its sheathe, took it in both hands, lifted it high above his head, and charged right at Bell.

"Bell! Dormul! Stop righ-"

Eina never got to finish as Dormul's Warhammer impacted the ground and drowned out Eina's desperate plea. Stone shards flew high into the air and a tremendous shockwave shot through the street. Bell realized this man was looking to kill so he drew both his knives and prepared for his counterattack.

"White 'air, red eyes, human... Ye're the Little Rookie, aren't you?"

Bell's eyes went wide when the Dwarf recognized him. He shouldn't be surprised, he had been the talk of the town for some time now. He did not expect what happened next though as his strike with both of his knives was about to hit home.

"But ye don't stand a chance against me!"

Dormul easily blocked both of Bell's knives with his Warhammer as if he was a child. A wicked grin passed his lips as he swung his counterattack back at Bell. He followed up with an offensive barrage that was hard for Eina to watch.

'Please Bell, be alright!'

Words had been removed from Eina's mouth at the moment but she still could think a little. She was terrified for Bell. Bell and Dormul were both second-tier adventurers, but Dormul had been one for years were as Bell had just leveled up not long ago. Eina feared the worst as she watched, but her fears were unfounded the longer she watched.

"ARGGGGGGGHHHHHH!"

Bell was trapped in a dead-end, but Dormul was the one getting frustrated. Even his warcry did nothing to unfocus Bell. Bell parried the Warhammer with violet arcs as he redirected the blows away from himself. The ones he couldn't, he simply dodged out of the way, and Bell could tell that the Dwarf was getting frustrated at not being able to finish him off.

'I can't believe how fast Bell as gotten!'

Eina couldn't believe what she was seeing, Bell was too fast for her to catch most of his movements and she could tell even Dormul was perplexed at how fast Bell was. Bell looked to be not just using his status, but also, techniques you would usually see first-tier adventurers using.

"STOP HOPPIN' 'ROUND, DAMN IT!"

The longer the battle went on, the more frustrated Dormul was getting. Eina could tell the Dwarf was slowing down while it looked like Bell was getting faster by the second. Bell's speed and agility were the perfect counter to any Dwarf's strength and power, and it showed in spades in this fight.

"DAMN YE! TRY DODGIN' THIS RODENT!"

Dormul pulled a Warhammer off his back and both Eina and Bell's eyes went wide when they realized what it was.

'A magic sword?!'

Bell knew there was only one thing he could do to survive a hit from that, and if he couldn't, he would make sure Eina was protected from the attack. Bell sprung forward as fast as he could. Bell put himself between the magic weapon and Eina to shield her from the blast as the Dwarf brought the crackling Warhammer down toward his head.

Bell brought his crimson knife in his left hand up to meet the hammer, but bypassed the crackling head and impacting the handle. His weapon sliced cleaned through the handle, and the heavy head part of Dormul's weapon went spinning into the air.

Dormul missed with the handle he was holding onto, and Bell sped past him to take up a defensive stance in front of Eina. Dormul froze, completely dumbfounded his magic sword attack failed. He quickly picked up his other hammer and turned to face Bell.

"This ain't over, ye rodent!"

Unfortunately for Dormul, the rest of the Warhammer came tumbling down from the sky above him. Eina and Bell watched as the flat part of the Warhammer connected with the top of Dormul's head, and a lightning bolt struck him, making him scream out in agony.

"GWAAAAAAAAAA!"

A pillar of lightning struck the Dwarf and sent Eina and Bell flying off their feet. Bell was agile enough to grab Eina in mid-air, wrap his arms around her, and prevent her from taking the brunt of the damage as he spun and made her land on top of him.

"Bell! Bell! Are you alright?!"

"I'm alright, Eina. I'd be more worried about him. You are fine, right? You didn't get injured in that blast, did you?"

She answered not with words, but with her lips. She couldn't contain herself when she saw Bell wasn't injured and wanted to taste those lips to make sure it wasn't a dream. When she finally managed to tear herself away, both of them went to check on Dormul.

Bell and Eina saw he was alive, and they were both thankful for that. However, it was hard for Eina to accept that Dormul had been her stalker. She had met plenty of adventurers as a Guild Receptionist, became a pretty good judge of character, and stalking isn't something she ever thought Dormul capable of.

Bell tried to make sure Eina was alright after that incident, but she didn't seem relieved he caught her stalker. It gave Bell a funny feeling, but he left after Eina told him she had some paperwork to fill out and she would be fine now that her stalker had been caught.

Dormul was still unconscious when Eina finished her paperwork so she decided to head home for the night and sort the rest out in the morning. She had only made it halfway home when she got a funny feeling and glanced over her shoulder.

All the blood drained from her face as she caught a glimpse of a figure she couldn't miss. Someone in the same black hooded garb Dormul had been wearing when he was following her. Eina took off immediately and ran toward her home.

Eina glanced over her shoulder and saw the hooded figure getting closer and closer by the second. She ran and ran trying to lose him, but she knew he was going to catch her soon, very soon.

'If only I hadn't sent Bell away!'

She should have listened to that funny feeling in her gut when she found out her stalker was Dormul. Now, she was going to pay for not listening to it. She finally got Bell to show her he wasn't ashamed to show he loved her as much as he loved Haruhime in public, and now, she'd never get to simply hold his hand walking home all because she didn't listen to her gut.

Eina saw her pursuer was about to catch her. She stopped to scream into the night hoping that someone would help her, but she never got the chance. Someone screamed before she did, but it came from above and it wasn't a plea for help.

*FIREBOLT!*

A streak of flaming lightning flashed before she could yell. It came from behind and above her pursuer. The magic exploded near both of them, and it made her cloaked pursuer stop to look around for the threat.

A blur came down from the rooftops and slammed its foot into the back of her pursuer, and Eina finally saw who it was that came to her rescue.

"Bell?!"

"Something didn't feel right Eina. I could feel more than one set of eyes watching us so I couldn't let you walk home alone again."

Eina was about to run to him, hug the life out of him, and drowned him in kisses until he couldn't take anymore, but she never got the chance. Another roar ripped through the air and someone she didn't expect to see again so soon came barreling down the street like a tank breaking through enemy lines.

"DORYAAAAAAAAAAA!"

The Dwarf, Dormul, swung his meaty fist at the cloaked figure as it stood from Bell's attack, but the Dwarf's target spun away from the attack. Dormul, Bell, and the cloaked figure all stood, silently assessing each other until the angry Dwarf finally broke the silence.

"So ye're the ta one? Tha sicko who's been stalkin' Eina?"

The hooded figure didn't seem to take too kindly to the Dwarf's words. He placed his hand on the edge of his hood and pulled it down while saying.

"You dare to address me by such an uncivilized title, foul Dwarf?!"

"L-Luvis?!"

Eina was shocked once again. How she managed to misjudge the character of both of these men was beyond her. She was usually such a good judge of character. There had to be something else going on here, Eina just felt it in her bones.

Luvis and Dormul were quickly back to their verbal back and forth, completely leaving Bell out of the conversation. Eina had had enough though and she put an end to it so she could get to the bottom of what was really going on.

Eina listened to both sides of their story, and it all finally started to make sense. Bell pointed out how creepy it was to be following from the shadows, and that was the point everything came together as they heard snickering from the shadows.

Once Modi, Luvis God, congratulated him for making him a ton of valis and Magni, Dormul's God, begged to borrow some valis since he was out now, Luvis and Dormul ran them both off with a combination of bolts and rocks in the deities direction.

Now that their ill advising Gods had gone though, it seemed to instill some confidence back into the level 3 adventurers as they looked at Eina. Both of them made their heartfelt plea to win Eina's heart the moment they could.

"No, no, no! I refuse to let it end this way! Eina, I am in love with you! Please, become my eternal partner!"

"I have a greater love for you Eina! Become my bride, please?!"

Both men were completely serious she realized. Plenty of men had confessed their love for Eina over the years, but this was the first time anyone had proposed marriage to her. She looked at Bell for his reaction since he was once again left out of the conversation and was surprised at what she saw.

Bell was... yep, he was smirking at the Elf and Dwarf. Eina doesn't remember him ever having such a look on his face before. He listened to both of them arguing back and forth but the smirk never left his lips.

Both men finally looked at her expectantly hoping for an answer to their proposals. Eina went to open her mouth to give them one, but Bell cut her off before she could.

"Sorry fellas, Eina is already mine!"

If they didn't believe his words, they sure believed it when he wrapped his arms around her waist and pulled her in for a kiss. Eina wrapped her arms around his neck and melted into his kiss like she always did when Bell kissed her. It was as if only those two exist in the whole world when their lips met.

Both Luvis and Dormul were stunned speechless at the display. Eina was obviously not denying it, and by the looks of it, neither Luvis nor Dormul ever stood a chance if the way she reacted to the Little Rookies kiss was anything to go by.

"S-Say it ain't so Eina?!"

"This... This has to be a ruse?!"

Even after they saw that kiss, neither wanted to believe it anyway. It wasn't until Bell and Eina broke their kiss and Bell spoke that they realized this was no ruse at all.

"Oh, it is so. I love Eina with all my heart and soul! I always have, and I always will!"

The dagger to both Luvis and Dormul's hearts was when Eina turned to both of them and confirmed Bell's words when she said.

"I've never loved anyone like I love Bell. I'm sorry guys, he is the one for me."

This time, Eina didn't hesitate to take Bell's hand, plant a kiss on his lips, and lead him straight to her house never letting go of her rabbit. She wasn't going to waste any more time being indecisive about what was appropriate in public with Bell.

Haruhime had already told her many times she had no problem with Eina being affectionate with Bell even with Haruhime present. Eina remembered Haruhime saying to her: "He has two hands, he is capable of holding both our hands at the same time."

And for the first time in her life, Eina walked to her home with her lover's hand in hers, her head on his shoulder, and a sense of peace with knowing everyone would know how much she and Bell loved each other, no matter what anyone thought of their relationship.

So that's the end of this chapter... Man, I really hate writing Lili so that is what took me ages to finish this one... I hope it was alright and it didn't drag on too long... I know the Lili part isn't over yet, but there isn't much more to write about it so it shouldn't slow me down too much... On a side note, I will be updating my other fanfics before I update this one again so it will be another few months before you get another chapter... I hope this one was enough to hold you over until I can get the next one out... Thanks for reading and I'll see you next chapter!