Ahmagod, update! Only a year late, lol XD

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Chapter Three!

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"See Chrno, it's not SO bad." Rosette scoffed, then hummed a tune. She finished wiping a plate and added it to the growing pile of dishes.

I looked at her with disgust, and delicately placed my hands back into the filthy dishwater. "You only say that because you got the easy job."

It's strange. I have no problem dealing with tons of demon innards all over me, but the thought of touching people's dirty dishes...all that old food...hey, even demons have their limit.

Rosette just continued humming and wiping dishes, looking smug. Petty revenge didn't suit her, but unfortunately it came with the territory. She was loving every minute of my suffering.

Of course, it didn't help that I was being bombarded with the scent of flowers. Powerful emotions always intensified auras, and hers was filling all my senses, making me feel light-headed and dizzy. Why the heck did her aura have to be so...tantalizing?

An image flickered through my mind. Rosette was standing in a field of flowers surrounding by snow-capped mountains. The sky was clear and she stood, hair loose, staring upwards toward the heavens. A breeze blew by, rustling her skirt about and blowing fragrant petals. The sky suddenly darkened into a deep black, and streams of energy filled the sky. The Astral Lines. I inhaled a breath. Rosette turned and smiled.

"Chrno." she said softly.

I was speechless.

"Chrno." she repeated, then took a step towards me. "CHRNO!"

A blow to the head threw me out of my fantasy. I fell to the ground, my ears ringing, nearly dropping the cup in my hand. Rosette began to casually dry the plate she had just belted me in the side of my head with, but there was a small smile on her face.

I decided to let it go and tried to slide back into the rhythm of...ugh...washing dishes. But her damn persistent aura! I knew it wasn't intentional on her part, but it was annoying.

"Stop that." I growled.

"What?" she asked, genuinely surprised.

"Enjoying my misery."

"Now what makes you think I enjoy watching you participate in an activity you hate against your will?" she feigned innocence.

I thrust the final bowl into her hand and stomped out of the kitchen and through the cafeteria doors only to nearly trample poor Azmaria.

"Chrno!" she gasped as I helped her up.

"Sorry." I apologized, scolding myself in my head. Carelessness would not improve my day.

"No no, I was looking for you. I heard you were here." she smiled and adjusted her pink beret. She dusted off her skirt. "Um...at the library today..."

"Yes?"

"Well, I just needed some more research and I thought maybe you could help again." her eyes widened. "Chrno, what happened to you? You're bleeding!"

"What?" I blinked, then put my hand to where Rosette had struck me moments before. Sure enough, when I pulled my hand back and glanced at my fingers there was a bit of blood. I could already feel a lump forming. Curse that girl and her aim, sneaking up on a demon whilst he was...I halted that inner complaint. Maybe, like earlier, Rosette had somehow, just maybe, caught a whiff of my thoughts. That would explain the smack.

Or maybe Rosette was just being Rosette. That was far more likely. I hoped.

"Chrno?" Azmaria peered at me, eyes mirroring the concern in her voice. "Are you alright? We should get that cleaned up."

"Y-Yeah." I stammered, jarred out of my thoughts by the delicate voice. "Sure. Let's go to the infirmary then."

She looked relieved. "And then the library? If you're feeling up to it." she added quickly.

I laughed. "It's just a scratch Azmaria. I've suffered worse. Of course I'll help you."

Rosette came out of the cafeteria at that moment, unfortunately bringing her aura within my immediate vicinity. She smiled and struck up a conversation with Azmaria. I, meanwhile, felt a shiver run down my back, and I inhaled a shaky breath.

This wasn't good. What was wrong with me? Ever since Rosette's stupid comment I seemed to be losing my mind. Rosette suddenly glanced at me.

"Oh Chrno you're bleeding!" she exclaimed, reaching towards me. I instinctively pushed her arm aside. If she touched me I wasn't sure WHAT I'd do. Both Azmaria and Rosette stared at me, surprised at what I had just done. I needed to changed tactics.

"Yeah, that's the result of your little love tap!" I cringed at the phrase that came pouring out of my mouth, but neither of them seemed to notice. "I don't need your help. I can dress a wound on my own Rosette." I marched past her.

"Chrno..." Rosette's voice was small. "Are you angry with me?"

I halted. She sounded so sad. But my will was iron (or so I told myself), and I would not turn around. I wouldn't see her sad face, I wouldn't look into her apologetic eyes, her golden hair...

Well what do you know? I had already turned around and was looking at her.

"Curse you Chrno, curse you and your lack of iron will." I muttered.

"Chr--" Rosette began.

"Ah Rosette! There you are!" Rosette's friend Elizabeth came down the hall. "Sister Kate wants to talk to you."

Whatever apologetic moment Rosette was about to have was instantly gone. "WHAT? I did what she asked! What does the old bat want now!"

"E-hem." Sister Kate had just stepped out of the lavatory next to the cafeteria. "I'm a what now?"

"S-S-S-S-Sister!" Rosette stuttered, taking and apprehensive step back.

Elizabeth shook her head and sighed knowingly. "You never have any luck Rosette."

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I pulled the piece of gauze off the side of my hand and tossed it into the wastebasket next to my desk. The wound was so shallow, it really hadn't needed the bandage, but Azmaria had insisted.

"Chrno," she had began shyly while cleaning the wound.

I put on a brave face, only wincing a bit. Hey, demon or not, that stuff stings. "What?"

"I know it's not my business, but...what's going on with you and Rosette?"

"You're right. It's not your business." I had replied rather abruptly. We had then gone to the library and went about our business like I had said nothing.

"Sorry Azmaria," I muttered, flopping down on my bed. "But I don't even know myself." I sighed. What good was it talking to myself?

What was I doing? I mean, here I was again, lying in my bed with the most trying of the world's emotions winding through my head.

Did I love Rosette? Was that what all my fantasies and uneasiness led up to? I knew I loved Rosette, but did I really love her as a man would love a woman?

Warm lips pressed against my own, flooding my senses with a tingling I never knew possible. Gentle hands caressed my hair, and my braid loosened, errant strands hanging past my cheeks. I reached upwards...

And then I sat up, trying to distill the horribly impure thoughts I was having about Rosette out of my mind. "Well," I muttered. "Clearly we have an answer."

My door opened with a loud click and I jumped, startled out of my pensive state. Rosette was grinning in the doorway, holding what looked like a box of pizza.

I stayed in my bed, not daring to move as she came in and closed the door with her foot. She put the box down on my bed with a flourish.

"What is this?" I asked, raising an eyebrow.

"It's pizza." she answered, rolling her eyes and taking a seat at the end of my bed. She opened the box and took a steaming piece out.

"Obviously." I replied, inching away from her slightly. Thankfully the aroma of cheese slightly overpowered the scent of flowers. I focused on the food, trying not to look at her. "But why is it here?" I asked, taking a piece and taking a bite.

"Because we both didn't eat supper and I thought you might be hungry." Rosette replied bitterly, obviously annoyed that I wasn't acting more grateful.

"Oh." I replied, trying to act clueless so she wouldn't get more angry. "Thanks."

She smiled triumphantly and finished her first piece. "Well then, you're welcome."

I continued watching her as she looked around my room as she always did when we were alone. I knew it upset her that I was shunted to the basement, and the fact that my room was so bare led her to believe I was lonely.

I wasn't lonely. I hadn't been since she had come into my life.

She lifted up her hair and pushed it aside, exposing the nape of her neck. Oh no, don't do that Rosette. My heart began to pound, and I could feel my hands shake.

She caught my eyes then, and smiled at me, and I tried to turn away. Suddenly she blinked and leaned forward, reaching for my mouth.

I froze, watching her hand come towards me like a hawk. "Chrno," she said softly, I was both scared and excited at once, trembling from head to toe. "You have some cheese there," she laughed, and it came out like the chime of church bells.

Her fingertips grazed my lips, and it was too much. I took Rosette's hand as she made to pull away.

She looked at me curiously, but did not fight my light grip. When I raised her hand to my lips, however, her eyes widened, and she looked at me like she was going to say something.

Whatever she wanted to say had to wait as I leaned forward, hungry for more. The pizza box fell to the ground, spilling slices of pizza all over my bare floor as I shoved it aside. I took Rosette's face in my hands, and praying she didn't kill me, I kissed her.

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Almost done, you guys. Wow, I can't believe it's taken this long, but it's very hard for me to get on my computer and get access to this story to type. But I'll try to at least finish it.

Thanks to those who've reviewed, and those who've been patient!