Me: Yo! i'm back with the next chapter! ^^

Fuu: we would have updated sooner, but the stupid 'browse' button wasn't working. XP

Xao: but we're here now. we don't own anything remotely related to Chrno Crusade, anime nor manga.

Fuu: we wish we did...

Me: but we don't. enjoy ^^

----------------------

Trust You?

Chapter 2

…Where am I…?

It was dark. Or at least to him it was. He couldn't figure out what was going on, or why he felt so…fuzzy. Then, memories of his recent battle with the "Pursuers" and Lily's death overwhelmed him and he shuddered involuntarily. So that's why… he thought. Lily's death explained why he felt so…weird. He couldn't call the feeling anything else. He didn't feel sick, per say. More like out of focus. …Or something like that…? He had never been able to describe the feeling very clearly.

While he was brooding over the feeling, he heard a strange sound. It was a rhythmic hum. He had heard something similar to it when his first Contractor would make dinner for herself. In fact, he noticed his senses coming back when he thought he could smell human food.

Smells like…some kind of meat… he thought idly. Being a demon, he didn't necessarily have to eat. But sometimes the scents of human cooking was enough to make him wish did. It was like that now. And he could hear the hum better now. It was beautiful. He realized he could make out words.

A woman was singing:

"--gins a new beginning

But never finds a finish.

I walked to the horizon,

And there I find another.

It all seems so surprising,

And then I find that I know.

You go there, you're gone forever.

I go there, I'll lose my way.

We stay here, we're not together.

Anywhere is.

The moon upon the ocean,

Is swept around in motion.

But without ever knowing

The reason for it's flowing.

In motion on the ocean,

The moon still keeps on moving.

The waves still keep on waving.

And I still keep on going.

You go there, you're gone forever.

I go there, I'll lose my way.

We stay here, we're not together.

Anywhere is.

I wonder if the stars sign,

The life that is to be mine,

And would they let their light shine

Enough for me to follow?

I look up to the heavens,

But night has clouded over.

No spark of constellation.

No Vela, no Orion.

The voice began to hum, but was broken off suddenly. "Hey! I think he's waking up!"

There was a rustling and a small squeak. Chrono groaned at the squeak. With great reluctance, he opened his eyes. There a small gasp. Chrono blinked and looked around. There were two humans hovering over him. A young male with blonde-white hair and female with long silver hair stared at him.

There was fear in the female's eyes and wonder in the male's.

"Rose," he called, "check it out. The guy's eyes are red."

"Really?" came another voice. An older female popped up on his other side. Golden, shoulder-length hair framed the face of a 17-year-old female. Azure eyes regarded him with interest. She gave a small hiccough. "Well, would ya look at that. You okay there, Tex?"

"Tex…?"

"He looks fine to me, Rosette," the silver-haired female said cautiously. Chrono looked over at her. She flushed and backed away. The little human had strange brown-pink eyes and Chrono registered that she had been the one singing. He looked over at the male. His eyes were a shade lighter than the one who had called him "Tex" and they had a similar scent. That probably meant they were siblings.

"Where am I?" Chrono asked.

The male answered, "You're at our apartment. I'm Joshua. This is Azmaria," he said gesturing to the silver-haired female, "And this is Rosette." He gestured to his sister.

"Hey, Josh! I'm perfectly capable of telling the guy my own name!" the elder female berated. The young male shot his hands up in surrender, but there was a grin spread over his features.

Chrono sat up and looked over at Rosette. "Why did you call me Tex?"

Rosette shrugged. "Had to call you something, right? And you're clothes don't exactly say "I love New York," you know? But now that you're up, tell us you're actual name."

It wasn't a question. "My name is Chrono."

Rosette's eyebrows shot up. "That's a name I've never heard before."

Her brother interjected. "Where're you from?"

That one was a question. "Not from here," Chrono answered simply.

"Riiiight…whatever." Rosette got up. "You staying for dinner, Az? I'm sure Josh hasn't finished snogging you yet," she snickered.

Azmaria's face turned pink, as did Joshua's. "Rosette! Would lay off?!"

"But why?" Rosette pouted playfully. "It's so fun messing with you two."

The male's face turned red from anger and embarrassment. The older female grinned and turned back to attend to her pot. "Come here and help." She didn't specify and in a moment both Azmaria and Chrono were behind Rosette, trying to figure out what she wanted to be done. She looked over her shoulder at them.

"…I only need one person's help." She looked at Chrono and rose an eyebrow. "You don't have to help if you don't want to. You are the guest after all."

"I want to help," he stated simply. Rosette pursed her lips and wiggled her nose in thought.

She sighed and turned to Azmaria. "Why don't you go kick Josh's ass at video games before dinner? I think I'll be alright with Chrono here."

The little human female looked at her worry. "Are you sure, Rosette?"

"Sure. Go have fun."

Azmaria hesitated and glanced at Chrono before finally relenting and she going into a back room with Joshua. Chrono watched them go and then turned to the older female. He wondered vaguely why the younger one had been so worried, but then decided he didn't care.

"What do you need me to do?"

--+--+--+--+--+--+--

There's something off about this guy…what is it?

Rosette glanced over at Chrono for the upteenth time that evening. He calmly did everything she told him to, and though she kind of liked someone listening to her, it unsettled her a little.

In the bedroom, she heard the artificial sounds of Josh ramming Az's virtual car and pulling ahead. He gave a triumphant "Ha!" Rosette couldn't hold back the smile that came over her features. Azmaria was definitely a good influence on him and he wasn't lonely when Rosette had to leave for either school or work now. The two girls weren't much alike, but both got along because of Joshua and because all three kids shared a secret.

They could all see demons.

Both Rosette and Joshua had been able to see demons for as long as they could remember. It used to scare their parents, who would in turn send them into therapy sessions. It used to scare Josh, so Rosette would come up with excuses that could get them both out of the sessions and they would go play hooky.

Rosette stopped her stirring and watched the noodles without seeing them. She looked over at the purple haired man. Demons…maybe that's it…maybe he's a demon…? But just looking at the man didn't tell her much. She had never known a demon that had taken human shape, but Chrono did look pretty weird for a human.

Red eyes…

Well, Az has those strange (but pretty) pinkish eyes…

Purple hair…

It could just be died…?

Pointed ears…

…I can't think of a good excuse for that one…

Chrono looked over at her. "What is it?"

Rosette blinked. "Oh, nothing…it's nothing…But," she hedged, "tell me why you were lying in the street with blood all over you."

Chrono regarded her coldly. For a moment, Rosette thought he would just brush off her suggestion and keep chopping lettuce, but finally he answered, "I was trying to recover from a battle."

"Battle…?" That surprised the blonde. So he was in trouble… Rosette gave him a lopsided grin and laughed. "Was that all that happened to you?" She wasn't sure why she found this reassuring, but somehow the thought of a hobo solider in her house amused her.

She could feel Chrono's gaze on her. She turned back to her pot of noodles. "You probably think I'm weird, huh?" she asked. She knew what his answer would be- she could feel what he thought in his gaze- but she didn't care. She had always known she was different, and she took it in stride.

"…It's not my place to say," Chrono told her finally.

Rosette blinked. She wasn't sure what to say to that, so the two lapsed into an awkward silence. Or at least Rosette thought it was awkward. Chrono didn't seem to be phased by the silence. Rosette sighed. Her hunch over the guy being a demon was growing, but she wasn't sure how to bring it up. Especially with Az around.

After dinner… she decided.

--+--+--+--+--+--+--

Rosette leaned back in her chair, full and satisfied. "Man, can I cook or what?" she asked no one in particular. She put her hands behind her head and leaned back in her chair. Josh looked equally content and Az watched him, a light blush on her cheeks.

"So, Chrono?" He looked over at Rosette. "What'd you think? Was it good?"

He looked down at his empty plate and nodded mutely. His silence rather annoyed Rosette, but he wouldn't talk unless she told him to talk. Well, time for him to talk. "Josh?" she asked, "Could you and Az clean up? I wanna talk to our Texan hobo friend here." She made sure there was no room for argument in her eyes while looking at him. He just looked at her in surprise, but nodded and started gathering plates.

"You," Rosette practically ordered, pointing at Chrono, "out in the hall. Now." Chrono cringed but obeyed and followed her out into the hall. She grabbed her key. She saw Josh and Az exchange anxious glances, but she ignored them.

Chrono turned to her when they were both out in the hall, but she passed him, grabbing his hand while doing so. The guy pulled his hand as though he'd been electrocuted. Rosette turned to him and huffed in annoyance, her hand also stinging secretly. So instead she grabbed the front of Chrono's blood stained poncho. He didn't fight her for some reason.

They rounded the corner, and she turned holding him in a steady gaze. To be honest, she wasn't sure how to confront the guy. If he was a demon, then being found out might royally piss him off. Rosette could take three guys in an alleyway, but this guy was a demon, and pretty damn strong one, she figured, as he had actually lay in the alleyway out of exhaustion and not blood loss. But if he wasn't a demon, well…

"What is it?" he asked.

Rosette didn't answer, still not sure how to ask her questions. She just regarded the man with a cool look that held the dominance she was always famous for with everyone she knew. Chrono seemed to grow uncomfortable under her gaze. He probably wasn't used to such scrutiny. But she waited for him to give her something to work with.

"You really are strange," he told her finally.

That'll work. "Well, you're pretty weird yourself. I mean, I've been around demons my whole life, and I've never met one who willingly changes into a human form."

The silence was tangible. Chrono looked at the blonde in blatant shock. "…Wha??…How did you…?"

"I didn't. It was only a hunch," Rosette admitted, "but apparently a pretty good one, taken your reaction."

Chrono simply gaped at her. "What do you mean by just a hunch?!"

Rosette smirked. "I just told you, I've been around demons my whole life. And you don't really act all that human. …Well, I don't think you do, anyway."

He regarded her. "Well, now you know. So what are you going to do about it?"

Rosette blinked. "Nothing. Why?"

Once again, Chrono gaped at her in complete shock. Rosette looked at him dryly. "Shut your mouth; it's rude to gape." The demon's mouth closed with an audible snap. Rosette's eyebrows shot up. That sounded like it hurt. "I'm not going to strip you of your free will. I'm not a slave driver."

"…But what about your brother. And the other one?"

Rosette folded her arms and her nose rabbit-twitched in thought. "I think knowing what some demons are like would be a good experience for Az. And as for Josh, well…he doesn't have many friends, so--"

"So you think a demon would be a good companion for him," Chrono completed, doubt coloring his red eyes and sarcasm laced in his voice.

Rosette smiled. "I told you," she said, "you don't seem like most demons. I think I can trust you not to hurt them."

Chrono just looked at her. There was confusion mixed with disbelief in his eyes. Rosette just shrugged at him. She shouldered off the wall and walked up to the demon. "I know it's probably not very becoming of a demon to be around humans, but you know, what have you got to lose?"

"…It's not really that. What would you lose if you were associating with a demon?" Rosette raised her eyebrows. For a moment, both demon and human stared at each other down. Rosette grinned suddenly and began to laugh. Chrono blinked at her.

"That's why I say you don't seem like most demons," she giggled. "Believe me, I wouldn't offer if I had anything to lose, Chrono. Josh and Az are sure to figure out what you are sooner or later as they can also see demons. But seriously, I'm not gonna throw you out on the streets just cause you're a demon. I'm not heartless. Unless you don't want to stay?"

Chrono opened his mouth to answer, but just closed it again. He continued to do this for a few minutes, looking rather like a fish, before sighing, "Are there any conditions to me living with you?"

--+--+--+--+--+--+--

"Kay! We're back, Josh!"

Joshua looked up from the sci-fi novel he was reading and looked at the two of them.

"Yo, Rosette, new guy. What were you two talking about back there that we couldn't hear? You confessing your love or something, sis?"

Rosette scowled. She walked over to her little brother and whacked him. "Don't such stupid things, Josh! Of course not!"

"Then what was it?" Joshua asked, rubbing the new sore spot on his head.

"She was asking me if I wanted to stay," Chrono put in. Josh looked between them.

"You could have just asked him in here."

"Yeah, but I needed to clear something up first. It's all good now, though. So let's break out the movies! We're celebrating!"

Both boys looked at her. "Why?"

"Cause," she told Chrono, "we've got a new family member, right?"

"…You just want to party about dropping out, don't you?" Josh asked knowingly. Rosette's smile widened and she jumped a little in excitement.

"I'll get the popcorn!"

-------------------------------

Me: yes, Rosette would get excited about something like this, wouldn't she?

Fuu: lols. any-who, that was this update's chap. tell us what you thought!

Xao: ...That means REVIEW for all you not-so-smart people out there. you know who you are. *glares into your soul*

Me: see ya!