Dragon Knights Fan Fiction ❯ Lock ❯ Truth ( Chapter 3 )

Disclaimer: I mean, come on - my current net worth is seventy-one cents; do you even have to ask?

 

AN: All credit for this chapter goes to BulmaWannabe; I was totally stuck and probably on the verge of writing something totally lame and cliché, and she saved me (again!) So here it is; one more chapter to go!! (Already? Heh...)

 

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Chapter Three: Truth

 

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“Hmm... Ruwalk-kun?”

 

Ruwalk opened his eyes, and smiled lazily. “Hai, Alfeegi-kun?”

 

There was a sensation like opening his eyes again...

 

Alfeegi frowned at him. “Don't call me `Alfeegi-kun',” he said prudishly. “And get your arm off me, please.”

 

Ruwalk blinked dumbly at him, while the pieces of genuine reality fitted themselves back together in his brain. They'd been locked in the storeroom... they'd gone to sleep on the floor... and currently, his arm was draped possessively across Alfeegi's chest. Upon this realization, he jumped away so fast that he hit his head on a shelf. “S-Sorry!”

 

Alfeegi just rolled his eyes at him, and left him on the floor in favor of claiming the room's one chair that Ruwalk had hogged most of the previous night. Ruwalk watched him with sleepy detachment as he murmured the spell he'd found last night to conjure up a cup of coffee, and began idly leafing through the nearest spell book.

 

The brunet officer sighed, stretched, and ran a hand through his currently tousled hair. “I don't know why you're in such a hurry to get out of here,” he groused.

 

Alfeegi shot him a wryly humorous look through the steam from his coffee. “Oh, and I suppose you want to stay?”

 

He shrugged. “It's not so bad - it's relaxing,” he said in an off-hand fashion. “The company's good, at least.”

 

Alfeegi stared at him for a moment or two, but then just went back to his book with a bemused smile.

 

He didn't have long to read, however, because just as Ruwalk finally got the energy to haul himself to his feet, they were both scared out of their wits by a sudden pounding on the door. “Alfeegi! Ruwalk! Are you in there?”

 

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Thatz moaned, and Rath looked away from his crossword long enough to give him a sympathetic glance, from where he lay on a sterile white bed next to, and identical to, Thatz's own.

 

“Is it really that bad?” he whispered.

 

“I'll be fine,” Thatz grumbled, massaging his stomach gingerly.

 

“That's the spirit,” he said cheerily, and returned to his puzzle. Thatz rolled his eyes at his friend's general lack of sympathy, but at least he wasn't wanting for a distraction from his pain, as just then the door to the infirmary was opened by none other than the Dragon Lord.

 

Thatz hurriedly gave a respectful bow of the head (the closest he could get to a proper bow given his current state), while Rath offered a cheery mock salute. Lykouleon frowned slightly at him, and the look remained in place as he took a seat next to Thatz's bed; Thatz gulped.

 

“Are you both aware that Officers Alfeegi and Ruwalk have been missing since yesterday?” Lykouleon inquired, pokerfaced.

 

The two exchanged wary glances. “...Yes?” Rath hazarded.

 

“And are you aware that they have recently been found... locked in a supplies room?” His voice had taken on a dangerously dry tone...

 

“No?” Thatz squeaked.

 

“Then I suppose you are also unaware that Alfeegi accuses you of locking them in there?” His expression was schooled to appear most severe, though Rath could've sworn he saw a slight upward turn to his lips.

 

The pair exchanged glances again - and then Thatz thrust a pointing finger towards Rath. “It was his idea!” he almost whined.

 

“W-Was not!”

 

“Was so!”

 

“Oh yeah?”

 

“Yeah!”

 

“Well, he ate the key!”

 

Lykouleon paled slightly. “He ate...?” Thatz burped, and suddenly looked rather sheepish.

 

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Alfeegi sighed quietly, feeling rather bored, and - ironically enough - a bit lonely.

 

The excitement of being found had soon passed. Alfeegi told them - bursting with righteous rage - how the two of them had wound up in such a predicament, and had been informed that Thatz had apparently checked into the infirmary late last night for stomach troubles. Whether or not they had been frightened off by Alfeegi's incoherent sputtering at that point, the fact remained that their discoverers had eventually realized that there was really nothing they could do without the key, and had left.

 

Ruwalk had pottered around the room for a bit afterwards, turning up a few odd articles of dubious magical potency and poking vainly at the door, and had then lain down on the floor and gone back to sleep. For all Alfeegi had heard from him in the last hour or two, he might as well've died.

 

The problem with being in an isolated little room in an isolated little corner of the castle, Alfeegi reflected, was the quiet. The only sounds to be heard were his own heartbeat and breathing, and occasionally the faint intake and exhalation of breath from Ruwalk as well. There wasn't even a clock. It was really quite disconcerting...

 

It had also occurred to Alfeegi - several times, in fact - that there really wasn't much point to looking through the spell books anymore. They'd found the key, after all... it was just a matter of, er, waiting. He lazily turned the pages of his latest volume of magical lore nevertheless, because unlike Ruwalk, he didn't feel normal unless he was doing something with a serious goal in mind. Visions of untouched paperwork danced behind his eyes; if he could get them out of here even a few hours sooner, it would surely be worth the extra effort...

 

He sent a disparaging glare Ruwalk's way. It ought to be illegal to look so damn relaxed all the time; he'd really like to know how he did it.

 

He returned his attentions to his book, and a phrase caught his eye. He read the spell... read it again... and stared for a few moments as if stunned. Come to think about it, there were a lot of things he'd like to know about Ruwalk.

 

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Ruwalk awoke to the sound of someone calling his name. In his experience, this could mean one of two things - either he was in trouble, or someone wanted something from him. This time, thankfully, he was able to remember where he was straight away, so he opened his eyes warily, expecting the second option but not ruling out the first.

 

Alfeegi was smiling widely at him. “Ruwalk... How do you feel?”

 

He considered the question. “Pretty good,” he admitted honestly. “Back hurts a little...” He looked Alfeegi up and down. “Why?” he asked suspiciously.

 

Alfeegi hummed cheerfully to himself, perching on the edge of the desk and swinging his legs. “Well, you know... What's your favorite food?”

 

“Tamagoyaki.” Ruwalk gaped at him. “Why?”

 

“Oh, well... I was really quite bored, I suppose...” he said vaguely, waving the question off. Suddenly, Alfeegi developed a disapproving frown. “Hey - did you ever read that report I left for you last week, the one about the maid who quit?”

 

“No.” Ruwalk's eyes widened as he realized what he'd said, and tried to edge back further back into the shelf. “Er, I mean - I mean -” He paled. “W-What-?”

 

Alfeegi glowered mildly. “And what about that monthly travel record form I asked you to return to me the day before yesterday? Did you ever fill it out?”

 

“Well, I didn't travel any last month, so I figured you didn't -” Ruwalk clapped his hands over his mouth in shock, though he yelped out a highly accusatory `Alfeegi' from behind them.

 

Alfeegi massaged his temples, though he did have the grace to look a little guilty at the same time. “I suppose I better not ask you anything else about those, huh...? It will only irritate me... Though, did you find-”

 

“What did you do to me?” Ruwalk interrupted desperately. “You - you did something, didn't you? You cast some spell-”

 

Alfeegi looked affronted. “I can't believe you would accuse me of something like that... so soon... Just relax. You're normally so good at that; how do you do it, anyway?”

 

“I-It's just how I am, I guess... Stop it!”

 

Alfeegi scoffed. “Oh, don't be a baby. Most people would be asking you - oh, say, is it true that you and Cernozura were together at one point?” He thought for a moment, and grimaced. “Oh - wait - you don't have to -”

 

Ruwalk, however, just shrugged. “Oh, that. I don't mind telling you, it was a long time ago... Back before Rune came to the castle, even...”

 

Alfeegi arched an eyebrow. “Oh... really? Why did you two split up, then?”

 

Ruwalk looked at the ceiling nervously. “Uh... I found someone else... Look, don't you dare-”

 

“Who?”

 

Ruwalk glared at him, going red, as he squirmed and bit his lip. “Ack - you - don't you-” He abruptly sighed, relaxing in relief.

 

Alfeegi frowned. “What? Did it wear off already?”

 

“No,” Ruwalk answered, then groaned and buried his face in his hands rather melodramatically. Alfeegi cocked his head to the side in innocent confusion.

 

“What - but, you-”

 

At Alfeegi's sudden silence, Ruwalk grimaced visibly. Alfeegi didn't move a muscle, as all the color drained out of his face and then returned three times over...

 

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“Thatz, just open up already,” Rath said sternly, pounding on the bathroom door. “The nurse wants to see you. And I brought you a book!”

 

From the other side of the door, there came a low moan. “Rath, just go away... Far away. Do you have any idea how...” His voice trailed off into another miserable, pained groan. Rath continued obliviously.

 

“So, I guess you're gonna be in there for a while? I could go get you some food-”

 

“I'll never eat again!” The nurse blushed in sympathy; Rath was momentarily stunned into silence.

 

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AN: Random obsession of the moment: Yun Kouga's manga Loveless. I've only read the first book (is the second one even out yet?) and I haven't seen the anime or anything, but I'm already totally in love :) You should check it out - after you review, of course. (grin)