It’s funny just how much you know your relationship with a person can be gauged by how much you converse with them.
There is a certain comfort in silence that can only be shared with those you are fond of, while with others—
An awkward void will fill the lull in noise.
Should you speak with them? What should you say? There is no worse fate than being condemned to spend time with a person you do not know nor particularly care for.
The true question here, however, is—
Who will be the one to break the silence?
“Thanks again for getting me out of there! Those dolls…were starting to freak me out……” Rue hesitantly stated. His lips are pursed into a thin smile, but it’s easy to tell he seems nervous. Agitated.
Perhaps he’s not fond of trees, Noël muses. Not like I can blame him, of course.
“Anytime, Mister,” the vampire halfheartedly responded as Rue turned around to thank him. “Personally, I wouldn’t pass up an opportunity to have such a unique death as murder by inanimate objects, but sure. Glad to be of service.”
“Uhh……” Rue appeared to ponder over how to respond to such a statement, only for his words to instantly die before they left his mouth. “Are you sure you’re alright, kid? I’ll be here if you want to talk.”
“Yes, yes, I’m quite fine,” Noël quickly responded, waving his sleeved hands at Rue in a small effort to change the conversation.
Reluctantly relenting, Rue turned away.
Stolen content alert: this content belongs on Royal Road. Report any occurrences.
As soon as Noël is certain Rue cannot see him, he sticks his tongue out in exasperation. Please, I hope you never require my assistance ever again.
We…have been walking for hours, Noël grumbles to himself. He feels a growing headache as he fervently laments over the time they had lost in their exploration of the vast and empty woods. Perhaps it’s time that I ditch him.
“If you don’t mind, Mister Rue, I’d like to get there before you die of old age.”
“Sure, sure…wait, what do you mean by that!!?” Rue retorted, irritation laced in his voice. “Shouldn’t it be you?”
Chuckling, Noël casually shakes his head. “Oh, if only. Don’t get my hopes up.”
“Where do you even want to go?” Rue bites back a frown. It would do no good to display any negativity. Between the two of them, he should be the mature, cool, wise one. But, it does not help that he has no idea where exactly this short kid’s intended destination is.
“The grotto,” Noël says, resisting the urge to roll his eyes.
I would have gotten there much sooner if only I didn’t have babysitting duty.
“I think we’re lost,” Rue muttered, timidly shuffling from one foot to the other. “Maybe I should lead.”
And that is precisely why we got lost in the first place.
Eyes twitching, Noël was tempted to reach for the dagger concealed in his coat pocket but stopped himself. As…annoyed as he may be with this incompetent teenager, he has not exactly done anything wrong. But more importantly, he has a feeling Lila would not appreciate any additional attempts at murder.
Still, the idea is more than a little tempting…it would be an easy job.
Only a single hit and he’d be down.
“What are you staring at?” A single golden eye peers curiously at him.
Ah, he noticed. So much for that plan, Noël blandly realized much to his consternation. “I wasn’t thinking of murdering you.”
Rue laughs awkwardly as he averts his gaze from the clearly annoyed, clearly irate vampire. He shifts his focus onto the plethora of crimson and orange foliage that adorns the area they were traversing in. While the sight was beautiful to behold, even he must admit that their travels had become rather tedious. “Thank you…I think. I don’t plan on murdering you either.”
Noël stopped dead in his tracks. With the most serious expression he could muster, which…is really saying something considering his nigh perpetual state of boredom and sheer love of drama, he spins on his heels and stares directly up at Rue. His ruby-eyed gaze is icy, hollow, but, in that moment, Rue is all too aware of the horrors that he has potentially inflicted upon himself.
“Is that supposed to be your idea of a compliment?”
Resisting the temptation to back away, Rue utters a distressed laugh. The situation is excruciating, and not how he expected this little excursion of his to go, but he can handle this. “Anyway, what exactly is it that you’re looking for at this grotto?”
For a brief moment, Noël contemplates the highly tempting thought of ditching Rue. But, in the end, such an action would be more trouble than it’s worth. The hunter had also helped him in his own unique way, so it would only be right to at least humor his question.
“I suppose it’s fair that you know of what has happened there as well,” Noël concedes apathetically. “You’ve already involved yourself, so please, listen carefully.”
At hearing the ominous set of words, Rue grimaces. The red eyed boy sounded as if he was part of some grand conspiracy. Rue knows whatever words that may leave his tongue will most certainly not be good, but he cannot admit that he, himself, is not even the least bit curious.