Gestures have consequences

As the girls drifted off to sleep, Elizabeth laid awake and thought to herself.

"I wonder when they will notice that I have a severe case of insomnia." Patrica looked at her slightly unsure.

"Okay... sweet dreams." She heads to her tent and looks towards Elizabeth, but upon seeing her 'asleep', she climbs into her tent and heads in acting as though she were tired and falling asleep. Elizabeth thought to herself again.

"Oh. I did it again. She'll never know." Annaliese sat outside trying to not fall asleep and instead starts to count the stars.

"1000, 1001, 1002, 1003..." She then hears a noise in the bush and goes closer to see what it is. As she nears closer, she pulls out the EXTRA LARGE sword that she got from the village defensively and points it towards the bush.

"Hello...? come out now or... or else...!!" A mysterious-looking figure steps out of the bush who was around 6 feet tall and had a long black with red linings cloak on top of black pants. There was a large silver sword that had a swirl of red that seemed to be forged into it. sword. He put his hands in front of himself defensively and pulled his hood down revealing wavy brown hair and piercing dark blue eyes.

"It's just me," he smiles fondly in a way that only an old friend would be able to. Patricia was watching stealthily from her hiding place in a nearby place, who was this?

Annaliese lowers her sword and moves her head at a small angle staring at the figure intently. His dark blue eyes looked down at her and his smile caused her to stare more until she realized

"Adin?"

"Yep, the one and only, so you've finally decided to do something about that thirst for revenge other than kill thousands of minions who everyone knows are only clones," Adin replied. Annaliese scoffed.

"Oh... pfft... yeah. but what are you doing around here? I haven't seen you in... FOREVER!!" Adin looked at her and tried to suppress his laughter.

"It's only been five days and you’re not the hardest to track when you leave behind mass murders everywhere you go." Annaliese giggles.

"Not my fault silly."

Adin rolled his eyes playfully at her.

“Yeah, right.” Annaliese poked her tongue out at him.

“So… what’s up?” she questioned him. Adin twirled his sword around.

“Nothing much killed a few minions, completed a few jobs... What about you?” Annaliese watched him as he twirled his sword around and look down at her with a smirk.

“Still hitting on people, I, see? Anyways, I’ve been good. Trying to finally defeat this evil king once and for all. While this exchange was happening, Elizabeth was still thinking to herself.

“Interesting. OwO.” Adin looked at Annaliese slightly amused.

“Do you think I would change in less than a week?” She stared up at Adin.

“Yep.” Suddenly out of nowhere, a girl jumped out of the bushes from behind Adin screaming.

“AHHHH!!!”

Adin jumped and seemed to have a heart attack as he screamed (somehow not waking up Lilly). He lent against the tree behind him and tried to calm down his heart rate as the girl giggled behind him. Annelise looked unimpressed as though she had expected it... she had.

“Sorry, I had to do that, my name is Patricia and you are another assassin who is Annelise's friend. Also, you scream like a girl.” Elizabeth thought even more.

“OOOH!! INTERESTING!!” Annaliese tried to suppress her laughter, holding her stomach and covering her mouth, but when she noticed Adin's look... she started laughing.

“OH MY GOSH!! YOUR FACE WAS PRICELESS ADIN!!!” Annaliese said while giggling. Elizabeth started to laugh evilly in her head.

“Oof. Noice. They don’t even know. Hehe.” I mean… it actually would have sounded evil.

Adin still, has his eyes screwed shut as he seemed to be mumbling numbers? trying to control his still erratic breathing.

“You-you almost... g-gave me a he-heart attack. Ac-actually I probably DID have an h-heart at-tack.” He says slowly starting to get his breath back. That, was the breaking point for Patrica. She burst out laughing.

“Aww... poor Adin, come here,” Annaliese cooed as she has opened her arms wide inviting Adin to come to her. Adin shakes his head.

“N-no, no leave me alone.”

“Come on Adin,” Annaliese cooed. Elizabeth started talking to Annaliese in her head.

“SIKE HIM!!! I’m counting on you.” Adin sighed and shakily gets up and practically falls into her embrace. (how on Earth is Annaliese that strong either way?!) While for Elizabeth, she let out a very loud “NOOO” inside her head. Annaliese pated Adin on the back and sat down on the floor and held him gently.

“There, there…”

“BOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!” Elizabeth retorted. Annaliese rolled her eyes.

“Oh hush, Lizzy.” Elizabeth started to stammer in her head.

“Uh… I mean… I’M ASLEEP!!” Annaliese rolled her eyes and held Adin closely, rubbing his head as well. Despite being the cause of the problem, Patricia looked at the pair smugly before finally suppressing her laughs and sat down less than a meter away from them.

“I’m sorry. I saw an opportunity and had to take it.” Adin arches an eyebrow at Patricia.

“You gave me a heart attack.” Patricia looked more apologetic.

“I had no idea you were so sensitive to loud noises.” Adin looked at her before hiding his face in Annaliese’s chest. Annaliese sighs and continues rubbing his head and holding him tightly.

“He’ll get over it eventually. Give him some time.” Elizabeth slowly began to stir and questioned what all the racket was, knowing well what is was. Patricia looked down; all traces of smugness gone.

“Sorry…” she whispered.

“It’s okay…” Adin responded back. Elizabeth yelled out in her mind.

“Imma go back to bed. SILENCE!!” Annaliese responded back to Elizabeth in her mind “okay” and Elizabeth went back to bed… not. Adin looked at Patricia.

“I forgive you, just please don’t do it again,” the last part was almost pleading. Patricia nods.

“Aww… Adin…” Annaliese holds him even more tight in a very motherly way and he rested his head on her chest.

“Ew,” Elizabeth thought to herself again. Adin finally recovered from the shock and realizing that he is being gripped and comforted by Annaliese and him doing the same, he pulls away.

“Ew, thanks, but no thanks.” Elizabeth cheered in her head.

“Go mate.” Annaliese looked at Adin confused.

“You didn’t say “ew” last time you got scared.”

“Yeah, maybe because I was what, eight years old!!” He huffs but then breaths in and calms down. “Thanks for helping me.” Meanwhile Elizabeth started whining to him in his head.

“GIVE ME SOME GORE DUDE!! I HAVEN’T HAD MY DAILY DOSE OF GORE YET!!!” Adin responding to Elizabeth in his head.

“Um, no, I don’t have any gore to give you.”

“What?” Elizabeth started to weep in his head. Very loudly and annoyingly.

“PLEASE!! I NEED IT SOON!!!” Annaliese looked at Adin and responded calmy and confused.

“Adin… that was the last time we met…” Elizabeth started to have a mental breakdown.

“I CAN’T HOLD THE CREATURE BACK!! PLEASE!!” Adin still in his head mentally throughs a Gorey memory which slaps Elizabeth in the face.”

“Yay. UwU” Elizabeth replied. Adin turned to face Annaliese.

“No, we met a few days ago again, and I doubt I aged a few years in a few days.” Annaliese stood up letting him tumble down from her lap onto the ground.

“Why are you so stuck up about it? I only tried to help, seriously.” She turned and stalked off. Adin got up and ran after her.

“Annie, wait, I’m sorry.” While this was happening, Elizabeth was again devising in her head in a sweet, yet menacing way.

“Perfect. ATTACK SOMEONE!! OR EVERYON YOU EVER LOVED WILL… DIE!!” she then starts to laugh evilly in her head. Patricia looked bewildered.

“Well, I’m not sure how to react to that.” She then responded back to Elizabeth in her mind slightly confused. “Uhh, who are you talking to exactly.”

“The voices in my head UwU” Elizabeth replied proudly. As Annaliese walked past, she picked up her sword and placed in back and continued to walk away from Adin ignoring him. Adin had reached Annaliese and grabbed her arm.

“Look, I’m sorry. You know I don’t like hugs and the weird girl talking in everyone’s head was wailing hysterically because she wanted gore. I’m sorry, I shouldn’t have reacted like that. It was wrong of me.” Annaliese shrugged him off and continued to walk away.

“Please, listen to me!!” he pleaded desperately. He stopped running and whispered so quietly, Annaliese could barely hear him.

“You’re the only person who ever cared about whether I was dead or alive and I should have never treated you that way.” Elizabeth started stating that Patricia is evil.

Annaliese stopped walking and stood still as she heard his last sentence softly. “You’re the only person who ever cared about whether I was dead or alive and I should have never treated you that way.” She turned around and looked at Adin, his dark blue eyes staring at her, his brown wavy hair being blown around by the wind. She noticed that he was holding his hands by his side and they were a little forward. Annaliese didn’t know if he was trying to give her a hug or something, so she just stood still and stared back at him.

“NOO!! LISTEN HEAR YOU MORTAL!! NO HUGGING!! IT IS YUCKY!!” Elizabeth screamed, wailing like a baby. Annaliese told Elizabeth to be quiet, but she continued.

“NO!! I NEED MORE GORE! I MUST HAVE BLOOD NOW!!!” Meanwhile, Adin gave up waiting for Annaliese to get his cue and hugs her, swallowing down all the trauma the simple gesture brought up trauma Annaliese never knew about. Annaliese stood still for a second before hugging Adin back tightly, his height swallowing her up.

“Adin…” she started but he shushed her and sat down and held her closely towards him. She placed her head on his chest as he rubbed her back. She let him to do so, feeling a sense of calmness inside of her. Adin then lifted her head towards his and stared into her eyes. Annaliese stared back, his dark blue eyes creating a sense of specialty.

“Everything will be okay…” he whispered. He ran his hand through Annaliese’s hair and caressed her cheek. He smiled and Annaliese smiled back and held his hand close to her face and rested her head on his chest again. Adin picked her up, and with Patricia in tow, bringing his horse, he took the girls back to their tent where, surprisingly Elizabeth was asleep.

“Can I stay up and watch out?” Patricia asked. Adin shook his head.

“You need sleep. I’ll be okay.” Patricia nodded and resumed her sleeping spot next to Lilly. Adin held Annaliese in his hands so that she would be comfortable and fell asleep as well.