Dragon Fire

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Allira didn't sleep. She stayed on guard for anything that might happen. Ryo had completely fallen asleep after their argument. It was giving her a headache. Dawn has broken into the horizon and the first rays of light were seeping in. There was a light drizzle of rain outside, making the cottage kinda of chilly. She tugged her leather jacket closer to her as she started a fire but before she could even stand up, she heard movements from the outside. Immediately she stood on guard, grabbing the nearest weapon she had. The footsteps neared the door, 'That's not so hunter-like' she thought. She crouched down, on her way to the bed to wake up or protect Ryo's sleeping form. A knock came on the door. "Hallo," came the voice of an elderly man. Allira stood from her crouched position, hiding the weapon behind her as she opened the door tentatively.

"Yes?" She asked. Allira didn't smile at the elderly man, she simply lacked the charm. She wasn't pretty like other girls were. She was a combination of all angles and strange curves. Her body was lithe but only because it was made of muscles from a long time of training.

"I see you guys have used an old cottage of mine," the elderly man smiled. His voice was thick with old English accent. 'Oh shit' was the thought that popped in Allira's brain. He was carrying a stack of firewood, but she didn't see any houses nearby. How in the world did he get here?

"I'm sorry, we thought it was abandoned. We can leave if you'd like, we'd even pa--" Allira rambled off but the old man stopped her.

"No, no, stay as much as you want. In fact, why don't you and your... partner stay at our house? It will be warm, we will feed you and my wife will be more than happy for the company." Allira was overwhelmed. She was starting to stammer. She could kill a dragon 75 different ways with a fork but she did not how to respond to kindness.

"I-uh, I... uhm..." She looked to Ryo for help. He'd probably be better at dealing with this. "Would you please like to come in? It's drizzling outside..." she said this as she was walking towards Ryo, gently tapping him on the shoulder. "Hey, hey, wake up."
 
Ryo woke slowly. He rolled over to face her, rubbing his eyes sleepily. "What is it?" he mumbled before noticing their guest. He sat up slowly, the movement not quite as painful as the previous day, but it still hurt pretty bad. "Hello sir," he said to the man. "I'm sorry, we didnt meant to intrude. We needed somewhere to rest for a bit. I've got a rare form of cancer, its causing us some problems." The lie came out easy and smooth. Internally, he was trying to figure out who the man was. Where did he come from, and what did he want? He had assumed this area abandoned since Allira chose it, but this elderly man had no problems coming up.
 
Allira's head twisted. What the hell? But the elderly man only smiled. "I'm Erwin McNire." He said as he dropped the firewood on the floor, taking off his messenger hat and swatting some leaves from it. He offered his hand to Ryo. "I own this land and I come here from time to time, but not so much."

"We're very sorry for intruding, we would lea--" Allira never got to finish her statement.

"No, no. As I said, you are more than welcome to stay with me and my wife in our home." He sat at the old makeshift dining chair and continued talking to the two bewildered kids. "It's a couple of miles from here but I've brought my car. I parked it a bit farther from here, not really expecting to come 'ere but I've noticed there was some fire in the cottage. And what do I find, a beautiful couple!" Both of his hands pointed at them as if it was something to celebrate. Allira blushed, looking away to hide her embarrassment."I noticed your fire has started to died out so I figured I'd bring some for you, in case you don't want to come with me. But I assure you, my wife makes a mean Shepherd's pie!"

Allira looked to Ryo for help. She really was not good with this whole socialization thing.
 
Ryo glanced back at Allira, unsure what to do for a moment. He didnt know how comfortable they'd be over there among strangers, but he knew they needed the help. And the car. He looked back at the man, placing a smile on his face. It would be hard either way. He fidgeted a little bit at the man's comment, "We're not really a couple. Just friends, thank you though. We will gladly accept the help, Mr. McNire. We appreciate it." Ryo didnt know if it was possible for this guy to be some sort of spy for Allira's organization, but for now he was willing to take the chance that this was just an ordinary old man.
 
Something inside Allira sank when she heard the comment about them just being friends but she immediately chucked it off. The horrors of her insecurities tried to reach out to her but she quickly quenched it.

"Just friends, eh?" Mr. McNire scoffed. "Try telling that to my wife and she'll call your bollocks! Oh well," he stood up. He was strong for his age. Even Allira started to feel wary about him. Allira intercepted him as he tried to pick up the bundle of firewood again. "May I help you sir?" The man looked at Allira funny and she realized how it might seem like. Mr. McNire laughed.

"Oh, young girls these days," he continued laughing as he picked up his woods, totally ignoring Allira's comments. "May I help you sir, oh, what a great gal." He continued mumbling off, going out. When he saw that they weren't moving he motioned for them with his hands. "Well, come on! Let's go!"

Allira stammered before picking up her bags, slipping the knife into her back. She looked at Ryo. "Need help?"
 
Ryo watched the old man quizzically. He made an almost unconcious decision to keep a wary eye on the man. He noted Allira's knife, and felt some of his tension ease a bit. With her on guard, they'd be fine. He swung his feet off the bed. "I think I can do it," he replied, pushing himself to his feet. More jagged pain laced through him, and he wavered a bit, but he managed to stay on his feet. He smiled at her. "Lets see how far this'll last, eh?" He started to slowly follow after Mr. McNire.
 
Allira walked to the car in silence as she followed the old man. She looked back at Ryo, every now and then to check how he was doing. She sat the backseat as Ryo took the front seat. The man had tried to talk their ears off about a lot of things but Allira simply drifted away from the conversation, staring out the windows, looking at the endless grassy fields. She'd let Ryo handle the socialization.

"She's not much of a talker, aye, is she lad?" The old man said while looking at Allira in the mirror. She could still hear them. But she didn't really care the moment. She was transfixed by the beauty of it nature. The simplicity of it all. The road was rocky and they bounced every now and then. The old car creaked as it hit every uneven part of the dirt road. Allira thought of how many years this car has been used, how many times has it trekked the same roads. She wondered, for the first time, what it would be like to grow old in a place with someone you love. For some reason the thought had made her look at the back of Ryo's head. But she quickly shook it away and went back to gazing outside the window.
 
His trek to the car wasnt easy, and he had to stop and lean against a tree every now and again, but he made it on his own. He kept up a polite conversation with the man during the drive. He didnt mind it much, he actually enjoyed the mindless conversation.

He glanced at the old man, chuckling a little bit. "Nah, not really. She doesnt open up very easily, but she's a really smart girl." He replied. He remembered their easy conversations back in the city, how peaceful it had all been. He hated how awkward things had become between them.

A few minutes later, they pulled up to a good sized cottage. It had two floors, and looked very warm and inviting. There was a spacious open yard, surrounded by trees, and the sound of a creek could be heard not far away. Another car was parked beside the house.

Ryo got out of the car and leaned against it, taking in the whole place. "Its beautiful," he murmured. He placed one arm across his stomach unconciously, hoping to quell the discomfort the trip had caused him.
 
Allira got out of the car, at first noticing the beautiful house, then the brief pain that passed Ryo's facade. If everything goes well, maybe they could stay here for a couple of days. She surveyed her surroundings; how far the nearest house was, how accessible it was, the getaways. Her hunter gear was on but a part of her told her to stop for a minute and breath. She hasn't slept in about 2-3 days ever since the "big" thing happened. She saw the car on the side and immediately, the part of her brain that said to breathe got shut off. But before she could start asking questions, a short elderly woman with an apron on came out with a huge smile on her face.

"Oh, what lovely little darlings! Love, were they the ones who was using our cottage?" She said as she approached them, immediately engulfing Allira in a large hug. Her eyes grew wide in shock, her hands locked in placed.

Mr. McNire was taking their stuff out of the car. "Yep," he said proudly.

"My, have you been eating love? You're practically skin and bones!" She squished Allira's biceps to feel for any form of fat. "You must exercise a lot, ae love? Your arms are very well toned." Then she looked at Ryo, her smile immediately growing warmer. "Oh, what a handsome young fella! Come 'ere!" She engulfed him too in a hug, laughing as she did so. She barely even reached his shoulder! "You are tall, lad! Yer mother fed ya well!"

As Mr. McNire finished unloading the car, Allira took their stuff from the ground and carried it, completely silent. This was all very new to her. How can these people trust them so easily?

Mrs. McNire took some baskets (of fruits? vegetables? what?) and carried it with her. "Well, let's go. Don't wanna get ya starvin'. You little darlings aren't one of those strange vegetarians roaming around nowadays, are ya?" Mrs. McNire laughed as she and Mr. McNire led the way, laughing as they walked towards their beautiful home.

Allira looked at Ryo for a bit before looking away. She didn't want to think of how sad it was that she was probably never going to reach that age.
 
The warmth and acceptance of the small couple brought a smile to his face. If the fates permitted it, he'd love to live in a nice little cottage in he woods with the one he loved. He glanced at Allira ahead of him, but shook his head and headed up to the cottage. The place reminded him of the house him and his mother had lived in so many years ago. Even the smell was similar. He found himself relaxing more than he had in a long time. It almost seemed as if time had forgotten this place and this couple and just left them to live in peace. Once inside, Ryo sat heavily in a chair in the living room. He wanted to help with things - he hated being this weak - but he knew he'd just be a hindrance.
 
Allira watched Ryo in her peripheral vision. She looked around the living room, the place being a bit stuffy but comfortable. It looked like a well-lived house. Mrs. McNire came back from the kitchen, smiling at both of them. She sighed longingly. "What a lovely young couple. I remember when Erwin and I ran away from our home to elope. Oh, it was so romantic!" There was a faraway look in her eyes and Allira couldn't help but blush at the idea that her and Ryo might look like a young couple that ran away to elope. She never actually thought of that until now. Thankfully, Mr. McNire came in.

"It was also the best decision of me life!" He added as he kissed her full on the lips. Allira looked away at the intimacy they were showing. Not because she was embarrassed to see that kind of stuff, but she was afraid she'd start dreaming that she'd actually have one of those someday. "Now, I don't believe I've gotten your names yet."

Allira looked up, seemingly shocked before she stammered out, "I-I'm Allira." She didn't want to lie to them for some reason. She doesn't think she would be able to. Mrs. McNire smiled widely, coming closer to her to shake her hand. "Well, nice to meet you, dear! I'm Mary McNire. And how about you lovely young man?" She said, facing Ryo. "You seem like you need a lot of rest, love. What could possibly ail you when the love of such a beautiful girl is right in front of you?" Mrs. McNire seems to be entirely convinced that they are a couple in love, fighting against the world for it. Then, Mr. McNire touched her shoulder lightly, speaking softly to her in a slightly admonishing tone, but still very loving.

"Me love, these children have informed me that they are just 'good' friends traveling together. And this gallant young man over here suffers from a rare form of cancer. A tragic fate indeed." She gasped, her eyes wide.

"Oh, my poor child! Pardon me for being so rude. I'm sure you would like to rest now. Unfortunately we only have one available room in the house..."
 
Ryo waved away her concern and smiled reassuringly at her. "Its okay. I'm quite comfortable where I am. Allira can have the bed. I'm sure she's tired." He replied, glancing at Allira. He could tell she was tired, and wasnt entirely sure how much sleep she'd gotten in the last few days. A comfortable bedis exactly what she needed. The chair he was sitting in could recline and was very comfortable. He felt like he could sleep in that chair forever. He looked at Mrs. McNire. "My name is Ryo. Its a pleasure to meet you. We'll never be able to thank you enough for letting us stay in your beautiful home. Its very kind of you."
 
"Oh, no dear! it's a pleasure for us. It's terrible though..." Mrs. McNire started thinking of how to fit the children in the bed but Allira stepped in. "No, no. Ryo, you need a proper bed. I'll stay here. You need to get better," she said to him with a significant emphasis on the word need.
 
Ryo wanted to argue that the couch was fine with him, but he knew Allira was right. He couldnt help but think that despite how she acted and what she said, she was a very caring person. He got an image of the two of them living together at a ripe old age, happy and at peace. The image made him smile, and he let it linger for a few moments before setting it aside. "Alright, I'll rake the bed then, if you're sure.." he replied. He went to stand, but the relaxation had placated his injury and it protested the movemont loudly. He flinched with a muttered 'ow' and sat gingerly back down. He glanced at Allira. "Think you could give me a hand?"
 
Allira went to help Ryo, putting his hand around her shoulders so she could help carry him up the stairs. Mr. and Mrs. McNire smiled at them. "I'll go prepare for lunch," said Mrs. McNire before she proceeded from the kitchen. Mr. McNire took their bags (one small duffelbag and a backpack) as he led them to the room. "The room's upstairs, so we're sorry about that." He made some audible grunts as he took the stairs, but he carried the bags with him nonetheless.

"I can carry the other bag, Mr. McNire." Allira offered. He only laughed.

"You funny lass," he said as he continued to go up. The steps were alright, but the stairs looked a bit long. Allira could feel Ryo's body so closed to hers that she could hear his heartbeat and his difficult breathing. She looked up at him. "You good?" When she realized their faces were too close she looked away, unaware that Mr. McNire were watching them from the side of his eyes.

"Yah know, you might find the bed quite big actually. We had a big family here. 7 kids. Most of their rooms are now filled with things my lovely could not throw away. Eh, phew." He said as he finally reached the floor. He led them to the first door on the right. And bed was huge. It looked like it was built for 4 or 5 people to sleep on! Allira's eyes grew and Mr. McNire could see it. He grinned proudly. "Made that bed meself! It's very sturdy," he said suggestively, making Allira blush again. "I'm just saying, it won't be bad to share."
 
Ryo only nodded to her as they continued up the stairs. Actual words seemed like too much work at the moment.

The size of the bed impressed him. It could easily fit the both of them comfortably. He looked over at Allira, suddenly very aware of how close they were. He cleared his throat and went to sit on the bed. It was very soft and comfortable. He got a better look at it. "Maybe it wouldnt be that bad for both of us to sleep on the bed. There's plenty of room." He thought about it for a moment, then blushed a bit. "I mean, we each could take half the bed, and I wouldnt bother you or anything. Until I get back on my feet, maybe it's worth a try." There was a lot more he wanted to say, but he couldnt say it in front of Mr. McNire.
 
Mr. McNire simply smiled at Allira, urging her to agree. "Come on, lass. He looks like a nice young man. You won't do anything funny, would ya? If he does, all you got to do is scream and I'll be here in two seconds to cut his fingers off!" He laughed and Allira chuckled a bit. It was hilarious to think that Ryo could try anything funny. If he did, he'd be dead before Mr. McNire could even blink. She looked at the bed. It was huge. It was irrational not to share it. And her body, boy, did her body ache for it. She could almost feel it pulling her towards it. But she blinked it back when Mr. McNire spoke again.

"Also, the bathroom's right there," he pointed at the other door inside the room, just beside the large windows. "Now I'll leave you guys to it, gotta go help the misses out to prepare lunch." He chuckled once more before leaving. Allira waited until he left before she let out a breath she was holding.

"It's alright, I--we can share the bed I suppose." Then she looked at the bathroom and she felt herself wanting to take a cold shower. "I'll just--uh, I'll go shower for a bit."
 
Ryo smiled and nodded. "Alright. I'm going to lay down for a bit." He went to lay down, but paused, and sat back up. He studied Allira for a moment. "Oh, before you go, I just wanted to thank you. Really, you've done a lot for me, and I appreciate it." He glanced around the room, a warm smile finally gracing his features for the first time in days. "I'm kinda glad you came upon that cottage, and now that couple. My mother and I used to live in a little place like this after my father... died, but ours was much smaller, overlooked a small lake and everything. It was beautiful." Memories of his younger self running playfully through the forest came to mind. He thought of his mother, a tall, lanky woman with blazing red hair and emerald eyes. He thought of the two of them laughing and playing and learning together. "Brings back good memories," he said to her, looking about the room.
 
Allira watched as Ryo's features changed. He seemed to be transported to a different time, different place. It was difficult for her to imagine him as a child. After-all, she didn't have a childhood. Must've been good to have parents. That was when her face hardened. "You're lucky you had your parents growing up," was all she said before she proceeded into the bathroom. She took a good 15 minutes under the cold shower, scrubbing at every inch of her skin.

While Allira was in the shower, Mr. McNire knocked on their door. He spoke through the door, "the lunch is done, kiddos. Just get down at the dining room when you're done." He gave a low chuckle before heading off.
 
Ryo watched the bathroom door for a minute before shaking his head and getting up. His stomach was grumbling loudly, and he figured she'd want some time alone. He managed to make it downstairs without going head over heels. He leaned against the wall for a minute to catch his breath. The whole downstairs smelled absolutely amazing. He made his way into the kitchen and sat down at the dining table, watching the old couple. "Mr. McNire, May I ask you a question?
 
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