Van Gaze: Here And There

Black Pearl, afternoon, as Edward jumped down from the second floor of a building and land on the ground by rolling his body to minimize the impact on the lower portion of his body.

He’s looking around, trying to find Alessia’s house but he’s lost and it seems like he can’t find it anywhere.

“Edward?” Alessia happen to comes out of nowhere. Edward turns around and finds her standing there with a gorgeous one piece dress.

“Ah, Alessia, Good morning… what are you doing outside this early?” Edward observes what Alessia’s wearing from the hair to the toes and then looks away embarrassedly as he awkwardly scratches his cheek with one finger because Alessia noticed that he was observing her.

“I’m just buying some goods, apparently, my foods are going out. What about you, what are you doing here Edward?” ask Alessia while holding a grocery bag on his hand.

“Uhm, I’m just walking around to find uhh- some stuff, yes, some stuff” Awkwardly said by Edward.

“Have you had your breakfast?” she’s checking inside the bag she’s holding.

“Umh no, I mean yes, I mean no” Edward looking at her hand inside the bag as he said that.

“Then, how if you come with me? Perhaps we can find the stuff you’re looking for on the way back. I haven’t had breakfast myself” she said that with a very offering tone, almost as if she really expecting Edward to come.

Before Edward could answer, Alessia continued, “I’m planning to cook something with fish, do you like fish?”

“Yes, I’ll eat whatever you make. I- I mean, as long as it’s still edible” said Edward while awkwardly moving his hand to explain himself although there’s nothing to be explained.

“Okay then” said Alessia as they walk back to Alessia’s house.

On the way back to Alessia’s house, Edward spotted a kitchenware & tools shop, he then asks Alessia to wait for him for a bit and rush to the shop “Alessia, can you wait here for a couple minutes?”

A couple minutes later, Edward back with a souvenir bag, “what you just bought Edward?” Alessia asked, “Uhm, I think this is the stuff I’m looking for” said Edward.

“Shall we continue?”

“Sure!”

After 10 minutes of walking, through countless small alleys and stuff, they finally arrived.

Alessia put the key on the door and unlocked it, “Please…” said Alessia as she offers Edward to go first, “Thank you” in Edward goes followed by Alessia which then closes the door behind her.

“You can sit there and wait while I’m making the breakfast”, “Sure Alessia” Edward replied.

Edward sits on the sofa that he once sat, while looking around the house to properly inspect this time.

He then takes a tea set from the souvenir bag that he bought earlier. “This cup does have a unique pattern on it, despite the cup, the teapot looks so plain with just a little word carved on it”.

“Gra… Gro- Gronyarius? Why is it so hard to read this handwriting” Edward tries to figure out what’s written on the teapot.

“Gronyarius huh, must be the name of whoever made this tea set” said Edward while continues to spun the teapot slowly on his hands.

Alessia back with two portions of Kibbeling which appear to be the fish dish and salad.

“That’s pronounced Granger” said Alessia trying to help Edward, she then placed the meals on the table and goes to Edward.

Alessia sits beside Edward and explain to him what’s written on the teapot, “Look at the ‘-rius’ over here, it’s actually ‘-er’, and this few letters on the front, it’s pronounced Gra, also-“.

Edward’s a bit embarrassed because Alessia is a bit too close to him, and it’s a rare case for him because he always been with his sister, and she’s the only girl that ever got this close to Edward.

“-this part that written ‘-ngia-‘, is meant to be ‘ng’, and with all of that, Granger it’d be…” Alessia noticed that Edward is a bit stiff so she want to make sure if he’s okay. “Are you okay? are you listening?” ask Alessia.

“… A-ah yess! I’m listening, so it’ Granger yeah? Ahhhh I see I see, I got it” Edward answered awkwardly.

“Hmm, I wonder if there’s another word written before this one, it seems like there’s something but I can’t see it clearly because it’s completely scratched, only a bit of it that’s still there but it’s definitely something else written here, not a single letter can be recognized from this sadly” said Alessia curiously.

“Really? I thought it was a symbol or something” Edward replied.

“I suppose, but it’s toolong for a symbol” said Alessia as she slowly pulls her hand back from touching the tea pot. “Welp, whatever the case, the food won’t be hot forever, let just eat?” Alessia continued.

Edward places the teapot back to the souvenir bag and follow Alessia to the dining table.

“Whoa it looks good, you’re so good at cooking” Edward complimented.

“Not much that I can do but, please Enjoy!” Alessia eats her meal as Edward eat his part.

“Alessia, are you always live here alone?” ask Edward curiously.

“No, I used to live with my older brother but then The Gaffers took him away from me” answer Alessia, as she stops eating and just touching the food with the fork repeatedly.

“Ahh… I’m sorry” said Edward feeling bad “It’s okay Edward” Alessia replied.

“How old is he Alessia?” continues Edward.

“he was 20 years old when they took him, and it’s been a year so he’s supposed to be 21”, she said that with calm and motherly tone of her, a small smile written on Alessia face when she recalled.

“I know I’m not supposed to say this but, be happy Alessia, he might be placed as a worker there!” said Edward trying to cheer Alessia up.

“It’s fine Edward, I know that it’s not true, The Gaffers won’t be that nice, more again, he’s sick when they took him, because he got very ill when he was 10, and it was kinda heart breaking to see because he hasn’t fully recover even after a decade”.

“Erm… Edward?” Alessia called his name because he seems so quiet listening to her.

Edward quietly stare at Alessia and then speak up his words, “So are you on your 20 as well? 20? 21?”.

“That one??? From every little thing that I just told you, how is that the first question that came into your mind?” Alessia closes her eyes while giving out a sigh.

“I’m about to turn 23, maybe in couple months, but seriously, I’m asking, why you bother to know that part?” Alessia looks at Edward while bending her head a little bit aside with confused looks.

“O-ohhh, okay, it’s nothing… I’m just… curious, with no reason at all.” Edward nervously replied.

“What about you Edward? You look much younger than me? Are you uhm, happen to be 15 or somewhere close?” Alessia continue to eat her meal.

“What?? I’m recently turned 20! 15 is like ssooooo young” Edward gets out from his quiet-self and abruptly answer to Alessia’s question.

Alessia giggle’s seeing Edward reaction “Heh, so you’re actually close to my age, and younger…”, Edward then blushing and looks down to his meal, “Did you know that asking a girl her age is a little bit too forward and rude?” teases Alessia “w- wha?? I’m so sorry I didn’t- I didn’t mean to be rude or anything I just- I just- like-“ before Edward could finish what he was trying to say, Alessia just giggles from seeing Edward’s reaction.

“Ahahaha, I like you already, I don’t know I can just say a couple things and it’d make you got left and right, don’t worry, it’s nothing like that” said Alessia as she finished laughing. Edward got blushes all over his face as she looks back down to his meal and start stuffing more to his mouth.

A complete silent was filling the room for couple seconds.

“Alessia, from what I know, I think you don’t have any connection with The Gaffers… right? Based on your story, I conclude that you’re even not trying to collide with them” said Edward, before drinking his water after finishing his meal.

Alessia then bring the empty plates to the sink

“Yeah, they’re dangerous, and for me alone, they’re just too much. What about you Edward?” she washes the plates and placing them on the dish rack.

“A-ahh, I don’t have a-any particular connection with them, aha- ahaha….” Said Edward with his poor effort to cover up things.

Alessia walks back to the table and sits on her previous place, “lieesss, why do you think I would believe that?”.

“w- what? What do you mean?” Edward is looking away.

Alessia is shaking her head, “I was curious about you from the day 1, actually I already knew your looks because I’ve seen you almost every day, jumping from each building and running. I just don’t know your name, although I can’t see you clearly, and that day being the first time for me to actually see how cute you looks” said Alessia with a little bit of tease at the end.

“And actually, what I said yesterday, was a lie. Since you maybe still shocked and won’t trust me as a friendly person. I even remember the time you bumped into the fruit cart when you ran in Louis St. and made all the fruit scattered onto the streets.” Alessia continued.

“So I might be stupid if I didn’t think that weird stuff happening around you, and yesterday when I ignored the fact that police was chasing you, I won’t be stupid enough to not care about that”.

Edward completely lost to what she said, His eyes opened wide to the fact that Alessia know a little bit too much about him with a little bit of blush covering his face but this time he doesn’t react, “Well, you might have seen it wrong, it could be someone else”.

Again, Edward is looking away trying to hide all the answer as much as possible.

Alessia then get up and sit beside Edward as she prompt him “Then? Mind telling me?” Alessia lean her chin on Edward’s shoulder.

“Uhm, Err… yeah… ugh, so… “ Edward don’t know what to do, he’s so lost in his mind.

“Nothing would happen to me if you tell me the truth, go on” Alessia explained.

“So uhm, I… I am, working as an Agent for this one party to seek something from The Gaffers, and on the other side, I’m trying to fight back” Edward is so stiff, he’s straightening his arms with his palms on his lap.

There’s a silent between them, and Alessia just closes her eyes, nodding on Edward’s shoulder while listening to his explanation.

“go on, keep going” said Alessia.

“And uhm… mostly, the main reason I’m running on the rooftop or some places, is either I’m being chased by The Gaffers guards, or local justice enforcer” Edward continued.

“You do this alone? Aren’t you exhausted?” ask Alessia.

“Uhm, I don’t have anybody to ever help me with the stuff and I can’t let my family member know what I’m doing, cuz it’s gonna be dangerous for them” said Edward.

“hmmm… what about me? I can be your guardian, I know I’m just a one woman, but at least you can use my place whenever you’re in a pinch” Alessia removes her chin from Edward’s shoulder.

“No, please, you don’t know how precarious The Gaffers is, they cou-“ before Edward could finish his words, Alessia interrupted him.

“Yeah yeah, I know I know, well I live on my own, so no one would miss me if I’m gone by some reason” Alessia shrug to her words.

“What?? I WOULD miss you” realizing what he just said, Edward embarrassedly looking away. “I mean- everyone would miss you(?) I’m everyone(?) uhhhhhhhh…. ”.

“Well, if that’s the case, then let me work with you, I won’t ask for you to pay me up” Alessia crawls to move herself to be in front of Edward.

“U-uhm, I dunno… I don’t want to put you in the middle of this” said Edward. “WE… are all already in this filthy regime” Alessia spoke up spontaneously. “And I think, we’re going to make this happen” Alessia continued. “Uhm, okay then…” said Edward, staring down at Alessia’s eyes.

“So you’ve been putting yourself in this dangerous situation all alone this whole time?” Alessia puts her palms on Edward’s cheeks and squishes them.

“What makes you think you could survive them? Even yesterday, if I was not there, you might be theirs already” said Alessia while frowning.

Edward’s looking away one more time, stuttering, “y-you’re similar with s-someone I know”.

“Oh really? Then it’d be easy for us to get along” Alessia gives out a sweet smile while pinching Edward’s cheeks.

“So, if we’re gonna work this way, what should we do? Finding their small bases and stuff? put ourself deliberately into their place? Seriously though, how can we even make ourself in, have you ever saw their security system?” Alessia took her hands back and use them to wrap her knees together.

“Ah, you don’t need to think about that stuff, or other annoying stuff, I’ve done em” said Edward with a completely straight face.

“Wait… whaaattt???” Alessia got mind blown hearing that from Edward after the couple second that she need to process what Edward just said.

“Yeah, and I already located all of their underground headquarters, as well as their storage houses. The reason they’re chasing me sometime is always because I kept found out when I’m stealing on their storage house.” Edward explained.

“W-w-whaa, r-really?” said Alessia after the jaw dropping stuff that she heard.

“Also, I’ve broke in into the Saturn” Edward continued.

“S-s-saturrnn??? Like… howww??? You’re lying, there’s no way, you can’t make this thing up, you know how tight their security is” Alessia is completely in shock.

“Well, it’s okay if you don’t wanna believe me, but it’s already happened” said Edward shrugging in front of Alessia.

“Ah, I think I need to go now, I haven’t got anything today” said Edward while stretching his back.

“O-oh okay, I’ll walk you to the door” said Alessia.

“Thank you for the meal, and for inviting me” as Edward opens the door, he suddenly remembered that he wants to give the tea set to Alessia as a thank you.

“Ahh, I almost forgot, here, as a proper thank you from me, for saving me that one time” Edward hands the souvenir bag to Alessia.

“Ohh, this is for me? Thank you” Alessia takes the gift.

“Okay then I need to go now, also please make sure that the conversation earlier is just between us. Anyway, thank you Alessia, I’ll consider for you to work with me” said Edward as he looks back to Alessia before he goes out.

“Of course” Alessia replied.

“Cya, take care” said Edward.

Alessia walks back to her living room once Edward closes the door, a couple seconds after, she heard a loud bang sound on her door and some cans noises.

“What’s happening outside?”

And Alessia rushes out from her house.

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