This Secret Of Ours

Chapter 1 : Secrets and Lies

...

A secret better kept hidden

Tucked away from the light of day

Tell someone? Surely forbidden

And so a secret it must stay

...

A lie told until the days have ended

And there's a heart without a beat

Because that trust would never be mended

If they saw the bitter in the sweet

...

Allen stood her ground with a fierce determination, her silver-blue eyes locked onto those of the man before her, glaring cold daggers into the gold irises that glowed with glee and amusement. He was dressed impeccably –a pristine black suit and white shirt, top hat, curly hair pinned back to keep the dark locks from falling over his face. A cigarette hung loosely from between his lips, and Allen had to scowl at that; it was honestly disgusting that he could smoke that thing. If they tasted as bad as they smelled... Ugh, it was filthy. And it reminded her of her damned alcoholic of a Master, who left that scent everywhere.

Allen lifted her chin just slightly, arm activated by her side as she let her eyes wander for less than a second, taking in the dark, cobbled alleyway that surrounded them, bathing them both in shadows. This stupid town and all of its alleyways... It couldn't have happened to anyone else, could it?

Allen's lip twitched in annoyance as the Noah smirked haughtily, voice lined with pleasure. "How are you, girl? It's been a long time, wouldn't you agree?"

"The more time I don't see you or any of your vile family members, the better," she snapped back, not in the mood–was there ever a mood for it?–to put up with his games. Her silver eyes snapped to the barely visible black crosses lining his brow, counting the seven of them in turn, an upsurge of repugnance filling her as she labelled off the number of each cross, from one to seven. She'd found herself doing that before; she'd count all of the Noah's stigmata, and in turn, she became more and more furious with them, for what they had done, for the abominations they were.

Tyki faked a look of hurt, but his ever-present smirk and predatory eyes gave away the charade before it had even begun. "Ouch, girl," he scoffed, smirk only stretching wider on his horrid face. "I'm offended. And how would poor Road feel?"

Allen nearly laughed, and instead let a little, bitter giggle slip from between her thin lips, thinking of when she'd met the spiky-haired, irritating little girl in the Rewinding Town. She replied, voice snarky. "What, you mean Road as the one who gouged my eye with a candle? Convincing, Mikk." Allen felt every muscle in her body ready itself for battle as the Noah simply shifted his weight, her left arm rising slightly to cover her exposed body and protect her from any attack that could happen.

"Edgy, aren't we?" Tyki teased, Allen infuriated by that trademark smirk that never seemed to leave his lips, watching as he took a drag from the cigarette between his lips before tossing it to the ground, taking a step closer to the fuming Exorcist and crushing the butt underfoot. "Are you frightened, girl? You look frightened."