beyond of point of broke up

futility

Lenalee made her way towards the village at a breakneck pace as the woods gradually became more fallen trees and grassland than actual forest. Her surroundings didn't seem familiar, but she had been racing in mindless panic last time too, so she hadn't really expected to recognize any land marks. Still, she had expected the forest to extend farther. Unbidden, her thoughts drifted back to Allen, temporarily forgetting the geography issue. While she knew it was very unlikely that things would turn to disaster the instant he was out of her sight, the image of him in her mind was enough to make her run faster.

"We have to get you into town," Lenalee said with a sigh. Allen nodded his agreement, but seemed hesitant. "I promise to go slow," she continued hurriedly.

"It's not that. I was just thinking that we're fairly conspicuous. Me especially," he added, gesturing towards his hair. Lenalee looked at it thoughtfully; she'd been around Allen for so long that she sometimes forgot his white hair was unusual.

"Well, maybe for now it would be best for me to go and pick up the essentials. I doubt they have anyone here looking for us, though…" she trailed off as she glanced down at her uniform, worrying her bottom lip. In hindsight, it was not such a bright choice of wardrobe; its entire purpose was to be a beacon for attack.

"We'll just have to improvise, I guess," Allen stated, pulling up the tunic of his prison uniform. Lenalee watched him struggle with it in mild confusion, before deciding to step in once he'd managed to trap one arm in the fabric.

"Would you like some help?" she offered, moving behind him to tug his arm back through the sleeve. Allen looked away so that she wouldn't see him flush.

"This thing feels like a dress, it's impossible to get off," he complained, avoiding her eyes. Lenalee giggled lightly, reaching for the hem.

"And why are we taking it off?"

"I thought you could put it on over your uniform." Allen tentatively raised his arms as Lenalee stood on her tip-toes in an attempt to get the uniform over his head.

"You've gotten kind of tall," she commented, settling back on her heels as they managed to pull off the fabric through joint effort. Lenalee froze as her eyes settled over his back.

Had that scar always been so big?

The discolored skin stretched jaggedly along the better part of his back, just left of his spine. The assorted blue bruises only accentuated it, and Lenalee blanched at the knowledge that it continued on his chest and torso, the sword having gone clean through his body. If that had been a normal sword, made out of steel… All Exorcists had scars, it came with the line of work; Lenalee had more than a few herself. But this… She was glad Allen was facing the other way, not wanting him to see her reaction to it.