What's The News? • Lemoxie

Chapter Twelve

( A/N: Some of the characters, events, and an opinion mentioned are from File Under: 13 Suspicious Incidents. If you haven't read it, you'll still be able to follow the story.)

(Hopefully.)
~*~

"I love you so much, Lemony Snicket." I told him.
"You do?" Lemony asked happily. I nodded.

"Of course! You make me feel safe and special and I just can't imagine my life without you. To be honest it's been eating me up inside every time you walked away!" I beamed. There was suddenly a flurry of content silence as we pondered what would happen next. We gazed lovingly at the other and it felt like nothing could ruin this moment. Lemony's right hand softly cupped my cheek and brushed a bit of hair out of my face with the other, the gesture making me blush as I put both hands on his right hand, holding it there. He leaned closer to me, and I took away from the space inbetween us as well. As I said, it felt like nothing could ruin this moment, but unfortunately, that's not how the story goes...

The door to the Far East Suite suddenly flung open. Josephine smirked triumphantly at us as I pulled away quicker than lightning. My boyfriend seemed unfazed by it. "See, Gustav? I told you they'd be making out!" She said victoriously.
" I never said they wouldn't be! " The other volunteer retorted.

I rolled my eyes as I silently cursed nothing in particular.
"Where were we, Love?" Lemony asked me, shamelessly ignoring his fellow volunteers. I played along and didn't pay mind to the two other people in the room. As they soon came to the conclusion we weren't going to stop kissing anytime soon, they returned to Josephine's room. This is one of the times in my life where an assumption was correct... After some time, I glanced over at a small digital clock sitting on the nightstand that read 10:13 pm.

"It's getting late, Lemony." I told him as we parted.
"Oh I guess it is. Are you leaving?"
"I really should be." I said as I grabbed my typewriter. "There's plenty of pasta left for your associates if they want any."
"Do I not get a kiss goodbye? " He joked.

I kissed his cheek. "Goodnight, Lemony. I love you and I'll see you tomorrow." I said with a grin.
"Love you too!" He called after me as I walked out the door.

I drove back home feeling absolutely over the moon! Lemony Snicket loves me back! As soon as I had exited the Lost Arms, I jumped around all giddy and stuff! "Yay yay yay!" I internally squealed.

"What's with the jumping, Mallahan?" Bouvard Bellerophon asked me.
"Oh! Hi, Bo! Didn't see you there. Before I answer that, I want to know what you're doing out so late."
"Is it worth it?"
" Probably. "
"Just meeting some friends for some fun and games. Since Oliver Sobol moved I haven't had friends my age so I usually hang out with Marguerite, Kevin and Florence. Ornette occasionally joins us but otherwise it's just us."
"I felt sad about Oliver moving too; Sweet kid. Lemony and I actually solved a case for him where someone pinched his Amaranthine Newt. Heh... Those sure were the days..."
"So I don't mean to sound like Ornette, but might I assume you were meeting Snicket?" He said with a little smirk.
"Spontaneous visit on my part. See ya round, kiddo! " I said, getting into my jeep.

"Don't call me kiddo!" I heard him say before driving away. He probably mumbled something like, "My reason for being out was better." but if he did, I didn't hear it. I drove home thinking of all the memories I had made when Lemony was an apprentice, including helping Oliver find the man who took his little amphibian friend. There was also the ones most people would know, but volunteers with truly extensive research will note that Lemony and I solved a case we call "Twelve or Thirteen." And for parties curious, yes: the Ethan Frome Festival is slowly regaining momentum.

The next day; the day before I was to go to the city (for at least a short while);  I decided we'd all go to Hungry's to see what Jake was cooking up.

"Why do I have to be up so early?" Ellington whined as she readjusted her ponytail.
"It's 8:30, El."
"We didn't get to bed until later and she can get grumpy." Kellar explained. I chose to ignore the implications of that sentence.

"Hey, Jake!" I said as we walked in. Kellar, Ellington and I had picked up Ornette on the way as well.
"Hey, everyone!" Jake said back, handing his sweetheart a plate of pancakes. I watched the door out of the corner of my eye.

"Moxie? Hey, Mallahan! Anyone home?" Jake asked. I noticed he had set a plate of pancakes in front of me.
"Oops! Sorry, Jake! These look great!" I said, cutting them and adding maple syrup. A little ways through my plate, I felt someone kiss my cheek. "Hi, Lemony." I said, not having to look.
"What's the news, Moxie?" He asked as I turned to look at him.
"See for yourself! Jake made pancakes!"

" Two orders of pancakes, please! " He told the cook.
"You sure you can eat all that?" Cleo asked unsurely.
" Gustav is with me. He's just outside calling our friend Monty. "
"What about Josephine?" I asked.
" She already flew off to deliver the samples. "

Gustav walked in sluggishly and sat down. "Who's your friend, Snicket," Ornette asked with a chuckle.
" This is Gustav Sebald. He's an associate. "
"I'm not usually so grumpy," he confessed. "Didn't sleep much since my book was so good."
" Hopefully a stack of pancakes can fix that attitude. Jake's one of the best cooks I know! " Lemony beamed as Jake set a plate in front of each of them. Lemony didn't add syrup to his pancakes, I noticed. I asked him about it. "I don't like maple syrup. I can't shake the feeling that it's like drinking the blood of a tree."

It was his opinion so I wasn't going to hound him for it, although I thought his reasoning was... Quirky... But I like all his little quirks!

"Still have that opinion, I see." Jake chuckled, turning back to the stove. We all had a conversation about nothing in particular, however I had noticed Gustav had moved to sit next to Ornette and I heard him comforting her over her recent loss... The Bellerophons had entered with their friends and also Jackie the mechanic.

"Who's bike is that?" Jackie asked.
" You're looking at the owner! " Lemony beamed.
"Of course that killer pair of wheels belongs to you! How have you been, Snicket?"
" Depends, your grandfather still likes a good joyride? " He asked. Jackie nodded. "Then I'm doing well!"

"It's good to see so many familiar faces." Lemony grinned at me.
"It's really good to see you again, Lemony. I realized I haven't quite said that yet."
" It's good to hear it, Moxie. "