Into the Woods

Chapter 9

"Where were you?" Shiro's irritation was clear for anyone to see. From how his muscular arm was cocked, hand resting upon his hip, to his raised brow, to the clipped tone that fell like a blow across the room.

And yet Allura didn't seem to take notice at all as she hummed, leaning over Lance's outstretched leg. The boy sat stiffly, watching her with an accusing gaze.

"Well Allura?"

Man Shiro had that dad voice down.

"Oh you poor thing!" Allura exclaimed, "you hurt yourself chasing us." With a tut and a click of her tongue the elven woman turned towards Shiro, almost leisurely. "I do hope you plan on taking care of the unfortunate soul. And as for the rest of the others, you've got them veritably shaking in their leaves."

"Incorrect." Another voice joined in then, one the boy did not recognize. His head snapped around, trying to spot this speaker, wary of how he might appear.

It didn't matter that Lance was attempting to expect the unexpected. When the red haired male, with an impressive flaming mustache, ears just as long and pointed as Allura's and Romelle's, markings a soft blue upon his cheeks and glowing ever so slightly, materialized out of the very wood of the nearest wall, he still jumped back, heart skipping up into his throat with a quickened pulse. The other two didn't even flinch.

A moan of pain that pressed past his lips sent Shiro into motion once more though before he could say anything, which would have probably been a lecture, if Lance's instincts were anything to go off of.

Romelle shockingly walked right through the still open front door.

"Yeah that's not true!"

"What were the two of you thinking, leading him here?" It didn't seem as if Shiro would be so easily waylaid.

"We just wanted to help him out is all!" The blonde threw her arms wide, punctuating her point.

"Yes! Precisely that! Isn't his story so heart wrenching." Allura laced her fingers together as if in prayer, and turned imploring eyes on the white haired male. The third faery (it felt so weird calling the three of them something so...so.... ridiculously childish) simply watched on, his hands folded behind his back, body unmoving as his eyes flicked back and forth as each one spoke.

"And we would have helped him, but you know how our powers work!" With this all three uncannily bright eyes landed on Shiro, their looks full of a hidden meaning that Lance couldn't quite grasp at.

"Uh hey, I'm still here—" the boy interjected crossing his arms in a pout.

Perhaps Shiro was just made of sighs, he thought meanly, glaring at a spot on the floor, for the older man released yet another.

"Coran, Allura, Romelle- please join me in the kitchen- I need some help."

The boy resisted the urge to roll his eyes as they all ducked into the kitchen, it wasn't like his parents didn't do this exact same thing!

And just like with his parents Lance scooted over on the couch as far as he could go and strained his ears. The conversation undulated, raising into a clarity that the boy could make out before dropping off into obscurity.

"-And you know that... pass me the ginger and valerian root..." that was Shiro's deep tones.

"Oh- and don't forget the turmeric-" That new guy, Coran was his name.

"Don't blame me! It was...hmmm perhaps some capsaicin ointment as well?"

"- hand over that white willow tincture—"