Reapire

"It was small, since I haven't got family, and hers isn't large. But it was nice." He smiled at the memory of the candles in the night, the sound of the glass shattering under his foot, the glitter of the ring as he slipped it over her finger.

He paused, listening to her speak about her own wish to have a wedding and her concerns about humans. "You know what? They can go f*** themselves. If you fall in love, and you want to get married, you do it. A lot of people said that Genette and I couldn't get married, because she's Jewish and I'm Catholic. Some said it wasn't right 'cause I'm not human and she is. And you know what? I love her, and she loves me, and we're happy, and we want to be together and have a family. We had a d*** fine wedding and we have a d*** fine life, even if people are a******* because of it. So. Marry who you went, when you want, how you want, and if anyone tells you otherwise, you give me their name and I'll set the record straight."

"But I can't," she pointed out. "I can't get married if it's with humans, because it's not legal with them. I want to be official."

She looked up at the sky, then turned to Engel again.

"...And you swear a lot now," she commented, a grin spreading across her face as a giggle threatened to break free.

"Why?" he asked. "It's not like they'll know any different. Besides, just point me in the right direction and I'll drag an officiator to you with a gun to his head and he'll marry you to anyone." He grinned. "I'm really persuasive when I want to be."

He laughed a little as she commented on his swearing. "Ja, well, Aurick rubbed off on me. Can't hang out with mercs forever without picking up colorful language."

She didn't know who Aurick was, so she just gave a nod in agreement. But she did understand the first part, so she said, "But that's illegal!" even though she knew that wasn’t going to help much. He didn't seem to really care about the law now.

They walked for another minute before she thought of another important thing to address.

"What are we going to tell Genette?" she asked.

"Everything I do is illegal, I just don't tell Genette that," he chuckled. "I'll just tell her that you're a friend from the ol' merc band. A sister of one of my buddies or something. Say you came to town and got in a bad situation and need a place to stay for a few nights."

Her gaze dropped down to the ground.

She didn’t say anything for the minute that followed the suggestion - she just kept watching her feet move, one foot after the other.

"I'd have to wear a dress," she guessed.

She watched her foot kick a small pebble.

"And makeup," she said. "And sit like a lady."

More silence.

"...I guess I can be an old friend's sister..."

"Or you could be John Watson again and just straight up be an old friend," he pointed out. "Though...maybe not Watson." He smirked. "I get the reference now."

He tapped the pommel of his dagger as he spoke, pondering. "Shouldn't be hard to pull off, really."

She perked up at his suggestion, and couldn't help but grin when he recognized the reference. "What about John Baines?" she asked. "I go by Irene Baines when helping Blanx out as a girl, and John Baines when I want to wear pants."

"John Baines it is," he affirmed. "John Baines, former hunter gone normie, who ran into some werewolf trouble on the road. You were separated from your buddies and came here, and I'm lending you a hand until you can reunite with the rest of your group. Plan?"

"Plan!" she agreed. She looked around the street. They were the only ones on it, and they were coming up to the perfect patch of shadow. The moment they stepped into it, she let her form change - by the time they emerged, the young woman had been replaced by a taller, slightly older man.

He slowed as they reached his home. It was on the edge of town, outside of the city. It was relatively small--an open kitchen, living room, and dining room all pressed together with two bedrooms and a small plot of land in the back. A pinto horse was grazing in a paddock next to a garden and a chicken coop was nearby with its flock pecking at the dirt near the horse.

He led the way up to the front door and withdrew his key, opening it. No sooner had it opened than a massive German Shepherd charged him and in a single, fluid movement charged him and leapt into his opened arms. "ALEXIS HALLO! PAPA'S HOME!" he greeted with a grin, throwing her over his shoulder as her tail whumped against him.

"Sweetheart, you can't let her do that or she'll be clambering all over anyone who comes in through that door," a woman laughed, stepping out of the kitchen and to the entry way. She was pretty enough, with brunette hair pulled back into a bun and sea green eyes. She wore a shapeless white dress that betrayed the slightest bulge of her stomach, and the smile that graced her lips was genuine. Sweet. "Who's this you've brought home, Engel?"

He leaned over and got the dog off his shoulders. "Genette, this is my old hunting buddy, John Baines. Ran into some trouble w' wolves on his way and got separated from his pals. I told him we'd fix the extra room up for him until he found the rest o' his group."

Genette smiled and turned to Schadel, extending her hand. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Herr Baines. We'd love to have you. Please, come in, take a seat."

"It's...It's nice to meet you too," Schadel replied, hand shaking a little as she shook Genette's. Engel had talked about how amazing his wife was, but she hadn’t realized just how pretty she was until Schadel was actually meeting her.

Her cheeks turned a little red, and she hurriedly pulled her hand away before shyly ducking behind Engel.

The woman turned to her husband, then, rising up onto her toes a little to plant a kiss on his lips. He smiled and wrapped his arms around her. The love between them was obvious in that single gesture. The glint in his eyes as he looked at her, and the smile that graced her lips as she slowly pulled away.

He was, truly, in love.

Genette turned to go back into the kitchen, gesturing to the chairs in the living room in front of an empty hearth. "Sit, I'll get something to drink for the two of you. Then you can tell me all about your hunting days together."

"Engel," she whispered quite seriously after Genette disappeared farther into the house, "we don't have hunting days to talk about."

Blanx had taught her how to improvise, but she didn’t even know what hunting involved. Maybe shooting rabbits with hunting dogs? Or was the type of hunting he mentioned the other type of hunting, where the thing being hunted was something inhuman and bad?

...Why didn’t they plan this out more?

"Don't worry about it, I've got us covered," he waved a hand dismissively. "Just...roll with it. It's easy. Keep it simple, don't talk about details if you have to, and don't look to the left, it's a dead giveaway. There, lying 101. Stick with me and it'll be fine."

With this, he led the way to the living room, and took a seat in the corner as per usual. He didn't feel comfortable with his back towards an open room anymore. Not since he'd gotten jumped back when he was under Aurick's tutelage. He probably wouldn't have made it through that one if not for the frenchman, in all honesty.