Thank goodness for Grandmother Legrand to have given her house to her eldest child before her death, or Bijou would've been stuck in his fancy manor uptown, constantly reminded by the presence of his father's company. 

He shuddered. At least he could see the nature's gift of autumn here.

No one made an attempt at cleaning the house. His father had insisted that they bring no servants--it was much too small, and that proved hopeless for three spoiled humans who had never touched a broom in their life. They chose to simply live with the dust bunnies.

Bijou sneezed into his handkerchief, his nose itching in red. He caught quite a cold from staying up late and forgetting to draw the windows. Hence why he could only stay out from the porch, folding his short legs on the dainty stairs.

"Bijou, look! Mushrooms!"

"Don't go too far!"

Maëlle looked tiny from their distance, her trailing a path of flowers in the forest. If he didn't know any better, he would've thought that a monster from his childhood was trying to lead her astray.

Come.

Book in hand, he sighed to the air. It smelled like porcelain and dew, beige cracks staining his sleeve with powder. He didn't really want to fill his head with more words, but it was a good tool, in case someone strolled by and he didn't want to talk to them.

"Hello."

Speak of the devil.

As if magic, the book pulled open instantly, and he poured his gaze towards it. His heart leaped to his throat. He heard footsteps, saw boots from the corner of his eyes, and prayed that the person would walk away.

How rude.

"Hey there! You like pie?"

Maëlle's voice called back. "I love pie!"

A deep laugh rumbled from the person, who then crouched down and took Bijou completely by surprise. It was that man from yesterday, grinning brightly. "Hi. Am I interrupting something?"

"Uh..." He averted the gaze, hands pressed to his handkerchief. "Not really."

"Great." He brightened. "Ma baked her first good pie. Wanted you all to try some."

"Oh." The pie was stuffed in a jar. Crumbling apart, by the looks of it. But Bijou felt a little warm at the kind gesture, mindful of the stained ink on his hand as he took it. "Thank you. That is very thoughtful."

"Your nana used to bake these." He chuckled. "Only, I'd gobble them up before you do."

He did remember parts of that. Legrand wiped his nose, turning with a small smile. "May I?"

"Sure." He shrugged, settling beside him with some distance.

The pie melted in flakes on his tongue. sweet syrup filling his taste buds. Then his throat caught on something spicy, flaring his senses, coughing in shock.

He clasped his hand over his mouth in a hurry, the insides threatening to escape and burning his cheeks. Inocencio cursed, barging in through the door and came out with a glass of water. "Merde, merde, merde..."

The water pushed the food down. He took a deep breath, calming down against the baluster in shaking hiccups. While the tanned man cursed again. "Shit. Forgot to tell you it ain't apple pie. Ma put in cinnamon and chili."

"That's alright. Thank you--" He jerked in a cough. "Oh, God."

"Damn. Drink, drink." He pushed his wrist closer. "I'm so sorry, Legrand."

Much to everyone's surprise, Bijou Legrand laughed.

He couldn't contain the laughter, the glass trembling in his grip. The book fell off his knees and almost lashed out to the other boy. Inocencio grinned back dumbly. He caught his breath, panting, hand tapping his chest.

"Oh, my..." he murmured. "Wow. That's...wow."

"You alright?"

"Yes." He tightened the jar, taking back the book. A weird surge of energy ran through his veins. "Thank you." 

He pointed to the handkerchief covered in snot. "Hey, if you have a cold, I'll bring Ma's soup tomorrow."

Bijou blushed, hiding it behind his back and ignoring his smirk. "That is very...nice of you."

"You like it?"

"Maëlle and my father don't like spice," he said. "But I like it."

The call of a frog bounced from the forest. The noise of footsteps clanked at the front door as lights began illuminating from the window--signs of his father's return. Time went by so fast, that he didn't notice the darkening blankets of dusk.

"Well, I'm off now." He lent out a hand. "Nice meeting you again, Legrand."

"Bijou." Inocencio's large hands were rough, but they were warm to touch. "Thank you again. For the pie."

"No problem. You know where to find me if you need it." He stretched. "By the way, you look nice when you smile."

He left with that statement between them, sealing their fates as if predicting exactly the plot that would occur later. He was so shocked that it took him a while to notice that Maëlle had not returned.

*****

The dancing flames in his lantern looked like will-o-wisps, floating among the lake of darkness stretched out before him. Crickets began to chirp from all sides of the forest, a cold unease clamping down his guts. The dread filled his chest the further he followed the nature trail.

Maëlle was a smart girl. Adventurer or not, she knew her boundaries. She couldn't have gone far, could she?

"Maëlle!" he called. Twigs poked him in the arms, leaves crunching under his steps. "Maëlle?"

Deeper in he went. How could he have been so foolish? He shouldn't have let her run off like that--

Is that a girl?

"Maëlle!"

He sprinted towards the sight. And when he saw her, his heart could have been thrown out of him, sinking in so much relief that his knees flailed. The girl knelt in a circle of toadstools, picking them one by one and putting them in her laid-out skirt as a basket.

"Oh, God. Your brother is worried sick here."

When she heard him thanking the woods for not taking her, she turned with a grin. Her voice swung with sweet honey. "Brother. What is wrong with you?"

"You..." he shook his head. "Never mind."

He stood up, taking her hand. He noticed her bracelet on the ground, but she was too busy collecting her findings. He put it in his fist instead. "Come on, let's go home."

She refused his hand, clutching to his trousers instead.

For if she touched that iron, she would've burned her skin.

Yes, I made it to Chapter 2! Ahahaha! So Inocencio and Bijou have established some form of connection, at least, and he ate spicy pie. My baby is shy af and his smile is beautiful 🙌Also, what's wrong with Maëlle?

Please tell me if I got anything wrong. I'm not from France so insight is appreciated! 🤍Vote if you like it, and thank you SO much for reading. You're the best!