Mark of stars

Chapter thrity-six

It was a week until new year's eve, as usual the days had gotten colder and shorter not giving Louis much time to think on what he should do about all of this. It had nearly been six days since he finally met with Legosi and seven long days since (y/n) was acting normal, ever since she took those words to heart Louis did his best to not act different with her but it was hard since her own cocky mindset had rubbed off on him a bit. His head was rested on his fist as he didn't care to listen to the meeting her had been called to with the rest of the Shishigumi, and he did his best to not look over at her. Which was often a hard thing not to do anymore. "Boss?" Ibuki asked with a gentle smile as they were all seated around the table Louis snapped out of his thoughts now hearing the light rain in the background.

Louis hummed a bit looking over at the lion he cared dearly about, "We were discussing the ivory case and only wanted your thoughts on it." Free spoke up looking over to him. Louis nodded as he was informed of what they had been discussing all while he wasn't listening to a single word of it. Louis sat up straighter in his seat looking around the table for a moment seeing all of their narrowed eyes were on him.

"Well I am not the one to talk to," Louis said looking over at (Y/n) who already had her eyes on him, "(Y/n) is in charge of the case and I trust that she is doing well." he offered a kind smile towards he that he quickly removed from his face, "If you have any questions ask her."

They all listened to every word he had told them and Liiis quickly noticed how this was very similar to how it was when he first joined, everyone picked up on the way she was being so formal with (y/n) these past few days. a over time Louis realized that if she truly wanted to keep this professional he'd do the same, but he would not attempt to put her down for it, not anymore. He realized he was in the wrong that night and that she deserved to be treated better, Louis needed that rude awakening to realize that he shouldn't even dream of saying things like that to others. For those reasons exactly Louis often daydreamed of apologizing to her that she'd accept it and maybe things would go back to how they were before.

While thinking of all of that he'd hardly realized all of the questions the lions had asked (y/n) just then, "I haven't gotten much further than the information I've been given, at one point I thought I had a lead," she looked over to Louis for a moment who was listening to what she was saying, "but I was wrong, they were nothing more but a gazelle." after she had said those words (y/n) excused herself claiming there was more work to be done concerning the case that was still unsolved.

Not long after she had gone Louis did the same he excused himself following the direction she had gone to which was the garage.

When Louis found he she was looking through on of her bags seeming to have stuffed something away in there. Her back was turned to him and he could see her lift up her back jacket to put a gun in its holster, Louis had to refrain from frowning a bit. "Where are you going?" Louis asked her quietly tucking his hands away in his pockets.

She jumped a bit due to the fact that she had not heard him enter the garage, "Patrolling, in case I see anything strange." (Y/n) told him situating her jacket so it would cover her gun, Louis just assumed she had more than one. He noticed her outfit, black tank top with a sheer long sleeved fabric beneath that and black dress pants with the traditional spiked shoes.

"Will you be cold?" He asked moving closer to her looking at the rain through the opened garage door, she shook her head, "Just don't get sick, or anything." Louis didn't know what to say or even why he asked. Until he looked up at her again, she was smiling a bit at him and his stupid question that was the first time he'd seen her smile directly at him let alone something he said. See her seem somewhat happy he smiled too. "Do you need someone with you?" Louis asked her finally, in that moment he just wanted to be with her.

"If you don't mind." (Y/n) said still having the smallest hint on her face.

~

"So, he wants you to leave?" I asked him hesitantly as the two of as sat in a darkened alley way the rain hitting the windshield lightly. He only nodded, "Are you?" I asked.

Louis was staring out the windshield watching two raindrops sliding to the very bottom, "I didn't give him an answer." she frowned a bit at that part of her believed that he wouldn't leave them especially not in this moment but the other half believed that he would. Obviously he's known that wolf far longer than he's known any of them, if they were as close as they seemed she guess Louis would pick him over them any day.

"And why not?" I wondered out loud hoping for a reasonable answer.

Louis stayed quiet for a moment as if thinking how to say this to her or if he should even say it at all, "Like I said, you guys are the closest thing to family I've ever had." He told her quietly.

She looked over at him but never at his face, "Is that wolf not like family either? He seems to care for you an awful lot." (Y/n) mentioned gently clenching the steering wheel waiting for him to answer, however he didn't.

He thought about the words she said, Louis knew that him and Legosi didn't always get along and there was constant tension between them. But he always did care for the wolf and never wanted to see him the way he is now. "He is, in a strange way."

"Do you think you'll leave?" She asked him a genuine question a question in which he did not need to give an official answer, she just wanted to know if he was even considering it now.

In all honesty Louis felt like he needed to leave but he wanted to stay, not only for his position but also because of the lions and her. "I'm not sure." He was now noticing that she wasn't acting how she was before which made him feel a bit better about the whole situation, however thy changed the moment they returned back.

~

"Thank you," Louis said in thanks of her allowing him to come with her that and listening to the choice that he was struggling to pick.

She nodded a bit and locked her car, "Of course, boss." (Y/n) opened the garage door leading inside holding it open for him as he was still standing by the car.

"Why are you like that?" Louis worked up the courage to ask, she gave him a questionable look then he continued, "You weren't calling me 'boss' the whole time we were out. Why now?" Louis questioned her not moving from the spot her was already in.

Her face was blank as she crossed her arms and opened her mouth to speak, "What do you mean, does it bother you?" she asked him tilting her head a bit, now he knew she was messing with him. "I thought you'd rather me call you boss than anything else." (Y/n) mentioned before gesturing to see if he would enter the hideout.

"I'd rather you just call me Louis." He informed her still gaveling the slightest dissatisfaction on his face, Louis didn't move from his spot still eventually she ended up closing the door as the two of them silently decided to stay in the garage. "You need to know that I didn't mean for you to take it that way, I overreacted. I know that now." He admitted.

Her arms were still crossed as she spoke, "Then why even say it?" She asked the man standing across from her a few feet away.

"I wasn't thinking." Louis said.

(Y/n) only scoffed a bit, "Then think before you say shit like that." With that she turned her back opening the door leaving him in the garage allowing the door to close behind her. Louis couldn't help but smile a bit when she finally showed the same attitude she would have on a normal day.

Even as he stood their alone he thought back to what she had said at the meeting concerning the ivory case she had been assigned to. 'He was nothing more than a gazelle' was that why she was with the doctor that night? Come to think of it she looked directly at him when she said those words, of course he knew things would not go straight back to normal between them. Things like this took time now he felt like a real asshole, she was simply doing her job and he took it the wrong way.

~

A/N: also I'm defying my little announcement it's throwing the chapter numbers off a bit.