1935

Chance L’Enfant P.O.V.

I sighed, standing in the kitchen. Firo sat in one of the chairs, facing away from me and looking out at New York. Charlie was on the floor with some dolls that Chane and Felix had bought for her. Nice was working on a bomb. Jacuzzi was throwing an anxiety attack.

“Er...” I mumbled, quickly tapping Firo’s shoulder.

He turned around, taking his hat off. “Yeah?”

“Would you like something? Are you hungry or anything?”

“Nah, I’m okay. Are you okay? You ain’t looking so hot.”

His face was completely baby like. The eyes on him and that light brown hair of his...

“Chance?” he asked, grabbing the bottle of milk I had in my hand.

I shook my head. “Yes?”

Firo moved his eyes down.

I followed his gaze. The counter was all wet with the milk I had been pouring for Charlie. I had gotten lost in thought about Firo’s face and had forgotten about the milk I was pouring.

Firo stared at me for a moment. “Are you okay?” he repeated.

“Yeah, I’m okay,” I replied. “I just couldn’t sleep last night; that’s all.”

I shook my head, cleaning up the counter.

“You ain’t looking so hot; that must be why,” he said. “Maybe you should go lie down.”

My lips twitched. “No. I cannot do that. But speaking of lying down, I have to change the sheets...”

“You do that everyday. Ain’t people supposed to change it once a week or twice a week?”

“It is personal.”

“Is it that Laforet guy?”

Chane looked up quickly.

“Huey Laforet is an old friend of Chance’s!” Charlie burst out saying.

I swallowed hard, sighing. “Never mind.”

It hurt to act like Huey was still in jail. Why hadn’t he told Chane? Was he afraid that Chane would tell him a lie? Or was it something else? Maybe I could ask him when I went to meet him that night.

“How long have we known you, Mr. Firo?” Charlie asked, climbing up onto a chair beside the baby-faced boy.

“I dunno,” he replied. “Few months, maybe.”

“Six months,” I sighed.

Chane stood, looking at me strangely. A moment later, she slapped the notepad down on the counter, her eyes wide. Is my father out of prison?

“No,” I replied, sliding the notepad away as Firo and Charlie continued to talk. “Why would you think that?”

You haven’t met my gaze all day. That’s what happened the first time you and my father got together, and again when he was arrested.

“He is not!” I exclaimed.

Jacuzzi and Nice looked up, startled.

I covered my mouth. “I-I-I am sorry. Charlie?”

My niece was hugging Firo tightly, regfusing to let go.

“She okay?” Firo asked, shocked.

I shrugged with a sigh. “Excuse me.”

“Chance!” Nice said quickly. “Let me cut your hair for you. It’s gettin’ a little long.”

My lips twitched and I burst into tears, exclaiming, “Huey likes it long!”

Thirty minutes later

There was a knock on my door. A quiet knock.

I sniffled, wiping my tears off my face. “C-Come in.”

Firo walked in and shut the door behind him. He looked around nervously. “Kinda dark in here, ain’t it?” he asked, wandering over to the curtains.

“Keep them closed, please.”

“It ain’t good for you. You don’t even get out in the sun anymore, you know?”

I looked up, tired. “There is a reason I do not go outside.”

He looked back at the curtains, which he was gripping tightly. “It ain’t healthy for you.”

“You,” I stood up, “could not possibly understand why,” I got closer to him, “I do not go outside during the daytime. You cannot understand the feeling of seeing your sister die giving birth; cannot understand the feeling of seeing your parents being killed right in front of you; cannot understand-”

“You’re right,” Firo replied. “I can’t. But I might if you tell me.”

I shook my head.

“Then why can’t you be obsessed with two people?” he asked.

“What? I am not obsessed with-” I started.

“The only person you ever talk about is that Laforet guy and how much you miss him and wish-”

“Because he and I have so much in common and he and I have known each other for so long and you and I have only known each other for half a year and we have barely anything in common!” I slapped my hands over my mouth in shock.

Firo’s mouth was agape. “That’s what I was talking about. Two people.”

“No, no, I can-”

“Remember the first time we met?” he asked, taking his hat off. “I thought you were a guy that still slept with a stuffed animal.”

“I still do,” I mumbled.

“Yeah, but you’re a chick. I immediately thought you were adorable.”

“But you thought I was a guy...”

“I was weirded out by your girlish features.”

“Look.” He bunched up my hair atop my head and slapped his hat down to keep it there. “I know I ain’t as smart as that Laforet guy.” He took the hat off my head to let my hair back down and put it back on himself. “I ain’t book smart; I’m street smart.” He looked down. “I had a girl before. Ennis. A Homunculus created by some old geezer called Szilard. She left about two years ago, though.” He shrugged. “Guess it was just a crush. I didn’t really feel anything when we kissed.”

“What makes you think you will with me?” I wondered aloud.

Firo shrugged with a sigh. “I don’t.”

“What do we possibly have in common? Besides Chane and New York...”

“We both know you look better with short hair. We both have somewhat troubled pasts. We both look better in secondary colours. What do you and that Laforet guy have in common?”

“Troubled pasts, we both usually fake our smiles...” My lips trembled. “Both lost people who were close to us... D-Do not try to tempt me with that baby face and New York accent of yours.”

“I get it. You don’t want to find out you have a thing for another guy and somehow end up lying to this Laforet guy, right?”

“Ch-Chane sent... She w-wants me to cheat on him with-with you.” I shook my head. “I cannot do that. Not to him. I-I like you Firo, b-but I cannot...”

“You can’t, huh? Then why are you stuttering?” he asked.

“I-I am n-not...s-s-stuttering... N-Not on purpose... I am... I am...”

I frowned, pulling back the bedding on the bed. My hands gripped the sheets tighter than they should have. I was trembling more than I should have. Why couldn’t my mind make up its own mind?

“I just want to know if it’s more than a crush I have on you,” he said as I replaced them with more purple sheets. “If it is just a crush, I’ll leave you alone and we can stay friends, if you want.”

I shook my head once more, putting a darker purple comforter on the bed.

“You’re scared I’m right, aren’t you?” he asked.

“No!” I exclaimed, grabbing the collar of his blazer and kissing him.

I comprehended what I had just done. It confirmed my feelings for him. I was kissing him for much longer than I should have been, but I couldn’t pull back. My body was stuck. It would be stuck until it comprehended what I had done. The minute I was able to take control back over my body, I pulled myself away, covering my lips, choking back tears.

I tried to shake my head. It wouldn’t shake. Tears tried coming out. Nothing came out. My breathing tried to slow down. It wouldn’t slow down. I realized that I really did want him to myself, just like I wanted with Huey. No words could describe my confusion, right then and there. I really did like him. I never wanted to like somebody other than Huey.

Firo hugged me tightly to his body as I started crying. “I get it. You didn’t want to like anyone else but him.”

“N-No,” I sobbed. “I did not want to fall in l-love with anyone else...”

“He’s out of prison...isn’t he?”

Three hours later

I had my arms wrapped around Firo, laying on his chest, sleeping. One of his arms was wrapped around my shoulders. I woke up to the sound of knocking on my door. It was a rapid, hyper knocking. Charlie’s knock. I opened my eyes quickly.

The knocking continued as I sat up and pulled my shirt on. “Just a second!” I called, pulling on my pants.

I did my belt and zipper up, opening the door. “What is it, Charlie?”

“Miss Chane ran off in a rage after thinking for a while,” she replied. “Chance, what’s wrong with Miss Chane?”

I stared at her for a moment and looked at the clock. It was quarter to six at night.

Then I walked her down the hall. Nice and Jacuzzi were sitting on the couch, talking.

“Do you know what is wrong with Chane?” I asked.

“She wrote something about her father on the notepad,” Jacuzzi replied. “Then she tore it up and ran out.”

I ran back to the room to wake Firo up. He was already up and doing up his dress shirt. “What’s in the phial?” He pointed to a little phial that was hanging from a gold chain.

“The elixir that is supposed to make me immortal,” I replied, picking it up. “Huey made it himself.” I set it back down on the desk. “I need help from you.”

Twenty minutes later

“Huey!” I exclaimed, sitting in the chair on the other side of the cafe table. “I am sorry that I am late. I fell asleep.”

“It is okay,” he replied, grabbing my hand. “Did you take it?”

“I could not take it. I did not have enough time between from when you left and now because Chane...”

Firo and Luck stood behind a corner ten feet away. I was concerned that Chane might try to do something. She knew Huey couldn’t be killed with a stab or anything else. He’d have to be devoured by another immortal in order for him to actually die. All the blood from a stab or anything else would just retreat back to the wound and he would heal right away.

“Forget about Chane,” he replied, smiling a little.

I was melting again.

“She asked, right?” he continued, squeezing my hand a little. “If I was out of prison?”

“Yes,” I replied. “But I said ‘no’. Or did you want me to tell her?”

“No.”

I jumped. He had just gotten really serious. I could feel Charlie behind me, gripping the chair’s bars. “Oh, right,” I said. “Charlie.”

She came out from behind me a little.

“So this is Charlie,” Huey said. “Hello.”

“H-Hello...” Charlie quietly said back, shy.

“How old is she?”

“She is turning seven soon,” I replied, picking her up and putting her on my lap.

“You really are as cute as Chance wrote in her journals,” Charlie breathed.

“Thank you,” Huey replied, smiling wryly.

“Look, Huey, I do not think we can keep it up,” I said, shaking my head. “I think Chane is onto-”

He stood, leaned over, put an index finger and thumb on my chin and kissed me.

“What are you guys doing?” Charlie asked.

Huey pulled back and sat back down with a genuine smile. Then he frowned. “Did you have those two follow you?”

I nodded. “I will be right back. Can you please watch Charlie for me?”

Huey nodded.

I speed-walked over to Luck and Firo. Luck had waved me over.

“What is it?” I asked as thunder roared in the distance.

“It’s Chane,” Luck replied. “She’s wandering around across the street. Now she’s right there.”

I turned to see Chane. She wasn’t fuming. She looked like her regular, calm silent self. But I could tell she was upset.

“Chane, I am so sorry,” I said, hugging her. “Huey told me not to te-”

I suddenly felt a burning sensation around my spleen. Then I smelled a salty and irony substance.

“Miss Chane!” Charlie shouted as Chane pulled the knife out.

“Chantal!” Huey exclaimed.

“Luck!” Firo exclaimed. “Go to Chance’s hotel room; there should be a gold chain with a phial of liquid hanging on it on her dresser!”

Luck nodded and ran off.

Chane pushed me away and into Firo, running away.

Charlie ran up crying. “Auntie Chance! Auntie Chance!” She only called me that when she was both terrified and worried.

I shuddered as I put a hand on the wound and brought it up to look at it. It was covered in blood. I suddenly coughed up blood into it.

“Chantal!” Huey exclaimed again, running up behind Charlie.

“You,” Firo said, judgement in his voice. “This is your fault.”

I grabbed him by the collar of his shirt. “Do not ever talk to him like that. Ow! Huey... Take Charlie.”

Huey picked Charlie up as it started pouring. “Chan-”

“Go.”

Five minutes later

The rain poured down. It made pitter patter sounds on the rooftops, sidewalks and street. Not only did it hide tears, it also washed away blood into the sewers. The tears came from Firo and the blood came from me.

“Hey!” he exclaimed. “Don’t you dare go and die on me, Chance! Luck is going to be back any moment now! Come on, hold on!”

I chuckled with a tiny sigh. “You’re not…the type to…cry.”

“And you’re not the type to die.”

I squinted. “Come on, Firo. Just accept that I...I am not going...”

“Don’t talk like that. It ain’t right.”

“I-I am...sorry I snapped at you for talking to...Huey like that...”

Firo shook his head, taking his blazer off. He ripped off a piece of it and placed it over my wound. “You can’t lose any-”

“Firo!” Luck exclaimed, panting and coming into sight. He held up the gold chain with the phial on it. “This it?”

“Yes!” Firo held his hand out and Luck tossed it to him.

He opened it and carefully put it to my lips.