Chapter Text
The winds blew cold that night. That was yet another reason why Olivier loathed this uniform. It was always too cold or too hot. Supposedly there were going to be some developments, something to do with astermite and heat regulation but Paris had yet to see anything of it. It wasn't so bad in the catacombs but anytime he had to do stealth and slink around, Jack Frost would slowly and surely work his way into his bones. He rolled his neck and hissed. He'd been tailing Roland's mysterious partner for a little while now but craning his neck downwards over the rooftops in the wind was really starting to take its toll.
He looked up to the sky, lime green eyes taking on a lunar glow. He didn't know how to feel about them. No non-chasseur just happens to find their way into the catacombs. Heck, even trained personnel lost their way from time to time! The entry route was intentionally convoluted so that no outsiders could get in, and yet ______ did. There was the option that they were from another division of course but that wouldn't explain lack of etiquette. A paladin's jewel is always visible, even if they'd never met Olivier before they would at least recognize that and introduce themselves formally. And what was with Roland's sudden change of mood? He was usually obnoxiously cheerful but never so giddy...
He didn't like it. He didn't like you. Something was certainly amiss. He'd only seen Roland as upset as he was that morning when he lost his men in battle and yet you had left him in exactly the same mental state. Reconciliation hamper be damned, nobody made Roland that upset and got away with it. Nobody. If the day ever came when you crossed his path again...
"Wait..." He looked back over the edge, eyes bouncing across the streets frantically. "Damn it, where did they go?!"
He gritted his teeth, leaping down to the vendor you'd just been talking to.
"Where did they go?" He demanded, pushing past the gentleman collecting a very rosy rolled ice "that customer with the big thing on their back?"
"T-they left off that way some time ago sir..." They vendor replied, greatly concerned for the napkin stack getting reduced to dust beneath his dragonite gauntlet.
Olivier growled in defeat. In the buzz of the music district he'd never find them now. "Merci..."
In truth you weren't all too far away. You had jammed yourself into a nook far down the high street ever grateful that you'd learnt how to manipulate the world formula to gain speed in the first place. You stayed there until the scent of the catacombs faded away and then you released your tension. Olivier was sharper than you thought. You'd have to be careful getting to The Olde Boot tonight otherwise it could mean trouble.
"There you are Olivier!" Roland called over to him making his way across the roof tops towards him. "You certainly know how to cover ground my friend!"
"Uh-huh. Look Roland, about this partner of yours-"
"______? Aren't they the sweetest?" He smiled pulling out one of your rabbit apples from his pocket and offering one to him.
"I am quite alright." He held up a rejecting hand "How much do you actually know about them?"
"You want to know about them?!"
"No Roland, I want you to think about it!" He heaved a heavy sigh "I decided to follow _______ but I lost sight of them around this area. Do you know what that means?"
Roland looked on, eyes wide with nonchalance as he chewed on his apple. As he swallowed his brows knitted and he bolted up with a realization "You stalk people for a hobby! I never would have pitted you as the Olivier."
Olivier facepalmed "Good God Roland think for a moment! I followed them here because they're suspicious! How on earth can a normal person find there way into the catacombs?! That's a one in a million chance for a non-chasseur!"
"Well I suppose my darling is just one on a million then."
"And I suppose it's merely coincidence that I trailed them to the district widely known for vampire attacks?" He folded his arms waiting for a quick remark on the silence. "I understand being paladin is new to you so listen while I spell it out, this ______ is not what the they seem to be. I just know it."
Roland laughed, slapping his shoulder and walking to assess the view elsewhere "Oh Olivier you worry too much!"
"I have to worry because you're involved! Honestly," He rubbed his temples "I'm like a child minder..."
Roland looked out over the city lights grateful that Olivier wouldn't see his face fall from this angle. He was aware but perhaps hadn't accepted that your story didn't add up. There were gaps and lies that he didn't want to think about. Anyone could see that he was in love with you, and anyone could tell that love was blinding him. He'd heard it that day before running into Rosaline, that shop keeper friend of yours spoke the word "chasseur" with such venom. Roland know Lucien wouldn't accept him for his own reasons but... What would that matter if the two of you loved each other? Love could overcome anything, he could win him over surely!
"I'm just saying you should be careful..." Olivier said gently, or gently by his standards anyway. He knew this man well enough by now to know when he'd struck a nerve and with the morning he'd had he wanted only to keep his out of harms way. "Chasseurs are huntsman but we can easily become the hunted if we walk with our eyes closed."
Roland gave a solemn chuckle "There you go recounting the rulebook again."
Olivier flushed "Wha- I'm not recounting a thing!"
"You are! You were always such a bookworm when we were younger. I guess that's still the case!"
The Obsidian swung in rage and the Jasper dodged in jest.
"Clearly your not in as much of a state as I thought." He said through gritted teeth, fixing himself upright and flipping his hair "I needn't have worried."
Roland gasped "You were worried about me?!"
"Hardly!" He promptly turned around and started in the opposite direction "I'm heading back to base, you take over patrol!"
"Of course!" Roland waved him off with a smile "Have a pleasant evening!" And then promptly threw his feet over the edge and sat on the parapet.
He stared at the rabbit apple deep in thought. He was supposed to patrol but... He really didn't want to. Was it wrong for a paladin to take a break? Of course not! Besides, if anything did happen he was agile enough to catch up. He let his mind wander aimlessly as he chomped down on the apples he'd stashed in his pocket, throwing the seeds off the edge. It had been a long trip and his next day off wasn't for a while now, a moment to relax wouldn't go amiss.
The wind was light, just enough to make him aware of it's presence. It was reassuring, reminded him of how far he'd come. Many years ago such a breeze reminded him that the world was cruel to kind people. It could strip a good man of the roof above his head. Now it was a voice of reassurance, bringing him back to earth when he felt it was all spinning too fast. He would have admired the stars had any been out that night but instead he looked at the clouds, their thin wisps and contours, and he played hide and seek with the moon.
Eventually after what felt like a moment but could well have been several hours, his eye wandered to the city streets below and on the not-too-far distance, Roland noticed some familiar figures. A tall, well dressed lady with bright red lips was slowly making her way towards the nearby alley. She seemed far too classy for this side of the city. And the way she waved her fan in front of her, dismissing any low grade cretins who passed her by... she was peculiar. Based on her trajectory she was headed his way. Or more accurately, your way.
"Good work everyone, see you tomorrow!" You called from the streets below. As soon as the door closed, you heaved a heavy sigh of relief, cradling your neck. He would have let you be a while longer if that lady in red hadn't started on her way towards you. He recognized her, last time he'd seen you together you'd looked... Unwell to say the least. He couldn't trust that she wouldn't try anything.
He leapt like it was second nature, hardly computing the swings and flips used to slow his descent before he landed behind you, hands over your eyes.
"Guess who?" He whispered playfully.
Had the scent of bourbon and cigarettes not been so stuck in your nose, you might have picked up his cedar notes. But with the scents still so high and music still so loud in your ears, you instantly threw him off with a force so great that he went into the wall with a heavy thud. It struck you as he went flying that the perpetrator had Jasper scent written all over him.
"Roland?!" You gasped rushing to peel him out of the brick "I am so sorry! Are you hurt?"
"I've had worse. I didn't realize you were that strong ma chérie!" He gagged and coughed, dusting himself off and grinning.
You groaned, ashamed of yourself. "Apparently I don't know how strong I truly am." You sighed "What are you doing here anyway? I thought you had to file something or the other away?"
"That's all sorted now. Don't worry about it. If you're done with work, I wouldn't mind walking you home."
"Walking me home? I'd love to! But I'm not quite done for the night..." You said knowing you had to check in with Lucien later. You did still want to spend time with Roland though so instead you offered "How about I walk you back to the cathedral? I'm heading in that direction now anyway. And besides, I want to hear all about Rouen." You held his hand "What do you say?"
He wanted to be disappointed but he'd still be spending time with you. Besides you were far too cute to turn down for such a silly little thing.
"Well, I suppose I have no choice." He grinned and the two of you started on your way out of the alley "Where should I begin?"
You hummed in thought "The beginning is as good a place as any I suppose?"
"Very true! It all started after we said goodbye on the bridge, it was the usual procedure of getting the unit together and loading our equipment into the air ships. You wouldn't believe the size of them chérie, it's like stepping aboard a whale! You just have to see it to believe me..."