A Few Of My Least Favourite Things

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

The mood-shifting Levi Ryder had been everywhere the past few days, generally at the same time Madeleine was there. He managed to be near her favourite chair in the common room when she was there, walking past all of her classes at the end-of-class bell, beside her in assemblies...
The most confusing bit about it was his constant mood swings. One minute he'd be sunny, smiling and happy - the next he'd be the typical sullen, angst-ridden teenager - and the next he'd be cocky, arrogant Levi again.
So, she was avoiding him and his mood swings. She wanted him to leave her alone - it was hard enough putting up with him in Air Control, never mind everywhere else as well. Since she couldn't go anywhere in the castle without him being there, she was going out of the castle, to the only place she could go - Cardsdale.
As it was a weekend, most of the students were able to go down into Cardsdale, but she knew that Levi didn't like it there - she would feel very safe betting that he wouldn't be there.
So, as she approached the door to the Square Coffee and Book Shop, Madeleine couldn't have been more surprised and dismayed to see Levi come out of the door.
As she considered whether hiding until he'd gone would be a good option or not, he spotted her and grinned. "Madeleine!"
Sighing resignedly, she forced a smile and walked towards him. "Hey," she said. "I thought you didn't like it down here?"
He held up a carrier bag. "I needed to get a book for the English reading list."
"Oh?" she asked, for the sake of politeness. "What book?"
"Wuthering Heights," he answered, rolling his eyes. "Bound to be boring as hell."
Madeleine arched an eyebrow. "I love Wuthering Heights."
He looked sheepish. "Sorry. It's just, romance isn't my thing."
She shrugged. "I don't really care if you like it or not."
He frowned. "What's the matter?"
Oh no. He was in his 'concerned' mood.
"Nothing, Levi," she said levelly.
He glanced around her. "Lee's not here?"
"He doesn't have to accompany me everywhere," she replied sharply, rolling her eyes. As much as she hated his changing disposition, she hated it still more when he started talking about Lee.
"Oh, I get it," he said, smugly. "He's been spending a lot of time with Chloe Morphy recently, hasn't he?"
Madeleine was snapped to attention at the name. "What?"
Levi shrugged. "I just noticed it. It's like every time you're not with him, Chloe is."
She scowled at him. "Your point? They're just friends."
He was now looking worried. "Just... keep an eye on them, okay?"
"What's that supposed to mean?" she asked, outraged. What was he suggesting?
Though, it wasn't exactly anything that Madeleine hadn't thought before. It was just somehow different for Levi to say it out loud.
It didn't confirm it.
It was just Levi...
... right?
Thankfully, she spotted Lee coming up the street.
It was Levi's turn to scowl. "Well, speak of the devil. I'll see you round."
She didn't answer him as he walked past her, but then walked towards Lee, smiling tiredly as she went to hug him. The annoyance at Levi was probably clear in her face - but she didn't care.
"Hey," she said tiredly, reaching up to hug him - at only five foot two, she had to stand on her toes at times. "Perfect timing."

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Lee was scum. Total, rotten, smelly, stupid, ugly scum. Concern had driven him to do it. But what right did he really have? He guessed he did make a good Spy; after all, he'd managed to follow her all the way to Hoodham Cross without her noticing. He'd gotten wet, because it was absolutely bucketing, but whenever he saw the little girl knock her down, she'd gotten a hell of a lot wetter. Then he got mad. That was big. Lee rarely got mad, but whenever he saw that girl treat his cousin like that...
Kira had gone down to Cardsdale to visit Deron again. Lee couldn't help his mingled curiosity and suspicion of Deron- after all, what had Chloe said? He was 'pretty cute'? Cute as in an adorable little puppy, awww, you're such a sweet friend, I just wanna' hug you way, or cute as in hot?
God... the dialect he picked up from Ellie...
His natural desire to protect his cousin was driving him insane. It tackled wildly with her right to lead her own life, rolling around in the mud of his mind until one knocked the other out. Except there was never any clear winner. It was one of those games that just seemed to go on forever. But whenever he'd followed Kira and saw... saw that, he was sure the battle was at its end.
Then he'd come out.
Something had stopped the brief rage that'd constricted Lee's throat, slowly ebbing it away. It had to be him- that guy, Deron. Yeah, it must be Deron. He could only see from a distance, so he couldn't make out any distuingishing features but... the way Deron had pulled her to her feet like that, and guided her inside so carefully despite the fact he could hear the little girl's angry tone...
She was safe. He half-hated it, but she was safe.
Glumly, he made his way back into the center of Cardsdale, the rain drying on his back now as the sun began to shine weakly through the clouds. Pulling off his coat, he shook it and looked up in time to catch sight of Madeleine and... Levi Ryder.
Talking. Why were they talking? Madeleine hated Levi. She always told him that.
So why would she take the time to stop and talk to him...?
Catching sight of Lee, Madeleine came up towards him, reaching up to hug him. "Hey," she said, sounding a little exhausted. "Perfect timing."
Lee didn't reply, his eyes narrowing as he watched Levi dawdling down the road. Letting go, she stepped back, smiling.
"Hi," Lee said slowly. "Um... what were you doing with Levi Ryder?"

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

"I got hijacked," Madeleine muttered, glancing at Levi's retreating back. "Trust me, I didn't have much choice in the matter. He only left because you were coming, so thank goodness you came before I punched him." She shuddered. "I have no idea what's with all the little appearances he's been making recently."
She stepped back, narrowing her eyes as she saw how wet he was. He'd clearly been out for a while. "So what have you been doing?"
He hadn't been with Chloe, had he? If he had, she'd kill her.
Well, not kill her. But hurt her badly enough so that things were broken.
She winced inwardly. Ugh, she hated this new possessive side of her. It wasn't a pretty thing for anyone to have to see, so she'd just have to count on keeping her temper in check.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Lee frowned at Madeleine for a few moments, mulling it over. Kira and Madeleine were friends after all- surely they would've discussed...?
"Have you ever met Deron?" he said, carefully keeping his tone light.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine frowned. "No, but I've asked to meet him. He sounds nice. Let me guess, she's meeting with him and you're worried?"
So that was why he looked annoyed. She'd admired this in him at first, his protectiveness of Kira... but shouldn't Kira be allowed to have her own life without Lee spying?
She glanced up at the sky, which was beginning to darken again. "Look, do you want to get some coffee and be inside before it rains again?"

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Lee shrugged half-heartedly, following her into the Square Coffee and Book Shop. A quaint little place; a haunt of happy couples and lonely old ladies. Oh, and Kira, because she was just like that.
Sitting down with a sigh, he massaged his temple, feeling a little tired. "Got hijacked? Why would he hijack you?" He was back to Levi. His mind was a mess.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine frowned at him, concerned. This jumping from subject to subject and tiredness wasn't like Lee at all.
"I don't know... are you alright?" she asked, reaching out for his hand.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

He squeezed her hand back in relief. Something normal, something else to focus on to make his head stop hurting.
"Not really," he admitted. "Kira went down to see Deron today and... I followed her."
Saying it out loud dropped him a little lower on the scale of scumliness. He felt like he was wilting away into nothingness- and good riddance.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine frowned. "Isn't that..."
She bit it off. She shouldn't be the one to tell Lee off. After all, if he got annoyed at her - he could go straight into the arms of Chloe, couldn't he?"
"What?" he asked.
She sighed. "Isn't that a little sneaky? I mean, it's Kira's life, and she's generally a good judge of character. Shouldn't you trust her a little more?"

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Of course he should. But it didn't stop him from drawing his hand from her's instantaneously.
"I just wanna' know more," he said sullenly.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

He'd taken his hand away.
Concealing her hurt and surprise, she said consolingly, "I know. It's nice that you want to protect her... she's tough enough to hold her own now. She's a big girl. And Deron's just a villager - Kira's not. Kira's special, to use their word. What could he do to her that she couldn't fight back against?"

[Kira & Lee Norris]

Lee didn't answer. This wasn't the point. There was so much Deron could do to her- couldn't Madeleine understand that...? She'd never once used her powers against him, but look what she could do to him with one look...
Take her hand again. Move back into the realms of sanity.
"A lot," he said simply, shrugging. "Sorry. I'm not feeling well."
Too right he wasn't. He hadn't slept properly all night.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

"She'll be fine," Madeleine said quietly. "He sounded really nice, from what she told me."
Actually, he sounded a lot like Lee when she'd described him, but she wasn't sure if that would cheer Lee up or not.
But say that Kira would be fine wasn't enough, she knew it wasn't. But honestly! Kira wasn't just a normal girl - she was gifted; and even more than that, she was Head. She could look after herself perfectly well.
But the last thing she needed right now was another argument for Levi to overhear.
"Do you want to change the subject?" she asked.

[Kira & Lee Norris]

No.
"Alright," he said heavily. "So... run this by me again... what was going on with you and Levi?"
That sounded really accusatory. He didn't mean it like that. Take it back.
Take it back.

[Madeleine Baudelaire&Russ Ford]

Madeleine felt a rush of anger at his tone. What was with that tone? It sounded like he was accusing her of something, though what, she didn't know. He knew that she hated Levi.
"Nothing was going on. He's been making all these appearances," she said slowly. "He was coming out of here and he saw me before I could hide. I don't know why he's being so friendly all of a sudden."