After Every Rain (Private to Darienne)

Dawn tugged on the reins of her pegasus, bringing it to a stop. The air was cool and crisp, and there were still dew drops clinging on stubbornly to the tips of the leaves. She was at the beginning of the path, her eyes scanning for one person in particular. The fields ahead of her were empty- It was admittedly quite early in the morning. The pegasus beneath her gave a small snort, before tossing its head in the direction of the path, wanting to continue.

"I know, but we're waiting for a friend," Dawn murmured absentmindedly, stroking the creature's neck with one hand. Her other rose to brush across her cheek, and a faint pink tinged them as she replayed his kiss over in her mind. It had been a simple one- Perhaps between friends, but she couldn't seem to stop thinking about it. It had only been what? A few days at most since that night, but she kind of missed him. I sound weird, Dawn mused as she shifted in the saddle, raising her eyes once more to scan her surroundings.

Sweat dripped down Nox's temple as he calmed himself down, hopping onto a Pegasus as white as Prince Charming's stallion. His siblings had held him back, and he was late for his meet up with Dawn. He'd been thinking about it since he'd asked her out. He still couldn't believe he had asked her out. Where did he pluck that courage from? Fighting wasn't all that big of a deal, girls were harder.

Of course, this was Dawn. She was different. It wasn't as though she was his gravity, or anything that dramatic. It was a quiet movement, that when he was with her, the bad parts of him seemed to shed, even just for that moment. He didn't know what made her so special. She wasn't the first child of Aurora he'd met, and she wasn't really spectacular. But she had an aura that drew him in, that swallowed him whole.

She was waiting, looking perfect, mounted on her equine. There had never been anyone so opposite, yet someone so right. Things were just off kilter that way. "I'm really sorry I'm late. I just... uh, never mind." The truth was, that he'd been teased about the fact he was actually going out, with a girl, no less. The cabin knew about the exploit with the camper of Cabin Ten, and that girls had been a sore spot ever since. Not anymore.

Never again.

Dawn shot up in her saddle as her eyes landed on a familiar figure astride a white pegasus. The girl waved one hand madly as she kept her other firmly on the reins of her own light yellow mount. "Nox!" She called excitedly, although he had already seen her. Giving the reins a light flick the pegasus beneath her took a few steps forward so they could meet Nox halfway. "It's okay," Dawn murmured happily, a flush of excitement on her cheeks. "As long as you're here." She tilted her head in the direction of the path before them, "This way?" Dawn asked, just to make sure. "If you feel up to it we can take off from the clearing- You are feeling better, right??

How could I forget? Dawn almost smacked her own head. It had only been a few days since that incident in the forest (and the kiss), and he was most likely still recovering. "I'm sorry! I forgot you were injured- but if you want to do something else that's fine." She looked nervously at Nox, chewing on her lower lip. What if this was hurting him?

Dawn's cheeks were brushed over with pink, delirious excitement taking her over. She gestured forward, assuring that was the direction he wanted to go. He nodded easily- the only way was forward, well, unless they went up. Then she asked him if he felt all right.

Now that was funny story. If he was a mortal, he'd probably have had to stay in a hospital for the next month or so (Of course, had he been mortal, he'd never have encountered that freaky monster, anyway). But as a demigod with access to a limited amount of ambrosia and nectar, Nox had already been back on the field the day after the incident. That wasn't to say his joints didn't ache constantly, and he had a horrible backache from time to time, but most-if not all- his cuts wee closed and bruises had faded away. It was good progress. He was definitely up to pegasi riding- particularly if that's what Dawn wanted to do.

He waved his hand dismissively, as she began apologising, having a minor freak out. Admittedly, it was adorable to see her frazzled like that, though he figured that wasn't the right thing to say. Dawn bit her lower lip, and Nox had a sharp intake of air. Biting one's lip may seem like an innocent gesture, especially if you're as closed off as Dawn, but he knew that it was, in fact, a rather seductive action. Well, perhaps not all the time. It was likely due to the fact he already liked her.

[color=darkblue]"I'm feeling up to anything, sunshine," he chuckled. His pegasus trotted forward, neighing softly, as if asking his friend to come along. Similarly, Nox grinned playfully at the daughter of Aurora, inviting her to come toward him. It seemed to imply more than that, somehow. However, it didn't really. He respected her boundaries. He had his own too. He wasn't a fan of trust usually, relationships were taboo to him.

Hearing his response, Dawn smiled hesitantly before giving the reins a light flick. [color=yellow]"Okay then, but if you feel pain, just tell me and we'll stop." He seemed fine at the first glance, but Dawn knew better. He got slammed into a tree, tossed around like some rag doll. How was he fine? Maybe Dawn underestimated the power of ambrosia and nectar- or the body's ability to heal itself. Either way, she would keep an eye on him.

It was peaceful here, out on the trails. Faint rays of sunlight seeped in between the canopy of the trees overhead, and somewhere in the distance she could hear a bird twittering. Her gentle smile only widened when her eyes stopped admiring the scenery and landed on the back profile of the boy in front of her. The light seemed to bend away from him, keeping a faint line of shadows over his form. Dawn couldn't seem to tear her eyes away- Years of training had left that boy with no sign of flabbiness at all. Instead, they bestowed upon him a lean but undeniably defined form. He wasn't bulky like some of the other campers- particularly the children of Ares, but he didn't have that awkward lanky look either. He was just.. in between, and that suited him.

Woah. Where are all these thoughts coming from? Dawn halted her thoughts abruptly as she blushed with mortification. What had she been doing? She had never looked at another boy like... that. Whatever that was. Her eyes slid towards the ground, but the smile never left her lips. Silently she prayed that Nox wouldn't choose that moment to look behind. What would he think if he saw her blushing to herself with no apparent reason at all? That would be so embarrassing. There was a few moments of silence between them, but it wasn't awkward. It was just.. quiet. There was no need for words to be spoken, but a few sentences wouldn't hurt.

"It's nice out here, especially after a rain." Dawn murmured quietly, afraid she would disturb the peacefulness of the path if she spoke too loud. One could see the signs of a rain clinging over the wildlife- The shimmer over the trunks of the trees, the pearly dewdrops that dangled overhead, and the fresh smell of grass that lingered in the air. Beautiful. "Maybe if we're lucky, we can see a rainbow." Her eyes brightened at the thought. People here seemed to be used to rainbows, but even after two years, Dawn couldn't help but appreciate every rainbow she saw. Back in rainy old England, it rained quite constantly and the skies would still remain after words, reluctant to relinquish their hold on the skies. She hardly ever saw a rainbow then.

The two demigods travelled down the path in a silence that spoke meaning. It was a small thing, but it wasn't with just anyone that you could have a comfortable silence. As a recluse, human interaction was not his favourite activity. He enjoyed the peace of silence, unless he began thinking of things that he'd rather stray from. Dawn was to his right, looking around the place, eyes taking in the world, as if it were all new to her. She had an innocence that he'd lost years ago. Watching your father die in front of you tends to leave an impact on you.

It here that he'd had a date with the Aphrodite girl. She was older than him, and gorgeous. He would never have expected her to choose him, but she did. And he loved her. He'd fallen in love and hit the ground. It was only later he figured their entire relationship was merely a game to her. Probably something like- 'Get A Boy From Every Cabin To Fall For You', or some other twisted game the children of Aphrodite play. In his opinion, they were more dangerous that the children of Ares. That was just physical. The Love Goddess' kids weaves their way into your heart and mind.

Dawn chose that moment to pipe up about the weather and its humidity, for which Nox was thankful. He tried not to think about the other girl, but it proved an impossible task. He nodded, listening intently to her remarks. It was true. The world had a new sense of beauty after a storm. The smell of rain was refreshing, although some would argue that rain didn't have a scent. They missed out. He loved the smell so much he wished someone would bottle it. Grass was another smell he wanted bottled.

She mentioned seeing a rainbow, which Nox tried not to think about. They were her favourite thing to see- the only thing more beautiful than she. He didn't know why, but the closer he got to Dawn, the more she'd appear in his mind, the more he'd dissect what they had. And inevitably, the more he'd miss what she'd given him. "Yeah, maybe," he mumbled.

At long last, the pair arrived at the clearing, and Nox caught sight of a squirrel scampering out their path. A couple of birds flew out of the trees, their silhouettes against the white clouds. He craned his neck up, squinting to avoid the glare of the sun which was creeping out from under a cloud.

Visibility would get worse as the travelled too high, especially since it had just rained, so the two would need to stay nearer the ground. Despite his thoughts and tendencies to hold back, he hoped, for Dawn's sake, that they'd be able to fly into a rainbow.

.:Dawn Morgan:.

Dawn smiled as they reached the clearing, her eyes roving over the dew sprinkled grass and the small animals that had turned and fled upon their approach. One squirrel in particular caught her eye. It was a tiny feisty thing- chasing after it's friend to regain a nut that had been stolen from it. "Sorry, just a moment." Dawn whispered happily, dismounting from her horse to step onto the cool ground. She was wearing sandals today, so she could feel the blades of grass brushing across the sides of her feet. It was a pleasant sensation. Without hesitation, she ran towards the middle of the meadow where the light was brightest.

Dawn trailed her fingers across the gentle streams of light, watching them bend and twine around her fingers. Quickly- aware that Nox was watching, the child of Aurora completed her morning habit of gathering the few strands of light to keep in her vial. "I do this every morning," Dawn stated randomly, tilting her head back towards her friend to let him know she was speaking to him and not to herself like some crazy person. Once her vial had been stoppered, the girl turned gracefully and headed back towards her pegasus, mounting it carefully. She might have stopped to pick some of the pretty wildflowers, but she doubted the children of Persephone or Demeter would have approved.

Admittedly, though she was fairly okay with the riding part, Dawn sucked at getting on. Normal horses were already big towards her, but pegasi were bigger. Earlier this morning, in the cover of the stables, Dawn had had the help of a box to mount the pegasus, but now she had nothing. Hesitantly, she placed one foot in the stirrup and pushed off with her other with both hands clutching the saddle. One heave brought her upper torso onto the saddle, another sent her falling over the other side with a squeal. Dawn winced as she hit the ground, and opened her eyes. "Oopsies?" she said, embarrassed.

She wasn't hurt, the grass had cushioned her. Dawn got up and brushed bits of grass and dirt off her clothes. Second try. It would have occurred to her to ask Nox for help, but she was too embarrassed to. Finally, this time she managed to get on. "Up or onwards?" Dawn (tried) to ask nonchalantly as if she hadn't lost half her dignity falling from a pegasus. Personally, she would have loved to go up. It was up to Nox though, because he was the one that had asked her if she wanted to meet. When some of her cabin mates (They really weren't her siblings) found out, they had somewhat gave her incredulous or appraising and sly looks. What did they mean? Puzzled, Dawn shook her head as she waited for Nox to decide.

She wasn't completely oblivious to her own feelings though. Why do I feel so.. normal with Nox? It was as if she had forgotten about her MIA father, or her lack of attractiveness as some of the Aphrodite children had put it. She was just a normal demigod- a normal girl. And then, the feelings I feel around him. Worry, happiness, confusion. They all mingled around in her heart in one big happy pot of emotional stew. Mm, stew. She might have that for breakfast today. I wonder what Nox eats for breakfast? At that moment, Dawn could have mentally slapped herself. And she did. I sound like a creeper!

The thing she did with the lights was no short of fascinating. She weaved light, the rays that were pure and good. He manipulated shadows, to hide, to shroud. Children of Nyx were dark creatures, much like the ones of Hades. They thrived in darker corners where attention was not given, where slipping away was easiest. Dawn, however, was the brightest star he'd ever known. It wasn't how she looked, it was what she did, the things she said. For once in a long time, like a dream within a dream, someone looked at him like there was hope for him yet. Good 'ole Chiron was the only other, but it was practically in the job description, so he didn't count so much in Nox's book.

She tried to get back on her steed, but failed, falling onto the ground. He dismounted, eager to help, but she seemed too embarrassed to notice. Instead, he climbed back onto the pegasus, and waited for Dawn. Once she was settled, he acted as if nothing was ever amiss, and treated the situation with tact. She was grinning faintly, a dazed expression on her face, with no reason to be alert. He tapped her gently to get her attention.

"Up sounds great. Ready?" he asked, excitement rising in his tone, as it quickly became lighthearted and jovial. Sounding upbeat was a chore Nox often needed to complete, but it wasn't like that with Dawn. One just couldn't help but be so happy when they were around her. She was so joyful, that it was infectious. You couldn't avoid it, really. The atmosphere around her was always impossibly happy. It'd gnawed at him initially. He was used to his dark recess. But he got accustomed to her too, until it wasn't quite so tedious anymore. And then he began to enjoy her presence.

He raced into the air, feeling damp as his pegasus flew into a fluffy cloud. He laughed it off, knowing Dawn would be giggling at his action. That angelic noise that came from her lips- like silver bells at Christmas. He hated how lovesick he was, actually. It was completely uncharacteristic of him. He was typically one of those hard people with an ever tougher shell. Caving in, going out with girls like Dawn, that wasn't usually him. Yet she had somehow extricated a part of the old him that had magically remained, that now rose to the surface, after being buried for years.

Still, he tried to brush of the intense emotions he felt. He was constantly protective over her, and when he touched her, he never wanted to let go. He wished each second they spent together would last an eternity. But he tried to lie to himself, saying that she wasn't as important to him as she could be. He was afraid of what would happen.

Sure, she was no daughter or Aphrodite. She was a girl all the same. She could hurt him as it was. It was worse now. He'd handed her the knife on a silver platter. All she had to do was plunge it in. She only had to crush him heart beneath a heartless sole.

.:Dawn Morgan:.

Dawn beamed as he chose to go up, and her smile grew even wider when she noticed that he actually looked excited for once. She hadn't seen him smile much, but now when he did... Wow. The girl couldn't help but admire the way the corners of his eyes crinkled slightly, and how a spark seemed to dance in his eyes. "Up it is then," Dawn breathed, giving the reins a flick.

And she was flying.

Not really, no, but the sensation was close to it. Fingers of wind ran through her brown hair, tugging them behind her in one whipping curtain. The wings of the pegasus pushed them on upwards with powerful sure strokes. A giddy laugh slipped out from between her parted lips as she leaned back slightly, feeling the cool air rush against her face. She couldn't help it, the feeling was so exhilarating, so wonderful. In front of her, Nox shot through a big fluffy cloud on his pegasus- intentionally or not, she didn't know. A light nudge with her foot and she was suddenly hurtling forward after Nox, the pegasus neighing happily.

"Race you to the cloud that looks like a puppy!" Dawn called, knowing full well that there was no such cloud. But Nox didn't need to know that. As she leaned forward, she could feel the heartbeat of the pegasus, slow and steady beneath her. Thump, thump. Then they broke through the cloud over, entering a seemingly parallel land of cloudless blue skies and dancing winds. Below her was an expanse of cloudy mountains and valleys, and through it- the faint colors and outlines of a camp that now seemed distant. "I didn't even realize I went so high up." Dawn breathed, taking in the sight around her.

And oh, the sunrise, the dawn!

The sky in front of her was a stunning palette of morning hues and shades, painted by an artists loving hands. It was the one masterpiece she couldn't create. You can't recreate perfection. If only she could. One day, Dawn vowed, I'll paint something like this.

Then she realized she had left Nox behind. Whoops. The girl tugged on the reins and brought the pegasus down by a few feet or so, putting her slightly below the cloud cover. "Hi," Dawn called, "You have got to see this!" She beckoned with a finger before disappearing above the cover. This land, a beautiful product of imagination and clouds was one sight she would not forget, and she wanted to share it with Nox.

Dawn sped away, racing him to a cloud that looked like a dog. He glanced around, but couldn't find one. Then again, he couldn't really tell one cloud from the next. In his eyes, they were all just a bunch of fluffy white masses. Cloud watching wasn't his thing, since as a night person, all one can see are the stars. Now those, he was able to differentiate. From the Big Dipper to Leo, constellations were his field. He sighed, but not tiredly. He was sort of laughing at how much energy she possessed. Of course, she was a child of the dawn. They lived on the opposite spectrums. He couldn't fathom how they fit so well together.

He tugged on the reins, and the pegasus shot forward. Dawn had disappeared into a canopy of clouds. He imagined that beyond that, there wouldn't be many more. The sky would be clear. He tossed his head back, feeling the rush, the wind in his hair, tousled into a messy mop on his head. He loved that exhilaration from speeding through the sky. Only here did he feel free; free from his past, free from being a demigod, free from monsters, free from everything. He felt unbound to the earth below him.

Dawn reappeared, signalling him to follow her. He couldn't quite hear her with the distance between them, but he figured she was telling him to go after her. Nox chased the girl up over the canopy, where they were left staring at the sun peeking above the horizon. In front of him was a splash of colours. Aurora spared no expense. Purples, reds and oranges painted across the once blue sky. In the middle, the sun rose steadily. Below them, Nox faintly saw through the clouds to make out bright colours of camp.

"It's breathtaking," he remarked, breath having been knocked out of him. He guided his pegasus setting it as close to Dawn as possible. "But even this can't compare to you."

Physical beauty wasn't Dawn's highlight. It was inner strength, it was everything else. He didn't care how she looked, how she fit into her clothes. He loved the sound of her voice, he adored each word she uttered. He liked the way she was so petite, so tiny with him. No one could replace her, nobody could, or would, do the things she did, to care, to open him up. Flashes of the past flooded his mind quickly, from his father's cold body, to the girl to whom he'd pledged his heart and had torn it to bits.

Now, because of this girl, he was no longer the same man. He'd learnt to open up again. "We ought to do this again," he said. Honestly, it didn't matter where they went. Everything around them, even this beautiful scene before his eyes, was second to the masterpiece of a girl seated in front of him. He knew he'd fallen fast. He didn't love her. At the moment, he appreciated her. Yet, whenever she was near, he experienced the worst case frisson, feeling warm and cold all over. He knew she was different, but somehow, she'd managed to weave her way into his mind. And he liked her, a lot. Too much, for comfort.

But he just couldn't find it within himself to hold back.

.:Dawn Morgan:.

Dawn gave Nox a small smile as he joined her. Her eyes flickering between the scenery and the boy beside her. He said something, and Dawn heard it- it all but made her heart stop. Does he mean it? Or is it all a joke to him? Hearing the words from him gave her a warm fuzzy feeling inside, but it wasn't enough to eradicate the small seed of doubt within her. Dawn had been at the receiving end of several pranks or bets before- sometimes innocent, sometimes not. Still, out of all the jokes, this would by far be the worst. It's Nox, he wouldn't do anything like that. Besides, not all boys are the same.

Hesitantly, Dawn tilted her face towards him. "I'm not that special." She said shyly. "But thank you." The girl cleared her throat softly, not sure what was the appropriate response to a situation such as this. Minutes passed, and she stayed silent.

Rays of light weaved around them, and around him. Dawn could see how the streams bent and curved, following the contours of Nox. They stayed close, but they didn't touch him. This isn't where he's born to be. Nox was a child of the night, and she was a child of the dawn. But then again, the darkest night always precedes the dawn. "Next time, you should show me the night." Dawn was aware that her choice of words were odd, but they held a meaning to her. Before Nox, night was just the absence of light, her weakest hours.

Nox made the night special, it was his Hours. It would be like seeing a lion in the savanna, as compared to the zoo. It would be something to see the night with him. "You can pick," Dawn murmured, smiling slightly. Tucking a few strands of hair behind her ear, the girl leaned forward on one shoulder, effectively tilting herself towards him. Out of curiosity, Dawn grasped a strand of light, and flicked it towards his arm. She watched fascinated as it drifted closer to his skin, but shied away just a centimeter shy. Was that a natural thing, or was he doing it on purpose? What could he do anyway?

There's very little I know about him, Dawn realized, sitting straight up with a jolt. I sure make a bad friend. "Hey Nox?" She poked his shoulder with a finger, "Tell me something about you."

Nox hated the way Dawn couldn't love herself. I'm not special? Rubbish. Complete and utter trash. She was special; spectacular; amazing. She was so high up there that he didn't even have enough adjectives to describe her magnitude. Then again, this partly was the reason he liked her to ardently. An Aphrodite girl would've expected that comment, and demanded it had it not been bestowed. Not Dawn, though. She was shy, not flamboyant.

He saw the way she was transfixed by the way light curved around him. When he was younger, he learnt that light travelled in straight lines. He supposed that was true, usually. But he wasn't the status quo. Light bent to avoid him. It had always bothered him, because it made him feel abnormal. It was hereditary, actually. His siblings had the same problem. Over more, the lines were blurred beyond camp. The Mist did its job to disguise him as human.

He was pleasantly surprised at Dawn's suggestion. It was obviously a lot easier to avoid the night than the day, and she'd likely done just that. Now, she was willing to step out of her comfort zone, to be in his. He supposed it was possible that she felt guilty, maybe? After all, he was here, watching the sun rise above the horizon. Still, he was determined to show her the beauty of the night. He particularly liked the Witching Hour. It was the time just before dawn. Then, he was strongest, he felt invincible. He drew power in the night's element. But he'd probably something with a less sinister name. "Yeah, that sounds great," he replied.

He grinned as she tried to experiment the laws of light around children of Nyx. The ray got close, nearly brushing the surface of his skin. It didn't, however, touch him. He attempted allowing the light near him, to break down that shadow wall. He couldn't. He just wasn't meant to mix with light. Was he meant to mix with Dawn? She was morning, as he was night. Opposites attracted- but did they stay? Suddenly, he felt like a freak. The reason light couldn't touch was because shadows were attracted to him. He had a dark aura that surrounded him literally. How could she, so bright and innocent ever accept him?

Dawn requested for a piece of information. He tried to distract himself. Thing was, he didn't know what to say. He hadn't led a life that he wanted to talk about. He wasn't a very interesting person. "My aunt dropped me into the foster care system after less than a year because I couldn't fit in her family. I was eight," he told her. He disliked talking about himself, because there was nothing good to talk about. The only real thing in his life, the only one that mattered, was his father's gruesome murder. He still got nightmares about it. He thought about the old photograph of his once happy family hidden among his things in his cabin. Enough of him. "What about you?" he asked.

The pegasi neighed, tired. That was just as well. Nox could use some time to stretch out, and rest himself from sitting on a pegasi.

.:Dawn Morgan:.

Dawn smiled, pleasantly surprised. She didn't think Nox would agree. "If it's not too much trouble, and if you want to, that is." She murmured, tucking a piece of hair behind her ear. She didn't want to trouble him, or impose. What if Nox didn't want to, and was only agreeing to get her off his back? Her eyes slid down to the saddle, staring unseeingly at her hands. Don't think like that, Dawn chided herself mentally, You're just being paranoid. Again.

"That's..." What do I say to something like that? Imagine being dumped into some strange home, and actually knowing it's because you act different. Dawn shook her head sadly, rubbing the reins absentmindedly with her fingers. Would I know what it feels like? Her father... Had left her for his work, and not because of the annoyance of having a child tagging after him. No, but he loved me. No matter how much she tried to tell herself that, there was still that small seed of doubt that remained firmly rooted in her. ".. Not very nice of your aunt." Really Dawn? The look on his face- distant and remembering, told her he didn't want to talk about it now. She should drop it. Thankfully, she didn't have to find some topic changer, for he had already asked her a question.

"I think I.. forgot how my dad looked like." Dawn blurted out guiltily. It didn't seem possible, considering that it had only been two years. Two years of learning about myths, finding out they were real. Two years of finding her strengths, her weaknesses. And finding Nox. The memories altogether, both good and bad, were colored brightly in her mind; They made the memories of her life before seem faded and antique, like a photograph stored away for a few decades. She had a faint impression of the man she called her father, but she couldn't imagine how he looked like now. "That sounds terrible, it is." She said sadly. Why did I tell him that?

A neigh from the pegasi signaled it was time to return to land, and Dawn obliged with a light tug on the reins. If the ride up was exhilarating, the path down was heartstopping. Her pegasus shot down towards the clearing, sending her heart into her throat and the wind tearing through her hair. Green field loomed up before her eyes before their descent slowed drastically, followed by a gentle landing onto the grass. Dawn didn't waste any time in jumping lithely from her horse onto the ground, stretching in satisfaction. It was fun being on a pegasus, but sitting on one for too long really gave you the cramps. As she waited for Nox to land, her eyes landed on a curious thing. A rock- half hidden in overgrown foliage, half exposed to the sunlight. In the middle, where light and dark met, the shadows mingled freely and alongside the patches of light. I wonder...

"Let me try something," Dawn instructed, excitedly grabbing a ray of light and wrapping it around her hand. The light felt cool, unexpectedly, on her hand and sent small tingles running up her arm. Once Nox was safely on the ground, Dawn reached out and grabbed his hand. The light that coated her fingers didn't shy away from his skin but seemed to reach out and intertwine with the shadows, creating a fusion of the two on the skin where their skin met. Thrilled with her find, for no reason at all, Dawn flashed Nox a bright smile.

Then she got distracted.

The slight warmth emanating from his palm seeped through the cool cover of light, the gentle contrast between the two felt pleasant, and Dawn didn't want to let go.

"Your only friend, you mean," Dawn joked lightly, bumping her shoulder lightly against his arm. As she did so, she looked down again to see their joined hands, and a sudden figurative warmth emanated from within her. The girl couldn't exactly pin down what it was that she was feeling, but she liked- no, loved it nonetheless. Dawn didn't want this feeling to fade. This feeling that preoccupied her thoughts, that made her smile whenever she thought of him.

Dawn wasn't completely oblivious, but she had an inkling of what this could be- would be if one of them dared to take the step, to boldly take the initiative. Her fingers tightened ever so gently around his, and she looked right up at him, wondering what to say. Words stuck in her throat, and no matter how hard she tried, she couldn't get them out.

"I really like you, Dawn."

A hushed intake of breath, barely louder than the rustle of a leaf in the wind, sounded from her lips. A minute widening of the eyes. Her vision blurred for a moment and Dawn panicked, rubbing her eyes furiously with the back of her free hand. "I don't know why I'm going to cry. Just pretend you didn't see that." And just like that, the odd pressure in the air dissipated, filled only by an awkward tension of sorts. The girl mentally smacked herself, wondering why she got herself into these situations. Say something, Dawn! Don't be a nitwit!

"You were scary at first- when we met at the infirmary," Oh gods, where am I going with this? "Because you spoke of weird stuff and had weird facial expressions- oh no, not that you have them now! Then we met at the forest and there was that big random monster that hurt you, I'm still so sorry about that by the way! And then I got so worried about you, but you didn't want me to worry about you. So maybe it was then that I realized that just maaaybe, you were this giant teddy bear inside. Oh gods! What am I saying? Please don't be mad at me for that! And then we kissed accidentally, and I was so confused, because I didn't know whether it meant anything or not. I didn't want to say anything in case it really was nothing, then you said that just now so now I have to say all these too because then it'll be fair." Dawn rambled aimlessly, her eyes darting nervously from place to place. The tone of her voice varied from high squeaks of mortification to the whispers of confession. By the end, her cheeks were a bright red, and she didn't want to look at Nox for fear of what his reaction would be like. Then she summoned one large bout of courage and looked him in the eye.

"So I guess that what I'm really trying to say is... I really like you too.