Greatwater Lake A silent heart ticking under the ground

Wanna fade this'un soon, since we have a new one? :)

Although her answer put him at ease, it also disappointed him somehow, as if... as if he'd hoped she would take his confession and throw herself at him or something. Peregrine felt his heart skip a beat as the maddeningly delicious thought drifted through his head, then his stomach clenched guiltily. Man, if he stood here much longer, he wasn't sure what might happen. Despite everything he'd said, their chemistry was beginning to take on an overpoweringly compelling nature, at least on his end. If he hung around, he'd find himself drawn against her like scrap metal to a magnet.

Trying to think of a way to excuse himself without being rude or ridiculously obvious about it, Peregrine plumbed his head for something to say and the strangest thing popped out. "A pretty and powerful girl like you... I'm sure you have a thousand more suitable suitors anyway, am I right?" Even as the words left his mouth, Peregrine inwardly cringed. He was probably dead on the money but he really didn't want to think or talk about it. Jeez, what a totally counterproductive and asinine thing to say... though at least it checked the friend zone box pretty hard, didn't it?