Hushed Willows You Won't Leave the Table, She Won't Leave Your Mind

Dante was okay. Good, even. He had explored the territory thoroughly, snuffled through soft, mossy grounds and tangled himself in willow branches, met another of his packmates, done some light bug-hunting. He was good. There was just- one thing. 

He had someone on his mind.

It felt stupid, really, how quickly he had found himself missing her presence. It wasn't anything too intense, not like he was- not like he was lovesick or anything, ha. He just...kinda wanted to hear @Lumiya 's  voice again. The little rushes of exhilaration he had felt talking to the wisp had been unmatched by any experience he had had in a long fucking time. It felt breezy, and sweet, and had made the young boy feel like he was finally perhaps making connections on his own terms. It didn't hurt that the world seemed to dance around the girl just a bit, making her seem like the focal point of it all. She was just...

Intruiging. 

And that was why Dante was now- after a half hour of getting his snout covered in dirt and his tongue covered with all sorts of unpleasant leaves in his search- carrying around a little bundle of plants. Fucking plants- god he was such an idiot, why would she want plants? He should've hunted or something, but he had just needed to see her as soon as possible and it felt weird searching her out empty-(pawed?). So now Dante had a sad little bouquet of willow fronds(stupid- gods there were literally willows everywhere she wouldn't want willows), wilted dandelions, and some other sad little leafy plants that he couldn't identify. The only thing he could sort of be proud of was the singular bright red, leafy flower thing he had managed to tentatively pluck and add to his little collection. 

Now, Dante was headed towards the scent trail he had picked up (easily having identified Lumiya's breezy scent through his intentional memorization of it during their last meeting), feeling increasingly stupid with each and every step he took. As the silvery boy moved forward over the ground, he suddenly felt a building heat of anxiety under his pelt, tail twitching with nervous energy. Just as he was nearing what hebelieved to be Lumiya's location, the boy stopped in his tracks, shutting his eyes and plopping to the ground in a seated position, bundle still safely in his jaws. Gods this was so idiotic, there was absolutely no way he was taking a step further until he seriously rethought his plan through. For the moment the boy remained, eyes closed carefully shut and tail thumping nervously on the ground as he sat stock-still with a pathetic bouquet in his jaws. Damned pretty wolves. Damned pretty wolves with silky voices. Damn.

This is the banner thingy for Herbalist's Fall btw! For inspo

She'd be lying if she said she hadn't thought about the mouse as often as she thought about her duties. Though she told herself the handsome boy probably hadn't been flirting with her, that she shouldn't get attached to his presence before he left to find the destiny he sought, she couldn't help but daydream. Sometimes she replayed their meeting in her head, adding starlight and moonbeams wherever she saw fit, the moments fluttering around in her head like herself on sunny mornings. She'd never had a love interest before - no boyfriend or husband or - as her mother had told her about - been betrothed to someone at a young age. She'd been far too odd for a marriage that would benefit their infamous bloodline, she could never make a man happy the way she was supposed to, they told her.

That was mostly why she'd never dared and tried to conjure up a relationship before. Not that she had had many opportunities to do so. The male faeries they had weren't exactly her type; perhaps the adorable Fionn could have been a match, if he wasn't head over heels for the pretty Deidra nor been such a druggie. The women on the other hand... but no, she couldn't possibly! The thought was conflicting with what she'd been taught at "home"; that women were there for the pleasure of men, to stand by them and strengthen their bloodline. That's what her mother thought, anyway. She didn't believe it, not really, but it still made her feel conflicted about the feelings she had had for the beautiful siren she'd met on her travels, before the founding of the court.

She was sitting at what would soon be known as Herbalist's Fall, brushing her coat and enjoying the sound of the water. The place was beautiful; from the top of the mountain ran a stream, all the way down and eventually falling in a small lake. The water was fresh and allowed for fish, herbs and flowers. Even the rocks were green of life, and the chatter of birds could be heard as they sought out the spring berries. Perhaps in summer they would turn even more vocal, as it allowed for more berries.

It was then that the songs were interrupted by some kind of thumping. Her ears flicked around, and her head soon followed. Dante? She called when she spotted a familiar mousy coat. He was hidden by the curtain of willow branches for the most part, but she'd seen him so many times in her daydreams that it was hard to mistake it for someone else.

The  yearling was quickly pulled from his momentary bout of doubt and stillness by a melodic sound drifitng over him, his eyes quickly blinking open in search of the source. He quickly found what he was looking for, much to his distress, not too far past the willows draping their arms in front of him. "Loo-mah-ah, 'eh" He called in return, mortified when he realized he was being muffled by the plants in his mouth. He sucked in a quick breath around the leafy bundle before lifting to his paws and softly trotted forwards, passing through the curtain of willows that had obstructed his view of the young woman until that moment. His eyes scanned their gorgeous surroundings, taking in the near-overwhelming feeling of vibrant life that surrounded them, before they finally settled on what he had come for. 

The boy's eyes fluttered for a moment as he looked on at the vision that was before him. There, perched upon the bank of the stream, was Lumiya in all of her silvery glory. Though birdsong echoed around him, Dante felt as though he had gone momentarily deaf, all sounds muted to a dull buzz as he focused upon the wolf in front of him. Woah. He blinked hard to bring himself back to real life, his ears flicking rapidly for a brief moment. "Heh," He mumbled softly before realizing his words were still being distorted by his gift, spitting it out at his feet and attempting to get the leaves off his tongue. "Hey," he said againgiving an only slightly self-detrimental laugh through it, his eyes pinching closed and the skin upon his browbone furrowing softly as he took in his own hilarity. Gods, he really couldn't seem to get himself together around the girl. 

Dante's eyes opened once again, his gaze meeting hers as he gave a soft, fond smile. "I ehm, I was just a bit lonely, figured I'd come say hello, so...hello" He couldn't stop his grin from spreading wider across his face as he finished up his sentence with a soft giggle, unafraid of acknowledging just how silly he must have sounded. He sniffed and looked down at the ground, clearing his throat before he looked back up at the girl, hoping she would give him a pass on his slightly embarrasing entrance.

A muffled voice called in return, somewhat resembling the sound of her name. What was that silly goose up to now? She turned her upper body, lifting one silver paw as she tried to get a closer look from where she sat. Indeed it was Dante, making his way through the curtain carefully, carrying something she couldn't quite make out. It had lush greens and softer reds - was it supposed to be some kind of bouquet? A decorated meal? She kept quiet on voicing her suspicions, waiting instead until the boy was close by. He, too, seemed enchanted by this place.

He dropped his mess of green on the floor, and Lumi's eyes followed it. A brow raised in question, looking back up at him. Still, a smile crept on her face and he was bound to get a chuckle out of her. Well, hello. Laughter crept into her voice, but she turned serious again right after. Haven't the other faeries found you yet? She asked, slightly concerned. She was awfully sure they'd come check out who the queen had dragged inside without notice. There was still much to do to get Dante integrated into court life, if he wanted to of course, but was everyone truly waiting for some initiation?

Dante's body lit up with a quiet buzz of pride as the girl laughed, his nose scrunching slightly to quell the wide grin bubbling inside of him. He toyed with the bouquet at his paws a bit before glancing back up at her. Her quick mood change had the young boy's eyes fluttering, blinking wide open at her, intently listening to her concerns. "No, no- I mean, no- yes they have spoken to me, yeah I met ehm- Deidra, she's lovely, really, I guess I just wanted you- I mean..." The boy took a short, deep breath in, stopping his useless sputtering and caliming his nerves. "Yes, I met another faerie, everyone's very welcoming. I just uhm, I think I wanted to hear your voice. S'very leaderlike, y'know? Very reassuring," he chuckled into his final words, trying to play off his silly addmission with a joke. His eyes fluttered to their surroundings once again, and he found himself fixating a bit on the bubbling stream that ran, dancing softly yet profoundly. Lumiya's voice was a bit like that.
   
 He pulled his attention back to the girl, snapping out of his daydreaming and studying her distinct features for a moment before posing another question, "How's everything going with that leader stuff by the way? Can't be easy. S'a lot of pressure to put on yourself, starting a pack all on your own," Dante's head cocked to the side as he spoke, his ears twitching softly at the few gnats that droned lowly to his side. He smiled softly, hoping he wasn't overstepping with his questions and trying to make his amiable intentions a bit more clear.

He explained not what he had been carrying, merely poked at it with a lonely paw. The fae decided to take initiative, lowering her head to get a closer look. The reds she'd spotted was a beautiful flower. She sniffed at it softly, but something other than its scent entered her nostrils and she pulled back suddenly, cross-eyed and mouth slightly agape. She had just enough time to turn her head so she wouldn't sneeze in Dante's direction, but the trumpet was blown soon after. Blood rushed to her cheeks, eyes seeking Dante with an embarrassed smile.

She let out a soft sigh of relief when he mentioned meeting Deidra despite her concerns. He called her lovely, something she got unexpectedly jealous of, but this wasn't noticeable. He stumbled over his words as he always did, something she found rather endearing as someone who's habit it was to speak proper and whole sentences. It was a fragment of her mother that had found a way inside her soul, something she probably couldn't and wouldn't get rid of. My voice hmm? I was always told I was too soft spoken as a child. She reacted quietly. But I'm glad it made you seek me out again — I like being with you. She admitted with a smile so wide it her close her eyes for a little while.

He pulled her back into reality then, and she went back to pruning her tail. She hadn't been nervous about it at first, but Aoibh saw to it personally that she would begin to doubt every step she took as a leader. She knew she was fit for the role, knew that she wanted only the best for her own little piece of heaven — but what would the others think? It's going just fine — well, even. Everyone's really helpful, and with you here and Memory, we've grown quite a bit. She answered truthfully. This didn't make her less nervous though - even if they'd be able to become official, how long would it last? Was she fated to fail?

Dante's eyes widened at a comical rate as the silvery woman bent down to fetch the collection of plants he had nearly forgotten about in his Lumiya-induced trance. His shoulders tensed with embarassment and he quickly rushed to explain himself. "Oh, sorry! I forgot, yeah I um, I thought you might-" Dante was interrupted by a swift sneeze from the girl, prompting a soft giggle to bubble up from his throat as he looked on. "Flowers," he managed to chuckle out, basking in the soft moment that stretched out between them. 

He listened carefully to her statement in response to the prior comment on her voice, suddenly intensely curious about Lumiya's upbringing. Dante had found that, while Lumiya was not neccesarily a loud wolf, her manner of speaking was incredibly straightforward, her communication always crisply clear. She was quite unsimilar to Dante in that way; the boy had been teased since his youth over the rambling deliveries he had been known to give often, though in truly serious conversation he could easily keep himself on track. His train of thought was broken by her next sentence, his bright eyes searching the girls face for her intent as a grin broke across his mouth in response to her wide smile. Gods he was hopelessly endeared. She liked being with him, huh? Dante was way too fucking pleased with himself. Though he tried to think of something to say in return- a quick-witted quip, perhaps- the yearling found he didn't have it in himself to ruin the exchange by cheapening it. 

Dante watched her expression mold into something more contemplative; he could see the gears ticking in her mind as she pondered the question for a brief moment. How he wished he could see inside, understand every thought the girl had, peer right into her mind. Dante had often found himself wondering such things about those around and close to him, he had always had a certain fascination with the way each individual thought, how emotions influenced every decision they made. It was a more inquisitive part of himself that he didn't generally allow to surface freely, exhausting as it was. Luckily Lumiya was somewhat forward with him, as she had been in their conversations so far.  "You're doing brilliantly, honestly. I can't imagine myself ever being able to pull something like this off, but it seems like you've got some sort of a knack for it, yeah?"He offered a gentle smile, hoping his words might ease at least a bit of any tension she posessed. 

"I mean, clearly I don't know anything about this, right? But it seems like it's the sort 'f thing you just gotta take moment by moment, you know?" His brow furrowed softly as he mulled over his words carefully, jaw shifting lightly. "I think if you can just focus on exactly what you can alter now, y'know, like what you've got power over in that moment specifically, then before you know it you'll be where you need to be." The boy paused momentarily, his mind still rambling on about goals and achievements and whatnot before pulling himself back to reality, blinking owlishly at Lumiya. "Sorry I'm afraid that might not have made sense. And also- I didn't mean to like- I mean obviously you are clearly on top of things I wasn't like, trying to tell you what to do or anything like that of course, I just meant to throw in my two cents or...something." He shook his head slightly, his nose scrunching again and his brow furrowing once more. Proper poor at talking sometimes, he was.

She chuckled lightly. Flowers? For her? What was she, some kind of deity? Still, an effort was made to appease her and she could hardly ignore it. She did like flowers; but more so when they were in the ground still. She was not a materialistic woman, and trinkets held little value for her. She knew others to be different, her own brother collected bones for a short while, she believed. Her father had been obsessed with some kind of moonstone that apparently brought him visions, and her mother had carried around a rotting tongue wherever they'd move to. She didn't understand then, nor now, what the value of those items were. Were they truly magical, or was it all just sentimentality, something they'd made up?

She picked up the red flower, the one with the large, brush-like petals, and shoved the stem in the fur near Dante's left ear. She leaned back then, admiring her work from afar. She had barely thought about her actions here, it just felt right, and the color was lovely on him. I suppose I do like flowers. She nodded with a bit of a smirk. They look lovely on you - not that you don't already. A bold comment for the supposedly soft-spoken fae, but one she was willing to make.

It was then that she decided to sprawl out a bit; the weather was lovely, and she had come here to pamper herself a little. She lounged, head tipped to look at Dante, but her willowy frame catching as much of the sun as was possible. Gods, she could listen to him talk for ours. She took to heart, his little ramblings, and listened intently even when it seemed she might be dozing off. A content smile never faded from her muzzle as she listened to the flower boy speak, though she found it odd that he put himself down so much. Then again, she was no different. The stupid were often the most sure of themselves, so she'd noticed. It made them confident - superior, emotionally, to someone like Lumiya. While she kept doubting, the stupid had already done the work and been satisfied with that. She wasn't bold nor confident, and though it made her selfless and understanding, it kept her from becoming a leader like her parents. Many faults they had, but their leadership skills weren't one of them.

I hope you're not right. She answered. For if you are, and I am on top of everything, how could I ever learn? She asked in a way that did not require an answer, looking now at the waterfalls in the distance. The droplets had to fall to create something beautiful. Perhaps there was beauty in failure.

Dante could feel heat flush through him as the girl leaned in close, reaching towards his ear. He was only able to stew on his intense surprise at her forward choice to bestow the flowers back upon the boy briefly; his mind was a bit occupied with other things at the time. Surely it  could've only lasted mere seconds, but to the yearling it felt as though the moment was slow and thick, dripping like honey as his breath caught in his chest. Dante had never been on this side of flirting before, and was wildly taken with her initiative. He willed himself to ignore the crisp burn in his chest at the young woman's words, attempting to remain somewhat composed despite the lingering thoughts that flitted frantically through his brain. A part of him felt as though flirting with the one who was currently providing him shelter could be a bit messy but...

But how could he resist?

When he realized he was staring perhaps a bit too generously, the boy quickly glanced back to the gurgling water again, heat still sizzling under his pelt. His attention was soon caught again by the sprawling lines that were Lumiya as she stretched under the sunlight. He found himself tracking each and every motion, utterly fascinated by the young woman. He felt a strange sense of ease as he looked upon Lumiya's comfort, the frantic nerves that had been buzzing through him earlier settling once he became aware of her idle relaxation. If she could feel tranquil in his presence, then surely he could do the same. Tactile as he was, Dante hardly questioned it before he padded over nearer the girl, stretching himself before lowering to lay out beside her, just barely brushing her person. Though he had been raised in an environment in which physical touch was the default in everyday engagements, he hardly had a mind to force it upon others and allowed it to Lumiya whether she would lean into it. 

A note of finality had crept into Lumiya's words as she responded to his thoughts, and Dante decided it was better to leave it at that then to probe any further. He closed his eyes and sighed softly, more than happy to bask in the day's warmth, feeling floaty and sated. "You're quite good company, you know," He spoke quietly into the comfortable silence they had procured, laced with fondness and gentle humor. He cracked an olive-green eye open to watch her reaction as he gave a lazy smile. "Easy on the eyes too," he said, breaking into a giggle despite his attempt to remain serious. "Gods I don't think I could've picked a cheesier line, I do hope I'm not completely iredeemable". Another little chuckle bubbled in his throat as his eyes slid closed again. He had surprised himself with his own abrupt mood-shift, though in all honesty it shouldn't have been so surprising. He was generally a pretty easygoing guy, and he could also normally hold his own in flirtatious situations. Dante was glad to find himself regaining some of the usual confidence that seemed to disappear when he spoke with Lumiya in all of her dumbfounding charm.

She noticed not how the boy melted with her touches and words, how she made him a mess - or perhaps she was choosing not to. Without him freaking out about it, she felt a lot more confident, but she was sure that the first sign of discomfort or awkwardness on the mouse would become her doom. She'd retreat back into her little cave of solitude, maybe even keep him at a distance in the fear of getting hurt. The fae was the kind of person who needed constant reassurance in romance, though she hadn't found that out yet. Dante wasn't the first boy to ever catch her eye, but he was the first boy who had shown any kind of interest in wanting to be with her in return.

She felt blood rush to her cheeks as he began to move, hoping she hadn't made him want to leave with her answer to his ramblings. When he came to lie down next to her however, she calmed and the panic faded away into nothingness. Though he wasn't near enough to touch, she could swear that he was lighting up her fur and searing her flesh with his closeness. She leaned into him, softly, slowly - as if she wasn't the smallest girl of her bloodline. It felt like moving a boulder, and once there, her muscles tensed despite looking relaxed.

Hmm, I'm glad. She responded in peaceful manner to his first comment, eyes closed and face turned to the sun. When he continued, her rosy colored eye opened and she gave him a little, smirking side-eye. She couldn't keep it up and chuckled soon after, shaking her head. Lucky for you, I haven't heard many before. You are forgiven. She said. It was soon after that that she heard the familiar flapping of wings.

Her eyes searched the sky, and she spotted her little companion soon after. He carried with him a dead and bloodied mouse, and landed on the banks near the couple of wolves. He eyed Dante, face scrunched up in an angry stare. He hopped over to the pair and found his way between the fae's front paws. There, he stretched his wings and even his tail feathers in an attempt to separate the two. Oh Loinnir, what a menace you are. Lumi said to the bird, nudging him away gently with her snout, but the bird was dead-set on getting Dante away from her - probably so he could feed her the mouse he'd caught all by himself.

Effervescent. Dante felt effervescent as Lumiya eased against the boy's side. He drew a deep breath, stilling slightly- not nervous or anxious, but a bit scared of disrupting the peaceful moment with a stirring movement. A soft, bashful grin lit on his maw at the girl's response, and he exhaled a light chuckle as he spared her a fond glance. The energy that buzzed between them was soft in a way- so clearly present but not strong enough to feel overwhelming, just a quiet drone that simmered behind each exchange. It was something Dante hadn't had the privilege to experience in quite a while, and he was endlessly grateful for it now. 

Just as he had begun to drift into a daze, the boy found his nose being assaulted by feathers, a pair of intrusive white wings batting lightly but with great determination at his body. Shocked by the sudden break in the lazy atmosphere, the boy quickly pushed his upper body off of the ground, eyeing the owl with a sleepy confusion. After the initial shock, though, the boy found his balance and recognized what had happened, giggling and shaking his head. "He was not a fan of my line. Duly noted." He spoke quietly still, humour laced in his voice and laughing through his words. When his eyes finally uncrinkled, Dante blinked at Lumiya and shook his head and neck, still smiling softly. Looks like I'll be needing to work a bit harder to gain his respect then, yeah?.

The yearling shifted again then, stretching his body in a bowing position before rising to his feet. He watched the pale bird for a few moments more before his eyes flicked back to Lumiya. S'pose he needs a bit of attention too, I'm hogging you all to myself. Can't blame him honestly, I fancy a cuddle often myself... His words trailed off into quiet as he observed the girl and her bird (a striking pair). Eventually, he tilted his face away, eyes sweeping over their surroundings. I ought to make myself useful, hunt or something. Could use a meal anyway, honestly, Dante sighed quietly, eyes flashing back to Lumiya. He didn't want to leave her company, but also didn't want to cling like a burr- and he really was hungry.

The peace always seemed to be disturbed by the bird. He was only peaceful when he slept, and even the he peeped and hooted as he dreamed of hunting with the small fae. She looked at Dante then, embarrassed by the behavior of her supposed friend, but he didn't seem offended. She even let out a chuckle - the situation was pretty silly after all. Loinnir sometimes forgot that Lumi could probably eat him in two bites if she wanted to - small creatures often had this cocky personality, or maybe it was a bird thing.

Hmm... I'm not even sure if I have his respect. I'm just his free ride everywhere. She replied, stare focused 'pon the little feathered creature. He slowly lowered his feathers at this, and he wasn't able to look at her directly. He probably felt a little guilty by now. He reluctantly dropped the mouse at her feet in an attempt to make amends, but she wasn't the one whom he had disrespected. That he was mean and grumpy to her was normal, but she wouldn't tolerate him doing it to those she cared about.

Her cheeks grew hot at the mention of a cuddle. Was that what they were doing? Wasn't that something for mated couples? Or maybe it was something that was normal among friends... Maybe he saw her as more of a sister or something?! This anxiety wasn't shown outwardly, but it was hard not to think about for her. Oh, he shouldn't be so jealous. We patrol together every day! She said, more so trying to convince Loinnir that she didn't belong to anyone, especially not to the bird she had saved moons ago.

Her focus then shifted to Loinnir, her eyes flicked to Dante and she nodded in his direction to make it clear she would not accept the gift. Loinnir picked up his catch, hesitated, then waddled angrily towards Dante. His cheeks were plump with bottled up embarrassment and slight anger, but he plopped down the gift in front of the boy regardless and softly hooted. It wasn't much of a meal, a single mouse, but it was a gift nonetheless. He then fluttered off to somewhere just past Lumi. Good job, I'm proud of you. She near-whispered to him in a sweet voice. His expression lifted and he hooted again, almost as if saying "oh, it was nothing". Turning to Dante, she responded; Right, right... I should probably return to my duties too... Her eyes wandered shyly. This was... nice. I'm glad you sought me out.

A high, breathy giggle left Dante's lips as the sylph remarked on her winged companion, quiet and fond as his eyes swept over her face, chest becoming a bit fluttery at it all. He watched her contemplatively as she spoke, maybe only partially-present for the conversation, to caugh up in his own thoughts to truly absorb all she was saying. He made sure to nod politely throughout though, not so unfocused as to come across as though he wasn't listening at all. 

Their...'friendship' was something that had flourished quickly, and even Dante- who considered himself a regular friend-maker- felt as though he should've been surprised by the way their relationship had grown over the short period of time the two had known each other. However, he couldn't seem to find the shock he expected within himself. The boy found an odd sort of comfort in Lumiya, as though the bond that was blooming between them, not unlike the spring that blossomed around them, was invevitable. They were different, certainly, and had only crossed each other's paths by happenstance, and yet. Yet, every interaction the young man had had with Lumiya felt effortlessly natural, and intentional. Even when the boy grew nervous or embarassed, there was an underlying solace that quelled any real doubts he may've otherwise had about whether or not the girl actually wished to spend time with him. 

Dante's eyes flicked to the bird with surprise and slight amusement as a mouse was dropped at his paws, and he quickly glanced at Lumiya, offering a bright grin before he lowered his head to the ground to capture the kill in his jaws. Dante leaned back up, a cheeky remark halfway to his lips, but quickly stilled again, taking pause as he observed the soft interaction that occured between the sprite and her owl. He couldn't hear the words exchanged, but a tightness pooled in his chest nonetheless. Dante could adit that he was perhaps a bit of soft at heart, and the quiet moment between the two did nothing to hide that side of the boy. He continued to look at her, a soft, slightly enamored look on his face lingering for a few seconds before Lumiya spoke once again. 

"Yeah of-" the yearling's voice came out slightly scratchy, and he quickly cleared his throat, glancing down momentarily as his pelt heated. "Yeah of course. We should- um. We should do this...more," he ended in a chuckle, once again amused by the level of tupidity he managed to pull when he spoke to Lumiya. The boy met her eyes once again, flicking softly over her face before smiling softly. I'll see you around, love, he spoke airily, before turning away from the girl. As he padded down the bank of the stream, throwing her one final glance over his shoulder before he disappeared into the willows once more.

Short to end this, I'll archive <3

Was she jumping too fast into waters she had no control over? Ever since she started her work on the court, interactions had become so easy, and she had more friends now than she did only a few moons ago. She was afraid she'd forget what it felt like, the butterflies in her tummy, her insatiable interest in all the souls that stopped by to take in the beauty of their forest...

We should do this more. Oh, she couldn't agree more, but she was slightly afraid of giving into her emotions. She knew the concept of a player, a charmer - they only kept you around for a little while, sucking you dry like a leech before leaving you heartbroken. To the Gods she prayed that this wasn't the case, and she had yet to have any reason to doubt him, but it was hard to believe someone liked her. Maybe even loved her.

Agreed... Bye-bye. She replied, watching him till he was out of sight. He'd called her love. It was enough to make her dance after making sure she was alone, but she was quick to regain her posture and make her way over to wherever she was needed today.