Rain clattered down against the roof tiles of Mystwerk House, the raindrops sliding down the windows casting a watery light across the room where Dancer sat, brows furrowed in concentration. Brilliant blue eyes were fixed on the crumbling text in his hands, scanning over messily scrawled words and small diagrams of amulets and their components. He'd long since moved on from the books Firesmith assigned, and was now advanced beyond the rest of the class, despite that small voice nagging at him, asking what was he doing, wizards aren't supposed to make amulets, that's the job of the clans, even if you are clan you've still got wizard blood in you, that's why you can't fit in. The voice was quieter these days, though, and his thoughts were more often occupied by Han and Cat.

He didn't like how often his old friend was meeting with Crow, whatever he said. Crow could easily be one of the Bayar twins in disguise, leading him into a trap. But he knew not to bring that up with Han anymore, not when he was so insistent that Crow could be trusted.

So he had the room to himself today, at least until Han stumbled back from his hiding place in the tower. And then it would be up to him to try and put some flash back into his friend's amulet, try and help him get through the day...Dancer was honestly sick of it. Whatever charms and traps Crow was teaching him couldn't seriously be worth being late for class so often, not to mention all the times he hadn't even been able to keep up in class, having skipped the reading for that night to go meet with Crow in Aediion.

Dancer shoved all remaining thoughts of Crow and Han to the back of his mind, and seemingly just as the image of Cat was forming in his head, the door slammed open and she burst in.

Water was streaming off the long cloak she always wore, and her dark curls were plastered to her face. Dancer raised a brow, looking at her sideways. The former thief tried her hardest not to crack a smile, but it tugged at her lips until she smiled over at him, before it fell a little and she started to explain what she was doing there.

At least she tried to, but the words got stuck in her throat, and what little sound she was able to make got cut off by Dancer letting out a confused stream of words.

"What are you doing here, Cat, you know we'll both get in trouble if anyone sees you're up here, especially when you don't even go to Mystwerk! Did you seriously run all the way over here in the rain when you're just going to have to leave again?"

Cat made a sour face, brown eyes narrowing with annoyance. "Calm down, copperhead, I'll be out of your hair soon. I just wanted to talk."

Dancer didn't even flinch at the word or the way she said it. He was used to being called worse things as a result of the clan blood he carried, considering the contempt most flatlanders still held. Coming from Cat, it was more like a teasing nickname, the one remnant left of her formerly rude attitude towards him. A half smile sprung onto his face, and he leaned back slightly, idly gripping his amulet as Cat started to talk.

She seemed to brace herself first, swiping water out of her eyes with the back of one hand, looking at him a bit too intensely. It occurred to him she'd run all the way there in the pouring rain, and he was just leaving her to stand there and drip all over the floor. That and her muddy bootprints would make it all too clear she'd been here.

He cut her off once more before she began, motioning quickly for her to join him where he sat. Cat tipped her head askew questioningly, before nodding a little and peeling off her boots, carefully setting them down closer to the door. She grinned a little as she hopped up beside him, but Dancer found himself too impatient, too curious, to look that hard at the smile on her face, even if it was completely infectious.

"So much for being quick about it, huh?" She laughed half to herself, before her eyes took on a more pensive glint. That dark, inky gaze snapped to the window for a second, then swiveled back to him. Cat sucked in a deep breath, before looking at him. A sort of frantic energy seemed to be coming off her in waves, and Dancer had a fleeting desire to think of what he could say that would calm her down.

But he'd learned over time that she didn't always want someone to calm her down. Sometimes she had to let it run its course, and just wanted someone to listen. And seeing as Han had currently abandoned his friends for studying spells with Crow, it fell to him to listen to what she had to say.

"Well, how do I say it," Cat muttered darkly, before letting out an exasperated sigh. Her next words came out in a breathless rush, her eyes still locked firmly on him. "I don't know how I'm supposed to say it...but damnit, Hayden Fire Dancer, I think I'm in love with you." She spat the words out rather harshly, the way she had called him copperhead. Like she didn't care what he said in response, as long as he knew.

Dancer scooted back and nearly fell off the bed, his eyes widening to the size of moons. For a second, he found himself wishing that Cat couldn't see the blush creeping up to his face. She looked pretty calm for what had just transpired, but then again, he wouldn't have known if she was blushing too, her skin too darkened by the sun to tell. Besides, she'd said her part already, gotten it off her chest. She looked at him steadily, probably waiting for a response, and he saw the corner of her mouth twitch on the verge of a laugh when he nearly tumbled to the floor.

He was still sitting a bit away from her, leaning away as if she were a wild animal. It was a few minutes later before he could even find the words, too stunned to answer.

But finally, he figured out what he wanted to say.

"Cat Tyburn," he started teasingly, barely able to keep from laughing, "I love you too." Cat smiled, not the feisty smirk she used on Han, but a real, unabashed smile, and it lit up her whole face. She was almost laughing too, just from the sheer awkwardness of it, and pretty soon they had both dissolved into laughter, before remembering no one could know she was up there.

Both had smiles too big for their faces when they were finally able to stop, but neither one of them was eager for the moment when she'd have to creep out and away from Mystwerk House.

Luckily, Cat had a natural aptitude for sneaking around, hard-won from her days of theft with Han back in the streets of Fellsmarch. Rising slowly from the bed, she slipped her feet back into her muddy boots and threw on her cloak, hands grasping at her belt for the small knives she always carried. She should have left already, but it was hard for her to leave Dancer behind, knowing what she did now. Dancer strode over to her, that small smile still lingering on her face. She just looked at him a little sadly, unsure of when she'd be able to see him again.

They both knew it would be sooner rather than later. Cat had always been reckless that way, fiercely fixated on getting what she wanted, especially when so much had been taken from her.

But the sky was slowly getting lighter, and the heavy rain was easing up. She'd lose the cover of darkness and downpour if she didn't hurry. Cat reached for Dancer's hand and squeezed it tightly, her face illuminated again by her smile. And then, quicker than a flash of lightning, she lifted her head and slammed her lips onto his. He could feel her smile into the kiss before she pulled away and lifted the window open.

Dancer could still feel her mouth on his as she slipped out into the drizzling rain and called over her shoulder,

"I'll be back, copperhead."

And then she was gone, leaving him alone to smile in the dark as he realized what had just happened.

Little did he know as she trekked through the rain, she was smiling too.