"Come up, in despite of the Lion, To shine on us with her bright eyes — Come up through the lair of the Lion, With love in her luminous eyes." – Edgar Allen Poe, To- - -. Ulalume: A Ballad

And there they sat, in the dark room surrounded by paper, glue, and notes. Photos or grotesque horror, sadness, and pain littered the hard dark wood flooring. A voice spoke of love, of memories, of the loss that soon followed while she laid her head across his lap, listening to him speak.

The boy, dressed in black from the wisps of his charcoal colored hair to the combat boot that were strapped to his feet, looked over at the girl. Her sunshine hair seemed bleak in the dim room and her peached skin seemed paler. Her eyes opened to look at him. Although her image seemed dimmer, her eyes remained the same.

Two orbs the color of the cobalt stared up into his. They were the color of the bright sky, the same sky he hated after his mother vanished from his life.

Afraid he would frighten her, Varen gentle brushed Isobel's hair away from her face to look deeper into her beautiful eyes.

Isobel smiled, "Why did you stop?"

Varen was snapped out of his trace by her when she spoke, her voice soft and comforting.

He turned away from her as she sat up, curling her limbs around her. He looked back and noticed the shiver that ran down her spin.

She's cold.

Varen crawled over and wrapped his arms around her, not being able to help taking a breath of her scent in through his nose. Isobel cuddled close to him, feeling his heat wrap around her in waves of pleasantness.

"You're so warm," she smiled, looking up at him.

"Did you think I was always ice-cold?" Varen asked.

Isobel shook her head, "I… I don't know. No one I've been with has ever treated me like this…"

"What about your boyfriend?"

She stiffened. Her eyes fell to the cold wood floor. Brad… wasn't Varen. He didn't get that Isobel had secretly wanted something that he couldn't give her.

Varen could though.

Isobel turned around in Varen's lap so she could face him, "Brad disgusts me. He was willing to go so far as to date my best friend just to get me to crawl back to him. Then when he tried pulling that stunt in the ice cream shop…"

She shook her head, "You are better than he is. You are caring, open, and you know things that intrigues me."

Varen felt his heart stop beating. Isobel was confessing?... or was she apologizing?

He wouldn't let it be an apology if it meant that she was going to leave him alone… alone with his confused and troubled mind.

Varen leaned his face close to hers, resting their foreheads together. A breath, and his lips slanted over hers.

Isobel wrapped her arms around his neck as he deepened the kiss. Their tongues entwined together, tasting each other. Varen nipped at Isobel's bottom lip, asking for entry. She whimpered softly, but allowed his exploration.

Once her finished, Varen pulled away slightly to leave tiny nips and kisses along her jaw, cheeks, and behind her ears. Isobel felt heat spiral out of control within her as she moaned. Varen chuckled against her ear, tugging on her lobe lightly.

"Isobel…" he sighed softly, "will you be mine?"

Isobel pulled away, looking at him in shock, "Yours?"

Nice job, Varen, you scared her! He bit his lip ring with nerves, "Isobel… I want to be with you and I want you to be happy, no matter what happens. I… I've always felt something toward you, even when you didn't notice me…"

Isobel swallowed. Varen's sweet confession had melted her completely, bringing her back to a time when the world was all goodness, and never fear or hate. She pulled herself to rest on his chest and listen to his heartbeat.

Life is precious, and shouldn't be wasted.

Isobel smiled, "Yes."

"Yes…?"

"I will be yours as long as you're mine."

Varen pulled Isobel into a tight embrace, "I love you, now and always…"

Part 2 maybe?

Still debating :P

Characters c Kelly Creagh