Lucas's P.O.V

As much as I hated it, Porky, Picky, Paula, Ness, and me were playing hide-n-go-seek in the dark. I wasn't going to play originally, but Porky said if anyone backed out they were a wimp, and they had to say it too. I couldn't do that in front of everyone, especially in front of Ness. I didn't want him thinking I was weak. So here I was, wondering around in the dark. The seeker, Picky, had a flashlight. The hiders didn't. So I had to feel my way around everything. I kept jumping at every single noise. Porky knew I was afraid of the dark. He probably just did this because he'd thought i'd back out.

I wondered down an old path, away from everyone, or I thought it was. I couldn't see much due to how dark it was. Owls were hooting and crickets were chirping. I usually liked those sounds when I was in bed, at home, trying to fall asleep. But out here they gave me the creeps. I came at the end of the path, which spilt into two ways. One led deeper into the forest, and the other led into town. There was no way I was going deeper into the forest, not at this time of night. I heard footsteps behind me, approaching quick. I ran behind a tree and crouched down on the ground. I saw the light of a flash light scan the treeline for a few seconds. Then I watched as the light vanished down the path, Picky at the end of it. He was headed deeper into the forest.

I waited there, crouched on the ground for what seemed like forever. It was getting darker by the minute. Soon it was completely dark, and I couldn't see a thing. I finally decided to get up and walk around. It had to be at least eleven o'clock. I started walking back down the path I came from. Now it was completely slient. I rubbed my sides, it was really cold too. I got back to where we started, and looking around, no one was there. But everyone lights in their houses were on, so that meant the game was still going on. I looked all around me again, I didn't know where to go. If one of us wanted to quit, we had to ring the bell in the center of the park, which was right next to all our houses. But that meant I still had to admit I was a wimp, in front of everyone. I jumped, hearing rustling in the bushes. I hugged myself, I just wanted to go home. I sat down by a nearby tree, just wanting to get caught at this point. The wind started going as well, making me even colder. It started howling, along with more rustling in the bushes. I whimpered and hugged my knees. I felt something pull my hair, and when I tried to get away, it still held on. I cried out, thinking it was someone trying to kidnap me. But when I turned around, a branch had snagged my hair. I undid it's grip on my hair, some of it falling out in the process. I crawled again from the tree, crying. The wind was still howling, I just wanted to go home...

Suddenly I was grabbed from behind. I let out a shriek and jumped forward, tripping and falling on the dirt road. "Ha! Your so easy to scare!" Porky laughed, pointing at me. "I knew you were afraid of the dark! You big baby!" I started crying even more. I hated this. When I tried to get up, I fell back down on my face. Which Porky laughed even louder and harder at. I looked down at my knees, they were all scraped up. Porky continued to laugh loudly until Picky, Paula, and Ness showed up. Apparently Ness and Paula had been caught.

"Porky? Lucas?" Ness looked in between us.

"Welp, we found them."

I finally got the strength to stand up, but revealed the fact I was crying to everyone. "See? I told you he was a baby!" Porky sneered. I turned and ran away from them, back to my house.

"Lucas!" I heard Ness call my name again and again, but I didn't stop. I ran all the way to my room, then hid under the covers and cried even more. I hated Porky, why'd he have to be so mean? That wasn't just him, everyone was. What did I do to anyone? I only cried harder thinking about it. Soon I had cried myself to sleep...

Ness's P.O.V

"Porky! What did you do to him!" I yelled.

"I just gave him a little scare! Besides he was already crying anyway."

"Why! You know he scares easily!"

"Well then he should of backed out and admitted he's a wimp! It's not like it's a lie!" He yelled back. I clenched my fists, my fire PSI flaring. "Alright, alright!" He said, backing up.

"I'm going to make sure he's okay." I said, turning to Paula.

"So you're quiting?" Porky butted in.

"Oh, shut up. I'll take you on any time, any where."

I turned away from them and ran faster than I thought I could to Lucas's house. His father wasn't supposed to be home till the next night, so he was alone. I knocked on the door when I got there, but I got no answer. I flipped up the door mat and got the spare key they keep under there. I ran to Lucas's room, to find him huddled under the blankets. I tip-toed up to him, not wanting to scare him more. I gently shook him until he woke up. When I took the covers off of him, I could tell right away he had cried himself to sleep. His eyes were red and puffy.

"Ness..?"

"Lucas, are you alright?" I climbed into bed with him and wrapped my arms around him. He started crying into my shoulder, soaking my shirt. But I didn't care, I hugged him tighter. He wrapped his arms around my back. We stayed there for awhile. He cried into my shirt while I played with his blonde hair and whispered soothing words into his ear. After a bit he calmed down and stopped crying. "Lucas?" I tried again. "Are you alright? What happened?" He looked up at me, but wouldn't answer. I tilted his head up and pressed my forehead against his. Doing this I could enter his mind. I saw how scared he was all alone, then how Porky had practically scared him to death. I also saw something else. He didn't want to quit because he thought I would like him less, having he had to admit he was a wimp if he backed out. "Oh, Lucas.." I whispered in his ear. I hugged him closer, and he hugged me just as tight. "Lucas, I would never think less of you. Even I was scared out there. It's alright...Sshh.." I murmured, rocking him back and forth.

"Y-you were?" He said, his voice still raspy from crying.

"Of course, it's hard not to be afraid of the dark."

"R-really?"

"Mh-hm, Porky and Picky have just done it so much that they know their way around. It doesn't scare them anymore."

"T-that doesn't keep t-them from being mean t-to me.." He sniffed. I sighed and pulled him down into the bed. I threw the covers over us and wrapped my arms around him again. While his rested on my upper arms. His head snuggled into my chest. I buried my face in his soft hair. The only light shining in the room was that of the moon. I nuzzled my head against the side of his, making him look up.

"I care about you, you know that right?" I whispered softly.

"Mh-mh.." He murmured.

I looked down at him, I could fainty see in the moonlight that he had his eyes closed. I would be lying if I said he didn't look cute. I watched him breathe softly for a few minutes, and I just couldn't help it. I leaned down and captured his lips with mine. He almost insantly kissed back. I pulled him closer to me, and I felt him entangle his hands in my hair, making my cap fall off. Our lips fit perfectly together, like they were made for each other. We parted for a bit, both of us panting. We looked at each other few a seconds before leaning in again. I licked his lips, asking for entrance. He shyly opened his mouth, and I slipped my tongue in to explore. I rubbed my tongue against his, making him moan. I coaxed his tongue up slowly, making sure not to rush him. Soon our tongues were playing around together. I tilted his head to deepen the kiss. We parted again for a second for air, then locked lips again. He tightened his grip on my hair and pulled in just the right way, making me shiver and moan. I slipped my hand up his shirt and rubbed his chest, making him gasp.

"Lucas.." I whispered smoothly in his ear, making him shiver. "You're so cute.."

"N-ness.."

I nuzzled the side of his head and kissed his ear. He nuzzled back and purred against me. I adjusted us, laying him on top of me. We snuggled up tight, wrapping our arms around each other. He kept kissing and purring against me, giving me a feeling I couldn't explain. All I could say was my heart felt lighter than it had ever been before.

"I care about you so much.." I whispered in his ear. "Promise me you'll remember that.."

"I promise.." He whispered back.

I tilted his face so he'd look at me. "Smile.." I kissed his nose and he gave a tiny one. "C'mon, I know you can do better.." I tickled his sides, making him smile and laugh.

"H-hey, q-quit!" He giggled. I laughed too and planted a kiss on his forehead.

"Goodnight.." I murmured, pulling the covers up on us.

"Mm.." He was already asleep. I smiled and ran my fingers through his golden hair. He was even cuter sleeping. I sighed buried my face in his hair again. I didn't know what everyone else's problem was. Lucas is the sweetest person i've ever met. I decided from now on i'd protect him. Nothing would ever hurt him again, not on my watch. I made a mental note to tell him that in the morning.

I also made a note to thank and yell at Porky later. Yelling at him for making Lucas cry, but to thank him for bringing us together.