Rose ran towards the H-Tram docks. She'd heard the news that Team Core-Tech ran into some trouble at Westward City's Museum of Natural History. She had overheard Commandant Marshal Jon Ace mentioning that Eklipse and Forge had been stealing dinosaur bones from museums around the continent. Rose hoped her friends had at least found out what that was all about.
The young medic arrived just as the H-Tram carrying TCT landed. The door slid open and out walked five tired teens. The last to walk out was Dax. The Lowlander let out a huge yawn. To Rose it looked like he was a combination of tired and bored, not as if he were attacked by two opposing Monsuno factions.
"Is everyone ok? Is anyone injured?" Rose asked as she approached the group.
"Mentally maybe," Jinja replied ", those creeps really had it in for us."
"But we pulled through," Beyal added.
Bren waved his hand wildly in the air crying out "I think I got a paper cut!"
"That's not a real injury you weenie!" snapped Jinja. "Rose means if you're bleeding gallons of blood or broke a bone."
Rose giggled. She was glad that even if S.T.O.R.M and Core-Tech merged factions her friends remained the same and hadn't let being part of a big military group go to their heads. Reaching into her medic bag she found a band aid.
"Here Bren, this should help," Rose said as she handed the mousey boy a pink band aid.
Bren's brows furrowed. "Does it have to be pink? I could have sworn you had at least purple ones in there."
"Take it or leave it, Glasses," barked Dax. Rose jumped. He had approached from her blind side so she hadn't seen him coming. "Be thankful she helped a big whiner like you."
Bren grumbled as he walked away forlornly, but he did wrap the bandage around his cut. The moment Bren disappeared from sight; Dax took ahold of Rose's hands and kissed them. The sudden action made her face heat up. She looked up at Dax, blue eyes having trouble meeting his brown ones. He gave her a cocky smile.
"What's wrong Sweetie? The steam from your face is going to fog up your glasses." Dax chuckled when Rose was unable to find an answer, but it seemed as if he expected it.
"Ew! Get a room!" Chase called out. Team Core-Tech's leader was clearly teasing the couple. He was like everyone's big brother.
"I have to agree with Chase on this one," Jinja added.
"We could have dinner?" asked Beyal. He seemed a mix of uncomfortable and confused as to how Dax was acting. The monk was fairly new to romantic affection and was having trouble dealing with it.
"Now you're speaking my language, Beyal!" Chase enthusiastically said before walking in the direction of the mess hall. Jinja and Beyal followed close behind.
Rose leaned against Dax. He felt so warm and sturdy. She was drawn to him like a magnet. "Do you want dinner?"
"Hm. We can get dinner in a bit," Dax caressed the scarred side of Rose's face ", but this is a perfect time for a little one on one time. Don't you think, Sweetie?"
Rose grinned. "What did you have in mind?"
Dax lead Rose down one of the many corridor's in Cloud Carrier Epsilon. She felt giddy. Since Core-Tech and S.T.O.R.M teamed up she hadn't gotten much time with her friends, much less Dax. Jon conveniently put Dax on missions while convincing Rose she was of much more use in the medical wing. Rose loved her adoptive father, but she wasn't that blind to the fact that he was trying to keep Dax away from her.
Dax pushed open a set of double doors. It led to a large deck used for when S.T.O.R.M held parties for other fancy government officials. Jon had mentioned it being called the Sky Deck. Tables and benches were bolted to the polished wooden floors, but most of the floor space was used for mingling and dancing. Charlemagne wasn't much of a party person. Rose only remembered her using the Sky Deck once or twice during her reign as Commandant Marshall of S.T.O.R.M.
Rose looked up at the surrounding sky and let out a small gasp. The stars were breath taking when one was in the sky like this. It was like she was in some sort of dome with glimmering lights all around her. She felt as if she could reach up and grab a star right from the sky. The clouds wrapped around Cloud Carrier Epsilon in such a way that it felt like they were sailing on an ocean made of clouds.
"Breathtaking isn't it?" Dax asked as he wrapped an arm around Rose's shoulders. He smiled down at Rose as he watched her trying to grasp for the right words to describe the scenery.
The Lowlander turned Rose to face him. Without skipping a beat he pressed his lips against Rose's. Rose froze in surprise, but was quick in returning the kiss. She pressed her body against Dax's, kissing him hard. She was so starved for Dax's affection. It felt like a million years since she was able to be this intimate and she kissed him as if she wouldn't be able to kiss him for a million more years.
When the couple finally pulled away from one another they were both flushed and breathing heavily. Rose had her arms around Dax's middle with her head resting on his chest. She loved his heartbeat. It felt so good being this close to him again. Dax held Rose close, his body began quivering with laughter.
"Geez Sweetie. I didn't know you had it in you to kiss me like that," Dax wiped the lingering saliva from their kissing off his face. He loved how messy and wild their kisses were.
They stayed cuddled up and enjoying the sky for a few moments longer before Dax had an idea. He took a step back from Rose and held a hand out to her. "Wanna dance?"
Rose looked shyly at the ground, "I don't know how."
Dax grabbed her hands and pulled her towards him, "And you think I do?"
The Lowlander picked Rose up in his strong arms and spun her around. The medic whooped and laughed with glee. He began singing "Ladies of Spain" loudly and terribly out of tune. Rose didn't mind it when Dax sang. He knew how to have fun. The couple spun in slow circles to old traveling songs Dax had picked up over the years. They chased each other up and down the Sky Deck. Even with half her body stiff from burn scars, Rose was doing ok keeping up with Dax. Playing like this made her feel like an actual kid and not like a breakable, scarred, delicate flower.
Eventually Rose and Dax grew tired and sat on the ground to rest. Dax laid his head against Rose's should, enjoying her presence and the way she ran her hand through his dreads. He wouldn't admit it, but being like this made him actually feel safe. Rose was so soft, kind, and warm.
Dax suddenly sat upright spooking Rose in the process. "I almost forgot! I got you something at the museum."
Rose tilted her head to the side, "You did?"
"Mhm! I need ya to close your eyes, Sweetie," Dax instructed.
"Hmm. Do I have to close both? My left one is blind now so I really only have to close one," Rose asked, trying to sound joking but unsure if it came out that way. Dax's slightly struck face told her it hadn't come off as joking as she wanted it to have been.
"How about you humor me and close both?" Dax replied as soon as he recovered from Rose's question.
"If I must," Rose sighed as she dramatically closed her eyes as tight as she could.
She could hear Dax shuffling in his jacket pockets before excitedly whispering, "Ok! Now open 'em up!"
Rose opened her eyes to see Dax holding a small pink triceratops statue. It was small enough to fit in the palm of his hand.
"Wow," Rose whispered.
"Don't be shy. Take it. It's a gift for you after all," Dax told her as he gently placed the triceratops into Rose's hands.
The little dinosaur was quite a sight. On closer inspection the creature had been carved from rose quartz. The maker had carved the triceratops's eyes, nose, and toes into the stone. Its three horns and frill were impressively detailed as well. For its small size the stone statue had a good weight to it.
"I don't know what to say," Rose mumbled. She was at a loss for words. "It's beautiful."
Dax caressed Rose's face, his thumb rubbing the scarred flesh on the left side of her face, "The most beautiful gift for the most beautiful girl in the world."
Rose hugged Dax tightly, careful to put the statue safely on the floor first so she wouldn't accidentally drop it in the process of trying to show her gratitude. She whispered thank yous over and over into Dax's chest while he pet her fluffy brown hair.
"Well, I felt bad you couldn't come to the museum with me," Dax explained ", I know your special interest is dinosaurs so before the gift shop closed I got you this little souvenir."
"It's perfect!"
Dax chuckled at Rose's excitement. He loved the way her eyes lit up over dinosaurs. "You think so? Well in that case, when the museum opens back up we'll have to go on a date. The baddies and us kinda did a number to it, y'know? It's hard to control giant monsters. I'm sure everything's fine."
"You promise?" Rose looked up at Dax hopefully.
Dax held out his pinky finger. "Pinky promise?"
Rose wrapped her pinky around his. "Pinky promise!'
Suddenly they heard a shout from inside the building. It sounded like Chase. "Rose! Commandant Jon Ace wants to see you! I'd better get to the mess hall stat before he unravels and looks for you himself!"
"Oops, looks like we've been longer than I thought," Dax sighed as he stood up, pulling Rose along with him.
"I had a good time," Rose said with a shrug ", anytime I get with you is special, Dax."
Dax smiled and pulled his beanie over his eyes. "Don't say stuff like that. It's took cute for me to bear!"
Rose playfully shoved Dax. It barely pushed him back a centimeter. She held the rose quartz triceratops close to her chest. "I guess we should get to the mess hall for dinner?"
"Wanna meet up in your room later?" Dax asked. "I kinda miss sleeping next to ya."
"Me too," Rose bit her bottom lip. If they got caught by Jon or Commander Trey they'd be in hot water, but it was a risk she was willing to take to be close to Dax longer. "Come by at eleven tonight? Chase and Alpha usually get into a fight over something silly around that time so Jon and Trey will be too busy breaking that up to notice."
"It's a date," Dax said in agreement.
The two lovers shared one last long kiss before heading inside hand in hand.