I'll never forget the first time I set eyes on her. Neither of us had been more than young grubs at the time, but I remember it like it was yesterday. She'd beamed at me, her smile sincere and enthusiastic, her eyes warm with a sparkle of mischief. Nobody ever smiled at me like that. More importantly, nobody had ever made me feel the way she did in that moment. It was the most peculiar feeling, as though I'd always known her. I've never been one to ever really warm up to anybody. If I'm being honest here, I generally hold everyone at arm's length. Despite this, I couldn't help but smile back at her. From then on, Aradia and I were the best of friends, a package deal, and everybody knew it. Our moiraillegiance was never a question.
Of course, there was Karkat. I met him a few sweeps later, but we didn't have quite the rousing start I'd had with Aradia. Karkat and I were fairly young at the time of our meeting, and emotions have always run high with both of us. We've had copious arguments and disagreements, but we've always been able to brush things off and move on. I rarely show it, but our friendship has been an irreplaceable source of comfort. Trust me, for a guy like me, consolation is rare.
Where Karkat and I clashed emotionally, Aradia and I harmonized. We would bicker and argue from time to time, but we never truly fought. She always enjoyed playfully teasing me about my lisp, my skinniness, and my cynicism. I would retaliate by joking about her cascade of dark mahogany curls, which always managed to tangle themselves bewilderingly after each brushing. She chided me when I got too down on myself, or too down on anything else. Aradia could dispel negativity like the sun parting grey skies. If anyone else tried to say the things she said, I would have gotten upset over it. My sometimes biting sarcasm would likely have spoken for me, as it too often does. With Aradia, however, I could never actually be angry. She never lied to me, and while she was sure to always be honest, she was never harsh or unfeeling. Aradia always had this quiet kind of sweetness that everyone could just sense within her.
I jumped a little when I heard her voice come suddenly through my open window.
"Sollux!" The window had always been Aradia's choice communication method, calling for me if it was open, and throwing pebbles at it if it was closed. I got up from my computer chair and went to the window, peering below. There she was, grinning up at me with her wild curls falling over her face.
"Hey, AA!" I yelled. "I'll be right down." I shut off each of my several computer monitors and headed downstairs and out the front door. Aradia met me in the yard, all smiles, eyes bright. "What's on the agenda today?" I inquired.
"I thought that maybe we could just go for a walk, since it's so beautiful out right now." As she spoke, her eyes took in the lush green splendor that surrounded us. I felt a warm breeze on my face as I looked out over the dusky horizon. The hills and the trees were beginning to retreat to the shadows, and I could just make out the faint pinpricks of light in the sky that would soon evolve into a sea of stars.
"I certainly can't argue with that," I muttered, a little breathlessly. It was an exceptionally lovely evening. Aradia and I stood silently for a moment, absorbing the unique atmosphere. How often did I miss nights like this, holed up in my hive? I stepped closer to Aradia and sighed. "Don't let me forget this, AA. I needed this." She smiled up at me and took my hand.
"Let's go. There's something I want to show you," she sang lowly in my ear. I let her lead me away from my hive and out to the vast expanse of rolling hills. "I found this place a while ago. It's quiet, and I like to go there to be alone when I can," she explained. "It's best to go at this time of night."
After about fifteen minutes, we reached a solitary large hill that connected with the treeline at the top. We made our way up and looked out on the view. I was afraid to speak, afraid to ruin the moment. The sky had darkened to a clear purplish-black, and it was adorned with billions upon billions of twinkling lights. The ocean could be heard and seen in the distance, its now jet black waves washing the beach. Fireflies darted through the valleys of the many smaller hills that surrounded us, burning as though they were their own stars here on Alternia. It was warm, but not too warm, and I could not remember a time when I'd felt so at ease. Even the voices were quiet. For the first time, I managed to tear my gaze away, turning to look at Aradia. She was still surveying the hills, clearly as entranced as I had been. As she stood there, awash in silver, eyes wide with wonder, I felt my own eyes widen in awe. She was beautiful. How had I never noticed just how beautiful she was?
"Aradia," I breathed, my voice just slightly above a whisper. I liked the way her name felt in my mouth. Her eyes met mine and held them there.
She did not try to move away as I closed the little space between us. We maintained our gaze as I brushed an unruly curl from her face. She tentatively raised a hand and put it against mine as I caressed her cheek. This was my best friend, the girl I'd spent my childhood with. This was the girl I would spend hours on end with, playing video games, watching movies, and making up our own games out in these hills. What I was about to do would change all of that, change what we were to one another. But it was already too late. I had seen her in a whole new light, and I could never take it back. I would never want to.
I gently tilted her head back, searching her eyes. Her breath caught, and she managed half of a smile. "Does this mean you're glad I brought you here?"
"I've never seen anything more beautiful," I whispered, my eyes never leaving hers. She flushed a deep shade of crimson. Lightly, I brushed her lips with my own, testing the waters. I began to pull away, and Aradia made a small sound of protest. I smiled as she stood on the tips of her toes, pulling my face back down to her own. Our lips met gently, almost cautiously. We were on uncharted territory. She wound her arms around my neck, and I did the same to her waist, pulling her closer against me. The kisses were long and slow, and I savored the feeling of being totally lost in her. I was intoxicated by her sweet scent, like a breath of fresh air and flowers. I marveled over how soft and warm her body felt against my own. Her hands traveled upward, and she entwined her fingers in my hair. The sensation sent chills throughout my body, and the kisses came more urgently. Suddenly, I became aware of the need to breathe. I pulled back unwillingly, sucking in air. We said nothing as we caught our breath, but instead smiled shyly at one another. Everything had changed in one magnificent moment.