Disclaimer: I don't own anything I don't have copyrighted (aka, nothing)
A/N: Hullo! So, I wanted to write something sweet, as I had just finished watching Juno (good movie, btw) and I was filled with all kinds of fluffy intentions, but I ended up with this… yeah. Kinda fluffy, anyway. Maybe I'll go write something else fluffy… after I finish this.
The war was over. Certainly there was cleanup to be done and all manner of loose ends to be tied, or perhaps just cut off altogether, but the initial war was over. For now there was only one end two of Chorus' most powerful mages were interested in: the one that started with a passionate kiss in a gorge somewhere in the depths of the Divine Realms.
"I don't think there's anything to discuss." Daine said firmly, placing her hands on her hips.
"I'd rather there weren't, but you can't deny it's a little unconventional." Numair told her, holding back a sigh.
"I don't see why. I told you I love you. You told me you loved me. I don't see why we have to complicate it." She retorted.
"I'm not complicating it, it's already complicated enough. You're my student, for Mithros' sake!"
"I'm also your friend. What's wrong with being your love? Why does the fact that I'm your student change anything?"
"It's not proper… people will talk."
"People will talk? Is that the best reason you have? Since when have either of us cared what was proper and whether or not people 'talk?' If you're worried about your reputation, sir mage, then you're in the wrong line of work."
"You don't know how harsh court gossip can be..."
"Oh, I don't? Do you think I've been deaf for the last four years? I've heard every rumor tossed around and every variation and I don't care one bit. I put a stop to the really nasty ones and people can have a hey-day with the rest of them, I don't care."
"I just… I'm not sure a relationship is… what I mean is…" Numair submitted into fretful silence for a moment.
"What you mean is what? A relationship isn't the best thing right now? That your passion is fleeting, like with every court lady? What?"
Numair only stared on for a moment before he spoke. "I just don't know."
"You always know, Numair! This is a fair wonderful time for you to suddenly become clueless! Do you think I know any better? But maybe you're right. If neither of us knows, maybe a relationship isn't the best thing for us now…" Daine sat down on the bed next to the lanky mage.
The two were silent for a time. "I have to go." Daine said finally, standing up and walking towards the door, and stopping short. "I wouldn't have told you I loved you if I didn't mean it, and you know it. I know you meant what you said too. I never figured you to be one who let the talk of other people keep you from something you loved." With that, Daine left the room.
Numair slumped over, face in his hands. "Great Gods all, I've no idea what to do."
--
Daine did not regard Numair coldly when he spoke to her, nor did she act as if they had never had their talk. In fact, she simply treated him with an indifference that stung the mage more than he thought possible. Whenever he tried to talk to her about a relationship, she found an excuse of some kind and left before he could say much more than "Daine! Come back!"
Finally, Numair managed to catch Daine in the stables, in the middle of grooming Cloud. He knew from nearly four years of traveling with her how quickly she could groom a horse, so he spoke quickly. "It isn't the talk of people that's keeping from something I love, it's my love for the thing I love that's keeping from the thing I love." He blurted quickly.
Daine looked at him, one eyebrow raised. "Numair, you're not making any sense, so I can tell you're upset."
Numair laughed with relief. "You have no idea how glad I am to hear that tone of voice."
"You mean the one I have when I think you're being fair strange?"
"Exactly. I've come to love it. I love everything about you. It isn't me being afraid of what people will say that scares me… it's that things will change between us. It's my love for you and for what we have that makes me afraid to… have a relationship I suppose."
Daine sighed. "You know, you'd have to cut most men's toes off before they'd talk about their feelings."
"This isn't easy… In fact, I'm about ready to wish myself into oblivion."
"Now that would be an awful waste of a wonderful person." Daine said, standing up. "Of course things will change between us. They already have. And you know it. This is just you clutching at straws…"
"More like clutching at water. I know it's changed… I'm just worried we won't be able to be the same… I liked what we had, you know."
"You're not the least bit curious about what we could have? About how things could be? That's not the Numair I know." Daine stood up and walked over and laced her arms around the tall mage's waist. "The Numair I know always wants to try new things…" Daine tilted her face up and looked into Numair's eyes and met him halfway in a passionate kiss.
Before Numair knew what was happening, they had toppled over and now lay in the straw on the floor, bodies pressed together. Daine pulled away from their kiss, gasping slightly. "But if you want to stay friends, well then I suppose I could do that too." She grinned impishly and began to sit up.
Numair put his arms around her waist and pulled her back down next to him. "You know, I do like new things." He said.
"Nothing that we have now has to change. We can just add a few things to what we've got." She told him. "I was hoping you'd see that. But I was also hoping you might like some persuading…" Daine whispered the last part in his ear.
Numair pulled back for a moment, dark eyebrows raised. Where in the world had she learned to be… seductive?? Daine seemed to read his thoughts. "If you're surprised, the only reason I have to offer is… I suppose I just picked some things up… here and there."
"Where??" The mage asked incredulously.
"That's not important…" Daine told him mischievously, scooting closer and kissing him again.
They continued on, uncaring that they lay on a floor in the hay in a rather public place until- "Ouch!" Daine shouted, pulling away from Numair and turning to look at the gray pony standing at the entrance of the stall.
Numair looked down to see a small welt raise where Cloud had bitten Daine's ankle. If you're quite through rolling in the hay, I've got an incredibly annoying bur you've yet to see to. Daine sat up with a sigh. I suppose I ought to thank you from letting me go too far, but I can't help but feel cheated, Daine told the pony, leaving Numair bemused in the hay on the floor.
A/N: So? What do you think?