While All In Darkness Rest
Dark Empycchu was easier to deal with at night, when her eyes expected colors to be muted and didn't strain after what wasn't there, when the temperature finally cooled to a tolerable level and a light wind picked up, when no one was outside to question or stare at her as she wandered between the huts.
"All surprisingly normal, isn't it?"
She turned toward his voice and spotted him easily; even in shadow, the moonlight on his silver hair gave him away. "Are you worried about tomorrow?"
"Not really, though after talking to the villagers I'm a bit skeptical that coming here is going to do us any good." Angelo stepped away from the building, and she blinked in surprise that he wasn't wearing his uniform jacket, just a dark shirt. "At least we'll be here if Empyrea decides to attack the village again."
Jessica smiled. "You sound like Eight."
"He does tend to rub off on a person." His hand settled on her shoulder, too comforting for her to shake him off, and gently urged her to resume walking. "From your question, I take it you are worried about tomorrow?"
"I don't know." The unmistakable strains of a lullaby came from one hut as they passed, painfully familiar and, as Angelo had said, normal; she found herself leaning against him, and somehow his arm was around her. "We're so far from home."
"This did get rather bigger than we anticipated, didn't it?"
She nodded, tipping her head back to look at him and trusting him to guide her steps. "Do any of us know what we're doing?"
"No." He smiled down at her. "But we seem to be very good at playing by ear."
"You think so?" She dropped her gaze. "In that case, I'd hate to see us do badly."
"Jessica." He pulled her to a stop, both hands cupping her face, forcing her to meet his eyes. "We're alive to keep fighting. That's what's important."
A thousand thoughts crowded her mind, then fled, so that she could only stare at him. A part of her mind wondered if his eyes had always been so intensely blue, or if it was the dull, grey world around them which made her notice more.
He leaned down to kiss her, and broke the spell.
Flustered, she stepped back, away from his hands and his eyes and the warmth radiating through his shirt, and said nervously, "You really are starting to sound like Eight."
"I'll deny it if you tell anyone."
His voice and laugh both sounded a little shaky. Jessica studied him-safely, for the moment, because his attention was intently focused on the far side of the village-and thought he was as surprised by what had happened as she was.
Minutes passed, with only the whisper of the wind to break the silence.
"It's getting late...well, later," Angelo said finally. "We should at least try to get some sleep."
Jessica nodded. "Thank you. For what you said, I mean; I do feel better about tomorrow."
He swept her a bow. "I live to serve you, my lady," he said, and if there was an undercurrent of seriousness beneath the light words, she chose to ignore it.
They returned to the Chief's hut, side by side, not touching.