"Go on..." Claireparker said.

Alexia lifted her head, and slowly began to speak. "Claireparker, I-I love you..." she said quietly.

"What?" Claireparker asked, hardly believing the words she'd just heard.

"I... love you." Alexia repeated, even slower and quieter.

"I don't understand..." Claireparker replied. "Is this a recent thing or-"

"It's been going on for months." she interrupted flatly. "About a month after you entered the console I-"

"Wait. A month? That's a rather short time to start liking someone..." Claireparker mused.

"You were irresistible." Alexia replied, giggling girlishly. "You still are."

"How did you keep it hidden for so long?" she asked, curious about the Legend Hunter's now uncharacteristically shy behaviour.

"That's a question I'm still asking myself." Alexia replied. "I was going to confess last night, but you fell asleep before I got the chance."

Claireparker laughed. "I told you I was the best at going to sleep!" she teased.

"Oh, be quiet you!" Alexia responded, pushing her playfully.

"It's hard for me." she explained. "Having to hide all my feelings from you.. it didn't feel natural, y'know?"

"I understand." Claireparker replied calmly.

"Really?" Alexia asked, looking upwards and smiling.

"Yes, really." she replied, smiling back.

"So, you wouldn't mind if I did... this?" She slowly began to advance towards Claireparker, laughing and reaching out her hand so she was almost touching her.

"Alexia, w-what are you doing?" Claireparker asked nervously as her friend got closer and closer.

Alexia said nothing, continuing to come forward.

Claireparker was now backing up into the wall. "Alexia, please stop..." she pleaded, as her friend came within touching distance.

Then, as Alexia got to her closest stance, leaning inwards, the pair's fingertips- and lips- touched for a brief second. That triggered Claireparker to push her hard, causing her to disconnect, and fly backwards, her head hitting the wall behind.

"Oh my- Alexia, I really didn't mean to-"

She was cut off mid sentence. "It's OK, I'm not hurt." Alexia reassured. "I expected everything but the wrestling match."

"What the hell was that for?" she asked angrily, still shaken from the kiss.

"Well, I just thought-"

"You two!" Kiki called, opening the door before Alexia could finish. "Breakfast is ready!"

She stopped talking, looking the girls straight on. "Are you both OK?" she asked.

"Oh, yeah." Claireparker replied, not showing any discernable trace of the anger her voice had had a few minutes before.

"Of course." Alexia added, smoothing out her ponytail.

There was a break in conversation, before Kiki turned and skipped out, gesturing for the others to follow behind her.

They didn't comply, instead sitting and looking each other dead in the eyes. "I know what you were going to say." she told her, eyes cold and unwelcoming. "Well I just thought that you would like it- well, guess what? I didn't like what you did, at all! It was gross and disgusting! I mean, I appreciate your- gentleness- but I'd much rather not be involved with something like this!"

Alexia said nothing in response, instead clearing her throat, and slowly starting to reach for Claireparker's hand, once again touching her fingertips before being pushed back. "No!" she called scornfully, scanning the length of her body before walking out.

"Alexia!" Kiki called, poking her head around the door. "Are you coming?"

She nodded, walking out with her head hung. Well, that was a success...