Author's Note: I want to thank Helliexx, the only person who actually reviewed, for, well, reviewing. I wasn't sure if I was going to continue, but, now I am! If you're one of those people who just read it and are too lazy to press the button on the bottom, then please overcome your laziness for the sake of a spoiled author!

I do not own the Storm Hawks.

000000000000000000000000000

Dark Ace looked down on the sleeping form of his Master. It had been fifteen minutes since she had dropped the bomb on "Perfect Attunement," and he was just feeling confused.

He had to fall in love to defeat Aerrow. Wasn't that a bit contradictory?

He looked down at his slumbering Master again. She looked younger when she slept, happier. Now that he thought about it, it shouldn't be too hard. She was smart, powerful, and respected. He was willing to serve her, and give his life for her. That was a start, wasn't it?

He looked down at her again. In a dark way, she was quite beautiful, actually. Her hair shone, silky and smooth, and her skin was perfectly clear. She had delicate features, and such a small body. Now that he thought about it, she really was stunning.

She shivered, and he realized the small, threadbare blanket that he had in his emergency kit wasn't going to be enough to keep her warm in the night. Moving without thinking, he laid himself next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulder. She instinctually moved closer to him, snuggling next to him. Looking at her peaceful face, he realized that she hadn't woken.

He wanted to protect her. He wanted to keep her warm. That was a start, wasn't it?

Sunlight streamed through the crack in the tent across Master Cyclonis's face. She woke, warm, comfortable, and well-rested. For a minute, she forgot everything that had happened in the past month and just enjoyed this strange feeling that she could barely remember ever experiencing before. Was it happiness? It was content, she decided.

It took her about three minutes to realize that the air on her face was chilly. Her eyes flew open. She was on Dark Ace's chest.

Suddenly, everything that had been said the night before came back to her. She leapt back in surprise.

A pair of strong arms caught her and pulled her back. Apparently, she wasn't the only one who laid awake, eyes closed in the morning. She tried unsuccessfully to twist herself out of his grip, but to no avail. She had absolutely no control over the situation, and she hated it.

"Relax, you're hyperventilating," came a cool, calm voice. "It's okay, you don't have to freak out."

Slowly, she stopped resisting, and allowed him to embrace her. Once she got over the shock, it did feel good. She closed her eyes and moved in closer.

"Are you going to explain why I woke up to find you next to me?" she whispered.

"There's only one bedroll, darling," he replied. "And the blanket is thin. I though you'd get cold. I know I was."

She nodded. "Conservation of body heat. Good, I was afraid I was going to have to punish you." It was an empty threat, and they both knew it. She might be superior still in a fight because of her crystals, but if her crystals got lost, the point was moot. Also, as amazing as crystals were for fighting, you couldn't feed yourself, or make a tent with them. Cyclonis needed Dark Ace to survive.

"Dark Ace?"

"Hm?"

"We've agreed that it's okay now. Can we get up?"

"No."

"Why?"

"I'm comfortable."

She tried to get away and was grabbed yet again. Escape wasn't an option.

"Dark Ace, let me go!" she commanded. He ignored her. "Dark Ace, that's an order!" A loud, fake snore escaped him. "I know you're not sleeping," she grumbled.

She tried to pull away, but the strain was too much for her still-tired body. It would be so much easier to give in, to lay with him…

No! She was the Master, and she wasn't going to be treated like this. You can't do anything about it, came the rebellious voice in the back of her head, so you might as well enjoy it.

The problem was, it was right. He was so warm, so comfortable, and she wanted so badly to relax into him. She did.

If she didn't think about it, it wasn't bad at all. Dark Ace was lean and muscular, and she felt encased by his warm body. He was so much bigger than her, but instead of making her feel small or insignificant, it made her feel protected.

How hard would falling in love be? He was nice enough when he needed to be, and he had been a loyal Cyclonian for about as long as she could remember. He was an amazing fighter, strong, determined, and resourceful. Thinking about it, she probably wouldn't find a better match on such short notice in all of the Atmos.

She wasn't sure how long they stayed there, but at one point, she moved a bit, and he didn't react. Now's your chance to get away, her mind called, while he's asleep. She snuggled closer, closing her own eyes. What are you doing!?! But she liked the feeling of comfort and warmth, too, so she stayed.