"..."
Rose and Neil walked in silence.
"About what happened back there...W-why were you so close to me when I slept?" Rose asked.
"No reason." Neil didn't bother to look at her.
Rose looked down, glancing at Winter.
"I...I didn't mean to-"
"I know."
"I'm sorry for making you angry."
"I'm not angry."
"T-then, why were you acting differently back at the sanctuary?"
"I was just being stupid. Forget it."
Rose nodded.
"When you grabbed my shoulders, you were going to tell me something. Something about being a good friend. I really appreciate it, Neil." She looked at him.
"Forget everything I said."
"I said I was sorry, okay?" Rose's voice shook as tears welled up in her eyes.
'He says something nice to me and then tells me to forget everything? He's getting meaner by the second! And here I was, thinking we could become friends!'
"I heard you the first-" Neil started, when he looked over at Rose.
He sighed as he held her shoulders and turned her to face him.
"Come on, don't cry."
"Y-you're telling me to f-forget everything that h-happened at the sanctuary? A-at least finish t-telling me what you w-were saying b-before!"
Neil looked around to make sure nobody was near them.
"You're a good friend, okay? I like being around you and I think we could become good friends. I've never met anyone else that likes animals as much as I do, and besides..."
He then wrapped his arms around her and pulled her into a hug.
"...You being happy all the time's starting to rub off onto me."
Fluffy!
The sound I just made was not human.