Hello. This is the first chapter of The Little Boy, and will either be broken up into two chapters or three. I have not chosen yet. Some parts may not make sense, but it will be unfurled during future chapters. I hope you enjoy.

Solona liked when the sky was cerulean and the sun a bright heaven ray. The blood mage liked the feel of the gentle light upon her skin, warming her as if she was wrapped in a soft blanket. Lukewarm winds heated from the heavens ran invisible fingers through her hair, causing the young woman to wipe the lost strands from her eyes and face. Solona could see so much, sitting high upon the battlements. Everyone appeared like little ants. And for a brief moment, Solona thought about flying, to just float up and up and up into the skies, up into the Breach and possibly beyond the Fade.

However, Solona could only fly within her mind, for the odd boy held her at her belly, grip not too gentle yet not too hard, firm. The young woman had told Cole numerous times that she would not fall. The blonde would not even dare to take that risk, regardless if he trusted her or not. So, the pair sat, Solona sure he could feel her belly-which reminded the girl that she needed to try and wield a sword and not kill herself with it-whilst Cole sat, a warm, lean mass behind her, simply unwilling to let her go. The young woman decided it wasn't that bad. She could certainly be in worse predicaments. Solona herself was surprised by the lack of physical boundaries. But then again, it was Cole, so she didn't mind as much.

"I like your hair. It smells pretty." Compassion spoke, Solona blinking, now pulled away from her thoughts.

"Oh. Thank you, Cole." The woman smiled gently. By now, the mage had simply given up on convincing the young man to loosen his grip. She wanted to relax, to lean into his hold, but couldn't, wouldn't. She had no doubt Cole sensed it, no matter how small.

Minutes passed as silence reigned, only the hussle and bussle from down below drifting in the winds. In time, however, the peaceful silence was broken, "Why are you afraid to be naked?"

"I-pardon?" The woman asked, not expecting such a question.

"That night when you said you were not ready-I scared you. I didn't mean to. But I don't understand. You want to be naked, but you are afraid to be. But...with the Templar, it was different. Like now, but backwards. Why is that? I don't understand." Cole asked, shaking his head to display his confusion. His question made Solona think. The girl remained quiet for a long time.

"Because...you and I...we have different foundations. That's why the natures of the relationships are different. Wait...what 'naked' do you mean?" She asked, not entirely sure. When she twisted to look at Cole, the boy didn't seem to truly know either.

"Can...it be both?"

Solona sighed, "Alright. I think I know what you're asking now. Take you and me. When I first met you, I thought you were a creepy weirdo that was going to kill everyone. Or possess someone. But as I got to know you, I know you're not that creepy. You're still creepy, but not as bad as I once thought you were. So I know you're a good...man...spirit...demon thing. So, because I know you, I'm naked to you emotionally. And maybe mentally. I'm not sure. But obviously, not physically. With the Templar-and a few others-it was a physical nakedness, but not an emotional or mental nakedness. Like with you and me." The girl tried to explain, Cole remaining quiet as he digested the answer.

"So you are afraid to be naked?"

"...naked as in...?"

"Naked?"

The mage shook her head, "No, I am not afraid to be naked. Take the Templar. I was physically naked, but not emotionally. That relationship was shallow. No emotional connection at all-just physical."

"Are we shallow, Solona?" The young man asked, the woman's cheeks filling up with air before she exhaled.

"No, we aren't shallow. We are deeper, which is good."

"So...being physically naked is bad? Is that it? Is that why you don't want to be naked? Because he hurt you?" Cole pried.

"Being naked isn't a bad thing, Cole. It's just when you enter a baser relationship, you are more prone to using each other regardless if you know it or not. When you are more connected on an emotional level, you...value each other." Solona spoke, feet smacking against the stone walls of the battlements.

"And that is why he hurt you? Because he did not value you?" The blonde asked, the girl nodding in response.

"Yes. If you don't have value, you have a lack of respect. Like I know you wouldn't hurt me. Just as I wouldn't hurt you." The smiled, the odd boy returning the gesture-if however small.

"Thank you. But...I still don't understand. You know I wouldn't hurt you because it's wrong. But you are still scared of me. Of being naked. Why?" Cole questioned, Solona sighing, prying his fingers away to interlace them with her own.

"I'm not scared of you. I'm scared for you. Intimacy is...always scary. And with Corypheus...well..." She shrugged, unsure what to say.

"You lie. You're not scared of intimacy. Or Corypheus. You're...scared of something...something else...but I don't know what..." The odd boy tried to focus, but he himself was far too loud. He could not hear over his own noise.

"Yes. Well..." Solona tried to speak, but her voice simply faltered, unsure what to say.

Silence once more reigned, hands intertwined as the mage now leaned into the strange youth, the smell of cinnamon in her hair and the taste of salt upon his lips.

"The little boy...I'm sorry he died." Cole stated, Solona frowned, nodding silently in agreement.

"Yes. So am I." The blood mage sniffed, breaking their hold as she wiped a stray tear that had not yet fallen.

A frown plastered itself upon the young man's features, hold meant to comfort and soothe, "I'm sorry you lost your son."

Dun-Dun-Duuun. Oh, dear. Whatever could Cole mean? Regardless-and as stated before-this romance will develop slowly. Almost painfully so. I know it is for me. But you will all find out Solona's true fear in due time. I often joke that Solona is as dumb as a box of rocks...in many ways, she is. So far, I assume she's a good character, but that might just be me. 'Cause, you know, I made her. And in a fit of sadism paired her with Cole. At least in my twisted head. I always felt like a romance with Cole would be much more tragic. Before Inquisition was released, I could see him paired with Solona, but viewed the romance as...innocent, yet highly tragic. I always thought that the closing of the Rifts would affect Cole, and that with the Breach(which allowed him to get a foothold in the physical realm) closed, Cole lost his footing in the physical realm, and became little more than a lost soul, being unable to interact with anyone or anything-a silent witness and observer wishing to help, but could not. As a result, Solona lost all her memories of Cole and what they had whilst Cole retained them, though as time passed, wondered if those memories had ever truly existed as the world passed him by.

But enough depressing things.

I hope you enjoyed, and if you have any OS ideas, feel free to let me know. Thank you for reading and supporting!