- Read Between the Lines -

Great. He can't swim.

That was the first thought that came to Husky's mind as he saw his new found companion thrashing and flailing in the water beside him. This annoyance soon turned into worry as he soon discovered that Cooro would indeed drown if something was not done to prevent such catastrophe from happening. Husky's eyes grew wide and he panicked before he rushed through the water to save his friend. He held Cooro tightly around the waist and sped up to the surface looking for a safe place to set him.

Cooro was too dizzy to move or speak so he just lay there for a few minutes, cherishing the gift of air. Husky on the other hand was still fretting over the other boy from his spot in the water beside him. Cooro spotted the look of concern Husky was wearing so blatantly and frowned at himself for making his friend so upset. "I've never flown carrying something that heavy." He joked to show that there was no need for worry. "And I'm hungry..."

Husky once again shifted moods. He had worried for nothing. "You...!" He shouted, embarrassed that he was ever afraid for Cooro in the first place. But he was still relieved. Cooro had done so much for him, after all. He had helped him escape his living nightmare! How humiliating it had been, dressing as the 'Mermaid Princess' for people's entertainment. He was just a sideshow freak at the circus. But now he had Cooro... a boy, who although a little strange, was really just like him. A +Anima.

"Here," came Cooro's cheerful chirp. Husky looked up at the boy who had his hand extended towards him, displaying the glittering pendant Husky had tried to take from his prior captive. "Take this." Cooro grinned wildly as Husky shyly took the pendant from his hand.

"Oh..." Husky stared in amazement at his friend. 'He knew that I didn't want to leave without it...' Husky let himself smile at this as his cheeks turned scarlet. Cooro curiously stared at Husky and his pendant, his happy grin still plastered to his face. Husky moved his fingers across the face of the pendant and with a 'click' it popped open revealing the jeweled earrings hidden inside.

Husky began putting one on when Cooro jumped up and all but squealed, "Ohh. So it was an earring!" He was far too happy that he had figured it out. Husky merely glared at the boy's narraration of the obvious. He could be so foolish sometimes. Despite his attempts to be angry, however, Husky could only be grateful to the 'Death Messenger' for escaping with him. It was only then that Husky realized he had not yet thanked Cooro. He had been putting that off, seeing as how much he hated having to depend on others for help. "Um... thank... you..." He began, blushing furiously. "I..." His last thought was interrupted by a large growl emanating from the winged boy's stomach.

Husky glared.

"F.. fine!! I'll get as many fish as you want!" He yelled in frustration. Any positive thoughts he had towards the youth were currently forgotten. 'Does he not even care about my thanks?!' Husky's thoughts growled. It would seem that way anyway, since all the oblivious Cooro did was cheer in delight at the mention of food.

Cooro's smile grew wider as he leaned closer to the silver haired boy. "And in return..." he whistled. Husky's cheeks flushed.

"No more flying for me!" It was the first thing that had come to mine, so, with that said, the boy made his escape into the water with the flashiest dive he could make.

Cooro stood up in alarm as his face and clothes were splashed with runaway drops of water. "Eh...?" The youth leaned over the edge of the Lilly pad he took refuge on and watched the shadowy figure of his friend disappear into the darkness of the water. He blinked and sighed, sad about not being able to finish his sentence before. 'What a strange request Husky made' Cooro thought to himself. Although he had not been able to stay in the air with the other boy at that time it didn't mean he couldn't when he was rested and full. Plus, he could've sworn Husky was enjoying himself before they started to fall. "Flying is lots of fun, after all!" he sung for all the world to hear.

Cooro giggled and grinned while he lay back on the Lilly pad. He covered his eyes from the light with one hand and let the other one float over the edge in the water. He looked at all the clouds in the sky deciding what they resembled most, although most of them seemed to look like fish. He was very hungry.

While Husky busied himself at the fire, Cooro set off into the sky to complete his job. Husky had told him to check for the nearest town after Cooro had accidentally knocked most of the fish Husky had caught back into the water. Cooro wasn't dumb, he knew that Husky just wanted him out of his hair while he made the two their meal but he was okay with that because now he had something to do. The best part was that he was doing something for Husky that couldn't be done by anyone else unless they had wings like him. Just the thought of making life just a little bit easier for Husky made the boy smile. It was fun having a friend.

He rose up into the air, wind whipping his hair every which way, higher and higher. Cooro laughed and smiled hugely as he looked around him for a town or at least a path they could take. He swirled around in the air, doing a flip just for the fun of it. When he saw no towns he squinted and looked around for the road. "Hmm..." he sighed. "Husky!" He called down to the other boy. "I think we can go that way!" He made a gesture over to the right of him.

Husky looked up from the fire and spotted Cooro up above the trees. 'Wow... he flies really high...' Husky stared up for several minutes until he realized Cooro was waiting for a reply. "Uh... what way was that?" He stammered, embarrassed.

Cooro pointed over to his side again and dove down towards the ground. He stopped right infront of Husky, nearly giving the poor kid a heart attack in the process, and then pointed again. "Which way is that?"

"Um..." Husky pushed his shock aside and thought for a second before replying. "North... East? Well, anyway we'll head that way. How far was the town?"

"Oh, I didn't see any town but there's a path we can follow that will most likely lead to one." The youth smiled and spun around to look at the cooking food. "Are those done yet?" He stepped over to the now burnt fish hung above the blazing fire.

"Ah!" Husky cursed and ran to his forgotten meal. He splashed handfuls of water from the pond at the fire to put it out before taking the fish from their spot. He held them up for inspection half gagging from the smell of burnt flesh. His face was set into a frown. "Ruined."

"No dinner...?"

--

"Ow...! Cooro, not so tight!" Yelped the boy as the other child pulled the lazily sewn leaves around his neck. Cooro immediately loosened his grip and let the makeshift shirt fall lower on his neckline. After shifting it around until it was satisfyingly placed, the boy tied the loose ends and released it onto his shoulders. Cooro's hands slipped around Husky's torso as he fidgeted with the leaves bringing a rather unusual colouring to the later boy's face.

"There." Cooro smiled with delight as he looked the outfit over. "That'll do, right?" The boy continued to play with the leaves, pushing them up and down until Husky made his reply.

"Of course... it's fine. At least it's something to cover me up before we find something better. We need to make our way down that road tomorrow so we can stock up for our travels."

Cooro blinked and twirled his fingers between the leaves. "Travels?" He smiled at that. "Sounds fun. Are we going to travel together for a long time?" The boy leaned closer to the other and his smile widened into a grin. His eyes glittered excitedly.

"Well... until I... I did make that promise... and... I really have nowhere else to go, right? +Anima aren't the most favoured people. You of all people must know that." Husky blushed furiously and lowered his head.

The two sat in silence with only the sound of their breath touching their ears. Finally Cooro spoke up, breaking the eternity that the silence held. "I... I'm really glad that you're my friend, Husky."

Husky looked up into Cooro's eyes and upon seeing the utterly joyful expression, frowned. Cooro's face was so bright and cheery. It just wasn't normal. 'To be so happy. how do you do it...?'

"We should sleep."

"Sleep?" He blinked and looked up at the sky. Stars. Lots of stars in the pitch black sky. "When did...?" Before Cooro could so much as finish his thought, Husky had stood and sat again over on the other side of the burnt out fire. He had his back turned to the other boy and his arms around his waist. It was a cold night for such a warm day and Cooro could spot the beginnings of frost hugging the ground.

Just as Cooro was about to take his own spot for sleep he noticed Husky's shivering. He smiled and crawled over to his friend. "You're cold," He chirped as he put his arms around Husky's figure. His body tensed in shock and he made a struggle to release himself from his friend's grip. "What are you doing.? Cooro!" The winged boy just gave him a confused little, 'Hm?' and snuggled in closer. "Don't tell me your afraid of sleeping alone? Kid."

Cooro was now glaring back. "Hey!" His stern face turned into one of amusement. "I just saw that you were cold so I came to warm you up." He giggled.

"You." Husky replied. "Fine. But only for tonight! And. don't get any ideas!" The other boy nodded so the two made their peace and tried to sleep.

"What kind of ideas?" Cooro inquired, uncertain at what had been said. The only response he received, however, was a smack across the head and a glare.