"Vyse…" Aika turned away. He had gotten those papers???
Vyse waited expectantly as he crossed his arms. They hadn't kept secrets from each other before, why was she starting now? He was about to ask her when he saw her slip a book from beneath a pillow. Vyse made a swipe for it, but Aika tackled him before he could get it in his hands.
Aika extracted herself from him quickly and said, "It's a journal Vyse…like the journal that Fina, you and I keep. However, this one contains memories from your dad, your mom, and my…" Aika swallowed a lump in her throat. "My parents."
When Aika looked up at Vyse, he could see the sadness lurking in the depths of her eyes. He almost felt sorry for bringing this up.
Aika smiled at him, trying to hide her sadness, but failed miserably. "Don't worry, it's my fault for not telling you," she said quickly because she detected his regret. She slid off the bed and brought the book to him. "I didn't want to worry you needlessly about the matchmaker. I was searching for a way to avoid the trouble that it was talking about, anyway."
Aika handed him the journal and made to leave until Vyse whispered a soft, "Aika." She turned around and looked at him. Without another word, he pulled her into his grasp and held her reassuringly. She could feel her worry, her sadness, her heartache flowing away from her heart. It was like Vyse was lifting some heavy blanket off of her body. She buried her head in his neck and sighed.
They stayed like that for a while as Vyse tried to figure out what to say. He was trying not to react to the feel of Aika's lips on his neck, but it was hard. She was so close. He could smell her hair…it was like the wind…and feel her breath…as hot as coals.
Slowly, Aika pushed him away. "Vyse…thanks…" she said lamely as she tried to hide her blush from his eyes.
"Aika. Whatever utter grief might happen, I'm sure we could conquer it."
Aika smiled at him. "You're always up for the challenge aren't you?"
Before Vyse could say anything, Fina cried out, "Breakfast!"
Aika licked her lips. "I'm starved!" she said to Vyse and went to the door quickly. Turning around, she looked at Vyse expectantly. "Aren't you coming?"
"In a bit. I just have to do something," he said.
Aika nodded. "Just no peeking into my drawers, got that?" she hissed, and left him alone.
Vyse stared at the journal in his hands and opened it. After a few minutes of reading, he came across a bent page. "This has to have been where Aika left off." His eyes scanned the pages and he began to grow immersed in what was going on.
===
The largest party ever, occurred on Sailor's Island that night. Lanterns swayed along the clothes lines, keeping the island in a soft pale glow. Tables, filled with various types of food and drinks, lined the houses. Music, played by a band of children, was blaring every which way. The parents, busy recalling the tale of their adventures, paid no heed to the underage children that kept sneaking alcoholic drinks into their cups.
And through it all, a lone figure sat in the darkness and watched them with bleary eyes. No one had any idea how worried she had been the entire time the families were gone. It was only in the darkness of night that she could let her tears run free as she listened to the merry talk and music.
"What're you doing all the way over here, sexy?"
The girl froze at hearing that voice and quickly dried her eyes. "Nothing," she said tiredly and got up. She brushed the dirt from her skirt and looked back at the partying people. "Shouldn't you be over there recalling everything that happened?"
The man sighed. "My parents can handle it," he muttered softly. He leaned against a tree and slipped his hands into his pocket. How can I when you're like this? he thought to himself. Instead, he said, "Rain, why are you crying?" He searched her face with his piercing gaze and said more softly, "Why are you hiding?"
She turned to him. She could see the scars, still glistening on his body, and face. It would take a few weeks for them to heal completely. You could have died, you idiot, was what she wanted to yell. She buried her head in her hands and let the tears flow freely then. "You idiot, why do you think?" She brushed madly at her wet face and glared up at him. "I don't want to let anyone see how weak I really am!"
"Is that what you think?" he asked incredulously. "Gods, Rain, you are the strongest person I know." He made to hug her, but she took a step back and ducked just out of his reach. He scrunched up his face and let out an impatient breath of air. "You were here for everyone while I was gone! You took care of the children, made sure they had food to eat, and things to do to occupy their minds. I may have left in search of my parents and friends…but you stayed and gave them strength. You gave them something I couldn't and for that we are all grateful."
He didn't know when he had dropped his voice to a near whisper, or when he wrapped his arms around her. All he knew was that she was there by his side with her own arms wrapped around his and her head laying against his chest. He could feel every breath she took, feel her tears soak through his shirt. "Dyne…"
He pulled away and looked down at her. He tilted her chin up to look clearly into her watery eyes and whispered, "Yes?"
Rain took a deep breath and smiled. "Will you marry me?"
Dyne was speechless. Wasn't it his job to propose to her? He shook himself out of his stupor and replied with a grin. She was an odd one…"Of course, Rain…"
Rain grinned up at him and gave him a long kiss.
===
"EWWWWW! MOM!" Vyse grimaced at reading that and flipped the pages forward.
===
As the night wore on, rumors of the marriage had spread. Dyne's father clapped him on the back while Dyne's mother screamed a congratulations at Rain. It caused more reason to celebrate, and more alcohol to be spread around.
People began dancing crazily to the music, and more and more people started to sing off key.
Briggs stared at everyone, grinning like an idiot. Out of all the "children" there, he had the most to drink. He swayed and stumbled toward Dyne, saying, "So, you sessy, sessy man…congrats on getting hitched."
Dyne grinned back. "How come you're always hitting on me?"
Briggs tossed back another cup of loqua and muttered, "Thaz because you're a desirable man. Ain't that right, Rain?"
Rain nodded pleasantly, her eyes blazing with good humor.
"See? She agrees with me. Lake thought so too, until she saw you and Rain together. She thought you were the hunkiest of hunks…but then again…she's blind as a bat…my head hurts." With that, Briggs passed out, his goofy smile fading.
Rain looked up at Dyne, her eyes widening. They had all forgotten about Lake. Rain turned around and stared frantically through the crowed. How could she do this to her good friend? She walked away from Dyne and began to search around. After a few minutes of nothing, she walked up to a small group of sober children. "Have any of you guys seen Lake?"
Several people shook there heads. "Nope…she went off, about awhile back…Think it was after you and Dyne announced your engagement."
Dyne was instantly by her side. He grabbed a hold of Rain's hand and forced her to look at him. His eyebrow was furrowed in deep thought as he said, "Matter of fact, Raven seems to be missing as well. What do you think happened to them?"
Rain looked troubled. "I don't know, but we have to explain."
Dyne shook his head. "She already knew that we were together." He blushed. "She kind of gave me her blessing when we were searching for our parents."
Rain still looked worried and glanced around the island. They had to be somewhere, if only she could look hard enough.
"We haven't tried the look out place yet, have we?" Dyne said, motioning to the ladder that led up past several clouds to a little island that people would use to stare at the sunset, or to just keep lookout. "Maybe they're there."
"Together? They hate each other!" Rain scoffed, but she was already climbing up the ladder with Dyne right behind her.
When she made it to the top, she could see Lake sitting on the edge of a chest. She was staring up into the night sky as the stars twinkled at her.
"You haven't said anything."
Rain ducked down as soon as she heard Raven's voice. When Dyne came, Rain forced him down as well. "Shhh, I think it's getting good," she whispered.
"What is there to say?" replied Lake. She looked almost ethereal as the moon's light shone down on her long red hair and pale skin. The wind blew, stirring the tips of her hair so that it swayed behind her.
"You have to have some opinion of the matter," Raven said as he moved toward her. He brushed back the loose strands of his hair. He was facing her, with his eyes full of something that Rain had never seen before. It made her want to cry.
"What is it you want me to say, Rave?" Lake snapped as she jumped up and whirled on him. She stalked around him, eyeing him, as if he were her prey. "That, yes, I am now happy? That I finally got what I deserved?"
Rain bit her lip. "I knew it. She's mad that we got together."
Dyne's arm snaked around Rain's neck and he covered her mouth with his hand. "Shh."
"Look, Lake. You can't deny what we feel for each other," Raven sighed. He moved closer to Lake who had taken a step back.
Meanwhile, hidden away, Dyne and Rain's mouths dropped open. Raven and Lake? That sounded almost impossible…but they were really good friends (despite their arguing) and they were always by each other's sides.
Lake crossed her arms. She averted her eyes, so that she stared off into the distance. She was shivering, probably from the cold…or maybe something more. "If I don't deny it, something could happen to me…or you. I couldn't stand that. Tonight, when we kissed--"
Dyne nearly fainted when he heard those words.
"--I knew that if something happened to you, I wouldn't be able to live."
Raven's arms wrapped around Lake and he smiled mischievously. "So, you admit you have feelings?"
"Damn it, Rave! Don't you remember that prophecy?" Lake pushed him away and walked to the other end of the small island. She leaned against wooden fence that surrounded the island and whispered, "It said something bad would happen to us if we got together. If we play it safe, and just stayed away from each other, nothing bad will happen, right?"
"And to do that, we deny our feelings for each other," Raven hissed. "I don't know about you, Lake, but I can't lie to myself. I love you."
"Gods, don't say that, you moron."
It only took Raven three long steps to get to Lake, and when he did, he trapped her against the railing by placing an arm on each side of her. "But I do. I won't deny it, and neither should you."
He stopped her from talking by wrapping his lips around her mouth. After a few moments, he pulled back and leaned his forehead against hers. "Be with me, Lake," he breathed. "Be with me, stay with me, marry me…I don't care…as long as we're together I'm sure everything will be alright."
Lake shivered slightly. "Everything will be alright," she whispered as she shut her eyes.
Rain nearly gagged after watching that seen. When her and Dyne got down from the ladder she fell into his arms and said, "Can you believe how mushy those two are?"
"I know," replied Dyne with a laugh. "Made me sick to my stomach."
===
Vyse shut the book and tossed it on Aika's bed. Aika's mom had said what he had been thinking the whole time since he had first read those papers. If we play it safe, and just stayed away from each other, nothing bad will happen, right?
Aika's parents hadn't left each other alone. They had made Aika for goodness' sake…but, his mind told him, look where it had gotten them. They're dead now…
So, if I want nothing bad to happen to my best friend, I have to stay away from her. "Can I make that sacrifice? Aika and I've always been together for as long as I can remember…how can I just leave her?"
"Vyse? Who're you talking to?" Aika asked as she opened her door. She peeked at all the corners, (actually, she was looking to see if the drawers of her cabinet were pulled out and was pleased that they weren't).
"No one," he replied with an embarrassed grin. He rubbed the back of his head, a nervous habit that Aika immediately recognized.
She walked up to him, debating if she should ask him any more questions. However, that decision was made for her when she heard his stomach cry out in hunger. "Well, then, you can talk to no one after breakfast. You look…er...sound starved…Really, Vyse, you need something to eat."
Her eyes, always caring…
"Well, you slow poke, are you coming?" Aika demanded as she placed her hands on her hips.
Her lips, always joking…
Vyse looked deeply into Aika's eyes and smiled sadly. Aika caught only a glimpse of the emotion in his eyes and was about to ask him what it was when he covered her hand with his and tugged her to the door. "I'm starving. What's there to eat."
Could I really stay away from her?
Aika shrugged away her question and went with the change of topic. "Well, Fina made some rocking food today…"
If we played it safe, and just stayed away from each other, nothing bad will happen…right?
