"Beautiful…"

He heard her whisper quietly, making Jack tilt his skull curiously. He was rattled from her comment, knowing it was quite sincere, able to see the pure adoration in her large eyes. He felt an ache in his chest then, and shakily reached out an arm towards her, bony fingers trembling as they went to move towards her again. He wasn't sure if she would shun the contact, finally able to see him for what he truly was.

He admitted that he felt some sort of lingering affection for the young woman. Throughout this whole meeting she had begun to enchant him, the way she looked at him, how she engaged with his conversations, her polite manner of speech. All of these things and more made a powerful longing rise up in his chest, unlike anything he had felt before. It was certainly different than the usual feelings he had when hanging around people. He simply prayed she couldn't see his flustered skull or the way his hands trembled despite himself. He was nervous to say the least, and if he could sweat he had a feeling it would appear on the top of his skull.

"D-did you…"

He had trouble getting the question out, hand quickly withdrawn to lay simply at his side, throat suddenly feeling dry even though that had never impacted his capacity to speak before then. The young woman seemed similarly troubled, face flashing crimson for a moment as she backed away an inch. He felt his dead heart skip a beat upon seeing her expression; why was she so cute when she was embarrassed?

"Oh dear, y-you heard that!? I…"

She seemed to falter, trembling a bit—though if it was from the cold or nerves he could not exactly tell—before he noticed her hands clench at her sides, wearing a determined posture, her gaze no longer wavering as she stared straight into his sockets. This made him feel as if his marrow was rushing in his bones, the way she pierced his sockets, as if she was trying to see through him.

"...It's true of course! You are so refined, and—dare I repeat...hauntingly b-beautiful. You may seem like a so called 'monster'—please forgive my wording—but you are the most caring and gentlemanly person I have come across this far."

"Ruse or no, I would very much like to become better acquainted with you. You saved me from possibly being eaten from wolves or lost in the forest, after all. Say what you will about your act of watching over me; you haven't done anything to make me mistrustful of you. And your behavior afterwards, tonight included, has been nothing but extraordinarily kind!"

He felt something topple against him just then, barely able to keep from falling over. It took him a few moments before he realized what exactly it was. Emeline had clung to him suddenly, wrapping him in a firm yet gentle hold. One that had him flustered and confused all at once. Part of him wanted to return her feelings, the other was still stymied by her forwardness. Not that it was a bad thing; he found it rather invigorating that she had worked past her shyness to show him how he felt—at least for the moment.

She was cold, her skin prickling with goosebumps as it touched his clothes and hands, making him shake slightly himself. The ground was cold after all, and without the layer of straw he had used to insulate himself he was starting to feel the effects of the chill night air as well. It was the briefest of holds, her arms carefully entwined around his form for a second or two. But he felt as if his entire body was on fire, marrow rushing through his bones. Such pure, unselfish gratitude and affection—he was unsure of what to do. His mind felt as if it was trapped in a haze of sorts, dulling his ability to think clearly. He just tried to savor this moment; the feeling of her holding him so tightly, as if she too did not want to let him go ever.

He felt his knees buckle below him, heard her small gasp of surprise, her hands dropping from where she had lain them to rest now at her sides. His sockets popped open, to see her face not quite at his eye level, looking at him with the utmost concern. Though she was blushing yet again, her skin taking on that rosy color as her cheeks flushed crimson, eyes quickly averting their gaze from his figure as they noticed his sockets meet with hers.

"I don't know—what came over me all of a sudden—I—...I'm sorry!"

He smiled then, the warmth in his bones ignited anew as he beheld her embarrassed face. She certainly was pretty—even for a human, whom he had never really found attractive before. But she was different; with her, he didn't care about what was on the outside—though he was enraptured by her looks—he found himself attracted to the kindness that lay within—her soul so to speak. It burned bright within her despite all the hardships she had faced, and he saw her passion within her art and words.

"Oh no, that was quite alright."

He couldn't stop the next words from tumbling out of his skull then, an extension of his thoughts that he had meant to keep hidden. Maybe she had encouraged him to also be more frank with himself because of her small display.

"I...well, if it isn't too f-forward...I'd like to—hold you—only if you wish! It's cold out, after all and—"

He could barely finish his words before she tentatively wrapped her arms around his tall frame again. A gasp escaped him, unbidden, as he savored her warmth, the feeling of her thin fingers moving across his spine and the back of his ribs to link together in a desperate sort of hold.

"It is indeed cold out tonight...For someone who is supposedly undead, you are surprisingly warm."

He could see the coy smile on her face, prompting him to respond with his own challenge, sockets narrowing as they beheld her sparkling brown eyes. So full of life, unlike what he had seen before when he beheld her countenance—a dull light, filled despair that threatened to swallow her whole. He was glad he could help bring about this change, though for how long it would last he couldn't say.

"O-Oh? And for a human, y-you are quite cold. All the more reason...we s-should…"

"...S-stay like this? Ah—only if you want, of course?"

Hearing her affirmation, Jack simply pulled her in closer to him, delighting at her startled squeal of surprise, as he felt her arms go slack around his skinny frame. He used the moment to his advantage, gently grabbing her arms and putting them in front of her, before turning her around so she was no longer facing him. He could feel her heart pounding in her chest, hear her shortened breaths, and hoped it was from the same excitement and wonder he felt when he was close to her. The skeleton then carefully wrapped his long arms around her, his hands gently resting on the blades of her shoulders to hold her. Of course he made it so if she wished to escape his grasp it was quite simple for her to do so. He still asked, just to be sure.

"How about this?"

"...It's n-nice."

She surprised him again, taking both of her soft hands in his bony ones, gently stroking the bones of his phalanges and palm. Her skin was cold at first, as to be expected from being out so late in this weather, but he found they both warmed up soon enough. He shook at her touch, having wanted some sort of affection for so long and yet unsure of how to go about it. She stared up at him then frowning, before her lips parted to speak.

"What's wrong? Am I making you uncomfortable?"

"Huh? No, you could ne—"

He stopped himself, partially embarrassed at what he almost admitted. He shook his head gently, lowering his skull so that it rest on her shoulder close to her thick curls. He closed his sockets for a moment, trying to think of what to say, as he felt her head tilt towards him.

"I...I've never really...felt this way before. Where I come from, I don't really—that is to say—people treat me differently than they do others. So, I'm not sure what to feel about it…"

"So you are an outcast, as well then?"

Her turn of phrase shocked him. Then again, he wasn't truly being clear with her regarding his status, so how else would she interpret his words? She wasn't exactly wrong however; when it came down to it, despite all the love and adoration the townspeople gave him, Jack was an outsider in the place he called home. No one really understood him or took the time to know him. She was at least trying; and here he was, hiding things from her! Guilt clenched at his ribs, making him shudder once again, a sigh escaping his lips.

"Jack, are you alright?"

"...I—I honestly don't know…"

Again, he felt one of her hands leave his, her body shifting as she turned towards him. Her hand carefully went along the contours of his skull, making him involuntarily lean into her warm caress, and he opened his sockets to see her face staring quite concernedly back at him. Quite closely too; he could almost feel her breath on his skull. If he was alive, this most certainly would have been the part where his heart stopped. As it was, it simply beat faster, feeling as if it wished to escape his rib cage altogether.

"Is there a-anything I...can do to help you?"

How selfless she was! He felt guilt upon hearing her words; he hadn't meant to cause her more problems. Yet here he was, moping when he should have been trying to comfort her, tell her he was there for her. Yet it was she who was doing that for him! Oh, he wasn't sure what to feel at the moment, a torrent of conflicting emotion assaulting him right then and there! Well, at least he could be honest with her, he supposed.

"Yes...Just stay like this with me, please…"

She chuckled then, her gaze tender as she stared into his sockets.

"Of course...I'm honestly glad you said it first. Less embarrassing than having to admit it myself."

He smiled back, wrapping his arm tighter around her in a gentle squeeze of affection.

"Now what shall we do? Simply lay here like this, enjoying each other's company?"

"Hmm...we could…"

He paused, lost in thought for a moment. He was fine with simply laying with her like this, her body wrapped up in his arms, the pair of them enjoying the silence and serenity of the night sky. God knows the poor thing probably needed a break after all she had been through!

"The night sky is beautiful tonight. We can stay here and gaze at the stars."

He suggested turning his skull towards her face. The look Emeline gave him was thoughtful; pensive even, and more than a little disappointed.

"Well...it's not that I dislike the idea, it's simply…"

"Yes? You can speak freely with me, my dear."

He felt her stiffen against him at hearing the term of endearment. Was it wrong of him to say so? Surely she was dear to him, hence his usage of the word. He wanted her to know he at least cared for her, even if she did not love him, romantically or otherwise. He hoped he had not crossed a line, one of his hands gently going to cup her face, moving his skull as close as he could to stare into her eyes.

"Have I upset you, Ms.Emeline? Maybe my show of affection is too forward? I do apologize…"

"No...It's just...Rowland used to also call me those types of things, back when he started courting me. I...I'm not sure what to think…"

"Should I not, then?"

"I...I don't know. It's—when you say it, I feel something...different. There's no underlying trace of mockery or malice...N-not that you ever would—aah, I simply don't know!"

She shouted out the last part, arms and head flailing, wriggling slightly in his grip. Jack waited for her to either push herself off of him or calm down, silently cheering when she did the latter, snuggling herself back into his arms. It was silent for a while, neither of them wanting to say anything to the other, Jack wanting to let the young woman get her thoughts in order first. Her voice was quiet when she resumed speaking, quite unlike her brash tone from a few moments ago.

"I'm sorry to have reacted in such a fashion."

"You're simply confused, is all. I won't do it again unless you ask, then."

"To switch to a better topic...What about our previous discussion?"

She stared at him then, some of her curls brushing against his nasal bone when she moved. He fought the urge to both sneeze and push his face into her hair, enjoying the scent of it.

"About star gazing?"

"Yes. What do you think of it?"

"As nice as it is, I... I can't see the stars."

"You can't see them?"

He felt his chest drop as she nodded sadly, pointing up at the dark night sky with her free hand. He followed her to watch as the stars twinkled about, the moon shining bright and giving everything around them a quaint blue glow. He was going to point out constellations to her, simply enjoy gazing under the night sky they had met under, but if she couldn't make them out then there was no real point. He'd have to find another way of showing her the stars, then. Somehow.

"Yes; I don't notice any pinpricks of light in the night sky. Not to say they aren't there; I simply lack the sight to perceive them. But I do not doubt they are quite beautiful. It's a shame really, the things I miss out on…"

He felt his heart break at her words, feeling genuinely sorry for her. The sky was quite nice out tonight, and he had wanted to share in its beauty with her, someone he cared for. If that wasn't to be, then…Part of him was embarrassed for bringing up the topic in the first place, a frown coming over his skull as he turned to look at her profile.

"I'm truly sorry, Ms.Emeline...I wasn't thinking—-didn't realize the extent of your vision loss. Forgive me for being so insensitive."

She chucked at that, which made him confused, her head slowly turning to regard him. Noticing the frown, her eyes widened in surprise, before he felt one of her hands slide over his own, making his heart race again as the feeling of her soft flesh wrapped around his palm. She looked at him then, without any trace of malice or frustration in her gaze, and he felt the marrow in his bones start to warm again. She looked at him so softly, as if to say she wasn't too concerned about his slip; it only made him feel worse!

"Oh, that's alright. It simply means I have to focus on something else that holds my attention, such as your captivating skull…"

"W-well as—wait, what?"

He hadn't been expecting an answer like that from her. The way she confidently said such a thing caught him off guard, and he stammered over his response. She...thinks...I'm captivating?? The way she could shift from shy to confident in a matter of moments confounded him, and so he simply sat there, mouth partially open. This young woman was certainly something; and to say he wasn't captivated by her was surely a lie. She blinked, as if realizing what she had said, before a tiny gasp escaped her, her face blushing horribly in the pale moonlight.

"O-oh! That wasn't—It slipped out…"

He had a feeling she wasn't the type of person to offer empty compliments or flattery; and the way she had reacted after uttering her statement made his chest tighten anew. She was sincere, of that he had no doubt. It made him shiver, her proximity to him, his own hand moving to pull her closer toward him.

"Ms.E-Emeline…"

They were very close now, her face nearly touching his nasal bone. Noticing something soft on his cheek, Jack focused on her again, to find her arm outstretched, hand gently caressing his cheekbone with an odd tenderness. He could feel her breath on his face, hand still cupping his cheek and making his skull lean downward slightly, and could make out the individual blemishes on her face—not that he thought any less of her for having them.

He supposed his own skull was littered with similar pockmarks and such, no longer the smooth round orb it had been when he was a child. Too many tumbles on gravestones, lack of polishing his skull for want of caring and unfortunate encounters with wary humans had seen to that; as well as age making his features more defined and sunken, all adding to his eerie appearance. Which he usually would be proud of—seeing as haunting humans was a career of his and what he was most known for.

Of course she would have no idea of that; she barely knew anything about him. A situation he wished to correct immediately, though a voice was telling him to keep quiet. He was a king after all, one of the nobles she had such disdain for, and he felt a sharp twinge of fear at imagining her shunning him because of his title. But, Jack knew he couldn't keep it hidden forever, and resolved to tell her after they had become better acquainted. To drop it on her now might not be the best thing. And the timing certainly didn't seem right, with Emeline so wrapped up in his arms, the pair sharing their warmth in a way he could only describe as somewhat intimate.

Indeed her supposed 'imperfections' only made his longing for her all the more poignant in that moment, making him scared. For what reason he did not know.

He simply held her tighter against him, as if that would act as a sort of barrier, reveling in the feeling of her soft hair and skin against him. She was quite warm now, no longer cold from the night chill, and the skeleton was glad of his long limbs, having used them as best he could to shield her from the cold despite their thinness. She looked more beautiful in that moment, than he had ever noticed before.

"You...really meant that?"

"I...My feelings are genuine; I do think you are a great person. But—Well...I've only just met you…"

"And I, you. Yet it feels almost as if we were meant to cross paths, wouldn't you say?"

He watched as her expression shifted once again. This time it was a smile of sorts, her eyes twinkling in the darkness and making his bones tremble.

"Mmm...I am none too fond of relying on the Fates. Their tales usually end in tragedy—and I'd prefer ours have a happy end, if we are to be honest."

He laughed at that, her clear proclamation making his chest rumble. She had an odd sense of humor, and more importantly seemed to know of the Classics, if her reference was anything to go by. This interested the monarch; no one else he knew of seemed to share his appreciation for such things.

"I suppose you are right! I do hope our friendship doesn't turn into a tragic tale of woe!"

He smiled again, laying his hand gently on her shoulder before continuing.

"Ah, maybe we are overthinking things...Still, laying with you here like this is quite nice."

He felt her shuffle beneath him, her hand once again slipping into his, fingers easily curling around his palm. He resisted the urge to sigh contentedly, looking up at the moon in the night sky, enjoying the feeling of simply being with her. Was he truly so touch starved, to react in such a way? He wasn't sure, and tried to push the thought out of his mind by holding onto her a bit tighter. The pair stayed like this for a while, leaning into each other's grip, silently enjoying their time together.

Jack wasn't sure how long they stayed like this. He was only sure he didn't want it to end. Hopefully Emeline felt the same. He felt her neck vibrate as a soft hum left her, her head resting backwards against his shoulder and collarbone. She probably wasn't aware of the noise. It was adorable.

The skeleton felt his chest ache, sockets gently observing the young woman laying so calmly on top of him. She looked so peaceful. He didn't want to disturb her, though he ran a few of his phalanges through her hair, getting tangled in the brown curls. She barely stirred at his touch, that is, until his hand gently began to move downward to caress her cheek. Emeline simply stared at him with half lidded eyes—probably exhausted from lack of sleep, he understood—leaning her face into his hand.

"S-sorry...I'm a little tired."

Her statement was accentuated with a tiny yawn, one she tried to cover up with her hand.

"Don't worry. I don't blame you for falling asleep now. It is cold however, and I'd rather not see you become unwell."

"I...shouldn't...Sadly, I cannot spend anymore time with you tonight."

He felt his heart nearly stop at her words, staring at her with narrowed eyes. She sighed then, pointing up to the large moon in the night sky. He nodded, following her arm and frowning. The moon's path had shifted quite a bit since they had been out. It had almost begun to slip over the horizon once again; as if a sign that their time together was to draw to a close all too soon. Jack sighed, feeling her start to get up from her position on his chest. Almost on an impulse, he grabbed ahold of her wrist. She turned back toward him then, making him feel oddly self-conscious. Why had he done that? His mouth once again felt dry, as he tried to say the words lingering in his heart.

"I...enjoy your companionship…"

He noticed her fidget, gaze turned away from him for a moment. That red color began to spread across her face again, making his undead heart leap. Oh, how adorable she was! He didn't want to leave her. Leave her to her awful fate with her fiancé, where she would be doomed to misery! But what could he do? He pondered these things as he stood up, brushing off the back of his suit and staring at her as she did the same. She was enchanting in the moonlight, and he felt his heart skip a beat once again as he beheld her. She only watched him curiously, before her mouth slowly began to open, words quietly trembling out of it.

"...Yes. I do as well. We should...cut tonight's time short, however."

"...It is quite late. I suppose we must get going in order for you to return home before your parents or anyone else awaken...Though, I'd rather not leave you."

He noticed her stumble slightly when she began to walk a few steps forward, Jack quickly offering her his hand, which she hesitantly held. Again, her face took on that embarrassed shade of red, and she refused to look directly at him. He let out a small laugh, both charmed and perturbed by her inability to accept help. Her hand slipped out of his, almost as if to say she didn't need his help, as she started to walk towards the direction of her house. So enamored the skeleton was with the way she moved under the light, getting a view of her full figure, he barely noticed that something seemed odd about her steps. She was wobbling more than he would think, and favoring her left leg, barely putting any pressure on her right when she pressed down with it. This concerned him, panic fluttering across his chest, a look of plain worry on his skeletal features.

"Don't you feel any pain?"

"Hmm? N-no...What are y-you talking about?"

He wasn't sure if she was trying to mislead him or really did not feel the pain. He pointed to her leg then—before realizing she probably could not see what he was referring to. Jack quickly caught up to her, thanks to his long legs and swift strides, standing in front of her with a concerned expression. He knelt before her, eliciting a gasp of shock from Emeline, before he carefully gestured to her right ankle.

"You look like you're in pain. Do you mind if I check to make sure you're alright?"

"If you insist."

"Does it hurt here?"

He carefully used his fingers to gently wrap around the area where he noticed the issue. It was most certainly her ankle, though it was covered by her stocking and not immediately noticeable in the moonlight. He barely touched the place before Jack felt her leg wince beneath his touch, involuntarily. She didn't make any verbal indication that she felt the pain, only emitting what he could describe as a pained exhale. The fact that she had shuffled her leg away from him was enough of a tell. It was either sprained or broken; the only question was how had it ended up this way? And how had it taken her so long to notice the pain? Either she had a high pain tolerance or the fact that she hadn't needed to put much weight on it until now hadn't made it obvious to her that something was wrong.

His sockets narrowed, the skeleton let out a sigh before looking up at his new companion. Emeline watched him curiously, though he could see the sweat slowly beading on her forehead, through the small curls that covered it. She was clearly in pain, her body finally reaching its breaking point where she could ignore it no longer—though she did not want to let him know, for whatever reason.

Acting quickly, Jack easily scooped her up in his arms, ignoring her flustered squeal and his own undead heart. It felt as if it was going to burst. Could the dead suffer heart attacks? He wasn't sure, but wouldn't be surprised if his heart did give out on him. Barely looking at her, he mumbled a partial apology, voice soft and embarrassed at what he was doing. He understood it was for her own good, as she would never admit to her pain.

"Sorry—but if you walk on it anymore you'll make it quite worse."

"J-Jack, what are—please, put me down! I-I can walk just fin—"

"You're hurt. You must have sprained your ankle somehow. Please stop being so stubborn!"

"But—you...It might not be sprained?"

She weakly protested, her face still flushed as she stared at him.

"Are you really going to argue to a skeleton, of all things, about bones? Hahaha, I'd like to think I know a thing or two about broken bones and sprains. We may not have skin or muscle, but my bones are more or less the same as yours."

"Oh—"

"Trust me; I know a sprain when I see one."

"...Mmmmm…"

She grumbled, turning her face away from his for a moment. It was cute, and slightly aggravating how she refused to give in so easily. She was a fighter—if a tad subdued about it because of her hesitant nature. It made his marrow boil and his bones heat up, watching her fight him like this. Everyone was so quick to please him, to get on his good side. And he always knew when they did; it was plain to see, and it often disappointed him to see them relent so quickly. But Emeline didn't seem to want to give up, which was both refreshing and confusing to the monarch. Now if only she could stand up to her fiancé!

"Why not? We were lying on top of each other simply moments ago…"

"Y-Yes, but—Having you h-hold me like this—I feel guilty—awful!? I—"

"Nonsense! You're hurt and can't walk! Besides...it's not as if this is the...first...time I've..."

He stopped speaking, realizing he was about to give himself away. He was paralyzed with mortification for a moment before he noticed the smile on her face.

"Ah, so you did carry me home!"

Ah, I messed up...Oh, well. Why is she smiling about it? He thought, her reaction confusing him even more. Part of him had expected her to be angry. He sighed, knowing he was trapped and thought it best to tell her.

"Erm...well...of course! I couldn't simply leave you—like that—I mean...What if—something could have happened…to yo—"

"I knew you were a gentleman!"

Jack felt her cling onto him tightly, her arms wrapped around his shoulders and head to his chest. Something soft pressed against his skull then—the area on the underside of his chin, near the corner of his mouth—unlike anything he had felt before. It stayed there for a few moments, pressing into his skull and making him shudder in delight before quickly leaving and taking it's odd warmth with it. He stopped moving, startled at the action, his body trembling as he looked down at the human in his arms. Her head was tilted downwards, so he could not look at her face, her curly locks covering the front of her eyes.

"W-What...did you…"

He heard his voice croak out, trembling and horribly squeaky. He felt as if he was on fire—literally—his bones beginning to become very heated and saw small flames that danced around his vision. He had to close his sockets to focus before the flames spread and began to actually start doing damage; before they hurt the woman he was trying to protect! Letting out a couple deep breaths, trying to calm his frazzled nerves, before he felt the heat leave him then. This woman...He carefully opened his sockets, looking around to see that any trace of his fire had disappeared completely. It was if as it had not even been there. Frowning, he looked at the woman in his arms, narrowing his sockets at her in a mix of mortification and playful anger.

"Y-you just...ki—"

"Don't say it!"

Emeline nearly shouted the words, the forceful tone of her voice shocking him. Raising a socket curiously, he regarded her. She was red; face flushed horribly and eyes darting to and fro as if she didn't want to look at his skull. He smiled; she really was quite adorable. If only she could gain more confidence! He didn't hate what she had done—no, he actually liked it. He was simply too shy to admit that to her. And she seemed to be of a similar mindset if he went by her blushing face and racing heartbeat.

"Are you...embarrassed?"

He teased, a playful smile lighting up his skull. One of his long phalanges came to caress her cheek, trailing a path to her bottom lip. She simply sputtered, arms crossed as she continued to avoid staring at him. Her voice wavered as she spoke; quite the contrast to her outburst from earlier.

"Mmm...I just wanted...to give a small show of affection. Was I…out of line?"

"N-no...No, it was fine. I simply wasn't expecting it, was all."

He stopped walking, realizing where they had finally ended up. The pair had finally reached their destination, the young woman's house. Now the only real problem left was how to get inside. He tried the door leading to the house, and frowned upon finding it locked. Which wasn't totally unreasonable; who knows what brigands would be running about at this time of night.

Still they had to get in, otherwise Emeline would be found out! And if he wanted to see her again—and he had a feeling she did as well going by her words—they needed to be as discreet as possible. He then looked at the window that lead into her room, seeing as it was partially open. It only took him a moment to understand why, blurting out his thoughts before he could stop himself.

"You...leapt from this height!?"

He simply stared at her, then at the window, incredulity written plainly on his skull. It was a long drop—and she so petite—that it must have certainly caused some damage. He thought about their walk back to her home, the odd way she had nearly limped about, before he had had the forethought to hold her. He wanted to ask what possessed her to do such a thing, but decided against it at the moment.

You could have—Well, no—you have hurt yourself from doing such a foolish thing!

"They locked my door...I had no other choice if I wished to leave."

She explains, which only made him shake his head at her foolishness. She had gotten herself hurt, simply to act on a hunch and see him!? He wasn't sure how to feel, his emotions twisting around inside him at the moment. He tried to focus on finding a way inside the building, as that was more important. There was no way for him to climb the wall of the house to the window; not with her in his arms.

He had an idea then, going back to the front door and adjusting his grip on the young woman. He hadn't used it in a long time; he had come up with it when he was a rascally little pile of bones, a troublemaker who liked spooking everyone he could. He was past such juvenile tricks now, having learned from centuries of experience, being a king and gentleman. All he needed to do was get one finger free, and for only a fraction of a second. Finding the keyhole that kept the door locked, the lanky skeleton easily slipped his index finger inside the locking mechanism, feeling around inside for the tumblers and gears that kept it shut. He ignored the slight pain his digit began to give him from being wedged in such a small space, using his dexterous hands to his advantage to fiddle with the lock, smiling when he heard the click of the doorknob release.

"H-how did you….?"

"Where else would the term 'skeleton key' come from? I am quite deft, and this was a simple lock."

He commented, somewhat proudly, before carefully opening the door and slipping the two of them inside. It only took him a few seconds of searching to find her room, the small woman also helping point out the place to him. That door too was locked, which he easily picked as well before going inside. He quickly placed Emeline on her bed, being careful of her sprained ankle so as not to agitate it. He stood before her, avoiding looking at the young woman, slightly embarrassed as to what he was about to ask.

"Would you let me take off your shoe? I'd like to get a better look your ankle…"

"Sure...Go ahead…"

He easily slid the shoe off of her foot, wincing a she gasped despite his delicate maneuvers. It must have hurt more than she let on. Even through the sock he could see something was clearly wrong; the shape was distorted compared to her other ankle, and she flinched whenever his fingers ghosted across it. He looked to her for confirmation once again, receiving a hesitant nod in response, before he carefully began to slide the stocking down her leg, removing it. Her pain tolerance must be quite high...Was the only thought he had upon seeing the discolored flesh, the base of her foot a misshapen lump of red and purple, her twisted foot hanging off the side of the bed almost daintily. He winced at the sight, more for the pain she must be in than any revulsion he felt, which prompted her to quietly ask.

"H-how does it look?"

"Well, it's most certainly sprained! I'm surprised you managed to walk as far as you did. Now don't move from that spot."

"Hmm?"

"I can't simply leave you like this! I was going to go find a way to treat the swelling…"

She grabbed ahold of his wrist then, tugging him closer towards the bed. Jack stared at her, confusion flitting across his skull for a moment before she began to speak.

"Oh, no...don't trouble yourself. I can easily make up a story that will explain the wound."

"We cannot meet all the time, mind you. My parents and fiancé may get suspicious otherwise. We have managed to cover our tracks this time, but what of the next? And as odd as it sounds, I do worry for your sake. If someone were to spot yo—"

He put a thin finger to her lips then, making her eyes go wide before she saw his narrowed sockets. Jack was slightly frustrated at her words. She was still worried for him. For him, and not for her own self, should anyone come upon the two of them! Emeline would be in much worse danger than he, did she even know? Or was the thought of succumbing to her destiny of marrying her fiancé so grave to her that she cared not for her own sake? This struck him as odd, and curiosity compelled him to ask, but he did not. It was late, and the poor thing seemed tired, despite the odd energy she had exhibited while around him.

"Stop talking like that. Don't you understand how important you are!?"

To me? He wanted to add, but his courage gave out. He didn't want to come across as too forward; this was first time they had actually met after all. Though he thought back to only a while ago, when she had placed that small kiss on the underside of skull. It made his bones nearly alight again, his tongue nearly tripping over itself as he continued to speak.

"Y-you...undervalue yourself. I'm not sure if it's because of that despicable man you call your fiancé, but...I don't like seeing you so sad."

"S-Sorry…I simply don't feel very important, is all."

The sad, nearly monotone sound her voice made was devastating to the monarch. Why did she harbor such thoughts? Why was she so...so hard on herself? Couldn't she see the good things about her, like he easily did? He easily took her small hand in both of his, wiggling out of her grip thanks to his impossibly thin wrist.

"This settles it then; I won't leave you to wither away like this! I won't be able to see you all the time, but I will try my hardest to meet with you! For now, simply rest and take it as easy as you can."

"... I...You—How? How will we—oh, wait! This may work. A way for us to plan our rendezvous…"

She gestured to him, towards the desk where she had her study materials tucked away. Grabbing a few pages from her book as she instructed—the ones often displaying the title or author, which left a lot of space to write on—he brought the pages to her. She looked at him with a sly grin, leafing through the papers before handing him a few from the pile.

"These will do, I think. We can simply use these to communicate back and forth."

Jack stared at the leaflets, slightly unsure of her plan. Still, it was better than standing outside her window every night where he might be caught, or her staying up all night and missing sleep—which would surely be seen as suspicious. This way, at least they could plan a meeting time and she could wait for him to appear. The only real caveat he found was how to get the messages to her? He could climb the windowsill, being as lithe and stealthy as he was. No one would probably see him. It's not as if she could sneak out and deliver them as she had been—no, he would not put her in that kind of danger!

He took them, folding them and the writing implement she gave him and storing them in a pocket on the inside of his suit. He smiled at her, reaching for her hand once more and holding it against his chest. He delighted at the shudder he felt as his shirt made contact with her skin, the way her breath wavered in her throat before coming out in a sharp exhale.

"Of course, if there's anything you need—and I do mean anything—please come find me at our spot in the field. I'll notice you and come running!"

"Oh, please be careful Jack!"

"I will, though I hope you will try and follow your own advice. You are much too reckless; yet...I suppose that too is part of your charm."

He teased, bringing himself closer to where she sat on the bed. She only let out a stifled laugh, face flushing slightly in embarrassment. He took her soft hands in his, wanting to feel their odd texture on his hard bones again. His fingers ran through her own, memorizing the bumps and impressions her skin left, where on him there were simply just bones and knuckles.

"Until next we meet, then…"

"Yes."

He felt her arms wrap around him again, in a much tighter hug than before. They seemed to be trying to memorize his form, her hands carefully caressing the small of his back, individual ribs and even the vertebrae of his spinal column. The skeleton also hugged her back, being careful to support her injured ankle, savoring her warmth and the feeling of their bodies pressed together. He knew it would be a while before they would next meet. He wanted to savor the moment. And hoped she did as well.

As fast as it had been, it ended, the pair letting go of each other somewhat forlornly. Neither wanted to leave the other; but understood it was the best thing to do. He could still feel the lingering heat of her body as he quickly left her side, going for the door. It was less conspicuous than the window, and he could close it on his own. Leaving no trace that he had been there. The skeleton turned to his new friend one last time, his adoration for her clear in his gaze, watching her own crestfallen expression brighten rather quickly as she beheld him. It was as if she was trying to hold back tears, her eyes blinking rapidly as she locked eyes with him.

"Well, I suppose this is goodbye…"