All around her there was nothing but soot and snow. There was no sun, but it wasn't night time either. Blue felt an icy wind rush through her hair and it wasn't only cold, but saturated with a sense of angst. The air smelled strange to her, almost sad, and there was a distinct odor of copper as well that left her stomach turning.

"You don't belong here."

Blue felt shivers run down her spine when she saw a tall man in a dark cloak pointing an elegant looking pistol at an older man who appeared to be a drunk. Something seemed so familiar about the man kneeling in the frozen snow. Something almost as if she knew him, and it was tearing her up mentally. She wanted to jump in front of him, to scream at the other man not to shoot, but her body was frozen and her mouth wouldn't work. She could only watch as a young boy who appeared to be about twelve or thirteen jumped in front of the old man right as he lifted the rifle to shoot his attacker.

Suddenly everything appeared to swirl together, everything was red. Blue looked down at her hands, only to discover that they and the whole front of her body was covered in blood.

Blue gasped and sat up quickly, scattering sheets, pillows and other random objects around her. Her short hair clung to the nape of her neck, which was damp with icy sweat like the rest of her body. She shivered as she pulled her knees against her chest and wrapped her arms around them.

It was only a dream. There was no way that she was dead or covered in blood or even injured. Blue was just sitting at home, sleeping, dreaming of strange things, which was usual whenever she was under stress. Yeah, that was all.

Blue pulled her blanket back up around her neck, keeping in her own body heat, as she closed her eyes and tried to sleep again, but sleep was now impossible. She just couldn't shake the image out of her head. That poor kid, lying on the ground with bloody pouring from his chest and back, leaking onto his already burgandy colored shirt. Blue rolled over, pressed her palms so hard against her eyes that she saw spots, tried anything to block out the scary images, but she just couldn't.

"This is hopeless." Blue tossed aside her sheets and slung her feet over the side of her bed. The carpet felt cold on her bare feet, but that didn't matter. Blue continued to her door, opened it and walked down the hallway to the kitchen. Warm milk made everything better, especially after nightmares.

"What are you doing up this late?"

Blue tiptoed past the sofa that Hige had apparently been sleeping on before he heard her get up. Obviously she hadn't been quiet enough because Hige now held a firm, but gentle grip on her wrist.

"I'm getting milk," Blue replied, trying to keep her voice solid, but she just couldn't stop the shaking. "Why are you up this late?"

Hige simply shrugged, like usual. "I couldn't sleep. Sometimes the couch is more comfortable." It was so obvious that Blue had had another nightmare. Hige had lived with Blue for the past year, so he knew about her strange dreams and how they effected her. He had to admit, it creeped him out sometimes. "You had one of those nightmares again, didn't you?"

Blue shuddered at the thought and that was enough to answer his question. "Can I go get some milk now?"

"Nope." Hige pulled Blue around the side of the couch and she landed clumsily on his lap. Blue tried to jump up, but Hige quickly wrapped his arms around her waist and rest his forhead against her shoulder. "Tell me about it first."

"Hige that's a little childish. I'm not five years old." Blue turned her head to the side, looking down at Hige's hands.

"Well you're still younger than me. So tell me about your dream or I won't let you go."

"That might have more effect if you threatened to let me go." Blue felt her stomach flip as the words escaped her lips. She always said dangerous things like that and now was not the time to bring up their relationship, or lack there-of, and start another arguement. "I'm sorry." Blue tried to pull herself up, but Hige's arms were still around her waist.

"Like I said, I'm not letting you go, so you might as well tell me." Hige grinned cheekily, knowing that there was no way Blue could, or would even want to, scramble away from him. Blue simply sighed and began to tell Hige about her dream. She couldn't really omit any details this time, since none seemed relevant to her current life.

"In the end I was completely covered in blood," Blue said with a slight shiver. "I'm so tired of having all these dreams, Hige. They're weird, I always wake up in cold sweats from them, and I feel so nauseated afterwards too."

"Hm." Hige adjusted his back so that he was sitting up a little straighter. "Well, usually I'd make you peach tea, and you'd take a bubble bath. I know those always helped you, although I can't see why."

Blue laughed lightly. "I guess guys just won't understand how soothing scalding water filled with sweet smelling bubbles can be."

"Alright, I haven't had a bubble bath since I was five, and it smelled like bubble gum! There is no real aromatherapy in bubble gum scented bubble bath."

Blue laughed as she rolled onto her side, resting her head on Hige's shoulder as she let her legs curl up a bit. "Yeah," she sighed. "And after I would have a bubble bath, you would complain about how the whole apartment smelled like peaches and cream or exotic flowers. But my bubble bath was never that strong and you knew it."

"Yeah. Usually by then you were feeling a lot better and we'd cuddle up on this couch and go to sleep." Hige rest his chin on the top of Blue's head gently so she wouldn't be able to see the pondering look in his eyes. If being with Blue wasn't a good idea and wasn't right for him, then why did it feel like his chest was being squeezed every time he thought about the simple things that they'd shared. It would be dangerous to say that he missed her, but it was true. But Blue really did deserve someone better, and that was just the way it was.

"Hige, I'm gonna make some tea." Blue's voice brought Hige out of his thoughts.

"Right." Hige untangled his arms from around her waist and Blue headed into the kitchen. Hige leaned over the back of the couch and watched Blue grab a mug from the cabinet, fill it with water and put it in the microwave before grabbing a tea bag from her box of peach tea. He never did quite understand the insane desire for all things peach, though. Peach flavor, peach scented, peach color...the list went on and on. Hige had heard of there being those things that you just thought were completely strange about your lover, and Blue's love for peaches was just weird. "So, Blue, can I ask you something?"

"Hm?" Blue didn't turn around, but that was fine. Hige didn't really mind the current view, especially since he didn't have a free pass to look at her any more.

"I've always wondered something. Why do you like peaches so much?"

Blue shrugged. "No reason. I just really like peaches."

"That's it?" Hige felt an eyebrow raise quizically. She can't be serious. Maybe an ex-boyfriend gave her something peach? "There's no secret meaning behind it? No mystery of the marvelous peach?"

Blue laughed as she pulled her mug out of the microwave and pushed the tea bag into the hot water with a spoon. "Nope. Absolutely no special meaning between me and peaches. I've just always liked them." Blue pressed her tea bag against the side of her mug to get out most of the water before tossing the used tea bag into the trash can. "You know how some people just love things since birth?" She sat down next to Hige.

"I guess." Hige shrugged and looked at Blue out of the corner of his eye. I swear, the second she puts down that mug, I am going to find out why she likes peaches so much. "But I don't think I've ever liked something that long. Except maybe Mr. Bear, but I've had him since I was a little kid."

Blue didn't reply, she just let a small smile stretch across her face at the thought of Hige's worn out bunny rabbit. "Well," she set down her mug of tea. "I gotta admit that Mr. Bear is a very cute bunny."

"Right." Hige nodded.

"I mean-hey what are you doing?!"

"Tell me why you like peaches,"Hige said seriously. The second Blue had dropped her guard, and put down her mug of tea, Hige decided to make his move and pin her against the sofa. (a/n: Smooth Hige, very smooth...xD) "You can't just like peaches for no reason, that doesn't make any sense!"

"Why not?" Blue snapped.

"Because it just doesn't! I mean, peaches of all things! What is so great about peaches?"

"I like them, that's all. Gosh, Hige, it's no big deal."

"Yes it is! What if some ex-boyfriend of yours made you a yummy peach pie or something, and that's why you like peaches? How can I compete with some guy who made you fall in love with something like peaches? More importantly how can any guy compete with something like that?"

Blue looked up at Hige curiously. Yes, she was indeed looking up at him, and him looking down her, neither of them saying anything. Actually, Blue was contemplating how silly the whole situation was. She'd never seen Hige actually spazz out before, and over something as petty as an obsession over a fuzzy, sweet object of produce that not only had a wonderful texture, but a tempting scent overall.

"Well," Blue gave sigh of defeat. "Fine, I'll admit it. An ex-boyfriend of mine caused my peach obsession, are you happy?"

"What?" Hige's expression changed suddenly from determined and curious to puzzled and hurt. "I was right? I-I was just joking about it being an ex-boyfriend. Maybe it was one of your favourite grandma's who made you peach pie every time you came to visit, or maybe the first flavor of candy you had. I don't know, but I never really expected it to seriously be a previous boyfriend!"

"Sorry, Hige, but it's true. The guy who made me insane about peaches is the guy I've been trying to forget about for a long time. It's really difficult though."

"I can imagine," huffed Hige. "You have peaches everywhere!"

"Oh, no, you have it all wrong. It's not the peaches that remind me of him. The peaches give me a sense of closeness. Almost as if he were still with me, you know."

"I suppose..." Wait a second. Blue's been crazy about peaches for as long as I can remember. Even when we were still dating, every time she had a say in the matter, she would choose peach. Peach candles, peach candy, peach tea, even peach colored...well, I don't want to think about that. Peach isn't a flattering color on her. "So even while you were dating me, you've been crazy about this guy?"

"Yeah," replied Blue casually.

"Oh." Hige felt extremely hurt. He didn't like to cry very much, nor did he want to ever cry in front of Blue, but her casual tone of voice was like a sharp dagger to the chest. After everything that had happened, he really thought that he was the one closest to Blue's heart, even if he had been stupid and broken up with her for stupid reasons. He even admited to himself that his reasoning was stupid! Hige then felt Blue's soft, warm hand on his face.

"Hige, you're so silly."

"Huh?" What was Blue talking about? It was so obvious that he was hurting, but Blue continued to not notice. Nothing made sense!

"I don't expect you to remember, but the day I realized I was in love with you, I was wearing peach lip gloss," Blue said softly. "Ever since then, whenever I missed you or wanted you there, having something peach nearby reminded me of you. And I always felt better."

Woah when did she get this close? Hige's nose was only about an inch from Blue's. It was so tempting...

"Wait a second," said Hige with a shake of his head. "Why couldn't you just tell me that it was me?"

"I hoped you would have figured it out. All I remember about that day, at least in great detail, in my peach lip gloss. It brings back so many memories."

"Hm, I remember a lot of things." A sly grin appeared on Hige's face as he gently pressed his lips against Blue's, pushing away the thoughts of just how wrong it was for him to be doing this. Lying to himself was wrong too, so wasn't it about time he stopped doing that?

And, with an exhasperated sigh, I am finally done! This chapter has over 2000 words, so everyone, I expect a review! Lol. It took me a while to write this. I had originally planned for this chapter to be mature, but my buddy Sora asked about the peaches. Well, here is the answer to the wonderful question of why the peaches! Actually, I like peaches a lot too. Just had to throw that in. Anyways, I hope everyone enjoyed this chapter!

Aeorith