Chapter 10

The walk home was quiet. Neither of them seemed to have any reason to speak, content as they were. Still the cold night air was refreshing to them both after the long fight. Giroro looked over at Natsumi from beneath his lashes and smiled. She looked radiant in the light of the stars and covered in the blood of her enemy. He still couldn't decide whether to stay human or to ask Natsumi to become Keronian. Finally he sighed. There would be no quick answer for either of them. It wouldn't be fair to ask her to give up her entire life just for him and though it would have done his heart proud to have her as his warrior bride, somehow he didn't think she would be content until she'd studied everything she wanted to.
As though by design Natsumi looked over at Giroro only when he was staring straight ahead into the darkness. The thought of losing him filled her heart with pain. Even as a Keronian he had begun to win over her heart. He made her laugh, sought to protect her but respected the fact that she could handle herself in most situations. Maybe they… she shook her head slightly. Could there even BE a future for them? She worried her bottom lip between her teeth almost to the pointing of bleeding.
"That's enough of that." Giroro said and pulled her to a gentle stop. "No worrying Natsumi, not tonight, please." His voice was quiet.
"Giroro I…we…" Tears filled the corners of her eyes and she buried her head against his chest.
"Not tonight, we promised, remember?" Giroro reached up and stroked a stray piece of her hair behind her ear.
"I know but…" She shook gently. Carefully he slipped one hand to the small of her back, the other interlocking his fingers with hers.
"Dance with me." He leaned in close and whispered it against her skin. If they lost all else, for the rest of their lives they would have the memory of this. Of dancing beneath the moon in the snow after a triumph in battle.
"But we-"
"Dance with me." He said again and smiled against her when he felt her free hand slip over his shoulder and her fingers tighten.
"Okay." Natsumi said quietly and began to sway with him.

There were no lights, no people, no music beyond the sound of the wind across the snow and ice and yet somehow it was more perfect than Natsumi had ever dreamed it could be. How feeling like the only two people on the planet could make her feel less alone than ever she had no idea but at that exact moment she couldn't have been more content. Without meaning to the two of them shifted into the Keronian style of dancing again. The pair of them slid across the through the fallen snow, carving graceful arcs into it and kicking up thin showers of delicate frozen water that turned everything shimmery.

Apart and together, apart, together. They practically threw each other across the open landscape. With each movement their smiles grew wider, more at ease until finally the pair of them were laughing, trading strong but simple punches and kicks with every graceful dance movement.

A Keronian warrior's courtship. The phrase is in Giroro's head before he can even comprehend the meaning behind it. She obviously hadn't meant to. She didn't know enough about his culture to know what she was doing but still it warmed his heart. It was a relationship that he'd never let himself imagine having. Something he had craved as a child but refused to pay attention to when he grew into an adult because of the immense unlikelyhood of attaining one. A true partnership with someone to watch his back in battle, who could make him laugh and whose gentle touch was known only to him.

Finally they came back together and froze. Giroro's forearm up blocking a downward strike from Natsumi. Time halted and they stared into each other's eyes, neither of them moving save for the quick panting of two beings trying to catch their breath.

"My warrior." Natsumi said softly and relaxed her arm, moving her hand to caress his cheek. "Shield to my sword, friend and second. You would fight for me wouldn't you?" Her voice was sweet and she traced her fingers across the tips of his ears making his face blush bright scarlet.

"You have no idea." He whispered breathlessly, afraid to move lest he break the spell.

"Tell me?" She asked, leaning in close and brushing her lips against the heat on his cheeks.

"I would smite anyone who dared threaten you." He shuddered beneath her touch, feeling her fingertips play down his neck to his shoulder then down his arm and finally interlocking with his own fingers. "I would conquer planets in your name and traverse the stars to always be at your side." His eyes closed and his body ached to touch hers.

As though she had heard the though she pressed forward, molding her chest against his and sinking into him. "You're warm." She said softly, nuzzling her face against his neck to hide her stinging cheeks from the cold.

"There's something you should see." He whispered in her ear and without another moment of hesitation he swept her up into his arms. Pleased as anything that she let him do so without any protest. With an easy jump he landed them in the highest sturdy branches of the nearest tree. "Look down there."

Natsumi turned in his grasp just enough so that she could see while still leaving him carrying her. By the light of the moon and stars she could see the pattern that they had etched into the snow drifts, a startling combination of swirls and sharp edges, stand alone circles and interlocking lines. Once she had seen it she couldn't look away, turning over more so she could see it clearer.

"It's beautiful. Did we do that?" She asked breathlessly, and rested her hand against his chest.

"We did." He said softly and gave her a gentle squeeze. "and I will remember what it looks like forever."

"And why's that?" Her voice was lightly teasing and she turned away from it to look up at him from his arms.

"To Keronians… as a warrior people…" It was awkward to explain, not something he would have ever thought he would have to. Keronian's already knew and the thought of finding someone outside their people had never occurred to him until he'd met Natsumi. "The first unscripted dance of a warrior couple is very important." He finally said. "In the ancient days a pair would dance together in the sand and when they were done the patterns would be analyzed. Some were small but detailed, others widespread and simple but each told a story. They were said to be able to predict how compatible a couple was by the symmetry in the piece. Since the dance isn't spoken and there's no way to plan it out beforehand it gives a good indication of how tuned into the other partners mind they are." Shifting her weight up he brought her closer to him.

"And what does it say to you Giroro?" Natsumi whispered against his neck.

"It says that the partners in this dance are remarkably attuned to each other. None of their lines waver or accidently cross over one another which means that they are both stubborn but that their decisions won't adversely affect the other person." He nodded towards one of the more detailed whirls and offered a small smile. "See how those circles get tighter and tighter where we were moving faster and closer together? It speaks of passion, a bright burning passion that has the potential to be all consuming but the lines, no matter how close they are, never intersect which speaks of dedication to discipline that would keep that passion from burning out either partner."

Natsumi smiled against him and pulled herself upwards, kissing him lightly on the lips. "Take me home Giroro." She said and as he leap into the air, she spared one last glance down at what they had created together, certain as anything that the pattern would be burned into her memory for all times.

It didn't take him long to get them both back and with the utmost caution he set her feet down on the ground.

"The night was-" Giroro began when Natsumi held a finger up to his lips, silencing him. Grabbing his hand she led him back inside, they were the only two people in the house and the moon the only light. With sure steps she brought him to her room and pushed him lightly inside.

"Strip down to what you want to sleep in." she said and began doing the same thing, changing into an undershirt and a pair of shorts.

Giroro's mind couldn't quite function. Natsumi was here – with him – and she was getting ready for bed without being offended that he was in the same room. In fact she was encouraging him to be in the same room and even to do the same thing as her. With shaking fingers he unbuttoned his jacket, vest and shirt, stripping until there was only an undershirt and his pants.

"Get under the covers." Natsumi said softly and followed him to the bed, climbing in after him and curling up in the crook of his arm. "Good night Giroro." She leaned forward and kissed his cheek once before settling back down, leaving him to blush hard in the darkness even after her breathing slowed in sleep.

"Good night… Natsumi." He whispered and moved his arms so she was closer to him, listening to her murmur in appreciation. Unable to do anything but accept his good fortune he closed his eyes and followed her into sleep.