Any drawfags (endearing term) willing to draw Aureleth/Andron/both for me? I looked on deviant art for some people and found 21st century DaVincis, but they charged 100 bucks for a portrait, and that ain't worth it for me, lol. I don't have money to give, but you would have my eternal gratitude for even a decent sketch or something. I'm not asking a ton, just a decent piece of art, you know? Aaaaaanyway, here's numero 8. By the way, there will be action. Of both kinds. One will come soon, and the other will come later.

Anyone else have a notebook where they write plot ideas? And do you bury your documents deep within the bowels of your computer? My friends/family would probably be weirded the hell out if they saw a romance novel about a space elf and an Imperial Guardsman on my comp. Anyway, I ramble. Here goes.

"Are you okay?" Andron glanced up at her as he finished unwinding the dressing.

"What?"

"You looked… detached. Here, you can lie down again."

"Oh, I'm fine," She lied down flat.

Andron examined the wound. It looked to be healing well, but it would be a good deal of time before it was completely healed, and would most likely leave a scar. There was another, smaller scar running horizontally toward the left side of her abdomen. It looked to be a stab wound.

"It doesn't look too bad. A few weeks and it should be completely healed. I'll just clean it and wrap you back up, okay?"

"Okay," She stole a glance at him as he worked before turning her gaze back towards the ceiling.

Andron removed a few antiseptic cloths from his medipack, the last of his medical supplies, and laid it beside her. He gently padded the area around the wound, careful not to cause her pain. He touched a sensitive area, however, and she let out a tiny whimper, which tugged his heartstrings even though he knew that she could easily handle worse.

"Alright. This should keep clean and safe for a while. I'll need to get more supplies somewhere along the way..." Andron trailed off, realizing that he had not the faintest idea where, exactly, that "way" was going to take them. He was in love with an Eldar, and a soldier of the Imperium, easily the most xenophobic civilization to ever exist as far as he knew. They were on a war-torn craftworld with fighting all around them, and what were they going to do? It's not like they could escape… He found himself staring blankly, and resumed tending to her. He finished cleaning the injury, and searched through his pack to find a clean roll of field dressings. He unraveled a few inches, and held it above the injury on her stomach. "This might hurt a little,"

She clenched her teeth slightly, preparing for an unknown amount of pain. "Okay."

Andron responded by pressing down as lightly as he could while still maintaining enough to have the dressing stay in place, and she hissed slightly. "Sorry, sorry. Here, get up," He placed his hand under her back and helped lift her into an arch again. He leaned forward and reached under her once more to feed the dressing through under her back from hand to hand. He was in the same position as last time, and as he wrapped her up under the suit, he could feel her skin as his arms brushed against her sides. He kept looking straight down, however, wanting to avoid another situation like the last. He couldn't help but get lost in her gaze every time they made eye contact, and feared offending her if he were to be too… forward.

Aureleth thought as she felt his hands work over and under her body, about if, how, and when she would tell him how she felt. He certainly seemed kind and caring, she thought. But did he feel the way she did? His hands felt soothing. She was pulled back into reality by his voice.

"Okay, all better, for now at least. I'll have to find more supplies later, however. I used up the last of it here."

Aureleth lay down flat again, though Andron still leaned over her, making sure the wrap was secure. Her eyes wandered, and fell upon his chest, where she saw a small piece of fabric protruding from it, and a small bulge.

–She could not believe her eyes. Out of his hand protruded a flowing piece of silken fabric. The same as from the gown she wore that day. She looked more closely at his hand, and saw the figurine as well. The little trinket she had left him as thanks, and a piece of her clothing, were what he clung to as he awaited death. Humans had families, friends, comrades… there were trillions of them, yet he chose to remember her. –

Andron felt a touch on his breast pocket, and looked down to see Aureleth with her hand over his heart, her fingers intertwined with the piece of her gown he had taken as she stared at it. He placed his hand over hers, and her eyes quickly jumped from her hand to his own before meeting his gaze. Between his eyes and hers was her elegant form in a skin-tight, half-undone suit, her large breasts barely covered by the blanket he had given her, which had nearly fallen off as she arched her back to assist him. She squeezed his hand, and smiled. He wasn't sure where the sudden display of affection came from, but he was certainly happy to have it. He smiled back at her, and they remained that way for several seconds.

"We should, you know, close that back up," He indicated her suit.

"Right," She moved her hands to cover herself with the blanket more.

Andron pinched the small tab toward her waist, and began to pull upward, sealing away her beauty once again. He carefully moved past the bandages, being sure that they would not obstruct his progress, and continued upward. He stopped when he saw her hands creep into his field of view as he followed the tab. She covered herself with her hands and a blanket.

"Uhhhh," his voice wavered slightly.

She felt completely safe around him. She felt as if she could trust him completely, with anything. She already virtually knew that she could place her life in his hands with confidence that he would do everything in his power to keep her alive. She had never trusted anyone so utterly before, not even members of her Shrine. She loved him, and was nearly certain that he loved her, if his behavior was anything to judge by. She took his hand with her own, her other keeping the blanket in place over her breasts, and pulled upwards with him. A surprised look crossed his face, and he audibly gulped as his hand passed over her breasts while she softly, quietly, exhaled. Aureleth was akin to a teenager, just beginning to discover her sexuality. She had spent her life devoting herself to studies, art, or the art of war. She had had no time for such things, nor did it ever cross her mind. Now, however, all of these feelings, emotions… and other things among them, were flooding into her. The suit closed completely, and they were left face to face again.

She had to love him. There was no other reason for her to do what she did, he thought, his mind in turmoil trying to think of what he should do. "Here, let's sit you up," he leaned back before pulling his hand back towards his chest, and she came up with it.

Aureleth knew that she loved him, but it was all happening so quickly, and she wasn't even sure that he felt the same way. She needed time to think, to understand. She had never rushed blindly into anything in her life, and love, as far as she knew, was no exception. Aureleth reconsidered that, however, as they held each other's gaze. Humans were able to form relationships in months, and she had even heard once or twice of it happening instantly. She wondered if that was what happened to Andron. There was no other explanation she could think of for him to act the way he had. There was no reason for her to be so cautious. Besides… how long would they last? She would make a compromise, she decided.

As they drew closer together, a mutual feeling grew between them. It was not yet love, for neither was certain of the other's feelings. However it was beginning to materialize, slowly intertwining their souls, beginning to pull them together.

He pulled her instead straight towards him, and she obliged, not making any effort to change her course. His hand came completely to his chest, over his heart and the mementos he had of her, and all that remained separating them was a small amount of slack in her own arm. It was up to her. She was somewhat frightened, as this was easily the strangest thing she had ever done. She had slain thousands, but nothing could compare in its effect on her soul to what she was experiencing at that moment. She began to close the last of the gap between them. She began to have second thoughts, however, as the final few inches were crossed. She was overcome with a deluge of emotions; fear, nervousness, happiness, what she now knew was love. She squinted her eyes shut, and began to angle her face away, for fear of some unknown, terrible ramification if she were to go through with it. There actually were potentially horrendous consequences if she were to lose herself in lust. Her people knew that all too well.

He saw that she was afraid. It was quite obvious, and he understood. Despite being part of one of the most brutal fighting forces in the galaxy, he had compassion, he could understand. Most would consider that weakness, but he had always cherished what little he had. He didn't want to frighten her, or see her distressed. He lifted up his hand, and placed it on the left side of her face, gently cupping her cheek. She stopped, and opened her eyes, tears welling at their edges. It wrenched his heart immensely to see. He caressed her cheek with his thumb, as he did her hand that was still locked with his own. She visibly calmed as he smiled warmly. A tear fell from her eye, hanging on her face before he gently swept it away with his thumb. He drew her in, this time as gently as he could, as if any sudden movement would shatter her fragile resolve in the situation, and she closed her eyes again, though with much less vigor, before he angled his head and softly kissed her cheek, just next to her lips. Her soft skin felt warm against his lips. He wanted nothing more than to do it forever, to leave the hideous world they were stuck in.

She drew a slow, quivering breath before looking up at him. He peered into her depthless green eyes, shining ever so softly in the moonlight entering the room. Aureleth's body had been wracked with a feeling she had never experienced before. Her mind felt blank, and her entire being became that one spot where his kiss touched her. She did not know how humans expressed love, and for all she knew that could have been but a small gesture. She dearly hoped, however, that it was not a fleeting moment of connection. She wanted something more, and she wanted it more than she could ever remember desiring anything. He positioned her so that she was sitting adjacent to him, and they sat in quiet contemplation without a word for a short time.

"You never answered my question, I just remembered," Andron's voice broke the silence.

"What do you mean?"

"In the hab, before the other Guardsmen kicked down the door and you had to leave,"

"Ah, yes,"

"So, the question remains the same. What do you regret?" He shifted his legs, so that one lay flat while the other was bent to support his arm, making himself more comfortable.

She sighed, searching her soul. Being an Eldar, she was able to quickly do so, and in an instant, nestled within the core of her being, she found an orb that beckoned her. She took hold of it, and was back on Auraxis.

"I killed someone,"

Andron shot her a confused look. "That much is obvious. I saw you kill six people a few hours ago,"

"No. I meant… I shouldn't have. I bested him in combat, but there was something about him. I don't know… I knew in the back of my mind that I would be doing a horrible thing if I killed this man, but I was lost in bloodlust and rage. I had just seen my lifelong friend die right before me, and wiped out an entire squad of your kind. I couldn't stop," She was looking somewhere beyond reality, in the past. Andron could see it in her eyes. Like so many Guardsmen he had seen, and himself at times, she was reliving a dark moment of her life, and it was playing out right before her eyes.

Andron leaned back, his hands resting on his knees, facing her. "Well if it makes you feel any better, I've had that happen many times. But it was killing my own kind. The Imperium is like a wildfire in the way it purges evil. The evil is exterminated, but so is everything around it. I knew it was wrong, immoral, monstrous, but it was," he air quoted and Aureleth smiled inwardly at the strange little mannerism, "what needed to be done. It's horrible, the things I've seen, done. How long ago was this?"

"Only four or so of your years. It was on a human planet. They called it Auraxis,"

Andron's head slowly rose up, a blank stare on his face.

"He nearly killed me. I remember being thrown off my feet from his weapon, and standing again to see him there, shaking with fear but still he stood his ground,"

—She stood. That should have killed her, he thought… the launcher was out of ammunition. —

"I leaped up and ran at him. I was going to tear him limb from limb. I was trained to not lose myself during combat; to always stay composed, but I failed to that day,"

—Panic. He searched for a weapon, a rock, anything. She would be on him in a split second. He almost forgot his lasrifle was slung on his back. He quickly fumbled it into his hands.—

"It cost me, too. He stabbed me in the stomach, and I nearly died from blood loss before I made it back to my brethren,"

—He cried out in alarm and thrust his lasrifle forward, praying to the God Emperor that he would strike true. He felt the rifle stop suddenly as its bayonet was embedded to the hilt in the warrior's abdomen. —

—Her lithe form was exposed before him, her stomach a perfectly chiseled work of art even with the large wound desecrating its perfection. At a second glance, he noticed a small scar running horizontally roughly opposite the newer wound, more toward her hip. —

"We had a short skirmish, as I said and when I beat him, I retrieved my weapons, paid my final respects to my beloved friend, and made my way back to him. He had rested himself up against a wall, and he stared at me," She sighed. "The look in his eyes was… different, from the blind defiance that most humans hold even to their final breath. He looked as if he could see through the blind faith that had been indoctrinated in him, as if he could see the world objectively and not through the lens of fervent religious belief. I saw through his eyes, wisdom that I had never before seen in a man,"

Andron was at a loss. He had no idea what to think. He just sat there, frozen; his mind utterly seized trying to wrap itself around the significance of what he was hearing. He saw her, the entire experience coming back to life before his eyes. He saw her bend down over her fallen friend, touch her helmeted forehead against the fallen one, and remembered that as the first time he ever felt anything significant for a xenos that was not resentment or hatred. That moment changed him forever, and now in a way he could never have possibly fathomed. It seemed impossible, but he simply knew. It was her.

— Andron knew he was going to die. He also knew it would most likely be in combat. It was not a matter of if, but when, and from what. He knew the answer. Death came in the form of a single Eldar warrior, gripped with grief over the loss of what he assumed was a lifelong friend, given her unusual reaction. He felt sadness. His fear that should have been there at the sight of imminent death was eclipsed by sadness instead of steely resolve. All of the fighting and suffering, death and destruction were for what? Had he made a difference? Probably not, and he knew that. He had been forced to commit horrible atrocities, having just finished murdering an entire family because it was his "Sacred duty". He wanted to die. He no longer cared for the hideous world he was trapped in. He stared back at her as she stared at him, and waited. —

She continued, "It was a shame. I wish I could have done what you have for me, in hindsight. Only the Gods know how the world might have been different had I let that one enlightened soul survive. I killed him, though. Caught in a mindless bloodlust, I killed an unarmed man who would have made the world around him a much better place. I think about it often, even though it was part of my training to leave my memories of battle behind; for this very reason. I left the Path of the Warrior shortly thereafter in private shame. I had crossed the boundary of judgment and into the realm of unnecessary killing. I could not allow myself to continue. Out of the thousands I have killed, he is the only one that haunts me…" She let out a long sigh, casting a forlorn look onto the mat below her. She stared at her feet over her knees for several more seconds before turning her eyes to him. She was perplexed to find him staring right through her, off into space. She was even more confused when she saw the unwarranted mask of resignation and pain he was wearing.

—She could see the sad resignation and a hint of fear in his eyes even in the darkness, even with most of his face hidden behind the cloth mask he had made to filter the dust in the air. He was defeated, and he felt his death was for naught. Those eyes had seen too much, the man had done too much, and was hesitantly and sadly beginning to accept his fate. —

"No," the faintly muttered word brought her back to reality.

"What?"

He looked directly at her. "You didn't,"

Aureleth's breath caught in her throat. It was impossible. There was simply no way. She killed him, pulled the trigger herself. How could that man have possibly survived? But his eyes. She remembers little with more clarity than that man's eyes, and the two that she stared into, she realized, were the same that belonged to that saddened, enlightened Guardsman that she had killed years before.

"B-but I—"

"Missed," He said in a disconnected manner, most of his mind still back in a broken building facing death.

She was overcome. The man she loved was the man she had thought she killed. What did it mean? Even a Farseer couldn't have predicted something as incredible as that. Their paths in life were truly intertwined, and more tightly than she had ever imagined. Tears began to stream down her face.

"How?" She choked out.

"The Space Marines. As soon as you fired, they landed. It threw your aim off enough to miss…" He let out a bewildered chuckle.

"But I killed… you!" She hated herself. This further cemented so many feelings and thoughts while eliciting others. He had spared her after she had essentially done the exact opposite. The barbaric human spared the life of the Eldar who, for all intents and purposes, killed him. She didn't know what to think. She simply sat weeping, overcome with the torrent of emotions she was feeling; incredibly strong even by Eldar standards. Love, pain, joy, anger, and self-loathing all collided and formed a white-hot maelstrom in her soul. She did not notice him lean back against the wall next to her.

Andron placed his arm over her shoulders. He knew he should probably be at a loss, though he somehow maintained his composure in the face of such an incredulous turn of events. She trembled, and he felt so torn apart inside to see her the way she was, and though her knees had already been drawn to her chest when she sat, it created an even more saddening sight. He leaned over and whispered into her ear "I forgive you." She kept her head down.

"How could you?"

Andron knew exactly why. Had he discovered who she was a day before he still would have known why. The words escaped his mouth before he could think any further.

"I—I love you," He froze. The moment had come. It would be right then when he would find out if his hopes were merely foolish fantasies, or if out of the ashes of war and death, something beautiful could be born. It had been hinted to up until then. Small gestures, looks, feelings; however the phrase Andron had uttered would be the true crux of their relationship. He got his answer.

Aureleth looked up at him, tears trickling down her face. He did love her. She had already admitted her love for him, and despite the initial emotional distance she had put between him and herself, had felt from shortly after the beginning her love for him beginning to overtake her. Now, he had confirmed and made real her greatest hopes. She was filled with a cascade of emotion, and wept more still. She felt his arm around her shoulders, and turned, wrapping her arms around his neck, resting her head against his and his shoulder. She squeezed him tightly.

"I love you, too."

:3

So there it is. I'm sure you saw that one coming, but I'm not the dude who wrote "The 6th Sense", so get off my back :P Anyway, we're back on our way to action (the killing kind), then we'll do something else. I have no idea what's going to happen as I've said I am just going with the flow. I've written well over a hundred papers for school using this method, and it has yet to fail me, so how bad can it be? Besides, plot twists are just as shocking to me as they are to you. Oh, and I wrote part of this as I was on autopilot to a target in a flight sim. I almost hit 2 mountains... and a house. You know, I've noticed that there isn't too much interaction between most of the authors here and the readers, and I kind of wish we could all hop in a chatroom and do a Q&A or something. I like talking to people, and it kinda sucks that there's just this delayed response between us with author's notes and PM's. Oh, and sorry this one took so long. Had schoolwork and writing a LOT of in-depth feelings is tough. I'm done writing for the night. Off to... do whatever. I'll definitely get another one out before my winter break's over, so don't you worry. I also have no idea how close to done I am. This could be half way or 1% of the

Dog slammed the door open, scared the piss out of me.