* 86 * 3/7/13, 3/8/13, 11/5/15

Lily had butterflies. She had never been treated like that before, like a princess instead of a warrior. She hadn't expected to like it as much as she did, given how fragile and feminine it made her feel. Perhaps it was okay in small quantities, even for a woman of her power and stubbornness.

She almost skipped back to her quarters after having a quick, refreshing meal in the dining hall. Not only was she not feeling lonely anymore, but she'd also been able to fully taste and enjoy her food for the first time since she became sick.

She did have to admit, though, that despite her loneliness being gone, it hadn't been replaced by love and affection. Instead, she felt a little indifference to and sore about the whole "love" idea.

But at least I'm not lonely. Right?

Right, but now it was because there was someone at the door. She let them in without asking who it was.

Maybe she shouldn't have.

A stonefaced Bishop walked in, assessing her expression as soon as he set foot inside.

Lily's blank, ingenuine smile had returned to her face as soon as she saw his.

"Cut the crap," Bishop requested harshly when he spotted it.

"Cut what crap?" Lily inquired.

"That. That robot crap. Cut it out."

Lily didn't respond. Bishop sighed. He started fishing in one of his cloak's many pockets until he found what he was looking for. He held it up.

A vanilla flower.

He watched as her expression changed to bewilderment, uncertainty. "That's...a vanilla flower. The kind that only blooms for one day." The reverie made her afflicted.

Bishop nodded.

Lily blinked. "How did you get another one?"

"I searched," was all he said. Truthfully, it had been a daunting task, but he finally found another one while he was out in the woods. Lily was visibly speechless, and Bishop smirked. That's an improvement. At least she wasn't babbling stiff nonsense.

He approached her very slowly, looking into her face as his proximity grew. "Here."

Lily looked conflicted. One moment, her expression was appreciative, the next, it was wary, and still the next, it was neutral. She didn't take it.

"Fine. Then I'll eat it," he said, bringing it up toward his mouth.

"No-I-never-said–" Lily started in a rush, picking it tenderly but quickly from his hand. Bishop grinned.

She pulled off one of the petals slowly, as if tasting the memories associated with it, trying to decide whether they were pleasant or not. Bishop was watching her every move.

She put it into her mouth, placing it directly on her tongue in preparation for the incredible amount of sweetness she remembered. As soon as it hit her, her eyes began to close in ecstasy. "Mmm..." she espoused softly. Her memory had done the flower no justice. When the taste was gone and she came back to her senses, though, her brief escape from reality embarrassed her.

"I...um..."

In her moment of relapse, Bishop drew near and hugged her.

Lily's eyes grew wide. "Bishop?" she questioned, her arms stuck at her sides.

"Finally, you're showing some personality again." His voice was tinged with longing as he laid his head atop her hair.

"Um..." She wasn't sure how to interpret his arms being around her again. Was she okay with this? Did it feel good? Or was he "overstepping his bounds" too?

Seeming not to care, Bishop held her fast.

After a few moments of silence, he let it out, deflating some of his ego with it: "I didn't mean for you to see that, Lily."

Bishop? she thought. This tenderness, this guilt was unexpected. Knowing that these words from Bishop were easily as good as another person's honest apology, Lily couldn't bring herself to feel mad in that moment.

And he was holding her awfully warmly...

Bishop pulled his face back to look into her eyes.

"Are you okay?" His amber eyes radiated what truly appeared to be actual concern, at least at a glance.

Lily couldn't help it. In the face of his uncharacteristic concern, she blushed, and all of her emotions came rushing back to her in one fell swoop. In response to all of these sudden feelings filling her to the brim, she covered her face with both hands, vanilla flower intact as it pressed against her cheek.

Bishop smiled. He witnessed her whole aspect change and, sensing a good opportunity to take advantage of, he took one of her hands away from her face to touch his nose to her forehead.

She opened her eyes without removing her hands, and he could see the color on her face still there. When he wouldn't stop staring, she began to whine.

"Bishopp..."

"Do you like this that much?" he asked, amused. When she didn't answer, Bishop leaned close and put his face against her cheek. Lily put her hands down, but, not knowing where to put them, defaulted to grabbing onto his cloak.

As if encouraging her to keep going, Bishop pulled off his gloves one by one and cast them on the floor, beginning to run his fingers slowly through her hair.

"Don't tell me you're getting sentimental," an amused Lily teased, her playful personality with him gradually falling back into place bit by bit.

"The sense of touch is definitely the best," Bishop explained simply. "Don't need to be sentimental to enjoy this." He continued stroking her hair, and as he did so, slowly backed up to the wall with her. When his back was against it, he kept sifting her locks through his fingers.

Lily leaned into his embrace and fell silent. As the minutes wore on, as did Bishop's caresses, Lily actually felt herself about to sob. Before long, her shoulders started heaving, lightly at first, then harder. The ranger pulled back and looked at her. As soon as she caught his eye, though, she burst into tears. Bishop was startled. "Lily?"

She tried to talk through her tears, but it wasn't working, so she gave up and just cried against his chest. He tightened his grasp on her and rested his head against hers.

Lily continued sobbing for awhile before regaining some of her voice. "I just feel so...so..."

The ranger's lips pursed as he thought for a few moments. "You make sense, Lily," he suddenly and quietly reassured her as he stared at the wall ahead through his lashes. To this, she pulled back again from him and searched his eyes.

How had he read her like that?

Bishop cupped her chin in his fingers, but didn't say anything. Her crying had ceased, at least temporarily, and his eyes traced over the wet spots beneath hers.

Seeing him look at her like that made Lily realize how much she wanted his touch, his warmth, again. In the emotionally-charged moment, she touched her nose to his and stared back at him. His amber eyes were intensely focused, and they seemed to see right through her, even though she was being complicated.

A few more seconds passed. "If you even care, I'm not dueling the paladin anymore," Bishop then said softly. He had realized how little it would mean to him to beat Casavir in a controlled environment. This had hit him especially hard when Lily was lying sick in bed and wouldn't have even been around to see it. Besides, he knew it wouldn't change anything. They'd still hate each other, no matter who won.

Lily looked at him, struck speechless. "Why not?" she managed, dumbstruck.

"Don't be so disappointed," he teased, amused at her surprise.

"I'm not, that's just..." Lily tried to think of a word. "...very...civil of you."

Bishop, startlingly, then gave a genuine, amused laugh. For the first time, the elf witnessed him open his mouth wide and laugh with traces of a smile, his shoulders heaving. He didn't even bother denying her friendly accusation.

Lily returned his laugh with a chuckle. It was highly contagious, and very rare – both so much so that her reformed sadness began to fade once more.

"What changed your mind?" she questioned. Without even waiting an answer, she huddled close in his arms again to hear his reply. She had been too far away from him for too long, in mentality and physicality, to relinquish the opportunity now when she may have an excuse to be close to him.

"It'd take longer to get this damned journey over with if I knocked him out," he answered as his body warmth enveloped her again. A fitting, but very immodest, reply.

Not that he was known for his modesty.

But, at least for now, Lily was fooled. They spent the next minute in silence, Bishop growing fond of Lily's present desire for attention.

"Bishop, I..." the elf started, but already she wasn't sure how to finish. "I'm...sorry for acting like that. I had no business being upset."

Bishop gave her a look of disbelief. Despite her conflicted thoughts, Lily almost laughed. "Don't look at me like that," she said quietly.

"Then don't be a moron."

Lily bit her lip. Bishop greatly appreciated how she looked when she did.

"I'm weird, aren't I?"

"Completely."

"Then why do you tolerate me?" she asked teasingly.

"Haven't figured that one out yet, ladyship."

She slapped his arm, gasping in pretend horror, and he grinned.

In her other hand, she suddenly spotted the vanilla flower. As soon as she did, she gave Bishop a sympathetic, appreciative look once more and brought it close to her face to smell it. She closed her eyes as the fragrance filled her whole being.

"Oh, Bishop," she sighed airily, a strong longing making its way to the surface. "I want to go back out into the woods."

Bishop's face grew instantly grave at the mere mention of them. "No."

"Why not?" Lily demanded, though she felt she already knew what he would say.

"You haven't even healed yet," the ranger pointed out, gesturing to her still-abnormal skin color.

Lily huffed, but she knew he was right. "All right," she said, easily defeated, just this once.

Sensing her disappointment, Bishop added, "The woods aren't going anywhere. Just wait a bit." The elf lowered her eyes, but nodded.

A sudden knock on the door interrupted their time together. They looked at each other.

"Um... Go over there," Lily suggested hurriedly, pointing to the area behind her bed.

"Not a chance, ladyship. There's not a single creature worth hiding from within these stone walls."

Biting her lip again, Lily considered for a moment. "Well...alright..." She opened the door.

Except for that one.

"Lily!" a druid dressed in green abruptly greeted her. "I just wanted to see if you were al–"

The druid caught sight of the ranger behind Lily, and immediately, she looked hurt, as well as unsure of what to do next.

"Elanee," Bishop whispered darkly under his breath.

"Uh, well, I wanted to... come and see if you were okay," Elanee explained, trying to keep a straight face. When her eyes flitted back to Bishop, though, she noticed his gloves were missing. The druid exhaled sharply, foiling all pretense of being unaffected. Of course. Why else would he take his gloves off?

The whole time, Lily had been staring blankly at Elanee. She hadn't even spoken yet, was still digesting how to react to this unexpected visit. The two women had no idea how to respond to one another and were locked in an intense staring contest. They weren't hostile, just entirely uncomfortable.

Bishop wanted to get rid of the druid's interfering influence as quickly as possible to keep Lily from regressing back into the way she had been just that very morning. He squeezed out the door and said "Come on" to Elanee, snapping the druid out of her stare. He didn't forcibly remove her, but he didn't have to; she muttered a "Sorry" and left thereafter of her own accord.

When she was gone, Bishop returned to Lily, taking the position Elanee had just left immediately outside the door. "Lily..." he said, analyzing her to see how she was taking it. As he expected, she looked a little blank again. Elanee's arrival had been the last thing he needed right then, just when Lily had gotten mostly back to normal.

"I'll be fine, Bishop. I just want to be alone for awhile. Good night," she said, closing the door softly.

Bishop sighed in tangible frustration, but left her alone without objecting.