"Ow!"

Ren turned back to see his friend clutching her knee, and the tears had already sprung from her eyes. He ran back across the dirt road to where Nora was seated, and knelt down on the grass next to her.

"Ren, it hurts!"

"Here, let me see it," Ren said as he gently removed Nora's hands from her knee. She had only scuffed it up, and it probably happened when they were playing at the creek, but sometimes she just faked an injury so she could sit down. Other times she faked an injury so Ren would hold her hand and tell her everything would be ok. Ren liked holding her hand, but he always got really nervous. His parents had always said, "8 years you two have been alive, and 8 years you've been inseparable." It didn't translate as well when Nora had told it to her parents, but they used it all the same.

"Is it bad?" Nora's question startled Ren from his reverie.

"Hm? Oh, yeah, it doesn't look good. I think you need to sit down for a while. I'll get a band-aid," he said as he hopped up to grab one from his house.

Nora's hand shot up and stopped him. "I don't think you should go. I mean, what if I faint? Then nobody would be there to take care of me, and then I'd wake up and be scared, and then what if you forget about me, or if your parents make you stay for dinner, and-"

"Ok, I'll stay," Ren replied as he sat cross-legged next to his friend. Nora beamed at him before continuing.

"It's not like I think you'd forget about me you know, I just think that it's better if we stay together. Not together-together of course, not that I don't think that you aren't cute," Nora was beginning to turn red, and Ren chuckled as she hastily tried to patch up her mistake.

"Nora, it's ok," Ren said as he squeezed her hand. Nora blushed profusely and hid her face behind her free hand, while holding on tightly to Ren's hand. "I do think we should get a band-aid for that though. Do you think you can walk to my house from here?" he continued as he stood up.

"I don't know Ren, it's pretty bad, don't you think?" Ren frowned, and Nora saw her chance. "Maybe you should carry me?"

Ren hesitated, but was soon overwhelmed by her big blue puppy dog eyes. She had gotten a lot better at that. Ren silently cursed himself as he conceded, "Fine, but this time, no shortcuts, ok? Last time we took one of your shortcuts, we got lost and were an hour late for dinner."

"Ok Ren!" Nora said as she leaped from her seated position to onto Ren's back in almost one motion.

Yep, she was definitely faking it, Ren thought as he staggered under the sudden burden.

"Onward to victory my trusty steed!" Nora cheered as she raised a stick above her head like a sword.

"Wait, where did you get that stick?" a confused Ren said, looking up at it, completely bewildered by it's sudden appearance.

"Never mind that! Onward I say! All shall bow to Nora!"

"Hey!"

"Don't worry, I'll still make time to play with you, Ren," Nora said as they started toward her house. "But we have to hold hands whenever I want, or else you have to go to timeout!" she continued as she bounced along on his back.

"Nora, you don't have to make me hold hands with you, I'll do it anytime you want now." Ren felt Nora's cheek get warm against his neck, and she stayed quite as the made the rest of the journey home in silence.

When they had arrived at Nora's house, the sun had already begun to disappear behind the mountains, casting the whole village in a golden light. Ren leaned down, and Nora slid gently off his back.

"Ren? Do… do you… can you hold my hand a little longer? Just until the sun goes down." She looked down at her feet, nervously kicking the dirt off her shoes.

Ren simply slid his hand into hers.

That sat there on Nora's porch, watching the sunset for a long time.

The sun had set, and Ren once again risen to leave. Nora stood with him, closer than usual, and looked up at him expectantly.

"…Um… Nora?"

"Yes, Ren?" she replied sweetly.

"Aren't you a little close?"

"I don't think so. You have to give me something before you go."

"Uh…," Ren shifted nervously, the courage that he had built up suddenly fleeing him, and his stomach was suddenly filled with butterflies.

Nora leaned in, puckering her lips and closing her eyes.

Ren panicked.

"Boop!" he said as he poked her nose and turned and sprinted home.