Dolce pressed her hands together anxiously as she sat quietly under the cover of the night.

She hadn't been able to keep her thoughts straight ever since Frey had sprung a kiss on her, seemingly out of nowhere. What was it for? Was it just to tease her?

Or...did she feel the same?

Dolce hurriedly shook her head as if to reject the thought. Perhaps she wasn't quite right in the head in order to think such thoughts. Well...it must have meant something to Frey, since she had requested to meet her in private in the middle of the night. Dolce sighed a little and stared up at the sky. The night was crisp with the air of mid-winter as always, but tonight the sky and the stars had decided to show themselves. The stars winked down as the moon shone an almost overwhelming white color.

The unusually sky reminded Dolce of the time she had that fateful conversation with Frey by the beach…

Dolce groaned and pressed her fingers to her temples. Get it together, you idiot. Gods, she was a mess. How come every thought of hers always had to lead back to Frey? She had long-since accepted the fact that she had feelings for her, but the kiss...Dolce pressed her knuckle against her lips silently and closed her eyes. Just thinking about it made her weak in the knees. There was a certain purpose, almost needing, to Frey's kiss. Her grip was strong, and her lips did all the work for her. Of course, Dolce had been too stupefied to do anything in return. She had tried to remember the last time she had been kissed like that. Or kissed at all.

Dolce slowly looked around, spotting nothing but darkness, along with a few street lights here and there. Of course, a part of her had a yearning for Frey to show up. Perhaps she had gotten her hopes up too high. She scuffed up some slushy leftover snow with her boot, her frustration seeping through. Had she been lied too? The subject of a cruel game, maybe? Suddenly, just as she turned to leave, a dear voice spoke up behind her.

"Dolce." She jumped slightly, turning her head. Standing there, dressed head to toe in winter wear and dotted with flecks of snow, was Frey. Dolce wanted to jump up and down like a giddy schoolgirl just then, but she fought the urge.

"Frey...hello. I'm glad you could make it," Dolce replied, allowing herself to show a small, polite smile. Without warning, Frey walked over and hugged her tightly, nearly squeezing the air out of her. Dolce gasped in shock, her eyes widening. "Hey...what's wrong?"

"Nothing. It's just…" Frey sighed into her hair. Dolce shivered, despite not feeling cold anymore. "Oh, Dolce. I'm sorry that I've been acting strangely. I must be confusing you to death." Dolce shook her head slowly.

"I'm sorry, too." She closed her eyes and embraced her back. Frey chuckled a little.

"Please, Dolce. You didn't do anything wrong." She let go of Dolce and ran a hand through her flowing hair, which was, notably to Dolce, not tied back into twintails this time. "Besides, I wanted to talk to you about my behavior lately."

"Wait a minute." Dolce crossed her arms, feeling rising heat on her face. "There's something I have to say, too." Frey's eyes widened a little, but she hastily nodded. Dolce's voice froze in her throat, afraid of what happen. She had to say something, now. She couldn't live out with regret. "Um...well...the thing is...I've been your friend for awhile now, and you've been so kind to me. After some time, you reaching out to me has made me realized how lost I've been for some time." She hesitated. "You've also made me remember what it's like to care about someone dearly, and never wanting to let go of them." She glanced up at Frey, who seemed to be listening intently. She gave no sign of indication to continue on, but Dolce didn't care. She cleared her throat, saying the words she had wanted to say for a long, long time. "Frey, I'm afraid I've fallen in love with you."

Frey went nearly slack-jawed, a blush on her face that even Dolce could see in the dark. "You…?"

"Yes. I do."

Frey gazed at Dolce for a few more unbearable moments, seemingly in shock. "I...I don't know what to say, really." She grinned shyly and rubbed the back of her head. "You sort of stole my thunder there, because I kind of came here to tell you the same thing. I kind of love you a lot, Dolce." Before Dolce even knew it, warmth blossomed in her chest, like a small bird unfolding its wings. "If I could be so bold, I think I might've had feeling for you even longer than you." Frey continued with a light-hearted smile. "Care for me to prove it to you?"

Dolce folded her arms in a desperate attempt to contain her happiness. She broke into a huge smile that must've made her look like a fool, but she was too far beyond the point of caring to care. "I'd like that a lot." Frey shrugged, placing her hands on Dolce's shoulders.

"Good. Now I can finally do this without feeling bad." She leaned in and brushed her lips against Dolce's, a much more mild gesture compared to the last kiss. Dolce sighed and closed her eyes. She had wanted nothing more to be on the receiving end of this. Frey's lips were so sweet.

Dolce leaned against Frey and carefully placed her hands on the other girl's face, and kissed her back for the first time. It was so much better than anything her imagination had conjured up. She felt Frey's hand shift lower and press into the small of her back, drawing Dolce closer to her. Dolce felt like she could fly, just for a few more blissful moments, before Frey broke the kiss. She grinned, showing just a hint of shyness mixed with joy. Dolce could practically feel her heart melt.

"I think I proved it pretty well." Dolce laughed.

"Yes, I'd say you did. I'm speechless." Frey smirked.

"There's more where that came from, that's for sure." The two of them fell silent, wrapped in the peacefulness of the night, before Frey spoke up once again. "Hey, Dolce?"

"Hmm?"

"I love you." Dolce closed her eyes and sighed happily. Three words that were only meant for her ears to hear.

"I love you too, Frey."