A Hero With/Out Time

Chapter 11: My Way Forward. (Part 4)

It was just Taylor and I. We sat beside each other on the single couch. A small hearth sat in the wall to our left, the wood inside little more than embers. Above us crystals of light lit the room. Several shelves of books lined the wall and familiar knickknacks and paintings sat on top cupboards. We sat in silence neither of us moving. I was beginning to become overly conscious of her breathing. It was soft and from the corner of my eye I could see her chest rise and fall. Unlike when I had first met her, her shirt was now buttoned higher revealing less of her skin.

Suddenly she stood up, "I'm going to head to bed as well. Where-."

"Don't," my hand pulled at her sleeve and our eyes met. For a moment I almost let go but I held firm. "I- we need to talk."

"Sure," she sat down slowly and turned her body my way.

"I'm sorry," I threw it out in the open and bowed my head.

She seemed surprised, "For what?"

"Before, on the way to Axel yesterday I cut you off. You looked like you had something to say but I was so preoccupied I refused you."

"It was nothing," she began to stand again.

"It wasn't nothing Taylor," my words stopped her. "I know you've been struggling lately. In Greytree, here, you're not comfortable are you?"

"You were watching me?" her gaze stared down at me accusingly.

"You could say that," I met her eyes and held them. "I'm here to listen now."

"Fine, I'll admit it. I don't get it. All this happy town living, it's strange. It stresses me out, everyone is always smiling and at times I feel like I want to snap," she huffed and looked away from me. She was much less composed than when I talked to her in Greytree. Back then however there had been a wall between us. Right now it was feeling a bit too intimate even for me. "Today so many people wanted to talk to me it was unnerving."

"You can't handle that kind of attention can you?" I softened my voice.

She sighed, "Rain have you ever fallen in love with someone?"

It was this again. "Let me guess. When you steal someone's heart it's the most satisfying thing? The feelings that they give back to you are like nothing you can experience normally."

"Yes," her eyes widened, "Have we talked about this before?"

"No," I lied and told the truth. "It's something I've read."

"Well the attention I got from that, the pleasure.... The rush I felt when stealing. It just feels so small now." She shook her head, "Maybe it's because I haven't done it awhile."

"I'm not going to say that stealing isn't fun sometimes," I smiled. There were times I had played pranks on my parents and they were fond memories. "But you have us now right? Lara, Ardent, Ronalt, Marley, even Earnest. If you want some attention, I'll give it to you because I care about you."

"Ummm did you just?"

I realised what I had just said and could feel my temperature rising, "I mean as friends. You're an important friend and companion." I coughed and cleared my throat.

Taylor smiled and laughed. It was the same bright smile I had seen before, the one that made my heart beat. "Thank you Rain."

"N-no problem," I was still embarrassed.

Taylor stood up with a stretch, "I think I'll head off to bed. Though I might shower first. Care to join me?"

And with that small quip of hers I felt relived she was back to normal, "Sorry but it's a little small for two people."

"I don't mind getting closer to you," she winked.

I laughed and shooed her away, "I'm glad you're doing well. Now hurry up I need to clean myself as well." She walked away and I watched her leave... was it just me or was she swaying her hips more than usual? Knowing her it was probably a part of her ploy.

I eased myself further into the familiar couch. I had spent many hours in this room and I wanted to keep doing so. Tomorrow was going to be a big day. Now that I had seen Axel safe my despair was being replaced by sterner anger. I'd make whoever hurt my family pay. Killing them wouldn't be enough, they needed to suffer for what they did. For that reason I was happy Lara wasn't here.

After some time had passed I washed myself in the bathroom. I was wary that Taylor might be still inside and had double checked she wasn't lurking about. Clean and refreshed I headed to my room. It was just how I left it, although now there was a suspicious lump beneath the blankets of my bed.

The lump turned my way, "Oh Rain, what are you doing here?"

"This is my room," I struggled to keep a straight face as Taylor looked at me.

"Sorry, I should have guessed. Silly me," she apologised and slowly with purposeful movements began to remove herself from the bed. The blanket slipped down her from her neck revealing bare skin below it.

"Stop!" I skirted my gaze from her. "I'll sleep somewhere else. Don't mind it!" Before she could reply I had already turned around and closed the door behind me. That was close. I wasn't sure what she was wearing, if anything, beneath those blankets. She really loved messing with me but I was still a man. I might have done something I'd regret at that rate. Maybe it would have been better to leave her like she was, at least that way I'd have some peace of mind. I sighed and went to the other guest room to sleep, the last thing I wanted was for the same thing to happen with Ardent.