Moon Rain ✓

Chapter 5: 𝑾𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝑴𝒂𝒚𝒃𝒆 𝑴𝒆𝒂𝒏𝒔 𝒀𝒆𝒔

[ Don't start the song yet ]

•••

"If you would allow me to be happy. Just this once captain. I beg of y-"

"Shh," Naven sat up.

"Please, I-"

There was a knock.

He covered my mouth and answered, "Yes?!"

"Papers, sir," someone says from behind the door.

"Leave them at the door."

"Yes sir."

Naven moved his hand back quickly, "Biting me? What are you, a child?"

"Don't put your hand on my mouth next time."

"Oh?" He leaned over me, causing you to lay back against the floor. "I didn't know you had this side of you, soldier."

Thank goodness he couldn't see me blush, because the atmosphere suddenly felt so warm.

I held his scarf so close to my chest before realizing- "Oh. You can have this back. I have no idea why you gave me this anyway."

He sat up, taking it from me, "Right."

There was a moment of silence and a simple clock ticking as the two of us sat on the floor, before Naven groaned a little and rubbed the back of his neck, "Kaia...are you scared of me?"

I honestly didn't know how to answer. I had faked my feelings so much that I wasn't sure which was truly what.

"Yeah," I said, "I guess." Where's the harm in the truth?

"Get out."

"What?" I blinked.

"I said. Get. Out."

That same feeling in my chest happened again and all I could do was tell myself not to panic.

I got up and he was already undoing every lock on the door.

I didn't realize how close I was to his back until I had a whiff of the scent he was made of.

Tea, honeysuckles, herbs...wood. He smelt like nature at its best. Sweet and fresh, almost like... rain.

He bent down to grab the papers left at the door. When he rose up, his arm touched mine and he walked past me, "Get going. I need to clean up, especially after you bit me."

"What, you think I have rabies or something?" I asked, rather offended.

"Yes," he said quickly, sitting back in his rolling chair.

I rolled my eyes and shut his door.

If only I knew that when I turned my back, he had the slightest smile plastered on his face.

Never met someone quite like her, he thought to himself.

•••

"Tea time ladies!" Jess said, full of excitement.

We all were on the floor bombarded with pillows and blankets, with a vanilla scented candle lit in the middle of the circle in which we sat.

These sleepovers gave me a sense of humanity even when I felt so much like a burden, even a curse.

I looked towards Mia, who held that same necklace from years before to her lips. I could see the blush creeping up her cheeks.

"Something you wouldn't mind telling us, missy?"

Mia got serious.quickly. "No. Not at all."

She reminded me of someone, and it almost made me smile, but as usual I kept my expression bland.