if i die tomorrow - permanent hiatus

innocence

     "Link?"

     I hummed in response, smiling slightly as I played with the straps of supple leather on my Sword.

     "I'm going to ask you a question, and you will have to answer it honestly, okay?" I could hear the mischief in your voice, and I looked up, your eyes dancing with the light of mirth.

     "Can I even refuse." I feigned indifferent boredom, swinging the Sword back and forth from my fingers. 

     Relentless rain drops hammered on the windows as the storm outside raged on and on, dark clouds chasing themselves across the shadowed sky. You were sitting cross-legged on my bed, looking down at me, on the floor. 

     "No, you can't."

     "Okay then, I'll ask you a question after you ask yours, and you also have to answer it honestly." I bargained, holding down a grin. 

     "Sure." She squared her shoulders. The curtains swept the floor like a dancer's graceful steps, billowed by the howling wind. "Remember, honest."

     "Just ask it." I noted the blush creeping up your face. 

     "Umm..." You dropped your voice to a secretive whisper, almost drowned out by the storm outside whipping at the trees. "Have you... ever... uhh... liked someone?"

     I was so surprised, I almost laughed out loud. "Princess?! Seriously?"

     You leaned back, crossing your arms, the blush intensifying. "Just a question. I'm curious, okay? You have girls falling all over you, but you've never seemed to take them seriously." You held up your hands defensively.

     Righting myself, I contemplated the question. "...No, I don't think so. What makes you ask such a question?" I smirked widely at her.

     "Shove off." You pushed me. "Just a question."

     "Hmm..." I stared at you for a moment more, your eyes oddly bright, the shallowness of your breathing. 

     "Okay, you finished?" I eventually asked.

     "Yeah, unless you want to humiliate me more?"

     "Eh, I'll pass for today." I leaned back into the wall, my eyes fixed on you. "My question."

     "Ask away."

     "Have you ever liked someone?"

     You froze, then shook your head in exasperation. "I kind of brought that upon myself, huh?"

     "Dug your own grave." I spread my hands. "Answer."

     You looked away, casting your face into the shadows. "Well... yes. I still do like him. But he doesn't like me back, so." You finished briskly, spots of colour still high on your cheeks. 

     "Oh, really?" I couldn't think of one person who would reject her so harshly. How could anyone not like her? "Who?"

     A fresh wave of heat rose in your flustered visage. "Not telling you."

     "All right, fair enough." I shrugged, then leaned closer, raising my eyebrows. "I can help you, you know."

     Your mouth opened as though you wanted to say something, then you snapped it closed and snorted, looking away. 

     "No, seriously." I insisted, scooting closer. "I may not know how girls work, but boys aren't that complicated. Food. A bit of affection. Enough attention. More food. And don't ever, ever offend him, or treat him like garbage. That's about it." I sat back, pleased with myself. 

     "Oh."

     I inclined my head, trying to read your expression. "What's wrong?"

     You muttered something I couldn't quite hear.

     I knew that look on your face. Every time you stumbled out of the water of the Springs, every time you collapsed into my arms, every time you fell into a broken sleep as you shivered from the cold that only you could feel.

     "You okay?" I was concerned now. 

     Your head snapped up. "Yeah, fine! All good! You know what, I'll, um, be at the library. See you."

     You left quickly, leaving be behind to turn over your reaction in my head, utterly puzzled.

     You always went to the library when you needed to get yourself under control. 

     Perhaps it was only my childish innocence acting as a flimsy film holding back the shattering realization. Perhaps it was this very innocence that was killing you slowly, over and over again, without me even knowing that I was hurting you like this. 

     I shrugged to myself and brushed off my legs, standing up. 

     My obliviousness... A gift dressed up in the disguise of a curse.

     At least I could delay it a bit further, until the chains of my innocence cracked and fell away and I was free, free to make all of my mistakes, all of the steps that I had taken in the wrong direction.

     At least you and I were still but friends in that day, that moment.

A/N: HA! I am enjoying this double-storyline, both with high drama, high tension, high conflicts, maybe too much for your good as the reader. 

I love this story. 

Cya.