Nightingale's Fury

Chapter 20 - Oops!

I turned around and saw the sleepy bed head of Joel. He was rubbing the side of his face, and rubbing the sleep out of his eyes.

"Uh, hi Joel."

He smirked at me sleepily and raised an eyebrow, "Why are you in my room?"

I cracked my knuckles nervously, and looked away, blushing. Embarrassment was burning my face. And it's not because I walked into his room in the first place.

He wasn't wearing a shirt.

I glanced up at him. "I walked into the wrong room." He chuckled quietly, "Only you Ruby, only you."

I smiled and yawned, getting a return from Joel. "Well there's always a spare bed. Night Rubes."

I blushed and shrugged, to sleepy to walk to my room. And besides, the bed did look comfy. I climbed under covers and kicked off my shoes, snuggling into the pillow. I began to drift, but not before I subconsciously said:

"Night Joelsy."

———•———•———•———•———

"WHERE THE SHIZZLE IS RUBY?"

"I don't know?!"

"YOU'RE SUPPOSED TO KNOW! YOU GUYS ARE SUPPOSED TO BE SLEEPING IN THE SAME ROOM!"

I sat up at the same time Joel did. We looked at each other with wide eyes. Then we started giggling. Like to the point of holding our stomach because they were hurting from laughing so hard, and almost falling on the floor.

Outside the room, it went silent. We heard footsteps and the door crept open. Harley, Thea, Estella and Kira's heads popped out through the door. Harley raised an eyebrow, "Why are you sleeping in here?"

I giggled and said, "Well, I must've accidentally walked into this room instead of my own. And my bed is in the same place as this one."

"Then why were you laughing?"

"WE were laughing because of Estella's reaction. 'Where the shizzle is she?!' Priceless!"

Joel started laughing heartily, it was probably the best thing I've heard all morning, and I am not afraid to say it. "Yea, and when I rolled over and saw her drooling all over the pillow, I couldn't help but laugh."

I made a mock surprised face and threw the "apparently" drool covered pillow at his head.

He ducked and I turned to the door. Estella looked unimpressed, Thea was nodding, Kira seemed like she was bored. But Harley, holy crap I almost died. He was doing the "eyebrow dance".

Ya know, the one that your friends give you when they're like mm you guys, I see what going on here! look.

Damn.

Estella glanced at Harley and rolled her eyes. "Fine. I guess I over-reacted. Come out soon, we're having breakfast."

We nod simultaneously and the door shuts. Joel and I glance at each other and crack up laughing again.

"Was I really drooling?"

He shook his head and laughed, "Nah, but you were snoring a bit. Don't worry, you actually snore quietly, which I didn't know was possible."

I smiled and untangled myself from the bed sheets. I got out of bed and walked over to the window. Joel watched me as I slid the window open. I was greeted with the crisp morning air, it was roughly 7:30.

I smiled as I looked over to Joel.

And I climbed out the window. I pulled myself up onto the roof.

I climbed up the wood and sat in the shadow the surrounding trees cast on the roof. I laid back and sighed.

My eyes were closed. I heard a patter and opened my eyes to see Joel next to me.

"Is it true you dated Shadow Knight?"

My eyebrows rose to meet my hairline. "How did you know?"

He nodded, "I take it as a yes, and I know these things. Why would you date him though?"

I laid back again and closed my eyes, "I didn't realise who he was before it was too late. I dumped him. He started being horrible to me." I remembered the night he almost hit me, and when he tried to break my wrist. And when he threatened to open up the scar that CatGirl gave me.

I felt him brush my fringe out of my eyes. I smiled and said, "You have such a feathery touch. It's nice."

I opened my eyes, and brought him close, to the point where I was hugging him. He wrapped an arm around me and said, "Shadow Knight can kiss my @ss, you're pretty cool, Rubes."

I smiled and sat up. "C'mon, we gotta go have breakfast."

He nodded and let go. We slid down the roof and back into the room. I walked over to the door and went to open it.

But I was stopped. Joel had my wrist in his hand. I looked down at my wrist and then back to him.

He half-smiled at me and then brought me close. Our foreheads met, which wasn't hard because there wasn't much difference in height.

In the slept second of not having control, I lightly put my hand on his chest, feeling an overwhelming sense of security. He smiled and placed his hand on the back of my neck, tipping my head back. And making our lips touch.

At first, I was surprised, but I kissed him back. Once we parted, we were both out of breath. We. I like the sound of that. I smiled and blushed, looking down at the small gap there was between us. He lifted my chin up and brushed my hair behind my ear.

"Let's go eat breakfast."

———•———•———•———•———

"Ok so now that we're all fed and good, it's meeting time."

I groaned and rolled my eyes, everyone was seated in the lounge room.

Estella clasped her hands together and said, "Well, apparently last night when Harley and Ruby went for a run, Harley caught sight of The Samurai, meaning as of now, there will be a patrol. Now I'm gonna pull names out of the hat," shaking the fez in front of her full of paper, "Now Kira is the healer so she won't be on patrol in case someone is hurt. First up, Tristan and... me. Harley and... Thea. So that is Ruby and Joel."

I looked at Joel and pulled the 'ERMAHGERD' face.

He did the eyebrow dance back and we both looked at The Leaders. Meaning Estella and Harley.

"Go on Joel and Ruby, go be on patrol."

I grabbed my ninja stars and crossbow and Joel grabbed his bow and arrows. We headed outside and began walking until we were out of view. Joel pulled me close and said, "So another little secret you have to keep from you family?"

I nodded and held his hand, "Yeah I guess so."

I kissed him again, "Oops."