Awoken

Chapter 5

They sat there for a long while- just thinking. Nate thought about what her reaction to his family would be when he'd introduce her. Skylar thought about whether or not to breathe. It had been years since she opened up to someone and sitting right next to her is the one man that was made for her, and her for him. She'd always been the strong, silent type since arriving; it had helped her, it gave her an excuse for her walls. Now, just sitting next to him, his hand in hers, she felt those walls begin to crack.

"What's your favourite colour?"

She raised an eyebrow. "Pardon me?"

He smirked and began, slower. "What is your," he pointed to her, "favourite colour."

Sky narrowed her eyes at him. "Blue. I like blue."

Looking into her eyes, searching for something, Nate finally responded after a minute of slightly awkward silence. "Deep green with flecks of gold here and there."

Both eyebrows were raised this time. He let out a light chuckle, one that she had grown fond of hearing. "Too cheesy?"

Her cheeks flushed as she answered with a nervous laugh, "Just the right amount of cheese, actually. Lucky for you I only act lactose intolerant."

A genuine smile approached his lips as he heard her answer. "So, does that mean I've got a chance?"

"You're the only horse in the race. You've got all the chances." Sky smiled at him.

Nate smiled back staring into the green sky and golden stars within her eyes. He pressed his lips to the top of her hand in his and looked back out to the yard, past the trees, and up into the watercolour sunset.

*******

That night he called his mum and told her he'd be staying at a friend's place for a while. He was not about to have his budding relationship with his mate ruined by the loudness and ill-placed good intentions of his family. As much as he loved them, it was best to wait a bit.

Nate hung up the phone, still attached to the wall by a cord, and looked back at the empty kitchen. It was loud in the living room where he'd first encountered Miyuki during her bonsai snipping. He could hear the loud laughs and yells from the other room.

He felt something plop onto his shoulder. Nyla had pulled her mountainous hair back with a bit of blue string and pointed towards the door that led to the backyard. Nate smirked and raised and eyebrow at the little creature.

In return, she took hold of his ear and spoke quite louder than expected, "She's waiting for you outside. Unless you don't want to go and have some bonding experience with your mate, I suggest you leave." She slid down his sleeve onto the top of a chair and hopped across the table, eventually sliding beneath the crack under the door.

Okay?

Interested, Nate walked to the window to try to get a glimpse of what his mate was planning. A faint warm glow was seen through the clouded, charred window of the shed. He walked through the brisk yard to the door and opened it. There was a small desk covered in candles with an adjacent chair that was teetering off its wheels. The couch across the small room was tattered and patched together with duct tape and the posters on the walls were of old bands he had never heard of. Candles not only lined the work bench but the various boxes and cabinets lining the walls.

The one thing missing was his mate.

Just then the sound of the screen door slammed and footsteps lead to where he was standing in the doorway.

"You wanted to see me?" Sky poked her head in, confused at being called to her own workshop for some important 'bonding experience' by her mate.