Youth

#13 - Day Thirteen and a Boundary Pushed

Running, running, running.  The triplet rhythm of beating hooves, the vague feeling of wind rushing past her, was bizarrely lulling to [Y/n].  She sat atop a gorgeous bay horse, her hands gripping his black mane.  The calmness that flooded her senses seemed to distract from the fact that she was being watched by a cloaked figure in the distance.  Then, with an ear-splitting wail, the horse reared up.  An arrow stuck through his chest and he toppled to the ground, sending [Y/n] flying.  The cloaked figure began to walk towards her.  She could barely make out the cruel grin on its face.  Before he could get too close, however, a glowing figure appeared before her.  She couldn't make out a gender - all she saw was long, flowing hair and skin white as snow. 

Her guardian angel.

[Y/n] woke suddenly, placing her hand on her temple and rubbing it softly.  She noticed, in the corner of her room, Aytsa was staring at her worriedly.  The moment he saw she was awake he shot up and ran over to her, grabbing her by the shoulders.  His eyes were wide and tearful and his expression looked mortally desperate. 

"[Y/n]... [Y/n], oh, I'm so sorry," he said quietly, shaking her a little.  [Y/n] stared up at him with wide eyes.  "I-I know you're p-probably never going to forgive me—" he cut himself off as his voice cracked tremendously, making him blush a little in embarrassment, "-b-but I wanted to tell you that I really care for you a-and never wanted to do that!  I-it was an accident, I promise... I promise..."

Aytsa began to sob, his hands wrapping around [Y/n] as he fell onto her bed beside her and cried into her chest.  [Y/n] was frozen for quite a while before her hand slowly moved to his hair, her dexterous fingers combing through it in soft, reassuring strokes.

    "I'm sorry," he sobbed, his voice trembling. "I'm so, so, so sorry," he added, before repeatedly whispering "sorry" over and over again.

    "Shh, Aytsa," [Y/n] said gently, "it's okay. You... you didn't mean to. I understand," she smiled gently, though it was clearly forced. Aytsa didn't seem to notice as he looked up at her with a look of overwhelming joy on his face.

"Y-you mean it?" his voice cracked again, though this time more out of emotion than pubescent teen stuff.  "I promise... I promise I'll never do it again!  I'll never hurt you again," he vowed, his eyes wide and determined.  "I-I mean... what sort of monster would I have to be to want to hurt a cute little kitten like you...?" he trailed off with a slightly nervous smile.  [Y/n] felt a little uncomfortable at the statement but was simply glad that he'd learnt from his mistakes.

[Y/n] didn't respond for a while - she stared forwards awkwardly.  Aytsa's hug eventually felt a bit invasive as it technically left her pinned to the bed.  Still, she couldn't bring herself to actually tell him to get off.  She sat and waited, thinking.  Her mind wandered off to her friends, Tara and Sally.  A memory greeted her.

"So, [Y/n]?  You gonna go out with him or what?" Tara giggled, punching the arm of the smaller girl, her long red hair tied back in a ponytail.  [Y/n] blushed embarrassedly, looking over at Sally for help.  Sally stared into her mirror (meeting [Y/n]'s eyes through the reflective object) and brushed her golden locks, letting out a sigh as she turned around and met [Y/n]'s eyes with her blue ones.

"You gotta ask him eventually," she huffed, waving her hairbrush as she spoke as though it would somehow help to prove her point.  "He obviously has a thing for you.  What have you got to lose?"  [Y/n]'s face flushed further as Tara smirked.  "Other than that.  You sleep with that guy and I'll be there tomorrow with a shotgun license and a meat cleaver for his—"