Tiny Dreams

Lesson On Love

It's been an extra day where everyone was exhausted with the familiar smell of litter and garbage, Grass making some masks for them to wear to filter out the filthy air. Copper did not need it desperately since he had a scent many humans loved sniffing over, and that was coins. Aqua didn't want to wear the mask, and said that she was not at all bothered by the smell. Grass could have gotten use to it, but he did not want to end up smelling like he was thrown down at a rodeo. Mid had accepted the mask when helping to mend Bolt's cuts, and Skull refused to use it.

Only two people ended up using the masks, and so, Grass felt like he had nothing in his life to do other than feel sorry for his boat that was banged up from pissed off spirits, and the river of polluted water. Aqua was sitting on a barrel of gathered up food, thinking about past memories that would cheer her up. She thought about the tour she was given by Metal and Copper back when she came into town, the spirits she met, and the home she once had. This boat was her new home now until they found a better one.

Some memories with Metal were her highlighted memories, remembering the twinkling night sky, the music that played in an old antique shop, and the minced fruit that Metal made for Aqua. Back then, everything seemed so much more calm, but now everyone was scared to death! Aqua didn't understand why, the same way she didn't understand love. What was love anyway? Why did it pain her to think about love? Maybe it had to do with the fact Metal had died the night he tried confessing to Aqua, him being rejected.

Aqua looked over to Copper, wondering if he had some knowledge on the subject. Copper and Metal were best friends, so Copper would know by seeing the way Metal acted around Aqua the idea of it. So then she got up, and went to ask Copper face to face what was the idea of love. She reached the wheel where Copper was, and tugged on his sweater, Copper looking down to see Aqua there with big adorable eyes. "Oh, hi, Aqua" Copper greeted, Aqua waving back a small "Hello". "Anything I can do for you?" Copper asked, Aqua nodding lightly.

"I need you to answer a couple of questions for me" Aqua noted, Copper bobbing his head in clarification, and whistled over Grass, him taking Copper's place, and Copper heading down to the cabin with Aqua. They passed the room Mid and Bolt were in, and went into a separate one. "What did you want to talk about?" Copper questioned, sitting on one of the beds they had, Aqua sitting right next to him. "What's love?" Aqua tilted her head, Copper not knowing where to start with the subject. "Love? Hmm...it's when...well, I don't know!" Copper mumbled.

Aqua didn't quite catch his meaning, Copper having to clear his statement better. "Love is kind of complicated. It's like a mix of emotions, behaviors, and ideas followed by strong feelings of affection, protection, warmth, and respect for another being" Copper explained, Aqua nodding her head as if she expected that answer. Copper noticed Aqua's blank face, and thought of more examples. "It's like...a human and their pet! The owner loves the dog, so they take care of them, feed them, have fun with them, and live a long, fruitful life!" Copper noted.

"Oh, okay" Aqua said, thinking that back then, Metal meant living life together doing fun stuff. "Is there any other ways of love?" Aqua bombarded, Copper mentally speaking with himself what was best to say to help her out. "Yes, there are lots of ways. You could give someone a gift, you take them somewhere nice to enjoy a view or eat, and even talk your feelings out" Copper detailed, Aqua seeing a new side to love now. The more answers she got, the more curious she became. "Is there more than one type of love?" Aqua quizzed, Copper giggled.

"Yup! There's a few! You could love someone as a friend, love something for what it is or what it's done, you can love a pet for all the fun times it's brung you, or love someone as a lover" Copper listed off the top of his head, using his fingers to count the ways listed. There was a familiar word she's heard once before, the word lover. Aqua only heard once from Metal what it was until he died the following morning. "About the word lover, how do they connect?" Aqua stated, Copper trying to choose his words carefully.

"Lovers worry for each other, laugh with each other, learn things together, lots of things!" Copper remarked, impressed with himself he's learned so much on the subject after a long time underground. "Sometimes they can get physical too in love, but you don't always have to act physical in love" Copper informed Aqua, fidgeting with his hands as he spoke, distracting himself to help think better. "Physical love?" Aqua repeated, Copper rolling his eyes playfully, and bobbing his head. "You're so curious" Copper smiled, Aqua smiling back.

"Thanks!" Aqua thanked, taking it as a compliment although it was more of just a statement. Copper looked back at the wooden floor of the room, and sighed, tracing back to where he left off. "Anyway yeah, there's physical love as well. Hugs are a common thing for all people, even friends, families, pets, and lovers. Kisses are narrowed down to pets, families, and lovers. Some activities such as sex and making out only stays with lovers" Copper told Aqua, her finding the word "kiss" kind of intriguing. "What's a kiss?" Aqua asked Copper.

Lucky for Aqua, Copper had patience with all her questions, helping her out to learn as much as she can about her desired subject. "A kiss is a connection between lips. Sometimes, a kiss can be in other places too, like the cheek or forehead" Copper indicated, pointing on said body parts of his own. Aqua nodded in response, shyly scooting closer to Copper, and him not paying it any attention. "Copper, can I try it?" Aqua requested, Copper confused on what she wanted to try. "Try what?" Copper questioned, Aqua answering "Kiss".

The lumalight of copper began blushing a rose gold hue, his voice at a lost, and Copper wondering what he was to say about this. Would it be so wrong? Will Aqua even think of him as weird if he said yes? Will someone walk in, and kill the mood? Can Copper even calm himself down!? "Uhh......I don't...maybe...wait- I might..." Copper rambled on, Aqua not having the kind of patience Copper did, and tested it out on her own hand, making sure she was even doing it right. Satisfied after practicing on the back of her hand, she faced the still rambling Copper.

Aqua faced Copper's face to look towards her, and pressed her lips firmly on to where Copper's would be. The always worried, and flabbergasted spirit finally calmed down after having a brain malfunction, and gently kissed Aqua back, helping her get the experience of a full kiss. Aqua parted ways from Copper, and regained the air she needed, Copper as well inhaling needed oxygen. "Was I...good?" Aqua said in between breaths, Copper nodding his head as he slouched back on the bed, his elbows holding him up still.

"Copper! I need my break too, go back to steering the boat!" Grass shouted from upstairs on the deck, Copper getting up from the bed, and stretching. His back made a slight pop sound as he bent backwards, and headed toward the door. Aqua watched him stand at the doorframe, him thinking to himself whether or not to just leave Aqua without saying anything. As soon as he made up his mind, Copper gently closed the door, and went back to Aqua, kissing her one more time before parting for air again. "I'll be back, I promise" Copper smiled.

He rubbed Aqua's forehead, and headed upstairs to the deck, Grass still shouting for him. Aqua felt the unfamiliar mood of flustered, feeling her cheeks boil with heat. That was something that made her bubble a bit, meaning that she indeed was flustered. Was she for the first time gaining feelings for some lumalight? That specific lumalight being Copper?