It's Hard to Breathe

Together

On Sunday, Gisela opened her front door to reveal a spiky blond-haired boy clutching a long piece of paper that almost reached his ankles.

"I'm impressed if you wrote that all by yourself, Pyren." Gisela drawled as she carefully closed the door.

Fintan snorted.

"I borrowed it from my dad's library."

"Why would we need some dusty old scroll that belongs to your father?" Gisela asked as they started up the staircase.

"We need it because of what's written on it. Rather ingenious, really." He responded carefully.

"Well, it better be good," Gisela snapped as she opened her door that led to her bedroom.

Fintan marched in, and sat unceremoniously on the floor.

"Cut it out, Pyren." Gisela stated as she plopped down in her crystal desk chair.

"Hmmm? Oh, never mind me. Or that fact that is golden floor is giving me a painful seating spot." He said.

"Fine." Gisela snapped, getting up and crossing the room to her bed.

"Pillow battle now?" Fintan asked.

"Not yet, you imbecile." Gisela returned, then swept every single pillow to the floor.

"You can sit over here." She grudgingly said.

Fintan immediately hopped up, and threw himself on her bed.

"Careful, there, Pyren." Gisela snarled.

"I just washed my sheets, and I don't want you dirtying them up. Shoes off."

"Nothing else?" Fintan wondered slyly as he ditched his shoes to reveal yellow and orange flame-patterned socks.

Gisela rolled her eyes.

"Does this look like a strip club to you?" She demanded.

"No, but I'm sure you'll make a good one." He teased lightly.

Gisela snorted, then threw her shoes across the floor. They hit the opposite wall with a clatter.

Fintan whistled.

"Someone's angry. Chill. I can offer my snuggle services for you to calm down with."

Gisela scoffed, then promptly slapped him.

 "No way, Pyren."

Fintan winked at her.

Before this conversation turned any stranger, Gisela snatched the scroll, and unrolled it to find...

Thousands of characters, drawings, and more. All in the same neat, cramped writing.

"Whoa." She muttered softly.

"Now only if you were looking at me." Fintan said from behind her, reminding Gisela that she wasn't alone.

"In your dreams, Pyren." She shot back.

"So, what's this scroll all about?" She questioned.

"An insanely powerful group who uses their people and resources to replace our faulty leadership." He responded.

"Like I said earlier, it very clever and well thought-out."

"Interesting." Gisela murmured, still examining the sprawling parchment.

Fintan quickly took the scroll from her, and rolled it up again.

"Shall we do our homework now?" He asked, seemingly jealous that Gisela appeared to like a dusty old scroll more than him.

"Sure." Gisela said, looking like she wished to murder Fintan.

In about half an hour, they had all six assignments done correctly.

"See, we really do make a good team." Fintan annoyingly pointed out.

"I already agreed to your proposition!" Gisela exclaimed in frustration.

"Hmmhmm." Fintan muttered.

Gisela rolled her eyes, then chucked a pillow at Fintan's head with a gleam in her eyes that Fintan hadn't ever seen before.

He retaliated, throwing a pillow at her head as he dove off onto the floor to avoid her missile. 

Gisela ducked his fire, then returned with an especially tasseled pillow.

Fintan scooted to the side, barley dodging it.

The pillow fight was on.

A few minutes later led to Gisela parading around in victory, successfully hitting Fintan ten times with different pillows in five minutes. Fintan had only hit her eight times.

He groaned.

"Am I really that bad at pillow fights?"

"Apparently," Gisela replied, starting to gather the pillows.

Fintan assisted her, scooping up pillows from under the bed and behind her desk. When she had all the pillows, Gisela neatly arranged them on her bed, proving her photographic memory once again.

Both of them flopped onto her bed, Gisela to tired to contradict Fintan.

When Gisela turned her head to see how Fintan was doing, she found his ice-blue eyes watching her with something like...admiration. Or interest.

She paused, then they proceeded to stare into each others' hues for at least a couple of minutes.

Gisela was the first to look away, a faraway look in her eyes.

Fintan cleared his throat, and Gisela whipped her head in his direction.

"Yes, Pyren?" she asked.

"You know," he started. "Partners for life can have more than one meaning."

Gisela flinched.

"They can be together for the rest of their immortal lives. They don't differ being one ray of change, a beam of difference. A fountain of trust. They live each others' lives. They share in each others' feelings. They are united as one." he finished, almost shyly.

Gisela smiled for the first time he had seen her, a genuine smile that came from within.

Fintan eyed her.

"Does that mean anything?" He asked.

"I dunno. Does this?"

She leaned in carefully, and kissed him lightly on the cheek. A slight flush crept up his neck.

"I'll take that as a yes." Gisela said, grinning as she pulled away.

Fintan stammered something incoherent to him, but Gisela nodded.

"Sure." She said.

"Wait, what?" Fintan asked, still slightly discombobulated.

"You asked me if I was still with you from here on out. I agreed." Gisela said.

"Oh, that's great." He said.

"Yep." Gisela nodded.

"You should probably get going now." She added.

"It's almost 4."

Fintan jumped up, waved to Gisela, then ran downstairs and let himself out of her house.

He walked jauntily along the path, thinking of tomorrow, and his future with Gisela.