Page 118 of Beyond The Maples
"Yeah, well, I'd hope you don't kissallour friends. It's just bad form," she jokes and I laugh, lazily kicking a dusty rock along.
"Well, there's also that. But any chance of us being "more" was squashed wholeheartedly when he followed me here. It was like a switch flipped in me," I mumble.
"Sure, sure, and it has nothing to do with the fact that you and the Lieutenant undress each other with your eyes every time you're within five feet of one another?" She teases, as I scowl at her.
"No! What? That isn't true."I stutter over my own words. Am I that obvious? I can feel my cheeks heating. I back track. "I'm a warm-blooded human. Anyone with eyeballs can see that Tane is attractive. You've said it yourself."
She just cackles at my pathetic justification.
"What I meant to say, before I was very rudely sidetracked, was that Deacon and I don't have the same kind ofeasyrelationship anymore. Maybe it's because we're more like siblings," I suggest, chewing my lip at the notion.
"Also... he's kind of a dick?" Farra adds.
"He is not!" I defend, "He loves me, he just doesn't alwaysgetme. If that makes sense? And I'm honestly afraid that once I tell him we're trying to take off, he's going to try and stop me, and I just don't have it in me to fight one more battle right now."
"Yeah, I don't blame you." She shrugs.
When we crawl into bed that night, I expect the energy pulsing under my skin to simmer down but if anything, it's worse. I try everything: reading, writing, deciphering the Farra's nonsense that she whispers in her sleep. The pressure seems to build until I toss the blanket off myself with a huff and slip on my shoes. I thought the longer walk back to base would've helped tired me out, but I feel anything buttired.
It feels like the night before a big test; one where you know you're supposed to get lots of sleep, so you accidentally spend the night counting the hours and minutes left for rest until suddenly you have no time left at all.
The sun should peek above the walls inan hour or two, so I might as well get my run in early.
I stretch briefly. You'd think by this point I'd take that part more seriously, but I still half-ass it and then pay for it afterwards. As I turn to enter the track, I glimpse something high up on top of the men's dorm. I stop, squinting my eyes at the vaguely familiar shadow. There's definitely someone up there. Maybe Leo's found out about our secret spot on the girls dorm roof and decided to explore his own?
Without thinking, I take off towards the men's dorm doors. I frown, realizing I don't have the key, and it's too early for people to be coming in and out. I give it a tug, just in case, and I am pleasantly surprised when it opens.
Maybe they don't bother locking this one anymore?
I jog up the steps on soft feet, trying not to make too much of a racket, not wanting to wake people up. My legs burn, and I revel in the way I no longer need to stop to catch my breath. I lose myself a bit to the rhythm of it, wishing I'd done this earlier, so maybe I could have slept afterwards.
I reach the top and am surprised by how little I want to vomit. I must actually be in shape now.
I climb the rickety metal ladder, twin to the one in our building, and push open the hatch with a thud. I pull myself gracelessly up and over the side, giving myself a minute to catch my breath. Turning, I see a familiar shadow in the corner, leaning over the tiny wall. Instinctively, I know who it is, and all rational thought leaves me as I walk over to stand beside him.
"Treow," Tane says, without looking my way. His eyes are locked on the horizon.
"How did you know it was me?" I mumble, some of the bravado leaving me at the sight of him.
He doesn't respond. He looks... different. Disheveled... lost, even. I look him over. He's in his Lieutenant's uniform. They look filthy. He must've just gotten back from an assignment. His hands are clasped in front of him, and I notice that mixed in with the dark grime, is blood. I can't tell if it's his orsomeone else's.
"Rough night?"
He grunts. I sigh and look out at the horizon. Dawn has crept closer, and there's a purple hue mixing between the dark of night and the impending sunrise. We stand in silence for a moment, appreciating it.
"I think this might be my favourite time of day," I offer, staring out at the landscape.
I see him shift on his feet slightly, and he sucks in a sharp breath.
"You're hurt."
"I've been in worse shape," he responds, and the hollowness of his voice unnerves me. I hate it, I realize.
A tiny drop of blood lands on the ground below his arms, and I can see as the light brightens around us just how bad his injuries actually are. Gently, as if I'm approaching a wild animal, I slip my hand into his. He looks at me finally, something raw and agonizing passing across his face. I start to pull him towards the hatch, he resists, but I shake my head.
"Let's get you cleaned up," I say just above a whisper.
He searches my face, like this small kindness must be a trick, but I reassure him with a nod while pulling gently. I let him go first, and despite his condition, he glides down the ladder effortlessly. I climb down behind him, shutting the hatch.
