Late night walk //Matthew - Kya

[*]

The excitement and fun with both Matthew and Tyren was definatley needed. Between everyting that has gone on in the last week, I've missed him too much and Tyren and I seem to be okay. There's something about him that's a little off when he look at me, but I can't put my finger on it. I"m not going to ask him either, but it's just this vibe I get about him. Though, I have to wonder if it deals with Max. I mean, they are relatives and surely, he didn't expect to see me with Matthew after leaving with Max that night.

Tonight though, after saying goodbye to Tyren, Matthew and I decided to hang out a little bit more. Maybe head on over to his place for a while. I enjoy going to his place. It's cozy and the tension in the air is crisp and clean rather than what it would be at my place. However, I do question what would happen should I bring him there since my father has pretty much given up on my life in whole. Maybe, he's finally decided to just let me be who I am. Perhaps, something else is going on taking all of his energy out of trying to fight with me to keep training and being his 'perfect' little girl.

"Matthew. You think next weekened, you can come over to my place? I'll cook us up something real nice and tasty. It'll be a change after having to eat at the academy after all that time. Don't worry about my dad. He's been putting in a lot of twelve hour shifts on the weekends now. He'll hardly be a problem. Might even see about having my father rethink what he does of you. Or well.. did." I ask him as we walk, the sunlight diminishing as we do so. My shorts are just now starting to dry from all of the fun at the lake and from when I almost went swimming myself. Luckily, somehow I kept my balance, it just cost me my dry bottoms.

I let my fingers squeeze his hand as we walk, our fingers intertwined. I can't imagine anything else right now that would be better.

[Jack Lexington]

After a long day outside we walk back home to my place because it seems to be the safe haven compared to hers, where there’s too much aggression in the air, especially with her brother home.
My father is not particularily fond of any girl around me but seems to have silently accepted my choice.
With her hand in mine I walk up to my house and open the gate when she asks.
"Matthew. You think next weekened, you can come over to my place? I'll cook us up something real nice and tasty. It'll be a change after having to eat at the academy after all that time. Don't worry about my dad. He's been putting in a lot of twelve hour shifts on the weekends now. He'll hardly be a problem. Might even see about having my father rethink what he does of you. Or well.. did."
I’m not a fan of her suggestion at all so I don’t say much, just “Really? You think that’s a good idea? I’m not going to say no if you want.”
Quickly we climb up the stairs to the front porch because now that the sun is setting the temperature is dropping quickly.
“How about we warm up and cook something here first. Do you have to be home at a certain time?” I wonder. I haven’t had a curfew for years but her father seems different.
I unlock the door to let us both in. Inside I walk straight to the kitchen to grab some juice from the fridge drinking straight from the jug. “Sorry.”
I pull out a new one and pour some in a glass for her. “I’m so thirsty.”
Then my head’s back in the fridge as I try to figure out what we could have for dinner.
“How are your cooking skills?” I turn around to see her right behind me and reach for her hand to pull her closer. Then I pull her into a tight embrace and plant a kiss on top of her head.
“I’m so glad you decided you’d give me another chance…this is good.”
Bending down I let me lips find hers for a brief but gentle kiss.

[*]

Being with Matthew right now is just wonderful. Even as we walk up to his porch, he just radiates this kind of comfort that I've never felt before. Around him, everything else in my life that seems to bother me just seems to melt away. If only he knew what he does to me. If only he knew the way I felt about him now that we're slowly becoming what we used to be but more. I strike up a question for him, but his answer seems logical. That's he's not comfortable just yet meeting my father again. I can't say that I blame him. After all, the last time they met it was just knocking heads, the both of them, along with my brother. Why, do they have to be so hard headed? Why so stubborn. Will they ever give Matthew a second chance? I want him to feel welcomed in my family.

Maybe, I'm just teasing him a little when I mentioned that to see what he'd say, but I won't push it on him for now. I might suggest it again later, but now? No. "Good idea. Bad Idea. If you'd rather not, just say so. I will not ask you to do that again unless you want to." I give him a playful nudge.

"How about we warm up and cook something here first. Do you have to be home at a certain time?" Of all the questions that he asks, I've stayed out late before and it's never came up before, but Jeran's always covered for me. Then again, my father also made me almost sleep at the gym before too, and I didn't have to thanks to Matthew. So, curfews just don't seem all that important to me. So, in responce to that question, I shrug it off.

"I've never followed curfew before, and right now, I think he could care less what I did. It also depends on whether or not he's even home to check for my attendance." I give him just that much of an incentive. Maybe tonight, we can have a chance to get a little close tonight after so long.

Inside, I take in the warmth of the house as Matthew takes off to the kitchen. I follow slowly and stand in the doorway as he takes the jug of juice and begins to drink straight from the jug. I can't help but giggle out loud a little bit until he realizes what he's doing. He takes note of my laughter and then gets me a glass from a new jug and I take it but only hold it in my hands as I take a seat at the kitchen table.

"How are you're cooking skills?" He asks me. I shrug a bit and then get up from the chair to join him at the fridge. I stand close to him as he turns around to see me and he takes my hand to pull me in toward him. His arms wrap around me and then a kiss is given to me. I close my eyes and breath in his essense. I let my own arm wrap around him as I lay my head on his chest and just sigh. "I'm so glad you decided you'd give me another chance...this is good."

"Don't forget, you gave me another chance, too." I tell him as our lips meet for a kiss. One that's so gentle and soft. One that has me wanting more but I wonder if he does, too. I test it out a bit by bringing my arm from around him and gently touch his face.

"This is nothing but good." I state with a grin, and match his gentle kiss with yet another kiss to make it even. I let my fingers find his neck like always. My fingertips encircling little lines as I let them trail up to below his right ear then stop. My vision stops on his eyes. "So, what are we making tonight? You decide, and I'll cook."

[Jack Lexington]

I can tell that Kyanite is enjoying our kiss because she closes her eyes and just lets her lips linger there on mine for a little longer.
"Don't forget, you gave me another chance, too."
Does she really see it that way? She was the one who told me to stay away from her at the party when I was ready to let her back in. I wonder whatever happened with Max. He didn't say a word when I met him during the arrest this week, nor did she. I won't ask though.

She wraps her arms around me and brings her head to my chest which gives me this warm fuzzy feeling of belonging. I never had this before. I don't cuddle with my buddies, nor is my father the type unless something is really wrong like when I was a kid and got hurt or sick. My mother left too early to be the comforting one.
A little lost in this feeling I hold on to her and simply let my hand rest on her back and my chin on top of her head.
What would it be like to be this close and more for good?
Heck, did I really just think that?

"This is nothing but good." She says and I can only agree. "Hm. It is. I've missed you."
All the bickering and being tested. The constant run ins with other cadets including her brother made me long for something like this.

Her fingertips are drawing lines on my skin and give me goosebumps. I can't help but wonder whether her fingers are going to explore some more tonight? I don't want to push her but I certainly wouldn't mind. Maybe she can even stay. But as little as I want to I have to tell her something first.

I gently pull away and reach into the fridge to bring out some peppers, leeks, bacon, then add some pasta from the cup board.
"Can you do something with this? That's all there is."
Then I pull out a pan and some oil, a cutting board and knife.

While she turns on the stove and I start washing the vegetables I wonder how to approach this subject so I casually start. "What did you do this week? Did you see Gala?"
I haven't seen her since I stopped training her. "I feel bad for not training her anymore. But they wouldn't let me after I stopped the program. I told her she could come here though...maybe I'll visit her tomorrow."
I start cutting up the vegetables and then hand them to her while I lean my palm on the counter.
"What did you do all week while your brother was gone and you couldn't really work out?"

[*]

The moments of closeness between the two of us only last for minutes at a time. My fingers still linger near his ear though, brushing his skin softly. As much as I dont want to move away from him, he pulls away when I tell him that I'll cook. So, he starts getting into the fridge pulling out various different ingredients. I watch as he lays them on the counter. Each different ingredient, I"m already trying to figure out what to do with each of them. What I can make from the collection. A spark goes off, but we shall see what will come out in the end.

"Hmm, it'll be a challenge, but it'll be good, Matthew." A normal chore that seems so unnormal right now. Him and I in the kitchen together creating a dish to consume. I can't help but grin though as he starts washing the vegatables and I start by putting the pan on with water to cook the noodles that he had put out. Waiting for the water to boil seems to be prime time for him to start up a conversation about my week. Honestly, nothing much has happened at all.

"Yeah. I've been focusing a lot on my studies this week. There's nothing else to do, but me and Gala have been hanging out a couple times in between her training."

"I fell bad for not training her anyomre. But they wouldn't let me after I stopped the program. I told her she could come here though...maybe I'll visit her tomorrow."

"I'm sure she'd like that. She did get a new trainer on a trial basis though. I've not met him at all, but all I know is that his name is Liam. I've never heard of him in the gym, so hopefully, Gala will introduce me to him sooner or later. I mean, as soon as I am able to get back to the gym fully, I'll take her back."

I don't dare say anything about Jins just yet. Not even sure if I will until he is finished with the peacekeeper academy. He don't need the stresses of what's going on with me, yet. He needs to fully focus on his own career path. "I did get some needed information about that thing we talked about; being a prospective nurse? I can start as early as seventeen and getting some added coursework in order to do so. It won't be long though to wait."

I add the noodles to the boiling water and start stirring. Then, I turn to the bacon, and manage to start cutting into thin, small strips. "Would you mind cutting the leeks and peppers?" I ask, and get the bacon all prepared and ready to cook once the noodles are finished.

"What about you? I bet your days are so full, you've barely had time to breath, am I right?"

[Jack Lexington]

Kyanite informs me of Gala's new trainer and that she probably would like to see me, which I'm not too sure about. If I was her I'd never want to talk to me again because I let her down.
"Liam...never heard of him. How good can he be?" I wonder how good this newbie could possibly be as a trainer but I'm not to judge anyone here.

While I start cutting the vegetables into thin slices and cubes my girl tells me about her future plans.
"I did get some needed information about that thing we talked about; being a prospective nurse? I can start as early as seventeen and getting some added coursework in order to do so. It won't be long though to wait."
"Good." I turn my head to look back at her. "Feel free to practice all those nurse moves with me."
I clearly have a different idea of what a nurse might be doing.
With a grin I turn back to my veggies and hand them to her.
"There you go. Good?"

As I stand behind her and watch what she does she asks me about my days.
I think about it for a moment.
"Yeah, the first day was just getting the uniforms dorms, roommates...which by the way includes Tyren, his brother and Vy. Lucky me, eh?"
I sigh heavily thinking about all the back and forth between the two of us.
"Her and me got matched for a spar. That was something else, they had artificial fire walls coming up while we were fighting."
I'm not sure how to tell her the next bit and whether I should even feel good about it.
"The fight got pretty intense and I...well, I kicked her in the knee."
I watch for her reaction wondering whether she'll praise me or hate me for it.
"I figured she broke your arm on purpose after the fight was over. Didn't want to let her get away with it."
Hopefully she can accept that. My expression becomes rather insecure.

[*]

On the speaking terms of Gala's new trainer, I'm not really sure what Matthew will think of that. I mean, he's been her trainer first and then it was me to help out there for a while. Will he feel sour for someone else to take over where he wasn't allowed? I"m sure it happens all the time though. Maybe one trainer for some might do the trick and allow a wide range of different skills to be honed. Matthew confirms what I think about Gala having a new trainer and I can tell just by the way his tone comes out.

"Liam... never heard of him. How good can he be?" He questions but I'm totally unprepared to really answer it fully. I know that Gala hasn't really said much of anything about him, other than he seems nice but a little shady, then again, who isn't when your training to fight someone to the death. Even more so when it's a possibility that they could end up being reaped. That's always the harsh reality of it; fighting the person you trained or was trained from.

"No clue. I wanna meet him though. You know? Just to make sure he's not just taking her for granted or something. I would like to just see if he even cares about her like you or I did. I don't want her to get hurt by him." I say.

On to changing the subject a little bit, I tell Matthew about my plans and what I had done this week to find out about that nursing path for my career. For some reason his idea of a nurse is totally different then what I was talking about because he says something totally off about my findings.

"Feel free to practice all those nurse moves with me." I drop my lower jaw and just stare after him and see the huge grin on his face while I'm just slightly stunned. Of course with Matthew, I shouldn't expect him not to have his mind going into the gutter around me. It's almost like we never split up. The jokes and innuendoes are just the same. The playful tones and everything. He hands me the vegatables and I place them beside the bacon and wait for the noodles.

While we wait, he tells me about his days at the academy. Things I've been dying to hear, but when he told me that his roommate was Vy, I almost want to take that sudden breath away. She is in his room? Is that even allowed? Even though I know Matthew would never do anything to hurt me again, by seeing another person while he's dating me, what's to say that she wouldn't? I trust her though too. It just seems odd to have both genders sleeping together in one room. Someone's a little jealous? I enfuriate myself but I don't let it show. It just makes me curious.

"Her and me got matched for a spar. That was something else, they had artificial fire walls coming up while we were fighting." The letter. He mentioned that he fought her and that he ensured that he paid her back, but what did that mean? "The fight got pretty intense and I... well, I kicked her in the knee."

I cringe. I honestly squint my eyes and cringe at the thought of how much pain that would have been to have someone kick you in a spot that had been broken. At least, when Vy had rebroken my arm, it had already healed. It almost makes me feel horrible for not mentioning it yesterday when I spent the day with her and her daughter.

"I figured she broke your arm on purpose after the fight was over. Didn't want to let her get away with it." What am I suppose to say? Thank you for being an awesome boyfriend and defending my honor or get mad at him because he didn't know that me and her are on good terms as of now? I'm surprised that she even wanted to talk to me knowing that me and Matthew have something going on. Instead of saying anything, I stand in front of the stove in silence because I'm speechless.

I stir the noodles and then check one for the doneness of it and with the satisfaction, I turn the stove off and turn to Matthew. No hint of a smile nor anger on my face. It's merely almost like it's paining me. "Vy and I had made amends already... back in the hospital, kinda. I don't deny your need to do what you had to. You were just looking out for me and I totally understand that. Poor Vy though. I guess I should have said something to you beforehand, but you've been gone. I didn't think you'd do that for me. If I had known she was there, too. I guess what's done is done, though."

I take the pot of noodles over to the sink to rinse them out and leave them in the strainer while I take the vegitables and the bacon and put them in the pot and add just a little bit of water to make the broth for cooking. I replace the pot and turn back to him while it heats up. I slip my arm around his waist. "Promise me that you won't hurt her anymore? Okay? Me and her... we're friends now. Very odd, I know, but we seem to understand each other a little bit more after yesterday." Damnit. Did I really just say that out loud? I place a kiss to his lips then turn back to the pan to tend to it while mentally cursing myself.

[Jack Lexington]

With bated breath I wait for Kyanites reaction to my kicking Vy. Back then I felt like it was justified and I needed to do it but now I feel a little strange about it. Almost as if I’ve done something wrong…too brutal…unjust.
As Jeran pointed out: I suck at people skills.
Ky expression tells me I shouldn’t have done it.Even though she doesn’t say it I start feeling guilty for it.


She just stands there silently. Numb, worried because I really don't want to disappoint her again. I never cared what people think about me and suddenly her opinion matters.
“I guess that wasn’t appreciated. I’m sorry, I thought she deserved it. Maybe I should have just ...”
I lower my gaze to the vegetables buton’t look my girlfriend in the eye anymore because I fear to see hurt in there. stand in front of the stove in silence because I'm speechless.

"Vy and I had made amends already... back in the hospital, kinda. I don't deny your need to do what you had to. You were just looking out for me and I totally understand that. Poor Vy though. I guess I should have said something to you beforehand, but you've been gone. I didn't think you'd do that for me. If I had known she was there, too. I guess what's done is done, though."
Her words express thankfulness but sound to hesitant to be heart felt. Then she also expresses her sympathy for Vy, which I’m starting to feel just a little but she’s right about one thing. “Yeah, what’s done is done. I told her no more foul tricks. Trying to stick to that as long as she does.”

For a moment she busies herselfwith cooking and I simply watch but then shewants a promise from me. Do I ever promise anything? Not really.
"Promise me that you won't hurt her anymore? Okay? Me and her... we're friends now. Very odd, I know, but we seem to understand each other a little bit more after yesterday."
“Why, what happened yesterday?” I ask casually but come to think about it. If it brought these two girls closer it must have been more than just a friendly talk.
“Did you two make out or something?” I tease her a little totally oblivious to the fact that this might be a serious subject.
“Can’t imagine that. I think she digs your brother. Wait." I stop her from cooking by placing my hand on her arm.
"So what happened?”
I look into her eye searching her face so she can't escape my question.

[*]

"Why, what happened yesterday?" Matthew questions me after I let that small amount of a hint outward. I go rigid as I stop stirring the noodles and I fear having to tell him anything about it. So, my mind is already starting to whirl around quick idea's and before I can even come up with something, Matthew has a sly remark. One that makes me smile and lose the rigidness that had become me. I put the spoon down and turn around to meet with him, placing a hand on his chest. His chest is hard and sturdy. The evidence of many years of working out and training. He is a very strong man in front of me, yet I've never seen him act so nice toward another girl other than me or Gala.

"I don't like to share, Matthew. You know that. I only have eyes for you. Lips for you..." I tease him, and turn slightly to him. "Sorry to disappoint but me and Vy are friends. Not girlfriends." I try to take his jest just as it was meant to be. Hopefully, he'll catch that I was playing along with him though.

"Can't imagine that. I think she digs your brother. Wait. So what happened?" He's serious about wanting to know. What happened yesterday with Jins. What happened the other day at school. It's weighing heavy on me once again, but why do I need to tell him? I've gone so many years without anyone knowing... even if he knows about Jins, what good will that do me? He's going back to the PKA tomorrow. I won't ruin his schooling. With his hand on my arm, I give him the biggest grin.

"Nothing really happened. I met Vy at the park. I was writing you a letter, which you should have by the time you get back there, and she was bringing her sister there to play. One thing lead to another, and I promised her that I would take up a babysitting thing for her while she's gone. Her mother's not really the idea person to take care of her. Vy does it all for her little sister. So... Yeah. We're kinda on good terms. Maybe..." I grin at him and step closer to him to tease him. "...you can help me babysit Brooklyn one day?"

I place a kiss on his lips, tugging gently on his bottom lip for a moment, pressing my body against his before stepping back away. "Noodles are done." I tell him and take the pot with my one hand to go and drain it. As the noodles are draining, I can't help but hide the truth well within my heart. A very low humming starts coming from me, as I put some water in the pot and add the bacon and veggies into it and return it to the stove to cook.

"So, how do they grade you there at the academy? Is it all school work? Or exercises?"

[Jack Lexington]

When I ask about whathappened she first seems to stop what she's doing for whatever reason but is amused about my question.
As much as I'd like to see her with a girl Vy's not the right one so I nod. "Good."
With her hand on my chest I briefly reach for her to come a little closer.

Then she keeps going. "Nothing really happened."
For some reason I'm not buying this. She told me about her arm at the river and now...something seems to bother her, just judging my the way she sometimes becomes so serious and a little lost in thoughts.
"I met Vy at the park. I was writing you a letter, which you should have by the time you get back there, and she was bringing her sister there to play. One thing lead to another, and I promised her that I would take up a babysitting thing for her while she's gone. Her mother's not really the idea person to take care of her. Vy does it all for her little sister. So... Yeah. We're kinda on good terms. Maybe...you can help me babysit Brooklyn one day?"
The idea of me babysitting a little girl is the starngest thing I can only imagine.
"Yeah, I'll show her how to throw a punch and scratch her balls." I laugh out loud. I've never babysat in mylife. Sure I kicked a ball around with some of the kids on my street but that's about it.
Me and Ky and a little girl. Does she want to play family? Test me out? Suddenly it's me who's freezing. What if we're together long enough and decide to become serious...like real serious about each other. Would she want a family?
I swallow hard at the thought but her need for help with draining the noodles snaps me out of it so I reach for the pot and help her.
The hot steam amost burns my skin.

Then I'm getting questioned on the grading. "So, how do they grade you there at the academy? Is it all school work? Or exercises?"
So without much thought or explanation ...because my mind is elsewhere I answer. "I got 4 points at the spar, 4 for the arrest, which is a true miracle because I didn't arrest fuck all. Jeran caught them both." I hold myself back from actually telling her that I couldn't because her brother was kind enough to shoot me with a rubber bullett. "And rules and regualtions, which I don't know yet...so pretty good. Should be alright. I'm good with books."

I step real close to her now and warp my arms around her but then turn her around in my arms to look at her.

"Is that it?" I'm trying my best here to take our realtionship to anew level, which I've been wanting since we got back together. Kyanite means so much more to methat any other girl before her. I want to really be part of her life now.
"I'm not sure whether you know how much you mean to me. When you told me to get lost at the dance I thought my world's falling apart. It really hurt to see you walk away. But it also made me realize how much you mean to me. You've managed to ...I don't know...open up my heart."
Heck where is this coming from. Since when do those kind of words leave my mouth?
"I want to share everything with you. And I'd love for you to do the same."
Maybe my people skills get influenced by her in a good way. She certainly brings out the best in me.

[*]

With the issue between Vy and I settled with just a simple explaination about babysitting her 'sister', Matthew actually takes my word on it. The only thing I'm doing is just skipping the major portion of the meeting, but I'm in no way lying at all. I did happen to meet Vy at the park and I am going to end up becoming the little one's caretaker while Vy is at the academy. The only thing that is being covered up is the fact that Vy's 'sister' is really her own flesh and blood; her daughter. Matthew has to be funny about my asking him to babysit with me one day.

"Yeah, I'll show her how to throw a punch and scratch her balls." His laughter is so genuine and I make a full note to never leave him with her at all. I don't need that sweet little girl to be corrupted by none other than Matthew, of all people. Matthew's laughter is everything to me. It comforts me in a way that I'll never be able to explain. Just the sound of it just lifts me up and makes me smile in a domino effect from him. It's a soft melody that plays in my ears. It's very pleasing.

Only a moment later, do I go to drain the noodles, and Matthew comes to my aid with it. I never realized how hard it would be with one good arm. Having a simple broken arm with a cast was one thing, but this stupid brace that engulfs my entire arm? It's nothing but a pain. Not much longer though, hopefully and it'll come off. "Thank you." I tell him for the extra set of hands in order to get the noodles put into the strainer.

Questions about the academy arise for him to answer, as I want to make sure the subject about what happened to Vy and I just yesterday stays dormant. I'd rather not risk ruining this last evening with Matthew while I've got a chance to be with him before I am left fending for myself for the next five days without him.

What he tells me, is great. That his score is high, but he seems to get down just a tad in his wording and especially when he mentions that Jeran is the one that caught both guys. "Jeran? My Jeran? Funny looking guy whose suppose to be my brother? I refuse to beleive that." I laugh with any thought that he'd be that good. Must be a fluke.

"Is that it?" He questions me after he wraps his arms around me, catching my attention fully. This is something I love about him. He's spontaneous. Sometimes, he just does something out of the blue that catches me off guard and into his arms some how. A lot more involved as of late though.

I love it.

I let my arms wrap around him, one more than the other, but I won't deny him a solid embrace from myself. Something seems different this time. And my suspicions are confirmed when he starts to speak to me. I look up into his eyes. Staring at the hue of blue that seems to fully trap me within his gaze. It's like staring off into the wonders of the ocean and being mesmorized by his iris's.

"I'm not sure whether you know how much you mean to me. When you told me to get lost at the dance I thought my world's falling apart. It really hurt to see you walk away. But it also made me realize how muhch you mean to me. You've managed to ...I don't know...open up my heart." Aww! Is the only thing that my heart is screaming. My gaze at him softens dramatically with his words. A little bit of guilt for the simple fact that I had walked out on him, but at that time, we weren't together? Was I suppose to actually pretend that walking away from him didn't bother me either?

There's a pause. A silence that rings out loudly as I await for him to continue with his captivating words, all the while, I feel speechless. I just keep staring at him, but I do, finally bring my hand up from around his waist to let my fingers touch his neck, then come to a rest around his neck.

"I want to share everything with you. And I'd love for you to do the same." What he says actually confuses me. What does he mean by that? My heart starts to jump to around a hundred and thirty, all the while my mind doesn't seem to comprehend what he's meaning.

"What do you mean, Matthew?" Complete and utter confusion must show on my face. I contemplate what he's asking, wondering if he thinks I don't tell him enough how much I love being with him. Come to think of it, I don't say it often enough. I must be a horrible girlfriend. "I do share with you a lot. You're the first one I've ever opened up to. Just to you, too. There's something about you that just makes makes sense for me and to actually trust you, too. Not even my own father or brother has gained that kind of allowance from me."

I bring my hand down to rest it on his chest. "You've got a good heart."

[Jack Lexington]

We stand there entangled in each other looking into each others eyes. Hers are a deep shade of brown but I can see some specs of green there, too. It's a very intimate moment like I haven"t had many before. My whole life has been all about confrontation, which I'm really good at. These soft tones, feelings? Not so much, but I"m learning from her.

I feel the soft skin of her hand on my neck when I tell her. "I want to share everything with you. And I'd love for you to do the same." Apparently she doesn't understand I think she's holding something back but maybe that is because she isn't.
"What do you mean, Matthew?"

"I do share with you a lot. You're the first one I've ever opened up to. Just to you, too. There's something about you that just makes makes sense for me and to actually trust you, too. Not even my own father or brother has gained that kind of allowance from me."
I know what she's referring to. She told me about Jins and how he was harassing her but said she never shared that with her family.
Should I be open about what I did to the guy? He's been gone for a long time and the problem has been solved as far as I know.
Something inside of me tells me I shouldn't spoil this beautiful moment by mentioning him.
Her hand finds my chest just above my heart as she tells me. "You've got a good heart."
Oh no, she just made me melt under her touch and words. I'm not sure what she's doing to me but it seems like she's unlocking a whole new side I"ve never experienced about myself before.
"You're so good to me...for me." I smile down at her and capture her lips once more while thinking whether i should tell her what I feel right now.
"You have a way of bringing out the best in me like noone else."
My hand moves up to caress her cheek while I struggle with the right words...those words. I've never said them but I want to. They simply can't leave my lips. I can't say them. They'll just sound cheese from me.
I clear my throat wondering with what to busy myself to hide my embarassment when I look into her beaming face again and suddenly whisper. "I love you."

[*]

"You've got a good heart." Yes. Matthew Dunham has a good heart. He has shown it to me so many times. Little images of caring no matter how tough he tries to be. No amount of attitude can cover that up, because I've seen those tiny acts that shows his heart rules over his mind sometimes. Even when we weren't dating, that first outting into the woods was the first time I saw that little spark from him. In the doctor's office, when the elderly man was cleaning my head wound, I saw that look in his eyes. Especially when he whispered out to me that I'd be alright. His voice was coming from his heart. How is it that I was able to find the first guy to really take notice in me other than just some chick who can hold her own?

I can feel his heart racing under my hand. My fingers laying right across the spot where his heart is lying underneath. I meant it when I said he's got a good heart, because those words that just came out, came from there. What's happened to you? You've changed. I muse, knowing that the change is good. Holding hands. Kissing. All of it combined is making me weak in the knees for him, lucky that he's holding on tight.

"You're so good to me...for me." There it is again. That kiss. That symbolic union that Matthew does to me that makes me forgo any thoughts. It's as though with this kind of touch from him that rids me of all my senses. I can't help but smile into the kiss though that only lasts long enough before he tells me something else.

"That goes for both of us. How do you do this to me?" I tease him lightly with the grin on my face. His hands move to my cheek. His mouth moves in sporatic little tics like he's wanting to say something else, but the words just won't surface? Is he wanting to make a date? Ask me to stay? What is it that he's wanting to s...

"I love you."

What a complete shock!

The look on my face must say it, but it's not a bad thing at all. It's one of those looks like it's shocking to hear, but in a way I'm beaming. A little nervous, yes. I've never heard those words. They aren't something that is overdone in my house. To be honest, rare. When my mother was still at my side, the phrase was something she would whisper into my ear as I would close my eyes to sleep or first thing in the morning when she would wake me for school. Since her passing, those words became taboo.

How has Matthew just broken that seal? I never thought those words would surface again in my waking life. Escpecially, not with a guy. I stare up into his eyes. I feel like this moment is taking forever, but in reality, it may have been only a moment. My hand reaches for his neck once again and I pull him down enough so that when I get on my tippy toes, I let my lips brush up against his ear to return the same phrase.

"I love you, too, Matthew Dunham." I move back and I seal the deal by letting my lips slowly touch his. I can feel my insides shaking to have said what I just did. My heart is absolutely soaring right now.

[Jack Lexington]

I can't believe I just really said the famous three words. For the first time ever. Ky is a very special person to me. She's the one girl who is so different from all the others to me that she turns my whole picture of the world around. She turns me around from this guy who couldn't stand to be near any chick to one who just wants to be close to her at all times.

I lean down a little when she pulls me closer to hear the same words whispered back at me. What a feeling. She could have said nothing back or anything but she said it, too.
My face just lights up as I look into her eyes for a moment to see the love they are harboring for me of all people. Do I deserve it? Not so much. Do I appreciate it? Heck, yes.
Instantly my lips are on hers, first gently brushing over them, then deepening the kiss by sucking on her bottom lip and sliding my tongue into her mouth. It's tip touches hers, plays with hers before I passionately take to her lips again while my arms pull her as close to my body as I can. I want to feel every inch of my wonderful girlfriend against me.
Lost in the moment we don't care about the food or the wet hair. It just needs to last. Just her and me.

[*]

How is the world even turning right now at this exact moment? Shouldn't it just stop rotating on its axis and just let this moment last forever. Between Matthew and I, I want for nothing more to even happen. Everything around me just seems to be worthless. The food. My training. None of it even matches in magnitude compared to what's happening between me and him. We both seem to have the same notion and that's when our lips meet. It's like an explosion of everthing fueling this tiny spark between us and it seems to grow as the world continues to move despite my wants.

His lips on mine. His arms around my body. The way we communicate is simply through body language. The kiss between us, is simply amazing. So full of passion and wants. A need as well, as he suddenly goes from fighting for dominace, to just simply keep my lips busy with his. I can't help but elicite this little sound. I never want this to end. Ever.

I love you. I can't beleive I said that to you. I. Love. You. What does it mean? What does this do for us now? Are we simply just more to each other? What will occur now? Damnit, Matthew. You tell me this the night before you leave for the academy. How am I ever going to deal with you being gone now, of all times?

My good arm moves around his neck, tracing lines on his skin for as long as we keep with the kiss going. His teeth brush up against my lip. I take a lead as well, nipping at his bottom lip as I gently guide him to trap me between the counter and him. Body language seems to take over, cause I can feel him not wanting to leave any distance between the two of us. Though, I break for a quick breath and look into his eyes deeply.

"What are... you doing tonight?"