The Forgotten Zodiac

Kendra wasn't sure if she initiated it, or whether they had both had the same thought at the same time. She had hardly dared to breathe as Sylas looked back at her, enraptured by his gaze - had his eyes always been so green? And then she had only leaned forward more, until her breath skittered across his cheeks, and she knew what was about to happen. Squeezing her eyes shut, she closed the distance between them and brushed her lips against his. She felt her heart pick up pace at the contact, and she shifted a bit closer to him, hoping he wouldn't lean away, or prove otherwise that her emotions were misguided. Her fingers curled into a fist beneath his hand, and it shook slightly with anticipation.

Sylas didn't recoil or move away. He was hardly thinking as he made contact again, not satisfied with just a slight brush. He moved his free hand up to her cheek, closing his other around her trembling fist. It was all just a blur, really; all too soon, Bershee opened the flap of the tent and Sylas jerked away in surprise.

Bershee didn't seem to notice, though, focused on looking through her potions and bottles for something or other. But Sylas' actions caught up to his brain then, and his red hue only turned redder as he looked back at Kendra.

((BAD BERSHEE))

Kendra moved her hand slightly so that it was curled around Sylas', smiling a bit. A faint pink hue had taken to her cheeks, and she tried to force it away as Bershee entered the room.

"Have you need of us?" she asked after a moment, smiling politely at the Octi.

"Um..." Bershee trailed off, clearly distracted. "No, not really. Just trying to find...ah, here it is." She found the blue bottle she had been looking for, and let out a sigh of relief. "Good, good. You two..." She looked at them, and immediately noticed how close they were. "Oh! My apologies for interrupting. I'll be on my way," She hurried out before Sylas could say anything.

"That was...abrupt," Sylas blinked, wondering what she had needed the potion for. But he shook his head and turned back to Kendra.

((They're in Bershee's tent, so the next person to interrupt should be a waking Bermuda. xD))

((yes because he does need to wake up.))

Kendra felt a smile spread over her face, and though the mood had momentarily been killed by the interruption, as she turned back to Sylas, she felt that deep-seated affection for him rise in her again. "Sylas," she said, her voice quiet. "I... believe that there is quite the chance that I... have fallen for you," she said.

"Huh? You're still standing. You're not injured." He said before realizing what she was saying. "O-oh...that. Well, uh...I, uh...I'm pretty sure I share your feelings, but about you...I mean, um...I like you. A lot. More than I like anyone. I mean, I still like L'arc, this is just...different..." He stammered, rubbing the back of his head.

"I know what you mean," Kendra said.

And then she was kissing him again, gently, on the cheek. She made a little trail of soft kisses across his face, before locking her lips with his again.

Sylas accepted it more quickly this time, still holding her hand and using his other arm to pull her gently closer. Locked in the kissing embrace, Sylas was able to think for a few seconds that maybe, just maybe, everything would be okay. That for this short amount of time, everything was right in the world.

Kendra finally had to pull back for air, though she stayed close to Sylas. His breath was warm on the back of her neck, and she shivered, smiling into his shoulder, where she had buried her face. She twined her hands into the fabric of his shirt, holding on and making it clear that she wasn't going to let go soon.

Sylas settled his arms around her, his smile happy as he was content to just sit there and hold her. "Should I...call you my girlfriend, then?" He chuckled a bit. "Would you believe that you're the first girl I've ever kissed? I'm...kinda happy it was you," He pressed his cheek lightly against her head, closing his eyes.

"Your first kiss, really?" Kendra asked, a playful light in her eyes. "My, could have fooled me." With her head pressed against his shoulder and neck, he couldn't see the teasing expression that stole over her face, but the lightness that entered her voice told that she wasn't serious. At the suggestion that she become his girlfriend, she nodded. "You're such a sweet forester, Sy," she said, using the nickname she had heard L'arc call him many times. "How could I refuse such a gracious offer? To be with you..." she trailed off, smiling a bit. "...it's more than I ever hoped for when I left the Darklands."

Sylas smiled and kissed her temple, stroking her hair back. "The Darklands..." His smile faded almost immediately. "Kendra, I...I've been meaning to talk to you about something. I mean, it's not gonna happen today...but...eventually, the Ether shards will have to be one piece again..."

"I know," Kendra said, lifing her head slightly. "But that isn't today. Mayhap we should just... enjoy what time we have, now," she said, offering him another smile.

it seemed that she was going to go on, when a small splashing noise from the tub across the room caught her attention. She stared over at the tub for a moment, before a head of silver-blue hair and two sea blue eyes peered over the top of the tub.

Sylas immediately scrambled away from Kendra and to the tub. "Bermuda! Bermuda, you're awake!" He exclaimed, then ran to the tent flap. "L'arc! L'aaarc, Bermuda's awake!" He called before looking back at his friend. "You okay? Do you need anything? Food, or water? Oh, I guess you already have water..."

Bermuda looked dazed and a bit like he wasn't completely there, yet, but he slowly shook his head. "I'm... fine?" the words came out as a question, and he looked around slowly as he tried to ascertain if he had died or not.

"Of course you are. Just wait, L'arc will get in here soon. Hopefully." Sylas grinned. "Man, you were out for a few days there. You sure you're okay? Oh, er...um...Rush says he's sorry, but...Adhare is gone."

"He... is?" Bermuda asked. He shook his head as though he was trying to clear it, resting his torso against the side of the tub. "I... I... that must be why I didn't... see what happened after... the spell..." the way he spoke was haphazard and disconnected, as if he wasn't fully aware of what was going on at all.

L'arc burst into the tent then, his eyes wide. "Bermuda?" he called, eyes darting straight to the tub. Seeing his adopted brother was, indeed, awake, he ran over and took the nereid by the shoulders, supporting him gently. "Oh gods, are you okay?" he asked. Bermuda could only nod again.

"I think he'll be okay..." Sylas sighed with relief. "I mean, he...yeah. He'll be okay. Bershee should check on him, though..."  He sat back down next to Kendra, smiling a little bit.

L'arc nodded, then glanced up to Sylas and Kendra, looking between the two as if trying to figure something out.

Kendra quickly realized what the druid was about to deduce, and she stood. "I will go get Bershee," she said with a nod. "You both can stay with Bermuda and... talk."

"Er...yeah." Sylas blinked, watching her go. Then he looked over at L'arc and smiled weakly. "I, uh...I kissed her, L'arc. She agreed to be my girlfriend." He blushed at the thought of it, wondering what L'arc's opinion was on the matter.