I Hate Boys (open)

[Locke F. Herald]

"A mother?" Locke echoed, slightly surprised. He supposed he shouldn't have been, but he was surprised to find such a young girl that thought of marriage. No, she didn't say marriage, she wanted to be a mother. The two were not necessarily self inclusive. "That...is a good dream. Kind of makes me ashamed of my dream." He admitted. But the questions came one after another, what would he like to do? Anything he could do?

"What, you mean any experience, or any ability?" He asked confused. Still though, he'd answer both. "I've always wanted to explore an unknown place, I used to love all my dad's stories about places he used to go. As for an ability, I think I'd want to be able to tell what people are thinking. I mean sure, it takes all the fun out of it, but it sure makes dealing with people a little easier. Also I'd never have to worry about who I can trust." He said, finding his answer quite appropriate. "And what about you? I can turn that one back around and add one of my own." He said with a child like grin. "Where do you go when you leave the academy?"

They had now entered the main hall, where the amount of people was very high. Indeed they were noticed by more then a few, but Locke kept his eyes either on Kiri or their path.

Nothing else really mattered. Especially not the giggling and whispering.

[Kiri Honeywater]

She smiled at his reaction to her dream but she didn't like what he said next. Her purpose wasn't to make him feel shame she just wanted to share.

"Don't be ashamed, everyone has different dreams. I wouldn't mind becoming famous for one of my paintings or something." Kiri smiled at him rubbing her thumb along his hand. His answers made her eyes shine because they made sense. She'd give almost anything to be able to read his mind sometimes. Like earlier for example. She explored all the time so to go somewhere new and do it sounded fun.

"What would I like to do? And where do I go when I leave the academy?" Okay, these were easy. "I'd like to have the ability to change into something strong, like a grizzly bear so I can protect the people I love." When she said this her cheeks pinkened a bit and she stared down at her feet.

"When I leave the academy I either go into the forest, or I go to town. There's a cute cafe I love there." Almost sounding dreamy as she said this picturing the two of them there sampling all of the kinds of teas. With little animals hopping about. So cute!

Now it was her turn to ask a question, but the halls were very noisy and it was distracting. She pouted her lips her brow frowning.

"It's too noisy in here. Can we go outside?" Her eyes went to him her expression bright. "Oh, and my next question is what's your favorite mythological person. Like favorite book character." Kiri didn't think she had one but she was pretty sure someone who read books as often as he did would.

[Locke F. Herald]

Locke listened to her talk, keeping more visual on navigating through the crowd, so he missed her reaction to talking about the people she loved.

"Into the forest I can see, but a cafe in town? What kind of cafe?" He asked. At her request to go outside he nodded. "Yeah, I don't much enjoy the atmosphere in here." he admitted. "It's much too noisy." He didn't tell her what he was hearing, he didn't want to make her upset.

Check out those ears!

I heard he's a Edengrowth. I thought only Cavans liked those fluffly little Wingroses...

I knew she liked animals, but that's just too far!

Looks like freak-boy found someone to take pity on him, heh.

It was getting progressively harder to tune them out. Mock him all you will, but for Kiri to be mocked along with him just because of him...that was not something he wanted to deal with.

"Ficticious Figure?" Locke repeated, trying to return to a calm place once they had passed the threshold. "I thought you were going to stop asking hard questions." he said with a grin, squeezing her hand. "I don't really have one, I was never into fairy tales or anything like that as a kid."

A question for her now, hmmm...what should he ask?

"What do you...value most?" Locke asked with a grin, this should prove to stump the little girl, maybe.

[Kiri Honeywater]

Kiri was starting to wonder about the laughter now, and the whispering? Her eyes scanned the crowd still not getting why people were staring at them. A bit distracted she almost missed his question about the cafe.

"It is mostly vegetarian and you can bring your..."

I knew she liked animals, but that's just too far!

Kiri froze turning very slowly before they completely left the building. Her eyes glanced around at the people and she finally got it. The whispering, the laughter they were making fun of Locke. She shook with anger as she stared at them all not knowing which one had said it.

"Shut up! He's better than all of you! Smarter than all of you! Kinder than all of you! You rotten parasites feeding on other people's pain!" Her glamor was dark and her grip on his hand was tight. "I will remember your loathsome faces and send spiders, centipedes and all that crawl to plague you, birds to peck at your bare flesh, and snakes to slither inbetwix your beds."

She didn't really know for sure if she could do this but Kiri knew she could ask the birds nearly anything, and they would do it simply because most of the cared for her. It was a curse she remembered from old fairy myth and she meant it.

"If I ever hear any of you say things like that again I swear you'll never forget that perky fairies can make your world a nightmare!" With that she turned and stormed out of the castle sort of dragging Locke with her but if he didn't move she'd just drop his hand and keep going.

When outside she still shook from her anger missing his answer to her question and almost the next question itself.

"I value the people I love. I value their feelings. I value their happiness. I value their smiles, their laughter. I value..." And she went on and on describing anything one could possibly value about another person. Tears of anger so raw that it burned down her cheeks, she'd never felt this angry before in her life. She felt violent and knew that she'd find a way for those people to suffer. Even if she had to sell her servitude to the animals for the rest of her life. No one hurt the ones she held dear. No one.

[Locke F. Herald]

Kiri had flipped, and Locke watched the crowds of people fall back in terror. Even those that understood how a fairies glamor worked were downright terrified of the fairy girl now. Locke had to admit that he was quite frightened of her now as well. Who would have guessed that she would react like that, it was unexpected in every possible way. She even went so far as to curse them. Like an actual curse! She was...protecting him. Something that he'd never seen before, someone defending him. Liking him was one thing, but even the people who were nice to him back home seemed to vanish whenever he needed them most.

Kiri on the other hand, ran right to the problem when he was attacked. And Locke offered her little resistance when she practically dragged him out of the academy. She then answered his question, though he didn't care about it, so he thought. Her answer moved his heart, and Locke began slowly trying to guide her further away from the doors. He noticed that the doors had been shut immediately behind them, apparently she really did scare them something fierce.

She was mad, she was raging now. And she was crying again. "Kiri..." Locke said, unsure if it was safe to talk to her. "You...did what nobody has ever done before...you stood up for me...you defended me. You...don't know how much this means to me." He held her chin in his hand, forcing her to look at him so these next words could not possibly be missed.

"Kiri, you are the greatest person I have ever met. Nobody has ever shown me the things you have. You saw beyond your own curiosity and treated me like just another person. You helped me when I needed it, and you protected me when I was attacked. I don't think I can ever repay you for what you've done for me."

And he meant every word. His appreciation for this ditzy and crazy Fairy was in levels unimaginable. She was the most important person in his life right now, no doubt about it.

[Kiri Honeywater]

He was talking but all she could hear was whispers though she'd only really heard one. She just kept picturing nightmarish faces pointing at him and laughing. It wasn't her face she saw getting laughed at because she didn't care. If they said a million things nasty about her it was fine but him? Not a chance.

His hand grabbed her chin and he spoke those words. Her tears flowed like rain from the heavens. It was some of the most touching words she'd ever heard. He made her sound like a saving angel or something. All she'd done was rage at people because they'd said nasty things. Nothing more.

"Locke..." At least she'd paid him back for making her day the most amazing ever. "I-I promised to never hurt you, and I will do anything to make sure you're never hurt again." She'd never seen as herself as being able to protect people. Kiri didn't have some great Gift to defeat those that harmed the ones she loved. But she'd use words, use what talents she had to protect them, even if she got hurt for it.

"You're my friend, and my boy friend. Of course I'll stand up for you. What else was I supposed to do?" It only seemed right to help him. To do anything else would be wrong to her. "I can't be the greatest person in the world." She leaned in very close to whisper.

"Because you are." A short giggle and she reached up to touch his nose with her finger. If he didn't move she kissed her finger on his nose because she was too afraid to kiss him directly. He might faint after all and then they couldn't continue their walk, and she couldn't have that.

[Locke F. Herald]

Locke listened, but upon her saying she wasn't a great person Locke was going to interrupt her. Until she placed her finger on his nose and told him why. Because he was to her, she really cared about him that much. She leaned in closer.

Wait...what is she doing?

Closer still, her eyes closed, her lips pressed together.

She's not going to...!

And she pressed her lips to her own finger, as Locke stared with his eyes wide, unable to move. Her lips were less then half an inch from him, he could see them pressed together and...wow.

He just couldn't even think rationally anymore. Even something so simple, with lack of any real contact simply broke his mind.

She was going to kiss me. She was going to kiss me. She was going to kiss me.

Locke stood there like a dear staring into a pair of headlights. She had just tried to kiss him, but she hadn't...why? He was relieved, but some small part of him was disappointed too.

Kiri had tried to kiss him. That was the only thought going through his head. All he could manage to get out was a breathless. "Wow."

Was this the kind of effect she had on him with the illusion of a kiss? What would have happened if she had actually kissed him? He might have died! But as a master of words himself, he had to know something, and he thought he did, but still...

"Kiri...did you mean that?" Was all he asked, his face was serious now. "Did you mean what just happened?" He was still from the nearly intimate connection, but he had to say this, he just had to know.

[Kiri Honeywater]

His reaction just solidified her guess that he would've probably fainted if she had kissed him. She blushed and almost started a giggle fit. Putting space back inbetween them she bowed her head biting her lip almost hard enough to make it bleed.

"Wow? Heh...I'm glad you thought it wow." Kiri closed her eyes tight blushing even deeper. This was amazing and her stomach was doing flips along with her heart. Just a little kiss on her finger and they were acting like they'd actually lip locked.

His next words though had her eyes open wide in shock. Meant it?

"What?! Of course I meant it! Why else would I have done it! If I wasn't afraid you'd pass out I'd have kissed you!" Eyes bigger than they'd ever been in her life she clapped both hands over her mouth her face burning.

That really wasn't supposed to come out.

"I, um, I-I-I...I've never kissed someone before." Kiri mumbled behind her hands she had backed up at sometime and she stared at her feet. This was so embarassing. Why had she done that? She'd just made things extremely complicated. Talk about hard questions! Not having the inkling of a clue as what to do she let her hands drop her eyes not meeting his.

Not even a real kiss and both of them were bumbling fools, this was going to be an interesting relationship.

[Locke F. Herald]

So that was the reason she had done that, Locke thought it was too coy for her. She had thought he would faint, and she might have been right. But she wanted to kiss him. So that meant...he was the only obstacle to that, it was him being uncomfortable that halted it. She was so embarrassed when she said she'd never kissed anyone. So that meant that a girl as emotional as Kiri...

She was willing to give me her first kiss... And he'd in effect refused it.

"Y-Y-You...wanted to give me your first k-kiss?" Locke could only stare at her, his face as red as it had been several times that day. "But you didn't...because you were worried about me." It was hot outside, but he'd live with it.

"Then I need to give you something." Locke said, closing his eyes and nodding. He then opened them and made a decision. If he acted quickly he could do this before he had time to second guess himself.

It took a large step of his feet, his hands grasped her shoulders and he pushed his face forward to meet with hers as she had just done.

Except now there was no finger in the way between their lips as he pressed into her.

It was lucky for Locke that this sensation completely shut down his logic, because if he wasn't lost in this emotion right now he might have been panicking. Instead he merely focused everything on saying everything he could to Kiri, how thankful he was, how happy he was, how sorry he was, and how he would try to be as strong as she was, all without any words.

[Kiri Honeywater]

At his question she blushed and nodded wringing her hands and rocking slightly. She'd been thinking about kissing him way before Kennedy had ever said something to her. But she never thought she'd say it, or attempt it. Today was certainly a day of her acting out of character.

She nodded again when he said she'd hadn't because of him. If he wasn't comfortable with something she wasn't. He was the younger one here and just because she was ready for her first kiss didn't mean he was.

"What is it you want to g-g-" And her voice was silenced as he got extremely close. Her heart was like a hummingbird's and her breathing had stopped completely.

This isn't happening. He can't be doing what I think he's doing. He's doing what I think he's doing! My first kiss! I'm getting my first kiss from him! Oooh, I feel whoozy.

Then his lips were against hers and her eyes drifted closed. Her body trembled and her knees went weak her mind a complete whirl of emotions. She'd been so worried about him passing out when she was the one falling.

Oh, Locke...I'm so happy....

[Locke F. Herald]

Locke ,like most people, had five senses. And right now, they all read Kiri.

All that he could feel was the touch of her lips on his, and the occasional strand of her hair brushing against his face. He could not hear the birds chirping, or the animals moving about, or even the wind blowing past them, all he could hear was the rapid beating of her heart. He could only smell the sweet scent of flowers that he associated with Kiri, and the sweet taste of her lips on his that blew his mind.

With his eyes closed his mind could only see her face, and her shining beauty. And he felt his body start to shut down from this overload. He felt his knees, much like hers, starting to buckle. And to steady himself he wrapped his arms around her once again, pulling her close to him.

It felt like forever, and Locke had no idea how much time had passed when he reluctantly parted from her. He was almost afraid to open his eyes after what had just happened, but he was also not thinking yet. He was still lost in the maelstrom of emotions that Kiri had invoked.

The tiniest kiss, the most innocent romantic act, and his mind was blown wide open. He was just lost beyond anything he could ever imagine.

Slowly, still feeling his breath coming hard, and still with the feeling of her lips on his vivid in his mind, he opened his eyes. Even though he had pulled back, he still had her very close to him, since he had not released her from the embrace.

He just looked at her, awaiting her reaction. What else could he do, he certainly wasn't going to say the first word after that. It was enough that he initiated it.

Oh god I just kissed her!

Now the rational side of his brain was rebooting.

[Kiri Honeywater]

One second she felt herself falling and then she was up against him the kiss not ending. She didn't want the kiss to end, this bliss should never have to end. His arms around her, his lips upon hers. All of it was some sort of alternate dimension allowing them to be happy, allowing this small act to be done with utter joy. Her arms wrapped around him in turn one of her hands going to touch his cheek.

Then it was gone, the moment though was not lost the dreamy state of the kiss still controlled her. From the lack of breathing she felt light-headed as they stood there in each other's arms after the most romantic thing she'd ever personally experienced. Lips tingling she curled them under and licked them taking in his taste, and blushing because of it. Her first kiss, and it was more than she could've ever dreamed it could be. In her mind there were the required fireworks, her whole body seemed to be charge with electricity.

Slowly, almost painfully slow she opened her eyes gazing at him in wonder. He'd kissed her, and they hadn't even been going out for more than an hour or so. Maybe two, but still he'd kissed her. If those people hadn't reacted the way they had would this had happened? If she hadn't gotten so upset so that he needed to say such sweet things to her would she had tried to kiss him? Her mind spun with all of these thoughts and through it all she stared at him, not his ears, him.

"Wow." Kiri spoke softly thinking she had to be the first one to say something, and that word was the only word that seemed to encompass all of her feelings at once. Still in shock and awe of the kiss she didn't even smile just stared with soft caring eyes at the boy who'd just gotten her first kiss.

[Locke F. Herald]

Locke cracked a smile when she said the single word, and then he copied her. "Wow? Heh...I'm glad you thought it wow." He said with a smile, not letting her go. "Kiri, I won't ever let you go. You said you won't let anyone hurt me, and I won't let anyone hurt you either. Kiri I L-L-Lo-" Still he couldn't say it. Why, why could he never say those three words? They were just words, the significance was already shown through their first kiss, so why could he not form that one word.

Love, the word that he just couldn't speak.

Annoyed with himself, he knew he could make his meaning understood by another way, and he pressed himself to her again. Again that feeling of total bliss overwhelmed him, but he only lingered there a moment before pulling away again, his mind still frazzled.

"Do you understand?" He asked. He wanted her to know that he meant it, even if he couldn't say it. He really did, but something kept blocking his voice when he tried to say it, something that wouldn't let him say it.

Kiri, out of everyone deserved it, and he no longer doubted that this feeling was love. Then why? Why couldn't he just say it?

She deserved the words, and he just couldn't seem to give them to her. How pathetic.

[Kiri Honeywater]

Kiri giggled a little and nodded at the asked 'wow' because that was certainly a wow moment right there. It was probably the top of her wow moments in her life at the moment. His next words almost made her cry it was that sweet.

"Oh, Locke, I know you won't let people hurt me." She smiled then her eyes almost popped out of her head. L-L-Lo Was he going to say love? Before she could ask he was kissing her again and this time she smiled into the kiss and after the kiss.

"I understand. I really understand." Kiri blushed not believing things were moving this incrediably fast. Her heart was about to crawl out of he throat and pop right out. She leaned forward to touch her nose to his. "I understand because I feel the same." It was barely above a whisper and this time it was her lips seeking his, but it was only a short sweet kiss.

"Now that my heart is about to explode. I think we've covered everything we could possibly cover today." This was as far as she was going, the kisses enough were about to make her hit the ground, or fly to the air. Her knees still felt weak and her head felt like it was stuck in fairy happy land. He'll never let me go, and I'll never let him go. She hugged him tightly about to burst with the feelings inside of her.

"I think I'm the luckiest fae in the world, and the happiest." He was her Locke, and he loved her.

[Locke F. Herald]

Locke was surprised when she planted the small kiss on his lips. It was wonderful, more wonderful then he could have possibly imagined.

"Kiri, you may be the luckiest fae in the word, but you aren't the luckiest person." He smiled at her. "Because I am." He felt so weak after this, he'd spent so much energy into his emotions, that he just couldn't find it in himself to do anything else right now. Especially not go walking all day, but he still wanted to be with her.

"Why don't we go sit down by the lake?" Locke suggested. "Staring over a smooth and serene surface might be a nice idea." He released her, and took her hand in his. "We don't have to make the most of today, I think the day has been special enough, let's just relax."

Locke relaxing? He must have really been out of his mind.

"Would you like that?"