If You're Scared of the Dark...

     "You're cute, Princess. I'm only holding back for your sake," Veon said with a smirk.

     "Holding back what?" she asked innocently, not catching what he could have possibly meant.

     "Your innocence almost kills me."

     Then her eyes widened in understanding. "Quit flirting with me! You don't even know who I am!"

     "Hey, I know your name and you know mine. It must be a sign that we're supposed to get to know each other."

     Karina just brushed it off; she'd grown used to statements like this comming from him by now. It was almost expected of him.

     That simple fact, though she was used to it, was a contributing factor as to why she would always make the long trek back to the hideout at night instead of simply falling asleep where she sat. She knew Veon wouldn't have minded, but that was just it. He wouldn't have minded all too much.

     She also figured he probably realized this but he never broached the subject. She assumed he assumed it was because Terrance at least, maybe not Elias, would wonder where she was at night.

     He always saw her home though. He couldn't walk her home obviously, but he followed her and made sure she made it back to her place of residence safe and sound. She was, of course, oblivious to this fact.

     But he drew the line the night it started raining.

     They were sitting comfortably in his one room hide-away like always when the first sounds of rain falling reached their ears.

     She hastily stood up and went to a window to find dark rainclouds and an increasing downpour of water droplets.

     He joined her side and peered out as well before stating in his casual mannor: "Looks like rain."

     She rolled her eyes before making her way to the door and her shoes. "I should probably get going. It looks like it's going to get worse."

     "Take and umberella with you," he moved to retrieve the afforementioned item.

     "Can't. Terrance and Elias would ask where it came from."

     "Tell them you bought it on the way home."

     "They know I"m broke. Plus where around here sells umberellas?"

     "Borrow my jacket."

     At this Karina raised an eyebrow. "That would work worse than the umberella. Do you really think they wouldn't notice me wearing a jacket that I don't own? Furthermore a MALE'S jacket that I don't own. On top of that YOUR jacket. The thief that my BOUNTY HUNTING room-mates have been trying to catch for over six months. That would raise more questions, cause more trouble, and take more effort than it would for me to just get there a little wet from the rain."

     With that she opened the door to be greeted by an onslought of rain that would put any self-respecting waterfall to shame. Apparently durring their little debat the storm had gotten worse.

     Karina sighed then took a deep breath, preparing herself for a very unplanned shower. She could only be thankful she wasn't wearing white.

     She was about to take her first step out the door when a hand was placed on her shoulder and the door was pushed closed right in front of her.

     "No. I don't think so. Not happening," Veonn said, turning her around to face the warm dry room again.

     "But Veon it's only going to get worse. I should leave now before it starts thundering."

     "Or you could just stay the night here. You're tired anyways. I know it's dumpy but you can sleep here."

     "It wouldn't be dumpy if you cleaned it," she mumbled. "And knowing you, you'd probably try something while I was asleep."

     Veon laughed. "That's what you're worried about? C'mon you have to give me more credit than that! I wouldn't do that to you. But you could sleep with me if you're scared of the dark," he winked.

     Here Karina's face managed to go beet red and snow white at the same time.

     He laughed again. "I'm just joking. Only kidding. Ha... You should have seen the look on your face just then."

     Karina pouted and reached for the door handle again. "I'm going back. If I stayed they would wonder where I was."

     His hand was over hers now, stopping her from opening the door. "Tell them you stayed at the police station."

     "That would make for a very unhappy Elias," she rolled her eyes.

     "Then thell them you stopped at the hotel."

     "Or I could really stay at the Hotel."

     "That would still require you to go out into the rain, therefore destryoing the point of me stopping you from going back to the hideout."

     "Exactly. Since you see things my way," she started.

     "Why can't you just accept my hospitality?" He said in a voice that, for some inphathomable reason, made her shiver.

     "Why can't you just accept my deep love of running through the freezing rain?"

     The cat thief chuckled. "Maybe another time, Princess. Just stay put. This rain is going to get a lot worse before it gets any better."

     Karina sighed in resignation, much to the satisfaction of Veon. There was no point in trying to convince him to let her leave; his mind was made.

     "Alright. I'll tell them I stayed at the hotel. I don't really have a choice anyway, do I?"

     "Of course not," he grinned.

     It was decided that Veon, ever the gentleman, would take the floor and Karina would sleep on the bed.

     It took Karina hours to fall asleep simply from nerves. She hated storms for one thing and for another she was sleeping in the same room as another guy, and to top it off that guy was Veon.

     Veon couldn't fall asleep either, or rather he didn't. He loved srorms. There was something about them that just captured him. He lay on his back with his hands laced behind his head, staring up at the ceiling alistening to the rain. Eventually though he did fall asleep, lulled into a dream-ish state by the rain.

     Karina was jolted awake by a clap of thunder in time to see a blinding flash of lightning. She tried to calm her racing heart but any progress she had made was chased away by another rumble of thunder.

     "... Veon?" She whispered into the darkness. She recieved no reply.
     A flash of lightning illuminated the room briefly and she saw his form on the ground not too far away, sleeping peacefully.

     "Come on Karina, It's just a storm. You can be a big girl. Imagine how much Veon would make fun of you if he woke up and saw you like htis," she thought to herself.

     All thoughts her pride had of self-preservation were dashed against the rocks when another booming thunderclap sounded.

     Karina, without thinking, scrambled off the bed, and dove by Veon's side, tightly clutching the back of his shirt.

     Veon stirred instantly, reacting to the sudden half-tackle he received from the traveller. "Whatthe-? ... Karina...? Whasa matter?" he asked, as he rooled over to face her. Despite his quick reaction his words were still slurred and thick from sleep. "You know I was just teasing you when I said the bit about you being scared of the dark, right?"

     "I-i know..." she cringed when she noticed her voice was shaking. "I'm n-not scared of the d-dark..."

     Another thunderclap.

     Karina jumped a bit and suppressed a squeak.

     Veon had by this time hugged her but it was more of an unconsious half-asleep decision to do so. "Then what's wrong?" He yawned, rubbing some sleep from his eye.

     The guy was sharp as a tack when he was awake, really witty and sarcastic, but when he was half asleep you would have to point out to him that his hair was brown.

     "N-nothing..."

     A flash of thunder and lightning. This time she didn't succed in suppressing her whimper.

     That's when it clicked for him. "You're scared of the storm?"

     "No!"

     Thunder. Lightning.

     "Yes..."

     Veon chuckled as he picked her up bridal style and carried her to the bed.
     "V-veon what're you doing?" she asked. Her face was bright red.

     "Well if I'm going to end up sleeping next to you anyway it might as well be on the bed." He layed down next to her and hugged her close to his chest.

     Karina would have protested had she not known that if she was by herself she'd with someone was there with her.

     Neither of them noticed when he started stroking her hair to help her calm down, but both silently admitted that they liked the feeling.

     "Veon...?"

     Karina looked up at him with big, innovent eyes and he had to reming himself of his earlier statement. 'I'm holding back for your sake...'

     "Yes?" He did his best to keep himself from taking advantage of the angle of her head and the extremem closeness of her unguarded lips.

     That's when SHE kissed HIM.

     It was short and sweet, and barely there- gone before he could even respond, but it had happened. The dark red blush that flooded her cheeks was proof enough for that.

     "Thank you." And then she snuggled closer to him, burrying her face in his chest, and went to sleep.

     Veon, however could not get to sleep for another three hours.