Ain't That Just Sweet

"Hey."
"Hey. You seem to spending a lot of time around here."
"If I could, I'd spend all of my time by this tree."
"So, I guess you selected Spec Fire and Nature?" Lethe sat down beside Solciro, unzipping her jacket just as she had been doing rather frequently for the past week or so.
"Yeah. Once again, you have my thanks. And you picked?"
"No problem. I selected Dream-weaving and Spec Compulsions. I did a little research and figured that I wouldn't have the patience for Charms."
"Oh."
They sat there side by side wordlessly, enjoying the cool breeze and each others' presence. Solciro broke the silence first.
"Lethe, you know my sister, right?"
"Lune? What about her?"
"She's been spending a lot of time with that Ca- with Acheron recently. I'm worried about her."
"Why?"
"I've heard all sorts of stories about Cains and all that and I worry that my sister will get hurt in her innocence."
"Acheron isn't that bad. We're rather close friends and all and I wouldn't put much stock in the old stories if I were you."
"Okay, if you say so... But my heart still isn't at rest." He sighed. "I'm thinking too much, aren't I?"
"I suppose your concern is warranted. All I can say is that I promise that if Acherus starts to show any tendencies, I'll tell you. But only if the tendencies may affect Lune." Please don't notice that I said Acherus instead of Acheron. Lethe thought to herself.
"Thank you so much." His warm, brown eyes looked towards hers in gratitude. He shifted slightly closer to her.
"Lethe, why do you always wear gloves?"
"I just don't want people to touch me."
"Oh."
"Do me a favor, will you? Just don't touch me either. I don't want anyone, not even my friends to touch me. As long as the contact isn't on my skin, I don't care. Just don't touch me. No offense, really. I've got reasons."
"Uh... Okay, sure, whatever you say. If you're not comfortable with it."
Lethe almost exhaled in relief. Damn right I'm uncomfortable with it.
"Umm, have you been crying?"
"What? No, why would I?"
"Your eyes are really red. I'm surprised I didn't notice earlier. Looks as if you've been crying."
"Wait. By red, you mean the whites, right? The irises are still green and purple?"
"Of course." He looked at her curiously. "So if you haven't been crying, what, you've got an eye infection? I think you ought to go and see the matron."
"Odd. It doesn't hurt at all."
"Seriously? It looks inflamed. Looks serious to me."
"I feel perfectly fine as before. Weird." Except for these aching pains around my eyes. "You're right, I should go see the matron before it gets worse or something."
"I'll go with you."
"No need to trouble you. I can make it there myself."
"I'll go with you." And his voice brooked no argument.
The matron usually wears gloves, I guess I'll be fine. Just hope that she doesn't accidentally touch me.
What happened, Lethe?
Kestrel? I'm not exactly sure. Solciro said my eyes are red and look as if they've been inflamed. He thinks I've got some kinda eye infection but I'm not feeling any pain, you know?
But you're feeling as usual?
Well... Kestrel could sense her hesitation. Lethe was getting used to this, filling thoughts with emotions and pictures rather than with tone and inflection.
Well what?
I never told you guys.
Told us what? Styx's distinct mental voice cut in.
Recently, I don't know why, the area around my eye's been hurting. It's like a headache, but around the eyes. And... I've been dreaming.
Of the same thing? That guy with the mouths for eyes?
Yeah. But each dream is different.
How so?
We talk. It's hard to describe it. It's like every night we have a conversation, at the ending of the dream, he says something like how he's sorry but he has to end it that way and he lunges and the eye mouth things almost reach my eyes and bite them. I wake up every morning with stinging there. But the next night he continues the conversation.
That's weird, to say the least. What do you two talk about? Cocytus asked.
I'll keep that to myself if it pleases you. Lethe stated, rather sharply, they thought.
"Lethe. Lethe?"
She shook herself out of her reverie and found herself already outside the medical bay. Solciro gave her a small smile.
"Penny for your thoughts?"
"Nothing. Just daydreaming."
"Well, let's go in then," he said, holding the door, "Ladies first."
"Quite the gentleman, aren't you?" Lethe chuckled and went in.

The matron squinted at Lethe. "You've been here before quite recently, haven't you. I recognise you. You're one of the friends of that guy with his veins in all the wrong places. Why're you here now? Och, I see, your eyes look like you went and got them drenched in flaming acid."
"Umm no ma'am? And it doesn't hurt, I don't know why."
She lifted up Lethe's head and examined her eyes with a flashlight.
"You say it doesn't hurt. Looks very bad to me, but I can't seem to find anything wrong with it. Any allergies or some such?"
"No ma'am. It just suddenly turned red."
"Well, if more symptoms come up, come back and find me. Until then, you get to go back and scare your friends with no side effects. But if it starts feeling bad, be sure to come back here." The matron turned to Solciro. "You hear that, boyfriend? Take care of your sweet lady and bring her up here if she starts complaining of pain, got that? And I don't mean if you two do it a little rough."
Blushing slightly, he managed a small nod. "Yes ma'am, I'll be sure to pay attention to her."
"Then go and enjoy your youth. I'm too old, tired and busy to be talking with you kids about love and all." The matron chased them out and went back to the rest of her patients.
In the corridor, Lethe nudged him with her elbow. "Pretend to be my boyfriend again and I'll break your leg."
"Got that, 'sweet lady', I'll try not to pretend next time. Hopefully, I won't have to." They gazed into each others' eyes and wordlessly reached an understanding. They drew closer and their lips inched towards each other. Bit by bit, holding the moment, savoring it and giving in to it. But just before they touched, Lethe pulled back abruptly.
"No, no, I cannot do this. I cannot..." She muttered to herself distraughtly.
"What? Lethe, what's wrong?" Solciro's voice was full of confusion and tenderness.
"I must not. I... am truly sorry, Solciro. I wish I could."
"Why? Is it that you are unprepared? Moral values? Religion?"
"No, no, no, none of that. It's just... I can't explain. Not to you."
"I will listen. I will try to understand, I promise."
Her heart ached with the longing, the yearning to have someone to believe, someone she truly liked, someone who was normal. But, what if he didn't? What if he treated her as a freak? She just didn't know.
"I... Not here. Not now. I'll tell you at a different time. Solciro, I'm so sorry. I just don't know..."
"It's okay. You can tell me when you're ready." He reached out to her, intending to comfort her.
"Don't touch me! Oh my gods, Solciro, I'm sorry, I didn't mean to snap like that... Just... don't touch me..."
"Okay, okay, I get it. I'll stay away."
"No, I mean, don't have any physical tactile contact with me. Don't stay away... I'm sorry..." She seemed on the verge of crying.
"Okay. Don't cry, Lethe. It pains me to see you like this. It's okay. Don't say anymore."
She let out a shuddering sigh and breathed deeply.
"I will tell you the reason why, Solciro. But not now. I.. don't think I would be able to speak properly. But... do you.. you know.. love me?" The words came out on an impulse and she mentally slapped herself. Think before you talk, damn it!
"Love you?" Solciro paused. "Yes. Truly and without a doubt. Utterly and completely. Yes, I do love you. We've been spending a whole lot of time together and I've fallen for you." His words were positively saturated with honesty and she smiled. She didn't really expect such an answer but was pleased nonetheless.
"Then, our feelings are mutual. Honestly, I never really thought I would love an elf."
He grinned. "What, not even such a handsome and dashing elf such as I?"
"You? Dashing? Handsome? Funny joke there." She retorted.
"What are you two doing here, grinning like star-struck, moon-addled, love-sick fools for? I thought I told you two to go!" The matron had just came outside and caught sight of them.
Still smiling, hand in gloved hand, they ran off.