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The tips of his ears burned a dark red at the mention of him being her dream. It sounded as if it came straight out of a poem or romance story - he was not worthy of either, truth be told. The fact she would honor him with the mere thought was humbling - he was naught but a lowly guardian of dreams, destined to stay behind the scenes and perform his task without the awareness of those who dreamed.

At the suggestion of her bringing him an item, he appeared genuinely stunned.

"I don't need anything but your happiness, Lady Hydra."

Her hands were raised and the knuckles of her fists were gently kissed, the Dream Guardian slowly, almost hesitantly releasing his hold of her smaller fingers. She was beautiful, without a doubt... but she'd always had been.

He laughed quietly, his thoughts getting away from him as blue eyes found themselves lost among the dark shade of hers. "Perhaps there is something we can do to convince yourself that you're no longer dreaming?"

"Wake the princess Sealie."

His heart was racing as icy blue eyes stared down at the girl looking up at him with hope in her eyes. Seal's Eye knew Hydra was being playful, but still the temptation was there - how easy would it be to dip his head down and press his lips against hers, feel how soft they were, to kiss them until they were swollen and whispering his name.

No.

Dropping her hands, his voice took on a lighthearted edge, his expression adopting feigned offense. "You mock my position, Lady Hydra! You know I'm not worthy of such a title - I am but a lowly servant of a Prince, not the crowned monarch himself."

One hand moved to press against his breast while his mind raced over his next move. "...But."

As smooth and quick as lightning, white gloves moved forward as the taller man half-knelt, one arm moving to sweep itself behind her legs while the other took hold of her shoulder. It took all of a few seconds before he'd scooped her off her feet, the short woman now cradled against his chest. She was close, she was near, but it brought a sense of comfort that kept his mischievous banter going.


"I'm not sure if there's a Prince that's deserving enough to even gaze across the fair Lady Hydra's lips." Eyebrows arched as he looked around suspiciously, as if already condemning any man who dared to try. He began walking forward, as if the long hair draped over his arm wasn't tickling his skin or the fact her dark, troubling aura was pressed so close against his body. She was still sweet Hydra, she was still his dear friend.

Turning his head down to look at her, he pursed his lips in an attempt to remain as serious looking as possible. "But if it's a Prince that my fair Lady desires, I will find her one. Where shall we look, my little dreamer? Europe? Africa? The Moon? Shall we look to the stars to find you a Prince?"

Her eyebrows furrowed - she wasn't entirely pleased with his response and he knew it.

"My Lady is the one who requested a kiss from a Prince - I am merely trying to keep her pleased," he argued, wishing he had a free hand to allow him to playfully prod the young woman.

His jaw clenched tightly. Seal's Eye knew he shouldn't broach the subject, his heart conflicting him in ways he couldn't describe.

Temptation proved to be too strong, however, as the young man carried them both back to the fountain, the tall man taking a seat upon the water's edge. Positioning the senshi to remain in his lap, he allowed her legs to dangle off the edge of the water, black boots getting lightly splashed by the fountain's motion.

"Surely you're not asking for a kiss from an old seal, are you?" His voice grew soft as his eyes shifted over to watch the beads of water drop off the tip of her boots, "I hear they're dreadfully terrible kissers. Too many whiskers that tickle, too much of a wet nose."

Shaking his head, he grinned.

"What an absolutely horrible way to assure oneself that they're no longer dreaming. I think I'd much rather hope that I was dreaming, with a kisser like that."

"Wait - Hydra, I'm sorry."

He had upset her and she was trying to leave. It was clear from her tone and body language that she'd grown mad with him - hadn't he been playful back in response? Had he not done what she was asking of him?

Throughout all of their meetings, they'd teased one another, confided in one another and remained close with one another - there hadn't been any arguments throughout her dreams. The idea of them fighting, of her hating him and losing her...

Oh God, what if she stopped dreaming for him?

She started sliding off and Seal's Eye stopped debating. He couldn't help himself - it was time to throw caution to the figurative wind.

One hand moved to hold the back of her head while the other took hold of her squirming waist and, without giving it a second thought, he leaned forward and pressed his lips against hers.

It felt wrong and right and terrible and glorious all in the same, brief instance. What lasted only a few seconds felt like a lifetime, Seal's Eye himself lost in the moment. He felt her hands grip his front and cling to him, just as Aurora would hav------

He pulled back slowly, his eyes still closed and hiding the emotion that rested behind the tanned eyelids. The hand on her waist rose as the one behind her head loosened its grip, the panic and alarm that had coursed through him now subsiding as her anger seemed to have placated itself with the kiss.

His words were raspy as he whispered softly, "Hydra, I..."

Eyes flew open as he felt her slip, his grip on the woman no longer saving her from sliding down into the fountain. He let out a startled yelp as he moved to catch and pull her back, resulting in him falling off balance, instead. Tumbling after her, he landed in the obnoxiously large fountain with a splash, thoroughly soaking himself from sandy hair to sandal.

The water was chilly, unexpectedly so - then again, when one wasn't expecting to fall in the water, it is always unexpectedly chilly - and the young man found himself gasping as he pulled himself up. The water had drenched his clothing, weighing him downward as his hair looked a royal mess (at least, it was easy to presume such). Blonde hair clung to his cheek and neck while cold cotton clothing clung to him like a second skin.

She was giggling, the sound beautiful and light as the two magical beings gathered their bearings after finding themselves taking an impromptu swim in the central park's fountain.

He couldn't help but grin, especially as he heard her laughter - it kept the embarrassment from his cheeks and happiness in his heart.

Small hands moved out to push aside some of the long hair that was pestering him - goodness knows how her hair length must feel submerged, when his was only shoulder length and weighed him down! - and he watched her with fondness before moving to pull himself up slowly.

"I would dare hope that I'd be a bit more... what's the word, suave? In a dream. Gracious."

He tugged on the tunic, which still hopelessly clung to his frame and left a sudden chill running through him with the addition of the breeze in the park. One hand extended itself out in her direction as he grinned at her, unable to help himself. "Though I did warn you that they were rather wet kisses, after all."

"So you didn't," He conceded softly, amused at her congeniality over the fact he'd been partially responsible - alright, mostly responsible - for the both of them ending up in the fountain. "It was definitely a real moment, I agree."

He didn't touch on it further, but he also wasn't making the effort to actually remove his wet self, or hers, from the babbling fountain that continued to flow water directly next to them.

Instead, the hand that held hers squeezed it gently and he offered her a wry grin.

"I happen to know the perfect place to dry off at, though." His chin lifted up and his free hand moved up to adjust his Eyepiece absentmindedly. Everything would dry in due time... but perhaps there was something else he'd been eager to introduce her to...

Seal's Eye didn't give Hydra a choice. Instead, the grip around her hand tightened and the two blinked out of existence at the park.

Moments later, they stood on warm sand, both individuals sinking gently into the golden grains beneath their shoes. Seal's Eye was quick to abandon his, letting go of her hand to slip off his shoes, just as he had in her dream only hours earlier.

He gave her time to adjust to the teleportation (being the generous host that he was) but his introduction appeared to excitedly roll off his tongue when he finally spoke, his voice carrying over the soft roll of foam breaking across where the land met water.

"Lady Hydra... I would like you to meet my home."

His smile grew the widest it had ever been.

"Elysion."