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 Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:24 pm
Had Zaphiro realized he'd thought of Hienna as his, he probably would have flushed yet again or done something similar; after all, there was being optimistic and there was being overconfident, and that was firmly in the realm of 'overconfident'.
However, he hadn't realized that himself, so it was easy for him to maintain the relative ease he'd adopted since coming down off of his embarassment, even to the point of giving Hienna a sheepish smile. "Is that so hard to believe?"
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:34 pm
"A little," she admitted, "While I do believe my mother had her reasons for looking after me and teaching me what she did, I never quite believed it was for the reason of actually worrying."
Hie tilted her head slightly, "It's...nice to be worried about, genuinely, just a bit different if you truly do."
Actually, the thought that he worried over her and actually cared gave her a warm fuzzy feeling that she didn't quite want to let go.
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:45 pm
"Well, sadly enough your mother was on the right track. Idyllic as a place can be, there is always danger."
This was spoken softly, thoughtfully; after all, there had been a few occassions when he'd had to fight; fight for his life, even. Not a pleasant experience, to be sure, and he'd been most grateful for the prescence of a unicorn. Hienna WAS a unicorn, but that didn't mean she could always take care of herself, as her earlier injury had proved.
Still gazing out over the water, his next reply was just as soft. "And I do worry...truly I do."
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 5:49 pm
"I know there is always danger, Zaphiro," Hienna answered softly, "What I meant was that I don't believe my mother actually worried about me. But it's nice to know that someone..." she paused, amended it, "That you do."
Her eyes looked down to the sand for a moment before moving off to the ocean, watching the waves glitter against the light of the sun.
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:03 pm
"Yeah, well..."
Now he was blushing again. This was just getting awkward. And embarrassing! He could only imagine how much amusement his herdmates would be getting out of this, if they knew about it...
Not that they mattered. Not that anything mattered, beyond Hienna and himself...
A soft smile played on Zaphiro's lips as he savored the words, savored the thought of her, of him, of them. It was a nice thought...
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:07 pm
The silence that blanketed them was slightly awkward but...not in that uncomfortable sort of 'get me out of there' way. It was...a good awkward, if that made any sense to anyone other than Hienna.
She sighed and rested her head lightly against his. The silence could stay for the time being as she watched the waves and lay there with her friend. It was nice.
Still, there was a nagging voice in the back of her head telling her to back away. Hienna fought against it. She was too content to listen.
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:21 pm
Her cheek was warm against his; warm like the sunlight, but in a different, more pleasant way. Still smiling slightly, Zaphiro simply lay there, his muzzle alongside hers. It was a very peaceful, soothing moment, and he would have been content to simply lie there and enjoy it forever.
However, something was prodding at him, back in his mind. A little voice, a tiny little voice, warning against moving too fast. No matter how good this felt, no matter how pleasant, no matter how 'right'...this was too fast.
He hated the knowledge, yet with an inward sigh he knew that the voice was right. This felt so right, more right than anything else he'd ever experienced, but somehow, for that reason...
He had to go. Before he did something he regretted...he had to go.
That thought in mind, he sighed softly, then carefully rose to his feet.
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:26 pm
Hienna looked up at him, "Somewhere else to be, Zaphiro?" She asked. The moment had been so nice, why did he have to move? Had she done something wrong?
The mare hadn't thought of it as anything more than a friendly gesture herself, but maybe...
"Did I do something wrong?"
It was out before she had time to think about it and the moment it was she mentally kicked herself.
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:44 pm
He'd been wondering about a way to explain himself to Hienna, wondering what he could say to have her understand why he was doing this. But then, did he really WANT that, either? Or would she want that?
If only he was more certain of what he was doing himself...yet at this point, it was all cloudy, all muddled. All he knew was that it was time for him to go. And maybe then he'd be able to figure out what to do.
At Hienna's question, he shook his head, giving her a slight smile. "Sort of, yes. But no, you didn't do anything!" That was spoken hastily; he didn't want her to get any wrong impressions, and he was rather abrupt in his clarification. "You didnt' do anything wrong; I mean, that was kind of nice."
Wrong. Not phrased well at all. Moving on!
"Rather, I really should be moving on. This has been amazing, meeting you and showing you around; but..."
But what?
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 6:51 pm
Hienna looked blankly at him for a moment. Oh...This was the 'It's been nice but not nice enough' speech wasn't it? "Oh. I understand." A smile, though it wasn't as warm as before.
Somewhere in the back of her head Hienna felt as though she wouldn't see the stallion again. Slowly she stood up and shook the sand off her body, "I should likely look for a place to stay the night myself. It was very pleasant being in your presence, Zaphiro."
A long pause as she debated saying the last bit.
"I truly hope to see you again."
Not giving him a chance to respond, Hienna simply trotted away.
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Posted: Sun Feb 25, 2007 7:01 pm
For a moment, Zaphiro only stared as Hienna rose and gave him what sounded ultimately like a brush-off. It wasn't until she turned and started off that it finally clicked.
It WAS a brush off.
He was stunned. Utterly, absolutely stunned. Where had THAT come from? Had he really botched it that badly?
A quick mental review of what he'd just said and he was groaning to himself. Good God, he'd butchered that, hadn't he? And now...
By the time he realized that, though, it was too late to fix it. She was gone.
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