A little bit funny (Kieron)

[Kieron Sharpe]

The rest of the day had been fairly uneventful. After the randomness of his lunch break the quiet was almost welcome, but only almost. The lack of many patients to tend meant Kieron had a lot of time to think back on what had happened and the more he pondered the events the more he became confused by them. The gardener’s bluntness and apparent lack of a mind-mouth filter had been a little jarring to the Mr-Manners nurse, but at the same time it had also been a little refreshing. For the man who now spent most of his days dealing with students lying to get out of gym and faking sickness to try to get sent home, the openness had been actually rather refreshing. Still, the woman’s promise to make it up to him had been playing on his thoughts all afternoon; since she had wanted to meet him at night and he had absolutely no clue what she had in mind, it had been bothering him about what on earth she could have in mind and he had convinced himself not to go.

And yet, as ten o’clock rolled around, Kieron found himself slipping on a thin navy jacket over his grey t-shirt and walking out of his shared cabin into the cooler night air. A few lowlights dotted the campsite but their glow was soft enough that the nurse was able to slip off his shades without any real discomfort. They were tucked into his jacket pocket as he walked, the soft crunch of the gravel path beneath his sneakered feet, and his mind fretted about exactly why he thought this was a good idea.

It was still around an hour before curfew and a few students dotted the journey over to the medical bay, but the campsite was mostly quiet and Kieron was able to get there without anyone stopping him to ask for a bandaid or headache tablet. Checking his watch K realised he was a few minutes late and he cursed under his breath. He detested tardiness, especially when it was his own. Stepping into the clearing around the medical bay, uncovered hazel eyes looked around for any sign of Maebelle.

[Deleted]

Maebelle probably should have thought it through. Why would anyone want to meet her at night? Especially if they had only met the same day and had only interacted for half an hour or so. For all he knew, she was a psychopath and her intention was to end his life. It was sad to admit that Mae reasoned like that and almost didn’t go over either because she was convinced Kieron would not bother showing up. Why would he, right? She did go through the waiting process though. But the man was late and it began to confirm her suspicions. If Mae could pinpoint her current feeling, she would have known it was disappointment. Since a seat had been taken on a small wooden bench that stood against a side wall of the medical bay, the brunette rose and briefly wiped the back of her dark jeans. Perhaps this was for the better. No way for her to embarrass herself even more, plus it was kind of getting colder. She might be better off crawling under a blanket in the cabin.

The last she expected upon turning the corner was to gaze straight at Kieron. Without the sunglasses. Looking normal without squinting his eyes together. And now she kind of felt stupid for having arranged this. Maebelle did not even know what to say, let alone that this was a good plan. “Hey.” But then she spoke up and of course that eliminated the option of sneaking off unnoticed. When he took notice of her as well, a soft smile appeared on her face and she stepped over. “I… didn’t really expect you to show up.” How much did that say about her self-confidence?

“I’m glad you came.” And she genuinely was. “Hopefully you don’t think it’s too weird.” With a little smile, Maebelle slowly began to walk, positive he would tag along. The thing was, while he had night vision, she did struggle to see everything clearly. It would be a surprise if the brown-haired girl wouldn’t stumble over anything. And when she indeed almost lost her balance after walking for five minutes or so, a hand quickly reached out to grab Kieron’s lower arm.

“It… might be safer if I keep on to you.” If he didn’t mind. What Mae was heading to was a place where she had been earlier, with quite some colorful flowers. It would probably take another minute or five.

[Kieron Sharpe]

If he was being completely honest the thought that perhaps she was a psychopath intent on dragging him into the woods to murder him had crossed his mind, but his rational common sense had discarded it after not much thought. She had seemed... odd, admittedly, but nice enough once the initial sharpness had faded into an awkwardness that seemed rather similar to his own. He liked to think they had maybe bonded in a way, but of course there was always the very high chance that he was simply imagining that. He really hoped not, though. Then again, even if she did decide to pull out a chainsaw and try to hack off his legs he could easily bolt into the darkness of the woods where she couldn't follow, or simply spread his wings and fly away.

Kieron was a little surprised when he rounded the corner and came face to face with Mae and it did show in his expression. He hadn't really expected her to show up even though it had been her idea; he'd made it clear that an apology at the time had been more than enough. He half expected her to just settle with that and not bother turning up for whatever on earth she had planned for now. Still, as the mild surprise subsided the corner of his lips curled into a smile, and as she stepped towards him K took a pace to close a little of the gap between them. “Good evening.” A soft breath of a laugh left his parted lips. “To be honest I didn't really expect either of us to show up. And yet here we both are.”

It was a little weird really (he was sure that as a child he'd been told stories about not walking off into the woods at night with strangers), and yet his curiosity was getting the better of his common sense. Yes Mae was perhaps a little... eccentric, and yet he wasn't afraid of her and wanted to see just what she had in mind. “I'm glad I came too.” It wasn't a lie despite the ever so slightly unsettling curiosity; he was surprised to find that there was a part of him that was actually looking forward to spending a little more time in the company of the blunt and impulsive gardener. When she set off Kieron followed without hesitation.

As they got further from the camp the lights got dimmer and Kieron began to settle as his vision improved in the growing darkness. It was a remarkably liberating feeling; like he was a naughty school child sneaking off into the woods at night after curfew. The Irishman easily picked his way through the gloom, momentarily forgetting that Mae couldn't see as well as he could, but when she stumbled he was quickly by her side and letting her take his arm for support. “Here, let me help. Please.” Walking closely on her left Kieron rested his right hand on her right shoulder, using it to gently guide her around any jutting roots or rocks that she might have stumbled over. His proximity and the arm loosely around her shoulders would also make it much easier for him to catch her should she fall. Hopefully that wouldn't be necessary, but it was there just in case.

[Deleted]

Maebelle should have known that a flashlight might come on handy. Instead of thinking about her own safety, however, she had kept in mind that he did not deal well with light and therefore had made the decision to simply trust on her instincts. Clearly those weren’t working out in her advantage. Or, well, perhaps they were. Despite having stumbled over something, her feeling of ridiculousness subsided some when Kieron’s arm loosely draped over her shoulders. She couldn’t distinguish every detail of his face, but the outlining was pretty obvious as Mae turned her head for a second to gaze up at him. Quite a dumbfound look had settled on her own features, for once having absolutely no idea how to react to this. Did she have to read anything in that? She was quick to tear her gaze away, simply casting them down on the ground again while trying to at least distinguish what would and could make her stumble.

Kieron was being so nice to her… and it reminded her of what she had left behind a couple of months ago. While it did sting, it did sooth the woman at the same time – to the extent that she actually began to cherish his genuine concern. “You probably should have brought a first aid kit,” the brunette chuckled slightly bitterly. Maebelle did trust his qualities of guiding her though this, but at the same time she could not believe she would make it unharmed. Eventually, however, they did reach what seemed to be a clearing and the lack of trees at that location made it easier for her to see. That, and the fact that her eyes had somewhat adjusted at this point. She did hope it wouldn’t be necessary for Kieron to put on his glasses though. It would negatively influence what she had in mind.

“I… am okay now.” A hand moved to the one on her shoulder and then took a hold to his index finger before slowly peeling it off. Maebelle probably should had approached it differently though. It possibly came across of her being disgusted by the touch, while in reality she did like it. She just wanted to carefully distance herself, not too bluntly, but in the end that might have been the better option. Taking a small step forward, the gardener soon squatted down through her knees. “I um… well, kind of thought it had been a while since you last saw this.” While speaking, blue eyes drifted away from him after a glance had been cast over her shoulder. She focused on the flowers ahead of them then. Of course those were closed, asleep, at that moment, but not when Mae’s hands landed on the ground. Slowly, almost like a wave, they opened up again with their colors being brighter than throughout the day. The young woman wasn’t sure about his night vision, but at least he wasn’t wearing sunglasses now. Maybe his vision would be less… dull now? Assuming that is was. Mae had promised herself not to assume… but here she was doing it anyway.

[Kieron Sharpe]

With his focus trained on the path ahead and the woods surrounding them, Kieron found it very easy to pick the safest route around all the roots and gnarled branches that could pose a tripping hazard for Mae. His night vision was now so engrained in him that the nurse did sometimes find himself momentarily forgetting that not everyone could see as well in the dark as he could. The arm around Mae's shoulders was the easiest way he could think of to guide her without actually picking her up and carrying her, but he was a little surprised to find that he quite liked the feel of her warmth and life beside him. It was reassuring and somewhat comforting in the cold of the night air, and he felt a soft blush beginning to colour his cheeks as she led the way with his guidance through the trees.

Kieron gave a quiet laugh at Maebelle's comment, the sound edged with a quiet hint of nerves. “Ummm... I kind of did... I never go anywhere without some bandaids and cleaning spray.” It was a habit Kieron's parents had got him into when he was very young, no doubt hoping to get that doctorly urge started early, but as he'd gotten older he had admittedly begun to see the benefits of it. It was reassuring to know that if anything non-major happened he'd be able to take care of it then and there... and also so that if anything happened to him there was at least the very basics to hopefully keep him going until help arrived. Like if he got drunk and accidentally flew into a bridge...

The light in the clearing was a little brighter but it was still dull enough that Kieron could quickly adjust to it without having to resort to his sunglasses. He felt the hand slowly peeling off his fingers and he quickly pulled his hand away, scarlet clouded his cheeks. “Oh! I didn't... I mean, sorry.” Clearly she hadn't felt the same reassurance from that as he had, and he internally cursed at himself as he wandered away a few paces into the clearing with his arms by his sides. Great. Way to seem all creepy and clingy. Damnit. As the gardener got close to the ground and laid her hands on it Kieron tried to distance himself from her, physically and mentally. What had he been thinking, really? He could have just held her arm or something but nooo. He had to go and accidentally make it all weird and awkward and Christ he just shouldn't have come and-

Kieron's internal berating of himself stopped quickly when he saw the flowers starting to open and bloom, and with his enhanced vision he could clearly see them bright and bold. A word failed to make it past his lips, escaping merely as a rather choked sound, and he slowly approached the flowers and knelt beside them. “That's...” A finger reached out, very gently stroking up the stem of one of the flowers and along the length of an elegant blue petal. “That's so beautiful...”

[Deleted]

Maebelle had expressed some surprise, along with gratitude when he admitted to have bandaids and cleaning spray with him. While it might have been weird in some cases, his profession and her previous clumsy behavior justified it. Of course she hoped those items would be abundant, but only time would point this out. Given the reassuring arm over her shoulders, she should be able to get through tonight without needing any medical assistance. Luckily they soon enough reached the clearing, which definitely meant a much safer environment for the gardener. Being there, however, did not mean no mistakes would be made. The first took place when she peeled Kieron’s hand off of her shoulder. His reaction confirmed that it should have been approached way differently. Mouth opened to speak, but the nurse distanced himself and she had no freaking idea how to soften the impression this might have given him. So instead of making it worse, Mae kept quiet.

Doing what she was good at should cause some distraction… and luckily this was successful. Blue eyes focused on Kieron as he carefully approached the flower. He didn’t have to speak; the look on his face was enough for Maebelle to know this had not been a mistake. She hadn’t taken him here to brag about her ability, and she hoped he had not gotten that idea. The young woman had just gotten the impression that he was someone who would appreciate such gesture, that he deserved her probably ending up with some side effects for influencing so many flowers.

When the man reached out, Mae grew tense and was on the verge of slapping his hand. She feared that he would pick it, which in turn would cause pain. Instead, however, he gently had a finger caress one of them and that sent an unintentional shudder down her spine. And a pleasant soft purr – which she hoped he had not taken notice off. “You like it?” She managed to ask as eyes popped open and a genuine bright smile got slightly dark-colored cheeks to rise. Slowly the girl sat down on her butt, allowing one of the flowers to tangle itself around her wrist. She felt at home and for once Maebelle came across as fully relaxed.

“I’m better with flowers than with human beings.” Chuckling weakly, the brown-haired woman glanced at the blue one that he had been so gentle towards. “And that one likes you.”

[Kieron Sharpe]

Kieron should have realised that putting his arm over her shoulders was a stupid move. He hadn't meant anything at all by it and he hoped that Maebelle would realise that – he was sure that if she had massively objected she'd have brushed it off straight away, right? At the time it had just seemed to him to be the least patronisingly hand-holdy but most effective way of guiding her, but he could clearly see the error now. He should have just put a hand on her arm or something. All the quiet warmth and reassurance he had felt during their little walk had disappeared into the cool evening air, and as he put a little distance between them a quiet self-frustrated sigh left his lips. Clearly tonight it was his turn to be the inappropriate one – at least her tissue throwing hadn't been quite so creepy seeming.

Thankfully however Kieron was fairly easily distracted, and as the flowers revealed themselves the annoyance with himself was shelved to be returned to later. It had been a very, very long time since Kieron had seen the effects of a plant manipulator, and the boy he'd known back at Hammel those years ago had been a complete jackass who K had avoided like the plague anyway, so he'd never really seen the full extent of the power. The look on his face betrayed his fascination and marvel at the blooming flowers, and after making sure he wasn't going to squash any of them K shifted from being knelt to sitting on the grass near them.

Kieron gave a small nod of his head in answer to her question. “I do, it's very impressive.” His touch on the flower was feather-gentle, not wanting to disturb it too much, and a smile crept across his lips as it bloomed brightly in the dim of night. “I don't normally get to see them like this. I mean, normally they're dulled through my shades and they're asleep when I could see them unobstructed.” He watched the flower twisting around her wrist from the corner of his eyes, trying to avoid coming across all clingy again. “It's fine. I tend to get along better with fish than I do people.” He then gave a soft laugh at her comment. “I like it too. And all its friends, of course.”

After a few moments of sitting quietly and watching the night-time blooms, Kieron muttered quietly under his breath. “Now the sun is set beyond the mountains, there lights a sea of sapphires on the flowers kissed by moonlight...”

[Deleted]

Maebelle was happy to see his face light up. While it had been hard for her to pinpoint the previous emotion, it clearly made some progress. It didn’t creep him out, and she could tell that he was genuinely fascinated by the blooming flower field in front of them. She could also sense the sensation running through the blue flower that his fingertips caressed so gently, causing goose bumps to appear underneath the fabric of her coat. When Kieron admitted that he normally didn’t get to see them like this, happiness curled her lips. “I know.” It wasn’t said in a cocky way though. More like reassuring him she had tried to place herself in his shoes. After that, Mae slowly withdrew her hands. The effect would last longer, but she didn’t want to force them to wake up much longer. It might not do them well.

Smiling, Mae did want to ask about his ability, especially as fish were being mentioned, but since he did not inform her about it himself, she figured he was not too comfortable about it. Instead of speaking, blue eyes focused on the flower around her wrist, wordlessly summoning it to let go. Awkward or not, at least it was more comfortable to converse with Kieron. The gardener shuffled closer to where he was seated. She didn’t fully face him, but her side wasn’t turned to him either. It was more in between. Arms wrapped around legs to maintain some warmth as a peaceful smile graced her lips.

But then Kieron spoke, and her head dipped to the side in an amusing manner. Her voice a perfect match for that. “What?” Maebelle chuckled ever so softly. She didn’t want the nurse to feel uncomfortable or awkward. She had understood what he said… she simply had no idea where it was coming from. Eventually the entertained look developed into an empathic smile as eyes lingered on his lightly darkened features. “I guess that perfectly describes this, huh?” A little nod was given to the flowers. Some were slowly going back to sleep, actually much to her relief since it was proof that they had dealt well with the sudden awakening.

“Was that all you?” Meaning, did he come up with it or had he read it somewhere? First her intention had been to state how romantic that was… but it would just be plain weird given the circumstances of them hardly even knowing one another. “I couldn’t have said it any better either way.” Another smile, just to reassure him she didn’t think of him as weird.

[Kieron Sharpe]

It wasn’t often that Kieron got such a solid reminder of the things that he missed out on when he actively avoided being outside in the daytime. As much as he loved his night vision he knew that the side effects of it denied him many of the pleasures that others took for granted. He couldn’t remember the last time he’d seen a sunset or sunrise through uncovered eyes and he was never able to feel the summer sun on his skin without the very real risk of severe sunburn. Having Irish blood certainly didn’t help with that matter. It was so rare that he got to see wild flowers blooming so brightly without his shades in the way, and he found it very difficult to tear his hazel eyes away from the vivid blue petals.

When Mae began to untangle herself from the flower and shuffle closer Kieron sat upright once more, tearing his eyes away from the night-time blooms to glance over to her. Even in the dim moonlight he could see her perfectly clearly, and he fought to control the butterflies that began to stir in his stomach. After a moment he actually realised how she was sat, clutching her arms around her legs. “Oh! I’m so sorry! Here.” Kieron quickly shrugged out of his jacket, shuffling over towards her and offering it out to her. “Please, take this. I’d hate for you to get a chill.”

At the gardeners sudden amusement Kieron flushed deeply, hesitating a moment before speaking. “Oh. I didn’t realise you’d quite heard that.” Long fingers scratched at the nape of his neck as he shifted somewhat uncomfortably. It wasn’t that he was opposed to people hearing his odd little ramblings, he just wasn’t quite aware that he had said that loud enough for her to hear. “It was all me, yeah. I do that sometimes… Sorry if it was a bit weird.” Mae’s words were a reassurance, however, and he smiled warmly at her gentle praise. “Thank you, I appreciate that.”

Hazel eyes wandered back to the flowers as they began to drift back to sleep, and he loosed a quite chuckle and waved to the flower that he had been giving attention to a few moments before. “Good night, little one. Sorry for waking you.”

[Deleted]

Maebelle loved to be surrounded by flowers – and nature in general. The relaxed and comfortable smile that ever so lightly tugged at the corners gave this away. It was Kieron’s voice that brought her back to reality and for her to turn her head, completely oblivious to the meaning that might have been hiding behind the position she was sitting in. It definitely was getting chilly, but she had not really acknowledged that until Kieron handed over his jacket. By the look on her face, it was clear just how reluctant she felt to accept it. Not because it was weird though. Mae actually thought that it was incredibly sweet, but she feared that he might be get cold now.

A couple of seconds had passed before the gardener did reach over, took the jacket and then draped it over her shoulders with a hand holding it together near her sternum. Refusal would have been rude… and she would have regretted not taking it, especially now that she could feel how much warmth it provided. Him having worn it merely a few counts ago also added to that; the fabric was still had a pleasant temperature. “Thank you,” Mae smiled sheepishly. In turn it stirred some butterflies as well. She hadn’t even had to put any effort into hinting at him that it was getting cold.

When it came to his brief moment of musing poetry, a shake of the head was given to indicate it wasn’t weird. Perhaps it might have been… but it didn’t bother Maebelle in the slightest. It made her develop a feeling of being intrigued by him. He didn’t come off as a superficial guy, simply by that. And the attention given to the blue flower possibly made her melt even more. Blue eyes rested on the man now, taking in the contours of his face while the softest of smiles settled on her lips. Almost a dreamy look even. “Thank you,” she spoke up again out of nowhere, even though it might not make sense to him. “For treating it so kindly.” It made her feel warm inside.

With most flowers back to sleep now, Mae slowly pushed herself to stand up. “Perhaps we should slowly head back…” She could sit there for ages, but not with his jacket over her shoulders. The poor man would quite possibly already be feeling a chill. She didn’t give it back upon standing though. Instead arms slipped through the sleeves and then they folded against her chest. “You aren’t too cold, right? I am shamelessly hogging your jacket while you might be freezing…” Of course that was exaggerated since it wasn’t that cold out, but still.

“Hopefully I’ll make it back as safely as we got here.” With a little chuckle, the brunette carefully began to walk. She knew a mistake had been made by plucking his hand from her shoulder, and now she feared to actually ask it out straight.

[Kieron Sharpe]

Whilst Kieron didn't have quite such a strong affinity for flora as Maebelle had, he did enjoy being outdoors and took a quiet delight in the beauty of nature. It was so difficult sometimes though; broad daylight caused him actual pain and unless his eyes were protected by some type of shield he was all but blind. He knew he missed out on a lot of things because of this and whilst he tried to never think about it, it did sometimes get him a little down. He rarely got to see flowers in full bloom and he hadn't seen a rainbow since he was very young without the dullness created from the shades. What Mae had offered him was a glimpse into a world he very rarely got to see, and the expression on his face made it obvious just how quietly thrilled it had made him.

Kieron had half-expected Maebelle to decline the jacket, based purely on how keen she had seemed to be to get him away from her when they had first arrived at the meadow. If she was so disgusted by his hand on her shoulder then why would she want his jacket on her back? He was however thankful that she had eventually taken it, and he smiled softly as she shrugged it over her shoulders. “Thank you.” The words were uttered at the same time Mae said the same, and he gave a soft laugh. It was oddly reassuring that she had taken it – even after creeping her out and being all awkward and weird, he would still have hated to think of her being cold or thinking he was rude.

Maebelle's second voicing of thanks caused Kieron to turn to her, a quietly curious look on his face, and he smiled as she explained. “I have no reason to treat it badly. It woke up to say hello, it would be rude not to wish it good night.” Yes Kieron felt a little strange speaking that way about a flower, but he knew the kind of empathy many foliage manipulators had with the plants they controlled and for some reason he couldn't quite understand he wanted to make a good impression. Besides, it wasn't really that much stranger than him saying good night to his fish. Which he did do on occasion.

Kieron stood as Maebelle did, righting himself and dusting the back of his trousers in case any dirt had stuck to them. The Irishman laughed softly as Mae offered the jacket back even as she was putting it on properly, and he shook his head and gave a little wave of his hand. “It's fine, really.” That seemed to have become his catchphrase today. “I'm used to being out at night, it doesn't bother me as much any more.” That was true, but after having the jacket on all evening suddenly being devoid of it was causing goosebumps to rise on his arms, especially since all his torso was now covered with was a shirt that had large slits in the back of it. It was hardly freezing though so he made no comment, just stuffing his hands into his trouser pockets instead. “I will be fine, I promise.” He chuckled softly, indicating to the now-asleep flowers. “Besides, I think your friends would mob me if I tried to take it back now.”

As Mae slowly set off back the way they had come Kieron followed behind her, making sure to keep a little distance between them so he wouldn't accidentally creep her out again. However, once they had left the little meadow-thing and gone into the close darkness of the trees Kieron once more began to worry about her losing her feet. “Do you maybe want me to... at least walk in front, so you can follow a clearer path?”

[Deleted]

Thank you? Why would Kieron have to thank her? Maebelle didn’t question it though. Instead a smile once more graced her lips while a sideway glance was cast upon the man. He probably had not expected her to take it after the incident with the hand. Either that, or this was the first time he successfully handed his jacket to a woman. That actually did feel like a very valid possibility; the nurse did not come across as one to sweep a girl off her feet every single evening. He probably would be capable of doing so though. The way he spoke to and about the flower… Mae could feel walls crumble faster than they should. A nod of agreement was given, mainly because words could not do the situation any more justice. He had no idea just how warm this made her feel on the inside.

While Mae sort of did feel bad about keeping the jacket on, she convinced herself to believe him – even though K might just be telling her it was fine out of manners. Luckily he spoke up again though, and a soft chuckle broke through the darkness, easily matching his. “Yeah… I would advise against trying to take it back.” Blue eyes drifted over for the last time before they made their way back to the camping site itself. The further they stepped from the meadow, however, the more difficult it became for Maebelle to be one hundred percent certain of where feet were being put and would land.

Every once and a while she grew hesitant, and whenever a weird sound reached her ears, the gardener tensed up as well. In fact, Kieron’s suggestion startled her as well for she had been so focused on walking that she had not expected it. The sharp inhale gave that away. While Mae had been more than comfortable a couple of minutes ago, she seemed to be on the opposite of the spectrum right now. “Please?” Shame should be visible on her face for his night vision could catch on to it. Along with gratitude for his concern. She didn’t even take notice of the cuts in his shirt as he stepped by her to lead the way.

It did seem to help some… but Mae did grow terrified that someone might pop up behind her now that she was the one walking last. What if this happened and Kieron wouldn’t notice? They weren’t too far from the camp anymore, yet that thought did not diminish her fear. In fact, it remained strong enough for Maebelle to make the abrupt decision of taking a bigger step forward in order to slip her hand in Kieron’s. While she could probably just have requested for him drape an arm over her shoulders again, this did not require any words, other than the brief explanation flowing past her lips.

“Sorry… I’m… sort of scared of the dark.”

[Kieron Sharpe]

Kieron had been brought up to have superb manners and decency, but it was something he had always held very dear and as he had matured it had developed into the slightly awkward but doggedly determined person that was now in the meadow with Maebelle. He often tried so hard to come across as a brave and heroic non-angsty Romeo, but all too often it fell apart and he ended up just… well… just sat talking to himself while the lady walked away.

He had no plan at all to take the jacket away, not while Mae still wanted to use it, though as the evening air pricked at his skin he did regret not putting a long-sleeved shirt on underneath the jacket, especially considering the large slits in the back of his shirt, there as a precautionary measure. “I wont even think of taking it back until you’re ready to part with it.” He chuckled softly. “Though at some point before the end of this week would be preferable; it’s one of my favourites.”

As they stepped further into the gloom of the trees Kieron’s vision improved, which meant he knew that Maebelle’s would be failing. When the path began to wind Kieron slowed right down, every footstep carefully calculated to present the smallest risk of her stumbling or catching herself on something. He could tell that Maebelle was uncomfortable and jumpy and he wanted nothing more than to be able to comfort her, but he wasn’t entirely sure how without either spooking her or coming across all creepy again.

The sudden feeling of a hand against his own made it Kieron’s turn to startle, a surprised gasp leaving his lips as she turned to face… Maebelle, who had stepped up close behind him. His heart rate quickly calmed again yet the butterflies in his stomach were stubbornly still flapping, and after a moments hesitation he gently cradled her hand in his own. A soft breath of a laugh broke the silence. “You fear the dark and I fear the light. Clearly this friendship is not meant to be.” He gave her hand a reassuring squeeze and began to lead her slowly through the trees. After being lost in thought for a moment, he thought of something that might help clear some of her unease. “This big tree that we’re coming up to, here on the left.” Even to her eyes the outline of the huge oak would be obvious in the gloom. “There’s a long-eared owl perched right up near the top. It looks like he’s about to ta-“ As if on cue, or perhaps disturbed by the voices below, the huge owl took flight from his perch, the rustling of the branches overhead audible to the two staff members walking below. “If there was anything to be frightened of, I would see it. You’re safe, I promise.”

[Deleted]

Wait, what? Maebelle could keep the jacket longer than tonight? Despite it being one of his favorites? While him having offered it to her had been incredibly cute and nice in the first place, those words gripped at her heart – in a good way. She didn’t even know how to muster a reply. Instead an appreciative nod was given. The gardener knew it had nothing to do with the piece of clothing itself as a warm feeling spread through her body.

As her hand settled in his, Mae had not had the intention to startle him. A quick apology was mumbled, which she figured got accepted the moment he gave her hand a gentle squeeze. It automatically got returned, and the woman had no freaking idea why she even did that. It had just felt so natural. Unlike, just like he mentioned, their clashing fears. “Or maybe the difference does make it meant to be. Like ying and yang.” They clearly helped one another. After that, Maebelle went quiet. Perhaps Kieron caught on to the reason for this – her intense focus on the shadows and noises around them. And despite her sight failing miserably, she did attempt to watch her steps either way. Of course the nurse had to be thanked for the lack of stumbling, but Mae’s instinct made her peer down without a second thought. At least until K’s voice rippled through the silence again.

If it had not been for his warning, Maebelle quite probably would have let a shriek escape from her lips. Now her grip merely grew tighter and she practically pasted herself into Kieron’s side while blue eyes tried to detect to owl – to no avail of course. “I wish I could see it as well.” Once more her voice was nothing above a whisper. To spot animals in their natural habitat at night; she could only imagine it. Perhaps it would also limit her fear. All the noises would make sense.

As eyes drifted ahead again, faint lights could be detected in the distance. “There’s the camp.” Only another minute or two. They probably could reach it faster if they weren’t walking Mae’s careful pace though. And while her sight improved as they were reaching a clearing again, meaning she could let go of Kieron’s hand and move there on her own, she didn’t. That thought didn’t even strike her. She was just so comfortable to the extent that she didn’t even realize the connection was still there.

[Kieron Sharpe]

Kieron pondered Mae's comment for a moment before giving a nod of agreement. “Untied by our polar opposites? I like that.” He didn't fear the light as such, though it probably often seemed that way, it was just uncomfortable and disorientating. Over the years he had learned ways to counter this unfortunate side-effect of his ability but it wasn't something he could ever fully accept and be okay with purely due to how inconvenient it often made his life. Although sometimes, like now, it did have its useful side too.

Despite having her hand curled into his Kieron could tell the gardener was still nervy, and in a way he could understand it. Her hesitant movements mirrored how he himself moved when he was in bright light without any kind of eye shield; each step an uncertain one with that constant worry of stumbling or bumping into something unseen. Guiding her along was fairly easy with their closeness, but he would not berate her for still staring at the ground and trying to pick her own path despite his help. Especially since she had clearly trusted him enough to make this little expedition into the woods alone in the middle of the night.

As Mae shifted tightly to his side Kieron gave a soft chuckle and gently squeezed her hand again, slowing the pace right down so she could stay steady and wasn't trying to rush through the trees. “If you spend enough time sat in the dark sometime you should be able to start making out shapes and outlines – eyes are very adaptable.” She would never be able to pick out details like he could, of course, but given time there would have been nothing to stop her making out the outline of the large owl as it took off into the night sky.

If he was being completely honest Kieron would admit that he was somewhat disappointed when the lights of the camp came into view. This very unexpected little trip had been a marvel and he was almost sad for it to come to an end, but he was glad for the opportunity to get to know the impulsive and headstrong gardener a little better. It was funny what could come from thrown tissues. “Would you like me to walk with you to your cabin?”