E-mail: angelchildr@freaky.nu
Rating: pg
Summary: Zach muses on something new.
Distribution: http://penned-insanity.freaky.nu/ (My site) or ask.
Author's Note: Written as a holiday gift (2003) for Miss Faye.

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Zach always smiled when he saw her. It didn't matter what time of day it was or what sort of mood he was in, or where they were, she always made him smile.

It still amazed him how the whole thing had happened. He'd known her, had seen her, shared a class or two, but they'd hardly ever talked. He'd know a bit about her. The sort of things you can learn just by watching, if you knew what to look for. And he did. But he never thought it would go beyond that knowing.

She'd taken his picture, and he'd known it. Pretended like he didn't so that she could get the shot she wanted. He'd been happy to give her that. Still caught up in the pain of losing Summer after four years, he hadn't thought he could give her anything more than that photo.

It changed on a May night full of masks and fires and wildness. Sparkling eyes behind an intricate mask, soft hands pulling him down into a kiss that tasted of joy and wind and something he couldn't put words to. He knew it was her. How could he not?

He began dreaming of her. Nearly every night. More kisses, more soft hands, more of that taste that had lingered on his tongue since that night.

In his waking hours he could hardly do anything about it. Frozen by either fear or indecision, all he could do was sit across from her in the cafe, talking, reading, writing. He learned how she moved her hands, how she tilted her head when she thought about something important. He learned how, even though she never said it, she was afraid of whatever it was they were creating, that she was uncertain of what to do.

They talked and they learned until one day, as he was laughing out loud at something she said, he realized that he was happy. And that he cared for her more than he thought he'd be able to care for anyone again after Summer had left him.

He watched her as she continued telling her story. Watched as her mouth formed around words. Watched and remembered a kiss months ago under a dark tree, tasting like wind and her. Watched and wondered how she'd react if he kissed her again. Right there in the cafe over the table.

He decided to find out.



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