Twicelight

Chapter - 12

Third person's pov:

Tzuyu in the sunlight was shocking. Sana couldn't get used to it, though she'd been staring at him all afternoon. His's skin, white despite the faint flush from yesterday's hunting trip, literally sparkled, like thousands of tiny diamonds were embedded in the surface. Tzuyu lay perfectly still in the grass, his shirt open over his sculpted, incandescent chest, his scintillating arms bare. His glistening, pale lavender lids were shut, though of course he didn't sleep. A perfect statue, carved in some unknown stone, smooth like marble, glittering like crystal. Now and then, his lips would move, so fast it looked like they were trembling. But, when she asked, he told her he was singing to himself; it was too low for her to hear.

Sana would have liked to lie back, as Tzuyu did, and let the sun warm her face. But she stayed curled up, her chin resting on her knees, unwilling to take her eyes off him. The wind was gentle; it tangled her hair and ruffled the grass that swayed around his motionless form.

Hesitantly, Sana reached out one finger and stroked the back of his shimmering hand, where it lay within her reach. She marveled again at the perfect texture, satin smooth, cool as stone. When she looked up again, Tzuyu's eyes were open, watching her. Butterscotch today, lighter, warmer after hunting. His quick smile turned up the corners of his flawless lips.

"I don't scare you?" Tzuyu asked playfully, but Sana could hear the real curiosity in his soft voice.

"No more than usual."

Tzuyu smiled wider; showing his dimple.

Sana inched closer, stretched out her whole hand now to trace the contours of his forearm with her fingertips. She saw that her fingers trembled, and knew it wouldn't escape his notice.

"Do you mind?" Sana asked, for he had closed his eyes again.

"No," Tzuyu said without opening his eyes. "You can't imagine how that feels." He sighed.

Sana lightly trailed her hand over the perfect muscles of his arm, followed the faint pattern of bluish veins inside the crease at his elbow. With her other hand, she reached to turn his hand over. Realizing what she wished, he flipped his palm up in one of those blindingly fast, disconcerting movements of his. It startled her; fingers froze on his arm for a brief second.

"Sorry," Tzuyu murmured. Sana looked up in time to see his golden eyes close again. "It's too easy to be myself with you."

Sana lifted his hand, turning it this way and that as she watched the sun glitter on his palm. She held it closer to her face, trying to see the hidden facets in his skin.

"Tell me what you're thinking," Tzuyu whispered. Sana looked to see his eyes watching her, suddenly intent. "It's still so strange for me, not knowing."

"You know, the rest of us feel that way all the time."

"It's a hard life."
'Did I imagine the hint of regret in his tone?'
"But you didn't tell me."

"I was wishing I could know what you were thinking..." Sana hesitated.

"And?"

"I was wishing that I could believe that you were real. And I was wishing that I wasn't afraid."

"I don't want you to be afraid." Tzuyu's voice was just a soft murmur. Sana heard what he couldn't truthfully say, that she didn't need to be afraid, that there was nothing to fear.

"Well, that's not exactly the fear I meant, though that's certainly something to think about."

So quickly that Sana missed his movement, Tzuyu was half sitting, propped up on his right arm, his left palm still in her hands. His angel's face was only a few inches from hers. She might have - should have - flinched away from his unexpected closeness, but she was unable to move. His golden eyes mesmerized her.