{{ This is a kind of massive spoiler, but it's Ravenbolt, so... have fun reading if you can cope with the confusion it'll cause.}}
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It is a cold evening, the middle of winter, and I'm drawing again. Even though I'm fifteen-and-a-bit years old, and actually happy for the first time in a long time, I like the way things are falling into place. We, meaning The Shadow Queens and the boys' group, still have a lot to do before we go after Darkness, like track down and capture two of our old allies for example.
"What are you doing?"
I glance up from my art diary, startled from my thoughts about my life right now, and spot a familiar face. I instantly recognise their owner; Acrobolt, my best friend and confessed crush (don't tell, but he didn't shut me down). I feel a small smile appearing on my face as I respond, "Drawing. Why?"
Acrobolt huffs, and carefully sits down next to me on my bed. "Is that meant to be you?" He asks, tilting his head so that his blonde hair falls in his eyes.
I shuffle over to the right, making room for him to sit comfortably on the mattress. To answer his question, I nod, feeling exposed all of a sudden as I show him my work. What if he says it is awful? God, I hope not. My latest drawing is of a blonde-haired, blue-eyed girl, blood pouring from the top of her head like a veil and over her black dress. Me.
I sigh, and my smile vanishes. "I'm so morbid," I mumble, shaking my head.
That statement, remarkably, makes him smile. "Nah, no more than I am. I just tend to kill people rather than draw my own death."
"We have different talents, Bolts."
"'One of yours is driving me crazy'," he quotes as he reclines next to me, repeating something I had said what feels like forever and a half ago, when I had only just begun to fall for him. Which was actually only two years ago, but feels like an eternity.
I poke his arm with the end of my lead pencil, as the smile slowly creeps back onto my face. "You said it, not me this time." Surprise fills me, as I wonder to myself about how he remembers all of this random trivial nonsense.
"I'm making progress. You can't have all the quips, Tweety."
"Oh, you're so funny," I mumble sarcastically in response, eyes narrowing slightly as I focus on getting the picture's hand right. Considering I can't draw hands to save a life, it takes a while. A half hour later, after several failed attempts, I can still feel the warmth next to me that indicates another human, but Acrobolt is strangely silent. I look to my left, about to ask the guy why he is still here, but raise an eyebrow instead, a small smile appearing on my face as I laugh silently, putting my art supplies on my bedside table. He is fast asleep.
"Oh, for goodness' sake," I whisper, not wanting to wake my obviously exhausted friend. It is so tempting to kind of get up and sleep on the floor (or push him onto the floor, but I decide against that after a moment). But, I decide to admit to myself that I am exhausted as well, and comfortable where I am, and decide to kick Acrobolt's ass verbally for falling asleep in my bed - in my room, for that matter - tomorrow. I turn my bedside lamp off, still smiling, and lay there in the dark for a moment before drifting off to sleep.
For once, I don't dream at all.
