Calling Carter.

(Still Carter)
It was a strange look, that one that she was giving me. It was intelligent; deeply aware of some secret that hid in her eyes, and very, very wary. And yet, something was strange about it. I don’t know if it was animalistic, but it was a little… primal. If I didn’t know better, I’d have said it was possessively satisfied. Is that even possible?

Oh well. I had a story to tell. I began.

“I’ve always liked to draw people. It helps me understand them. I usually only draw one or two of those I find really interesting, but you… I’ve drawn a lot with you. It took me so long to get it right, do you justice… It was very frustrating. But I have done several drawings of you. This is one of my favourites,” I said very quietly, pulling the roll of paper out of my jacket pocket.

With a deep breath I unrolled it and held it out for her to see.

She gasped when she saw it, a soft intake of breath. With shaking fingers she reached out and almost touched it, but stopped herself.

“This… is how you see me?” She asked, voice trembling.

I looked at it, wondering what was wrong with it.

It was my favourite because it was so real. It showed the sunset to one side, and Silah’s peaceful, upturned face basking in the last of the light. She looked like she was about fly into the ember clouds.

She was beautiful.

It was only partly done, though. But that was what made it so captivating. You didn’t quite know what was missing; only that something was. Her hair was lifted around her face in a slight breeze that had made her shiver, and her cheeks were slightly flushed in the cold. I wasn’t sure whether to make a colour version or leave it in pencil tones. Colour was something I had only tried a few times, only with landscapes.

I made my decision.

I was gonna do Silah in colour. And i was gonna get her to sit for me while i did it.

(SILAH’S P.O.V)
I stared. I couldn’t help it. His skill was amazing, but I could have sworn I didn’t look like that. This girl wasn’t me, she couldn’t be. She was pretty and graceful and CLEARLY didn’t have leaves down her shirt, wasn’t freezing her ass off or forgetting she was 50 metres high in a tree and trying to dance to silent music in her head.

But Carter had managed to capture her - me - and make it… amazing. I looked up at him. “You see me like this?” I asked again, softer this time. It occurred to me that he may have exaggerated the drawing to make it better.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t do you justice,” he said softly.

I went back to staring open-mouthed at him. Then, overcome by the crazy, spontaneous urge I really should have stifled, I hugged him. I couldn’t help it. “This is amazing,” I whispered to him. I didn’t trust my voice anymore, but I did still have to tell him I loved it – okay I wasn’t actually going to SAY that but I did anyway – but I knew what he was like and he was nervous about this.

It took me a while to recognise that he was hugging me back, just as tightly as I was holding him. I realised I was starting to get dizzy but I ignored it for a second as I tightened my fingers in his shirt, until he spoke.

“Would you like to have it?” He pulled back just enough to see my face, his eyes searching mine tentatively. He waited for my answer, and when I was too surprised to answer after a second I saw his eyes darken as he jumped to conclusions.

I was not going to cry. He was being sweet right now, but soon he would dislodge the sweet kind alien possessing him and go back to being the real Carter whom I knew wouldn’t hesitate to laugh at me for crying about … well … anything really.

“I would love to have it. But I think you should keep the original,” I said shyly. “Meaning ‘I’ll settle for a copy because I’m sure I’ll end up ruining this and that would make me sad since you’ve gone to so much effort and you look so damn cute with your big grey-blue eyes…’”

Damnit that’s not what I meant to say. Not out loud, at least.

My eyes widened as I realised I just said that out loud. I covered my mouth with both hands, as if that would undo all the words I just unleashed. SHIT! I thought desperately, what have I done?

Carter slowly let the picture roll up again. He moved his hands slowly, and I waited for a jeering comment. Instead, when he finally looked up at me his eyes were solemn again. He let the paper fall to the ground, pulling me closer again. And then, he just smiled and kissed my nose, then fitted his chin over the top of my head as if he did it all the time and it was the most natural thing in the world.

I blinked, then smiled contentedly.

YUSS.