Relm would have never admitted it to anyone, but she had almost begun to enjoy Gau's company. In some vague way he understood her, and Relm could say that about very few others in these latter days of the world.
Take today, for example. The two of them had been fishing for three hours straight, swatting midges and skipping stones in companionable silence. How many other people could keep their traps shut for that long? Relm suspected it was a pretty small number. She dug her toes deeper into the warm river mud and leaned back to lie on the grass, squeezing her eyes shut against the sun's glare. Luxury. Pure luxury.
She felt the shadow fall across her before she even re-opened her eyes. There was a brief flutter of movement. Something soft and wet pressed against Relm's mouth; she blinked again and found herself staring up into the face of Gau.
His lips were firmly planted against hers. Not that he was moving them around or anything - it was more like the boy had a hazy idea that pushing lips together was a good thing, and hadn't quite cottoned on to the rest of the rulebook.
Relm let the two of them stay that way for about thirty shocked seconds. Then she remembered who she was - Relm Arrowny, ninja painter extraordinare, tied to no-one and nothing - and sent her friend flying into the river with a shriek of outrage.
In-between having his head dunked repeatedly, Gau managed to sputter one thing in defense:
FFVI: Relm/Gau, BUT NOT REALLY DAMMIT SAYS RELM
Take today, for example. The two of them had been fishing for three hours straight, swatting midges and skipping stones in companionable silence. How many other people could keep their traps shut for that long? Relm suspected it was a pretty small number. She dug her toes deeper into the warm river mud and leaned back to lie on the grass, squeezing her eyes shut against the sun's glare. Luxury. Pure luxury.
She felt the shadow fall across her before she even re-opened her eyes. There was a brief flutter of movement. Something soft and wet pressed against Relm's mouth; she blinked again and found herself staring up into the face of Gau.
His lips were firmly planted against hers. Not that he was moving them around or anything - it was more like the boy had a hazy idea that pushing lips together was a good thing, and hadn't quite cottoned on to the rest of the rulebook.
Relm let the two of them stay that way for about thirty shocked seconds. Then she remembered who she was - Relm Arrowny, ninja painter extraordinare, tied to no-one and nothing - and sent her friend flying into the river with a shriek of outrage.
In-between having his head dunked repeatedly, Gau managed to sputter one thing in defense:
"Please ... Relm ... Edgar told me to! Ple--"