TEN

Outside,

dusk

kisses the horizon

in embers

of dark crimson, purple,

and indigo.

"So what do we do?"

Maddie asks from her corner,

"Do i just watch you sleep?"

Her eyes widen,

and a horrible red

covers her cheeks.

fucking smooth as ever, Maddie.

at this rate,

you'll be another fangirl

who hyperventilate at the sight

of him in his underwear.

Oh great fucking shits on bread.

The image of ash in his underwear and nothing else.

Ash sets down the quilt in his hands,

and turns to her,

his eyes hidden by

an unreadable expression, 

"We go on misadventures, of course."

He smiles

a smile,

one that reaches

his eyes.

In the haze

 of evening's dimming golden light,

and the soft traces of night's shadows,

Ash looks kind

of beautiful.

The kind of pretty

that she found familiar,

and so strange

all at once.

Light kisses 

the tips of his silvery lashes,

and 

his hair looks like a tangled mess

of an unraveled spool of silvery gold thread.

"W-what?"

Maddie realizes she is 

all

but blatantly staring.

"But you have to figure out...

the challenge, you idiot."

He tilts his head

to the side

and gives 

a shy and devilish 

little laugh. 

"I have all night,

to figure it out,

don't I?"

he says,

before climbing out the window.

He's half way out, 

when he turns back to her,

"Well,

aren't you coming?"