Chris

"I did not expect you to know fencing" I pant as I plunge my épée forward but Aurora is much faster and dodges, swinging her own épée and touching my chest with it's point. She looks at me with a smirk as she pants slightly, not very tired from the match.

She won yet again.

"I didn't expect you to know how either." She stated with a smile, walking away to drink some water. I follow along, needing to hydrate myself after and intense match with her.

"You're actually pretty good, cap."

"I mean, I hope so, I've been doing it for three years after all." I chuckle "Thanks though."

"Fast learner, I see." She smiles.

"I guess." I run my fingers through my blonde locks that was slightly stuck to my forehead because of the sweat. "What about you?"

"I started fencing when I was...eight? I think? I don't remember to be honest, but basically I've been practicing it a lot. I actually know how to handle a proper sword too." She explains and holy cow this girl has so many hidden talents that I'm starting to think she's some kind of alien, and not a human. 

And she said it so nonchalantly and with a smile as if everyone knows to fight with a sword. It's as if she doesn't realize how unique she is.

"Oh yeah, totally casual." I laugh and she join in, pushing me slightly.

She grabs a towel, drying the drops of sweat framing her forehead and underneath her glasses before she puts on her helmet and walks to where we had just finished our fourth match. Usually other girls use make up to look better, but she somehow looks great even with sweat dripping from her jawline.

"Come on, Cap." She faces me and I can hear the smirk on her lips "En garde!"

I help a blindfolded Aurora walk safely to where our next activity is.

An adventure park; full of zip lines, climbing walls, obstacle courses...

This is gonna be awesome.

"Is the blindfold really necessary?" She huffs, making her rosy cheeks fill up with air like a chipmunk. It's adorable.

"Yes it is, we're here anyways so you can take it off." She takes it off in a rush before squinting at the name of the place hanging on the gate.

"Chris?"

"Yeah?"

"You do realize I can't see shit without my glasses right?"

"Oh, right."

Handing her her purple glasses, she puts it on, blinking a few times as her vision adjusts to- well, seeing. She looks up and her eyes widen as her face drains of its color.

"oh nonono-" She shakes her head as she backs away slowly.

"What? Why?" I whine. "You're freaking brave, why are you so afraid of this?"

"As flattered as I am by that, I am no where near brave when it comes to heights."

I grin at her because I have finally found what Aurora Avery is afraid of.

I wrap my arms around her waist and carry her inside as I laugh at her attempts to get free from my hold. I know she doesn't mind because if she really wanted to set herself free she would've already done it.

"Chris please don't make me!" She begs me with her puppy dog eyes, but I won't give in.

"No! I want you to get rid of your fear and have fun!"

"Nono Chris Chris Chris Chris-" She keeps repeating my name frantically and it becomes gradually faster as we get closer. We finally get in and I put her down, my arm still secured around her waist to keep her from running away. I ask for the tickets I had already reserved.

"Thank you so much."

"Anytime. You two seem like such an adorable couple, have fun!" The lady working there told us and we both turn red as we chuckle nervously before we deny her statement and she apologizes for assuming.

Though I don't blame her; the way I'm holding Aurora by her waist, and the way she fits perfectly with my own figure, makes us look like a couple.

I understand why our sisters and friends all want us to be a couple, because we look perfect together.

But it's never about how two people look together. It's about how their minds and souls collide and merge into one as both their hearts beat in a rhythm made for them. It's about how they understand each other with just one look. It's about them always being there for the other.

What me and Aurora have is special; we are great friends and we grow closer with each passing second. She cares about me and I care about her. I do love her, but that doesn't mean I love her in a romantic way. Neither of us are looking for romance, we both believe that it should find us on it's own, without looking for it.

So who knows, maybe one day we'd fall in love, but as of right now, we're the perfect pair of best friends. And I don't want anything else.

I don't need anything else.

"Come on, I've got you." I reassure her "I won't let you fall. I'll always keep you safe, you know that." I smile softly at her as we walk to the first zip line. She looks back at me and smiles brightly, her eyes shining in the sunlight. 

"I know." She says softly, her smile never fading. After taking a deep breath and a nod she says: "Let's do this then." 

We go to the zip lines, starting from the lowest ones and going up to the highest ones. Aurora did pretty well on the first couple ones, although she only agreed if I went down them with her. Through it all we were attached by the hip, literally.

Now comes the hard one. The highest zip line.

Obviously I'm going to go down it with her, but she's still gonna need some coaxing to even go up the ladder for it.

"Aurora, it's going to be fine. Just don't look down and keep going up. I'm right behind you." I assure her before we start climbing up the ladder.

Finally getting to the top, Aurora looks down and her breath gets caught in her throat. She gulps and her breathing gets faster and I can tell her heartbeat is going fast, due to her fast breathing. She's practically hyperventilating. I take her small, delicate hand into my own as I begin to talk to her quietly.

"Hey," I squeeze her hand "Focus on my words, don't look down. Always keep your head up, Princess. We don't want your tiara to fall, do we?" I joke and she manages to calm down enough to let out a chuckle. But she's still very afraid.

"Take a deep breath, breathe it out slowly. There's no need to be afraid. Nothing's gonna happen to you. I'm right here with you. Always will be. We're in this together. You can do it. Just keep breathing and you'll be okay. I've got you." I whisper into her ear as we get strapped up and hooked to the zip line. She squeezes my hand back and calms her breathing. I wrap one arm around her as my other hand holds the hook that is holding us up.

The guy in charge of this one counts to three and pushes us down.

Aurora screams and I laugh, gripping her tighter to myself. The wind makes our hair fly backwards and probably made it full of knots. 

We reach the end of it and we get unhooked as we go down the ladder.

"That was scary but amazing but terrifying!" She exclaims and laughs and I join in, seeing her this excited. She then hugs me tightly, catching me off guard. I embrace her back just as tight, hiding my face in the crook of her neck, the smell of her jasmine perfume filling my nose, making me sigh in content.

"Thank you, Chris. For helping me face my fears and not letting me go."

"Of course, Princess. I'm never letting you go."

We eventually let go and walk to the climbing walls and other games. Despite her fear, we ended up having a lot of fun and we still have much more to do.

Aurora and I are lying down on a soft blanket in the park watching the sun go down, as now it is the moon's turn to shine.

"This reminds me, When you said you're afraid of heights I thought 'finally something Aurora Avery can't do!' and it was finally my turn to shine!" She laughs lightly but it faded too early. I turn my head to look at her and I see a frown on her face.

"What's wrong, Princess?"

"Do you think I'm a know it all? Does it seem like I'm bragging or showing off?" She asks, her voice quiet and you could feel the sadness sewn into her words. 

I turn to her, leaning on my hand. "Princess, you're not a know it all. And you definitely don't show off or brag!" I exclaim. "In fact, you're the most humble person I've ever met! You learn all these simply because you wanted to learn them, not use them as a reason to brag and make people love you. You do this for you, and I wish more people were like you." I tell her.

She smiles and turns to look at me. 

"You don't realize just how special you are, and it's my job to fix that." I promise, taking her hand into mine as I rub my thumb over her soft skin.

"Thank you." She squeezes my hand. "For everything. I'm so grateful to have you in my life. I can't explain it."

We smile and stare into one another's eyes.

I then remember the gift I got her. I get up and rummage through the -now empty- picnic basket I brought. I finally find the container that looks like a stone and turn to Aurora and give it to her.

"A stone?" She asks confused as she sits up too.

"yes, but no. It's a box."

She then proceeds to open it and it looks as if realization hit her like a truck.

"Penguins give the one they love the perfect pebble..." She trails off as she pulls out the necklace inside of it. It's a rose gold infinity sign, with small wings, feet and a beak. 

"It's a promise necklace. I figured you don't like rings since you never wear them, but you always wear necklaces. I have the same charm." I explain as I pull out a leather bracelet with the same charm, except it was black, and showed it to her. "This friendship we have is something I never thought I'd find. My life wasn't easy as a kid, but now? I'm as happy as I'll ever be. I have my sister, and now I have you. And my promise to you is that I will always be your best friend. I will always have your back. I'll protect you, take care of you, support you until my dying breath. I promise to always be there for you, forever."

Aurora stared at me with a huge smile on her face, her eyes glossy with unshed tears. She stays silent just looking at me with admiration. She suddenly jumps into my arms and wraps her arms around my neck and I can feel some of her tears on the exposed skin of the crook of my neck. I rub her back and smile, knowing that she loved my gift.

"I promise you too. I'm never leaving your side, Chris. I'll always be there for you, forever."

By now the sun has already set and the moon is shining bright among the billion of stars twinkling in the dark night sky.

She and I pack our things as we get into my car and go to my apartment to spend the rest of the night. 

Aurora had changed into her pajamas and we wrapped ourselves with a fluffy blanket on my couch as we started watching the first Lion King movie.

Now we're at the second movie, but she has fallen fast asleep, with her head resting on my shoulder as she has her arm intertwined with mine.

I feel my phone vibrating so I take it from where it was put on the arm of the couch, careful not to wake Aurora.

I unlock it and smile at the picture of my and her before I open the text I received from Ella.

Hey, Chris!
Is Rora with you? She's not answering her phone so I'm worried.

Yeah, don't worry. She's fast asleep. We're at my place.

Wait is she really?

Yes, why are you surprised?

Because Aurora has trouble falling asleep especially when she's not at home.
I guess she considers you home. Aww.

Oh...
Well she's home to me too.

Take care of her alright? You mean a lot to her.

I will. She means the world to me too.

I turn off my phone and look at my sleeping best friend with a smile, turning off the TV and carrying her to my bed, where she'd be more comfortable. I come back to the couch and lay down, eventually drifting to sleep with happy dreams awaiting me.

Her name suits her perfectly. Her smile is as bright at the aurora borealis, and is as beautiful and peaceful as sleeping beauty.