Better Choose Carefully

Although Stolas had never been on the receiving end of Fiametta’s standoffish personality, he was not oblivious to the introverted manner she carried herself around others. He had always known her as the short spoken girl who had engaged with him first at the Samhain bonfire though, and he had only seen her blossom and come out of her shell since then. He was blissfully unaware of just how differently Fia treated him, though given enough time he would come to realize how her interactions with him differed so greatly from anyone else. Likewise, she brought out a much more confident and outgoing version of himself when he was with her. On his own, Stolas was a stoic and austere wolf akin to his sire, but with her he felt wholly alive. With Fia, Stolas felt like he had a drive and a purpose.

Fiametta remained tightlipped as she led the way for the two of them, giving him little more than cryptic encouragement as she guided him up the mountain paths in the middle of the night. All Stolas could offer was a raised eyebrow and follow behind her. He trusted her of course, but it still made him wonder what she had in store for him. Eventually Fia seemed content with their destination: a small plateau near the top of the mountain range that leveled out and offered an expansive view of the island below, the sea surrounding them, and the heavens above. Even without her patting the place next to her, Stolas was already walking up to sit beside her, gazing up in wonder at the endless sea of stars, constellations, and galaxies above their heads. "Whoa..." Haunches flopped back to the ground, the tall brute gazing up at the sky with amazement. He had never seen the sky this clear before or quite so large!

Stolas' fascinated staring was only interrupted when he felt the gentle warm pressure of Fia leaning into his side, bringing his gray gaze down to find her briefly. She was snuggling up into his side with her cheek resting on his shoulder. A little smile and flushed warmth came to the young wolf's face. Turning to look back up at the sky, Stolas tilted his head to gently rest his cheek on Fia's head, his bushy tail giving a slow and happy wag behind him like a feather duster on the ground. "You know me well," he quipped back, half amazed by the sights she had brought him to say, half stunned by his own realization. Fia knew him well. She had taken the time to learn him and his passions, and she had remembered them. Had Widow ever done the same for him? Did she even remember him wherever she was? Ordinarily, thinking on his long lost first love would have brought him pain and regret—but this time, he didn't feel anything. The memories made him feel nothing at all. All of his emotional response belonged to Fia now. She was his future, and she was worth a million of his pasts.

"Thank you," he whispered, though it wasn't clear what he was thanking her for. For the view, maybe. For getting to know him. For being a true friend. Or for being the reason he didn't hurt anymore.

"Fiametta & Stolas"