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It's no secret that Anemone has a massive crush on Tamarin. She's liked Tamarin from their first meeting. Anemone still remembers that day perfectly.
--
Anemone flounced into the school, Pike on her tail as always. She tried to hide her disgruntlement at that fact.
"I didn't think it would be this small," she commented.
Her brother, whose name she forgot but who traveled with her, ducked his head. "I think it's nice," he mumbled. She rolled her eyes and ignored him.
"Ah, you're here!" Tsunami jumped up to the trio with a wide grin. "I've been waiting for you! Here, I can show you guys your winglets. We're still just getting everyone rounded up right now, so, um, it's a little chaotic, but I love it. This is going to be a great year. You, what's your name?"
Anemone's nameless brother flinched. "T-Turtle?" he said.
"Ok TuhTurtle, come with me. Pike, you're in the Gold Winglet and Anemone's in the Silver Winglet, ok?" Tsunami left, dragging TuhTurtle along with her and chatting endlessly on the way.
"Hmm," Anemone said. "I don't remember her being that annoying."
"I'll get you to your winglet first," Pike said, "then I'll go to mine."
Anemone bristled. "I can get to my own winglet just fine, thanks. You know what? I'll get you to your winglet, then I'll go to mine!"
Pike winced. "But-"
"That's an order." He didn't seem happy about it, but he bowed his head in acceptance.
Anemone looked around for a few seconds. "So… where's the Gold Winglet?"
"Over here, Princess." He led her to a sign that read "The Gold Winglet," under which only one dragon was standing. A RainWing, with dark blue scales flaked with light yellow ones. Anemone inhaled sharply when the RainWing smiled.
"You're in the Gold Winglet, too?" she said.
"Yes," Pike said, drawing out the word. "I'm the SeaWing. Pike."
She nodded. "Tamarin." Her voice was soft and melodical and made it hard for Anemone to remember to breathe. Tamarin, the beautiful RainWing, turned in Anemone's direction. "And you?"
"N-no!"
Tamarin blinked. "No?"
"No, I'm not in the Gold Winglet." Get it together, Anemone! Don't be awkward! Though spending the majority of her life tied to her mother didn't do her social skills any favors. "I'm- I'm Anemone, I'm in the, uh, Silver Winglet, I was just guiding Pike over here. Because, you know. I'm a princess. A SeaWing princess."
Too braggy? Not braggy enough? Tamarin's tranquil smile was hard to read. She looked like she was meditating.
"Nice to meet you, Anemone the SeaWing Princess from the Silver Winglet."
"Yes. Nice to be met." What is wrong with me?!
But Tamarin laughed. Tamarin laughed, and Anemone's breath somehow escaped her, because no one should be allowed to make a noise that sweet. And the sweet, soft laugh gave Anemone just a bit of confidence, just enough to keep talking.
"So, Tamarin… we should have dinner together. You're free tonight, right?'
Tamarin hummed in thought. "I believe I am."
"Then yes. You, me, dinner, tonight. Good. Glad we got that figured out. Um- I'm going to go to my winglet now. Goodbye."
"Goodbye, Princess."
When Tamarin said 'Princess,' it wasn't the same as when Pike or anyone else said it. It was almost a new word, and made Anemone's heart flutter in a way that should be illegal.
But if she had to arrest Tamarin for crimes against Anemone's heart, she'd have to wait till the next day. She didn't want to miss out on dinner.
--
It took a bit longer for Tamarin to reciprocate the feelings. There was no one specific moment in which she fell, but there was a moment in which she realized that she was in the process of doing so. That remains one of Tamarin's most treasured memories.
--
"Why do you like it here?"
Such a normal question that meant so much more than it should. Anemone was not an asker. She wasn't interested in knowing more about strangers, and Tamarin knew that. So this question conveyed more meaning than a request for why Tamarin enjoyed the valley.
"It's quiet," Tamarin started. "The Academy gets overwhelming sometimes. I come here to relax."
"Hm." A small noise to show that Anemone was listening. A while ago, Tamarin had mentioned that she was never quite sure whether someone was actually listening or just pretending to, and ever since, Anemone had made little sounds to show that she was still paying attention.
"And it feels nice." Tamarin stretched out her wings from where she was lying on the flowers. "The Academy has stone everywhere. The flowers are so much softer."
"Yeah." But the thing about the small sounds was that they never changed the conversation. Anemone never made a noise that turned the conversation onto herself. Knowing Anemone? Tamarin knew that she must be making a conscious effort for that.
"And… it reminds me of home. The rainforest." Tamarin inhaled deeply. The flower valley didn't have the smells of all the animals of the rainforest, but at least it had the smell of plants and flowers.
"Mm." A pause followed. Tamarin had nothing more to say, but Anemone didn't say anything, either- maybe she was waiting to make sure Tamarin was done. "So, why did you take me here?"
Why had Tamarin taken Anemone here? The only other dragon that Tamarin had shown was Kinkajou, and even then, only because she thought Kinkajou would appreciate that it had a similar atmosphere to the rainforest.
But Tamarin was taking Anemone for her own benefit. She wanted Anemone to see this. She wanted Anemone to understand why Tamarin came here all the time. She wanted Anemone to know her better. She wanted to know whether Anemone would like her if she admitted all her flaws, all her mistakes, all her secrets. She wanted to know Anemone's flaws, mistakes, and secrets. And she doubted that she'd think less of Anemone for any of them.
When Tamarin didn't answer, Anemone continued, "I mean, it's nice. I like it here. It feels like you." Tamarin smiled. "But why me, why here?"
In the past couple weeks, Anemone had always initiated the times in which they would hang out. Anemone would ask to study together, Anemone would invite Tamarin to the pool, Anemone would bring Tamarin along to parties, Anemone, Anemone, Anemone. This was the first time Tamarin took Anemone somewhere. And this was a very important somewhere. She wouldn't show it to just anybody.
She took another deep breath and said, "I don't know."
But she did know. She knew that she was falling in love with Anemone. Hard. And she knew that it might already be too late to turn back, to return to the safety of her heart being her own.
And she was ok with that.