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[Sara]

Sara sat silently on the stone edge of one of the few large angels that stood towering over the graveyard. She was supposed to be in a class right now. Though she never bothered to go before, why would she start now? Slowly her legs kicked back and forth her gaze focused on they sky. She wasn't crazy. Not..really at least. She just believed strongly in something no one else did. And that got her stuck at this poor excuse for a school. She let out a soft sigh then slowly laid down on her back.

Slowly a soft hum passed her lips, the tune closely modeled Miss Marry Mack, though the tone was much more depressed. The dreary tune didn't carry far, and when it was done the girl spoke " What wonders will fall upon me today?" she said softly then went back to humming.

[hafiz]

Once again, Hafiz had decided to go for a stroll, with no particular destination in mind.
This time, he had somehow ended up on the campus of Sword and Cross. But this didn't bother him in the slightest.
He wasn't even fazed by the fact that he was walking in a graveyard.

As he walked at his casual pace, he tied his hair up in that samurai ponytail.
Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed a girl sitting by one of the giant stone angels. She was humming what sounded like a rather dreary tune.

"Hi there!" Hafiz said to her in a slightly upbeat tone.

[Sara]

Sara nearly feel off the gravestone as she tried to quickly sit up. A faint sigh passed her lips " I thought you were a teacher." she said then tilted her head faintly " Are you new here?" she asked curiously slowly standing up her hands hanging limply at her sides. This boy looked... familiar. She gave a faint frown then pushed the feeling from her mind. That was silly she'd know his name if they had ever met. She licked her lips then smiled her hands slowly folding behind her back as she sat back down on the edge of the stone.

Her gaze shifted up to the sky a long moment before she bit her lip again her gaze shifted back to the boy before her awaiting his answer.

[hafiz]

Hafiz tried to stifle a laugh, but failed.

"Me? A teacher? I'm a bartender. The only thing I could probably teach you is how to make drinks," he grinned.
"And am I new here? Well, this isn't my first time walking on the campus, but I'm not a student."

Something about this girl tugged at his heart. Like he was supposed to know who she was. She didn't look familiar to him, so this had to be the first time they had met.
But, being Hafiz, he wasn't going to let it bother him.

"What's your name, sweetheart?" he asked, smiling as he placed his hands behind his head.

[Sara]

As Hafiz laughed Sara smiled and shook her head " I'm not a big drinker honestly." she said then nodded " Well, that's good. Being a student here would suck." she said and rolled her eyes a little her gaze shifting up the hill. "if you've been on campus before...how did you avoid all the reds?" she asked curiously. Her gaze shifted back to him and she smiled.

"My name is Sara, what is yours?" she asked absentmindedly stepping closer to him her gaze still on his face. The more she watched him, the more she was sure she knew him but the more she thought the less she remembered. This was so strange, Sara had never felt this way before. Even for her parents - obviously-.

[hafiz]

"Pleasure to meet you, Sara. And my name is Hafiz," he grinned.
"It sounds weird, I know. It's an Arabic name, and it means guardian."

His head tilted ever so slightly at the word 'reds'.

"What are 'reds'?" he asked. That feeling that was tugging at his heart felt like it was getting stronger. He tried not to let it bother him, but it was becoming difficult to do that.

[Sara]

"Hafiz." she repeated slowly a soft smile slowly playing her lips as she did. " it's a very lovely name. Uncommon too." she gave a soft chuckle then swayed faintly her gaze shifting up the hill " reds... cameras, how did you get past all of them? There aren't that many blank spots, this is actually one of the few. " she said her gaze shifting back to him.

" How did you get in? I want to get out" she said and took a step closer to him this time not caring if he noticed. "Show me how to get out of here" her voice was almost pleading as she spoke her last words

[hafiz]

Hafiz mouthed the word "oh" when she Sara explained what 'reds' were.

He could hear the desperation in her voice when she asked him how he had gotten in, and that she wanted to get out. He noticed she had gotten closer to him, and that feeling tugging at his heart grew even stronger.

His mind raced as he tried to think of an explanation as to how he got there. Normally, he didn't pay too much attention.

Then he remembered: he had been flying, but only for a short time, long enough to somehow land in Cross and Sword's grounds.

"So, you're wanting out of here. huh?" he asked. "If that's true, then I can help you, sweetheart."

He pulled his hair from its ponytail, and held out the piece of cloth he was using to hold it up.

"On one condition: you have to cover your eyes with this."

It wasn't that he didn't trust this girl. He just didn't want her to find out that he was a Fallen Angel.

[Sara]

Sara's face lit up as he said he could help, she found herself with the strongest urge to hug him. She of course resisted, she had no idea who this man was. Which made all these strange feelings odd to her, this want to be close to him especially.

" I do want out! This place is so horrid" she said as she watched his hair fall back down around his face, a blush slowly appeared on her cheeks. She bit her lip faintly then slowly took the cloth from his hands. For the faintest of seconds their skin touched and a chill ran through her body the blush now deepening. Her gaze shifted up to meet his. " Alright." she said softly slowly pulling her hand away the cloth now finding it's way up to her eyes. Slowly she tied it off one of her hands slightly out in front of her, helpless against whatever the man before her would try to do.

Why was she doing this? Had anyone else told her to do this she would have shot them down, even if it meant getting out of this dreadful school. So why did she feel so trusting of this man? Why was her heart racing at the thought of their hands touching again?

[hafiz]

For the moment she touched his hand, a chill ran down his spine. Not out of fear, but of excitement. Something about Sara felt so familiar, but he still couldn't figure it out.

He waved a hand in front of her face to make sure she couldn't see anything, then proceeded to the next step.

"I'll need you to hold on tight, okay?" he whispered as he pulled her close to him, embracing her. Holding her like this, he felt as if he never wanted to let go. He wished they could stay like that forever.

But, he quickly snapped back from the dreamy state, blushing ever so slightly.

"Let me know when you're ready," he whispered.

[Sara]

Sara nodded and rested her head against his chest a faint content sigh passing her lips as she did. She couldn't get past the feeling that she'd already done this before... but what was this? Her hands clutched to his shirt faintly her heart racing. Oh how she longed to undrestand what was going on, her cheeks were hot as she nodded slowly " I.. I think i'm ready" she said finally ten let out a faint nervous laugh as she held even tighter to him.Silently she breathed in his smell, the oh so familiar smell that caused her to feel slightly dizzy. She licked her lips faintly and ever so slightly nuzzled against him.

"I love you" she whispered under her breath, as fast as it came she tensed, what was wrong with her? This was all so weird! Never in her life had she told anyone she loved them, yet this man she barely knew had the power to cause her to say it. What was it about him that made her feel so safe? She didn't know and honestly this being blindfolded and clinging to him was starting to feel all to weird.

[hafiz]

He heard her whisper she was ready. He summoned his wings into view. Having barely used them, they were barely damaged.

"Here we go," he said as he prepared to take flight.

He heard her whisper that she loved him, right before he leapt into the air, holding her tightly to him.

He flew on his back, keeping her above him in the event they crashed. He was supposed to be paying attention to where they were going, but his mind and his heart were racing after what Sara had said.

That odd feeling that had been tugging at his heart all this time. . .it was love. She loved him, and he loved her. She was his butterfly. He had planned on finding his butterfly, to be sure. But never in all his years of existence, did he think it would happen like this.

He quickly snapped back to reality when he felt the pain of his wings beginning to break. He closed them as fast as his could, forcing them to vanish from sight.

The two of them glided on air for a moment before they began to fall. Rising up to meet them was a forest.

Acting as quickly as he could, Hafiz summoned a translucent blue barrier around himself and Sara.

They fell through the trees, breaking branches as they went down.

With a loud thud, they hit the ground.

The barrier dissipated, leaving Hafiz lying on his back, and Sara's head resting against his chest.

"Well. . .that was rather exciting," he said breathlessly.
"Are you okay?" he asked her.

[Sara]

Sara let out a faint gasp as she felt her feet leave the ground, though she didn't think much on it. Her mind was to clouded by this need to be closer to him, this want for his affection his attention. Her head was swimming with so many thoughts she hardly noticed she was several feet off the ground, nor did she have any idea what he was, what she was. None of it probably would for a while.. if he even decided to tell her.

Her mind had drifted off, she could vaguely picture him standing at a cliff wings coming out of his back. As fast as it had started it had gone, for she suddenly felt like she was falling. Her arms clutched tighter to his shirt her whole body tensed tightly her face now buried into his chest as the sound of branches breaking fell all around her. she tired to scream but no sound came. When they finally stopped and he spoke Sara was shaking. "Y-yeah..I'm...alright" she said softly her voice shaking as bad as her body.

Her hands still held at a death grip to his shirt her forehead still against his chest. Even though she was pretty sure they weren't moving anymore she was to afraid to actually look, to even move to be honest. She probably wouldn't have even if she wasn't scared out of her mind. Being here in his arms felt just.. right like this is where she belonged. Suddenly she gasped then took deep breaths it dawning at her that she had stopped breathing since she last spoke.

[hafiz]

(To be continued in "We're not lost. . ." in the Endless Forest)