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Nova had honestly never been happier.
They had done it. They had combined their moonstones and healed the orchards. They had come together, as one people, and solved the problem that was affecting all of them.
She couldn’t have stopped smiling if she tried.
She was currently sitting by the campfire, in the light of the early morning while everyone else packed up their things from camp.
They were all headed home for the fall, but they had made a promise to start having more visits to each others cities, and to return to camp next summer.
From across the fire, she watched as so many Daywalkers that she knew, talked and laughed with vampire kids, that they would have tried to kill only a week earlier.
It made her smile. This was all that she had wanted. She just wanted for everyone to finally understand, that they could co-exist. That they could be different, and still be friends.
On top of the vampire cabin porch, she could see Victor and Vargas chatting. They seemed to be playfully arguing, but laughing all the same.
Victor looked… good. He looked like he finally didn’t have the weight of the world on his shoulders. His hair was falling into his eyes, his shoulders were relaxed, and an easy smile was on his face.
When he saw her looking, his smile widened slightly, and he raised a hand in greeting.
She smiled, looking at this absolutely dorky boy, and waving back. Because even though everyone was probably looking at them and shaking their heads in exasperation, she was just too happy (and possibly in love) to care.
As she looked back across the cabins, she suddenly saw a very familiar face walking down the Daywalker cabin steps.
Ray walked slowly, like he was scared to come out, but when he saw her he froze. He stood there for a moment, looking like a deer in headlights.
Then, he shook himself, and came over to her, silently sitting down next to her.
They didn’t say anything for a minute, and about a million things that she wanted to say to him sound throughout her head. She wanted to be mad at him for betraying her. She wanted to thank him for helping her.
But mostly? She wanted him to finally agree with her. And that anticipation, was killing her.
Finally he, spoke up.
“Hey.” He said quietly.
“Hello.” She said back, glancing over at him. He laughed a little.
“God, I don’t know why this feels so awkward. I-“ He stopped, seemed to rethink his words, before sighing and turning to look at her.
“I’m sorry Nova. I should have said it sooner, and I should have meant it sooner.” He looked down, kicking the dirt.
“I was being stupid. I was too blind to trust you, and I was too stupid to see that you were right.” He shook his head, running a hand through his curls.
“You tried to tell me. And I was so brainwashedc, that I listened to your dad, over you, my oldest friend.” He looked up again, his caramely brown eyes, meeting her sky blue ones.
“I’m sorry Nov. can you ever forgive me?” He said, the last part spoken quietly. They sat there for a moment, his apology hanging thick in the air between them. Then, slowly, she stood up, and pulled him to his feet, wrapping him in a hug.
He seems surprised for a minute, before hugging her back.
“I forgive you Ray.” She said quietly. He squeezed her tighter, and she smiled.
From over Rays shoulder she could see Victor smiling at them. And when they finally let go, she saw Ray give her a look, that clearly said, “go over there!”
Who was she to ignore that?
She walked over to the vampire cabin slowly, passing Vargas, who was walking down the steps after seeing her approach, and giving her a knowing smirk, before she walked up the steps, coming to stand next to Victor.
“Hello.” She said softly, a smile on her face. He smiled back, turning to see her.
“Hi.” He said, looking down at her. She came to lean on the railing next to him, and looked over all the kids holding their bags, and waiting for their parents to come get them.
“When is your dad coming?” Victor asked, looking towards the gate. She just shook her head and waved her hand.
“Oh he’s not coming to get me, I’m going to stay and make sure camp is all locked up, and then I’m walking home on my own.”
He looked scandalized and she laughed.
“He’s busy with all this new treaty stuff, and he knows that I can get back on my own. Besides, someone has to make sure everyone gets home safely.” She said.
He looked like he wanted to say something else, but didn’t at the last minute. Then, he looked over to Ray.
“You guys figure everything out?” He asked. She nodded.
“He knows it was wrong. But he helped us in the end, and that’s what matters. I forgive him.” She glanced over at him.
“What about you and Vera?” She asked. He smiled.
“We’re good. We actually have been since the day I stole the moonstone. We talked for a minute, and she covered for me.” He shrugged, looking at where Vera was tentatively speaking to a few Daywalkers.
“She was wrong, but her heart was in the right place. We’re good.”
Nova nodded, smiling a little at the sight. Even the people who had been so against this whole thing were agreeing now.
Progress.
Just then, she noticed the small notebook in victors hand. She looked at it, a questioning look on her face.
“What’s that?” She asked gesturing at the small book. Victor looked down at it in surprise, like her forgot it was there.
“Oh this? It’s my sketchbook.” He said, running a thumb over it.
“Vargas found it, and was asking me about one of the drawings.”
Nova was shocked and asked him,
“You draw?”
He looked confused, and then nodded. He said
“Yeah, I do.” In a way, that made it seem like this was common knowledge. It was not.
And geez, on top of being the most adorable person she had ever met, he was an artist?
Lord help her.
“What drawing was Vargas asking about?” She asked, looking down at it. She noticed, that Victors cheeks turned slightly pink, at the question, and he stuttered out a response.
“Well um, it’s a, uh, old drawing. From a few months ago.” He said, looking down at the book. Curiously she stepped forward.
“Can I see?” She asked. His cheeks heated again, and he seemed to hesitate, before opening the book for her to see.
She nearly gasped at what was on the page.
It was a drawing of her, more life-like than she had ever seen, with all of her features down to a tee, even the slight dimple in her smile.
“Is that me?” She asked disbelieving. He nodded, his cheeks still slightly pink.
“Yeah, it’s supposed to be anyway. I drew this after one of my visions. But it’s all wrong now.” He said, examining it closer.
“I didn’t draw your smile right. And your hair is a lot more… I don’t know. Golden?” She laughed.
“It’s in pencil, you can’t even see what color it is. And this is amazing! You drew this just from your dreams?” She asked looking at him. He smiled.
“Well, my dream girl was taking up most of my thoughts, so I have a quite a few drawings from that time.”
She blushed, probably looking like a complete fool, and looked back at the drawing.
“It’s really good Victor. You have a lot of talent.” He smiled, a blush still painting his face and closed the book.
“Thank you.” He said quietly.
And even though she wanted to see more, and she still was marveling over the fact that he has drawn her almost perfectly MONTHS before even knowing her, there was suddenly a huge commotion.
They both looked over, and saw a ton of parents arriving at once, and a bunch of kids saying goodbyes.
She looked over at Victor, suddenly worried about him leaving, but he just looked back at her smiling.
He hesitated, then said,
“You know, my aunt is just having me fly back home later. If you want I could… walk you home? After like, locking up obviously.” He said, scratching the back of his neck.
And even though a blush was now permanently on her face, she just nodded shyly, looking away.
“Yeah sure, that would… that would be really nice.”
And he smiled then. A real, full smile, fangs and all, and she decided that maybe. Just maybe.
She was okay looking like a fool. At least for him.
———————————————————————
The salty air was cool and fresh against her face, as she walked along the beach, towards Sunnyside. The late afternoon sun was low in the sky, and the barest hints of sunset were beginning to show.
Victor walked beside her, his dark hair windblown and looking almost rogueishly handsome. His jacket sleeves were rolled up to his elbows, and his hands were in his pockets.
He had stayed behind after his friends left, and helped her clean up everything left behind.
He used wind powers to sweep away leaves and forest debris from the cabin floors and roofs, he had helped her pick up garbage, and wipe down furniture, all the while making conversation and cracking so many jokes that her ribs hurt from laughing.
Once they had finished and locked up, he had done something with the wind, where he had sent his bags home.
When she asked, he just shrugged and said that being a vampire had its perks. Then, he had done the same to hers, after she told him her address. He had written it down in his notebook as well, and when she asked him why, he just shrugged and said,
“For future reference,” with a wink, before putting it in his pocket.
She had blushed at the notion of him possibly coming to her house, and decided against warning him about her dad.
After all, her dad had thrown fireballs at him, she was fairly certain he knew.
He had insisted on walking her home. When she had pointed out that it would be dark by the time he headed back, he had just shrugged and said,
“Im a vampire. The dark is my home.”
Despite the absolute cheesiness of that statement, she supposed it was true.
They had talked in casual conversation for much of the walk, but right now they just sat in comfortable silence, as Nova tried to ignore the growing sense of dread, as she got closer to leaving him behind.
When they emerged from the arch that bordered the shores of Sunnyside from the rest of the world, she turned around to face him.
He smiled, looking at her, and rocking back on his heels, hands still in his pockets.
“So,” he said, squinting slightly under the bright sun.
“Hang out again soon?” He asked, his tone hopeful. And she just smiled nodding.
“Soon. I promise.” She said. He nodded, smiling, then he kissed her hand, and started to turn away.
“See you soon.” He said, as they both turned away.
And she turned and began to walk back to her home. But as she walked, a thousand things ran through her head.
She thought of the way he had drawn her so perfectly, already obsessed before they even met.
She thought of the day they had found the first key, when he had taken her flip in a stride, simply introducing himself with that dorky grin.
She thought of the day they had spent in the tunnel where they found the first key, the way he’d flown them across the mountain, smiling and laughing, and the way that he had looked at her when he said
“We don’t hate each other.”
And suddenly, she couldn’t leave it at that. couldn’t leave it, at such a small goodbye, couldn’t leave it at a vague “we would hang out soon.”.
Before she could stop herself, she turned around and called out,
“Wait!”
Victor stopped, and then turned around, a question in his eyes. Before she even knew what she was doing, she ran up to him, stopping directly in front of him.
And before he could ask the question that was on the tip of his smiling lips, she wrapped her arms around his neck, and kissed him.
He was surprised. Clearly. And he stumbled slightly, his arms coming to rest on her waist. But before she could pull away, reconsidering what she had done, he kissed her back, pulling her closer.
It was sweet, soft, and achingly gentle all at once. It was everything she had ever wanted.
And when she pulled back, looking at his stunned expression, and the stars in his eyes, she couldn’t stop her smile and breathless laugh if she tried.
And in that moment, they stood there, unable to keep the glowing smiles off of their faces. Because against all odds, this was where they had ended up.
Maybe true love really did conquer all.
Before either of them could say anything suddenly a massive explosion to Nova’s left and they both whipped their heads toward the sound.
They both watched in absolute amazement as a massive hurricane of water swirled into the air.
And in unison, the two of them with shocked expressions on their faces uttered the very intelligent phrase,
“Wow.”