Skyler was crouched by the pond, sorting through a bundle of herbs under the silver glow of the moon, when she felt that now-familiar presence nearby. She didn't even bother looking up.
"Let me guess," she said, rolling her eyes as she plucked a handful of rosemary. "You're here to add 'annoying warlock' to my already growing list of problems?"
"Glad to be of service," came the smug reply, and Noah stepped into the moonlight with a grin that practically sparkled with mischief. "Besides, I thought I'd do you a favor—give you some real entertainment instead of those boring plants."
Skyler snorted, tossing the rosemary into her bag. "If you're what passes for 'real entertainment' in the Obsidian Circle, no wonder you have to sneak over here for excitement. I'd say I'm surprised, but somehow... I'm not."
Noah chuckled, unbothered, and plopped down on the grass beside her, stretching out with all the grace of a cat. "Trust me, this place is the only escape from the circus I call my life."
Skyler raised an eyebrow, glancing at him with a mix of suspicion and curiosity. She was used to his smirks and sarcasm, but tonight, he looked almost... tired. "The almighty Obsidian Circle? Trouble in paradise?"
He let out a humorless laugh, grabbing a twig and lazily tossing it into the pond. "Paradise is putting it mildly. It's more like a collection of moody warlocks competing to see who can out-gloom the other."
She stifled a laugh, feigning shock as she pressed a hand to her heart. "Gloom? Isn't that, like, your whole thing? I thought you guys were required to brood at all times. Aren't you docked points if you so much as crack a smile?"
Noah smirked, rolling his eyes. "If only it were that simple. But you know, all the curses, the endless plotting, the 'mysterious' dark magic... it's a little much, even for me."
Skyler blinked, genuinely taken aback. "You, tired of darkness? Next thing I know, you'll be growing daisies and skipping through fields."
"Don't push it," he said with a laugh, though his usual edge had softened. "But sometimes, even I need a break from the doom-and-gloom scene. That's why I come here. You're all light, herbs, and happy little spells, kind of like my own personal nature documentary."
She rolled her eyes, though there was a hint of a smile tugging at her lips. "Oh, is that what this is to you? A break from your brooding schedule?"
"Pretty much," he said with a shrug, smirking as he plucked a blade of grass and twirled it between his fingers. "It's the most peaceful thing in my life, even with you lecturing me on the 'proper use' of magic."
"Lecturing?" She raised an eyebrow. "More like preventing you from ruining this place with your 'dark warlock charm.'"
He laughed, that infuriating grin returning as he leaned back on his hands. "Fair enough. Guess I like a little light once in a while. Even if it's annoyingly wholesome."
They fell into a companionable silence, the quiet settling around them like a blanket. Skyler glanced over at him, seeing something in his expression that wasn't there before—a softness, a vulnerability he usually kept hidden behind sarcasm. It was almost... humanizing.
"So..." she said, her tone a bit softer than she intended. "You come here to escape?"
He let out a low chuckle, his gaze drifting to the pond. "Yeah, something like that. Not that I'd ever admit it in front of my coven. Can you imagine? I'd be stripped of my brooding license on the spot."
"Oh, tragic," she replied, smirking. "How would you ever survive without it? I'm sure there's a whole training regimen for looking dark and mysterious."
"Dark and mysterious is an art," he said. "You wouldn't understand. It takes years of practice."
Skyler laughed, shaking her head.
"Exasperating, maybe," he said, grinning at her. "But admit it, you'd miss me if I stopped showing up here."
She scoffed, but there was a flicker of truth in his words that she couldn't deny. As much as Noah's presence annoyed her, there was something about these evenings in Moonstone Vale that felt... different. Special, even. Against all logic, he'd somehow wormed his way into her sanctuary, and a part of her almost looked forward to seeing him there.
"Believe me, I've considered running the other way," she replied, a hint of teasing in her tone.
He laughed, a sound that was surprisingly genuine. "It's nice, though. This whole... not-hating-each-other thing."
"Agreed," she said, her voice softer now, almost thoughtful. "Who knows? Maybe you'll learn to embrace a bit of brightness. Just don't tell your coven. I wouldn't want to ruin your reputation."
"Oh, they'd love that," he replied, his voice dripping with sarcasm. "I'd be the disgrace of the Obsidian Circle, the warlock who dared to dabble in friendship and sunlight."
Skyler rolled her eyes, but she couldn't help the warmth that bloomed in her chest at his words. "I think you'll survive."
For a moment, they just sat there, the silence stretching between them. But it wasn't the usual, comfortable silence. This one was charged, heavy with something unspoken. When she glanced over at him, she found him watching her, his gaze intense and unwavering. Gone was the teasing grin or the cocky smirk. In its place was something raw, something real that made her heart skip a beat.
"You know," he said quietly, almost to himself, "you're not what I expected. All light and goodness... but there's something stronger there. Something... deeper."
Skyler swallowed, suddenly feeling a bit vulnerable herself. "Careful," she replied, trying to sound lighthearted. "People might think you're going soft."
"Only a little," he admitted.
Before she could think twice, she reached out, her hand finding his, resting there like it belonged. It was a bold move, one that defied all the rules and expectations she'd been raised with. But somehow, in that moment, it felt as natural as breathing.
"Guess you'll be back tomorrow?" she asked, her voice almost tentative.
"Wouldn't miss it," he replied, his usual smirk replaced by something softer, more genuine. "And maybe I'll even consider bringing some light into my gloomy existence."
Skyler grinned, squeezing his hand. "Good. About time someone saved you from yourself."
They sat like that, their hands intertwined, a comfortable silence settling over them as the moon cast its glow across the Vale. For the first time, Skyler felt like her world was a little more complete and maybe, his was too.