It was hard at first, but having to look after Angel really forced me to get out of bed. I was so tired all the time, the idea of sleeping was just so tempting...

But I knew I'd seriously disappoint Aaron if I neglected her. Also Angel, which I couldn't have. She was just so adorable... couldn't take those adorable blue eyes looking at me with scorn... nope.

She didn't technically need as much attention as I was giving her, but she deserved it. Besides, she made me feel better, a lot better. It was nice to have peaceful company, one no one would get jealous over. Well, Alex got a little jealous because he wanted to pet her too, but other than that.

Animals are great.

Life had been going on pretty fast without me. The others just finished their midterms but I of course did not...

The longer I stay away from school the more likely it is that I won't be going back...

I'm going to have to accept that.

At the moment I don't have the energy to care, but I know future me is going to have regrets.

I sighed as I stared down at Angel. She was currently munching on come celery in my lap, seeming perfectly content.

I smiled at her warmly and gently petted her head.

"You're so adorable." I chuckled, just as I began to hear thumping from the hallway.

I looked up just as Aaron opened the door, and he smiled at me. "How's she doing?"

"As adorable as ever." I smiled down at her as he took his coat off.

He's gone back to his usual busy schedule lately, which I was really glad about. I hated affecting his life like that. Despite the fact I miss him when he's gone, this is for the best.

I mean, just casually miss him, not like..miss him miss him...or anything...

I looked up at him when I noticed him staring at me with a smile. "What?" I chuckled.

"Nothing...you two just get along well." He said and I smirked.

"Only because I give her food, I'm not sure she'd care otherwise."

He sat down next to me with a bright smile and I raised a brow at him. "Why are you in such a good mood?"

"Hm? ...No reason." He stared down at the guinea pig and I gave him a look.

"Okay..."

"Have you cleaned her out today?"

"Yup..."

"And everything else?"

"...Yup."

"Great, then you won't mind taking Russell for a walk with me."

"Ugh but I'm so tireddd." I huffed dramatically and leaned against him. "How do you have so much energy..."

"I eat right and get enough exercise."

"Ugh but exercise would be painful."

"It's painful for me sometimes too."

"Well good for you, Mr. Willpower or whatever."

I heard him sigh before he suddenly twisted his torso and wrapped his arms around my waist.

Oh, hello... What's he doing.

"How about you come with me during the day instead of hanging out here all the time?" He asked with his head close to mine.

"What, you mean to the sanctuary?"

"And the daycare, and my college too if you're up for it."

"And look after Angel at the same time? Impossible."

"Well I'm sure it won't take much convincing to get Caleb and Alex to help out with the guinea pig."

"Why..."

"Why what?"

"What would I gain from being driven mad by kids and hanging out at your college?"

"Exercise, purpose...and you'd keep me company." He said and I chuckled.

"Oh, thought you had friends?" I teased and he smirked.

"I do have friends, Riley."

"Then what's wrong with their company?"

"Nothing, I just prefer yours." He stated quietly, and my cheeks grew warm.

Uhhhhh.

"Okay, sure. I'll go." I agreed, although it might of been to release the tension rather than wanting to.

"Great! Let's go on a walk." He chuckled as he stood up and I watched him suspiciously.

Was he purposefully doing that...no he couldn't be. That's not his character...and he doesn't... know... right?

I hope not.

Oh lord, am I too obvious or something.

I got up and followed him out silently, then paused when I realised what I was doing.

What the, I don't want to go on a dog walk...

Ugh, goddamn it.

I grimaced as Aaron made a loud whistling noise, and gathered the lead as the large lump of a dog came barrelling into the hallway.

"Where's Hunter anyways?" I asked as he patted him and opened the door.

"Studying." He answered, making me bite my lip.

Right, school...

I followed him outside, perhaps less enthusiastically than Russell. The evening air was warm and breezy.

I guess it's nice to get outside.

I no longer had my eye patch, and my eyes weren't so sensitive. My right eye was blurred, but my left was nearly fully healed.

It felt good to be able to look around and appreciate the scenery again.

I had my stitches on my waist taken out yesterday, so the skin felt a little sore, but other than that it was completely healed. With a giant ugly ass scar of course.

Aaron still had his hand bandaged... I noticed it caused him pain a lot...made me feel awful.

"What are you staring at?" Aaron asked and I looked up at him.

"Everything...green stuff. Leaves I guess."

"Leaves are great." He snickered.

"Not just leaves, I mean the woods in general, it's good to appreciate nature. Now that I can see it again."

"Don't have to tell me that." He smiled, waiting for me to catch up and walk next to him.

"Are you sure there aren't any more traps out here?" I asked in concern as Russell charged through the bushes.

"Yes, we had a team of people sweep the surrounding forest twice. Well, not we, the rangers organised it because it's their land."

The what.

"They didn't find that treehouse of yours did they?" I chuckled.

"No, that's further out. Maybe they have though, I haven't been there in a while."

"How far?" I frowned.

"A few miles."

"Damn, how big is this forest."

"Pretty big."

"So if I just ran in that direction I would like, never be seen again." I commented and he snorted.

"Uh, well, knowing you, yes, but technically you'll reach civilisation eventually." He chuckled and I gave him a look.

"I could totally survive out here."

"Hmm..."

"Ruuddeee."

"Hang on, I have something to show you." He smiled and then headed in a different direction.

"Uh, okay."

"It's just a little further."

"What is it..." I frowned, clueless as to what he could be showing me.

I looked around to make sure the dog was still following, before walking faster to catch up.

I began to get a little impatient when we just kept on going...damn this man's level of energy.

Ugh I'm going to have to walk back this distance as well...

Gross.

He stopped and smiled back at me at the top of a short rocky incline, and I huffed dramatically.

"Wow yeah these are great, quality rocks right here." I commented and he shook his head at me with a smile.

"Don't give up yet, just come up here, I promise it's worth it."

Ugggh.

I steadily chambered up the rocks, trying to not act too ungraceful before staring in front of me.

Oh wow.

"Shit...it really goes on for miles." I mumbled, walking to the edge of the cliff face and staring out into the green sea of trees.

I'm so glad I can still see... I'd hate to miss things like this.

"Yep, really puts it into perspective how small and insignificant we are compared to this large unforgiving earth." He mumbled and I gave him a look.

"Daw, you always know how to make me feel better about myself." I smirked and he chuckled.

"Well, maybe it helps you realise how pointless it is to worry about your place in the world. You don't need to do something amazing with your life because there are too many people already doing that. You can just live your life and enjoy it and not care about what other insignificant little humans think. In the end we're just dust, alive for seconds in comparison to how old the universe is."

Jesus Christ man.

"I'm sorry, didn't know I was going on a walk with a philosopher, calm down." I chuckled and he smiled.

"Yeah I probably contemplate life a little too much..." He trailed off, staring at the landscape as I looked at him.

I smiled at the way the evening sun made his eyes look a little golden, and his loose hair waving in the light breeze.

This man bewilders me.

"You're staring in the wrong direction." He smiled without looking at me and I narrowed my eyes.

How does he always know that.

"I'm just thinking about how weird you are."

"Compared to you I probably fall short in that department." He said seriously.

"Wow, rude!" I gasped and he chuckled.

"Come on, we should get back before it gets too dark." He said as he turned around, and I gave the landscape one more glance before following him.

---

I wasn't very impressed when Aaron got me up early the next morning. He really was serious about taking me to the daycare.

Ugh. Children.

He gave me an eyepatch because he was worried I'd scare the children. I would have been slightly offended if that wasn't such a hilarious concept.

I was left sitting in the reception for some time while Aaron filled out some paperwork. Apparently he had to prove I wasn't a random murderer or something, makes sense.

I kept watching him as he talked to the other staff, just wondering what was going through his head.

Why would you want to volunteer at a daycare. He's not even paid. He's bizarre. Unusual, insane.

Why did I agree to this.

Ugggh.

"Come on Sunshine." He smiled as he walked up to me and I reluctantly stood up.

"I'm not taking responsibility if I make them all cry you know." I huffed, feeling unusually anxious.

Uggghh I hate this.

Just suck it up and go see the small creatures.

"You won't make them cry." He smiled. "And don't worry even if you do, they cry all the time."

"Hm. That's concerning."

"That's children."

I sighed as we walked into the classroom. There were a few kids inside, but most were outside in the sun. Well that's a relief at least.

I paused as I looked at the hangers. They all had names and symbols. The ones that were high up must have been the staff's. They were all named after planets, apart from one, which was the moon.

"Is that yours?" I chuckled as I pointed to it, and he smiled.

"Yes."

"Why would you be a tiny little moon when everyone else has giant planets...is there a sun?"

"No, I just felt like being the moon."

"Are you saying you're significantly less important than the rest of the staff?"

"I think the moon's very important, certainly to us. We can go without Neptune but if there was no moon there'd be no light at night. Nothing to guide you in the darkness."

"Should have known there'd be some strange deep meaning behind it."

"Well, it's mostly just personal."

"You really like moons?"

"No Riley, how about you go outside and stop procrastinating from seeing the children."

"I'm not procrastinating...can't I just hang out with these shy indoor kids."

"If you were a shy kid that would rather be inside on a sunny day than interact with other people, would you like it if a random eyepatched man you'd never met before came up to you in your safe space?"

"Haha, man."

"Yes Riley, you're a man, despite not acting like it. And you'll certainly look like one to a toddler."

"Ruuddeee."

"How about you go see Lily, she loves strangers, and she'd be very excited to meet you."

"Um, do I want to know why?"

"You'll find out why if you go see her."

Hmm...

I begrudgingly walked outside into the sun, immediately being surrounded by screaming hyperactive children.

Ugh, why am I so willing to put myself through this for this man.

Just, try to keep your composure...they're just... smaller, stupid humans.

A giant group of children immediately ran up to Aaron and he crouched down and said hello.

I couldn't help but smile at them before a little girl approached me and tugged on my jeans.

Shiiiitt.

I looked down at her and blinked in surprise. Oh.

"Are you Riley?" The girl's high pitch voice questioned.

"I...am.. I'm guessing you're Lily. How do you know about me?"

She smiled at me, one large eye patch covering her left eye. "He told me about you."

I'm assuming 'he' is Aaron.

"I like your eyepatch." I forced myself to smile and she giggled.

"Mines got decorations. Can I decorate yours?"

Uhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Nooooo thank you.

I blinked at her as she smiled at me happily.

"Sure, sounds like fun."

Please kill me.

I looked over to Aaron, who was still on the ground interacting with his small posse of admirers.

Damnit Aaron, why have you forsaken me so.

I chewed on the inside of my lip as she asked me to sit down on a stump near an adorable pink table. She giggled and whispered to two girls that approached and I began to have a feeling of dread build within me.

Aaron please help meee.

"What happened to your eye?" One girl asked me, and Lily elbowed her.

"A bad man hurt it." I smiled.

"Can I see it?"

"I don't want to scare you."

"I'm not scared! We see Lilly's eye all the time."

"Yeah, mines gone, wanna see the hole?" She began lifting up her eyepatch and I grit my teeth.

"It's best you don't keep taking it off." I warned. "Don't want to mess up your decorating."

"I've got pink glitter." The other girl interrupted, holding a box of sparkly glitters and sequins.

Oh no.

-

I was covered in glitter by the time the small humans were done with me.  Apparently decorating to them meant covering it in glue and then throwing sparkly stuff at it. My face did not enjoy the procedure, but I could tell Aaron found it plenty amusing as he watched from afar.

Eventually he came over to try and save me, but ended up having his hair braided and glitter sprinkled into his beard.

Sweet justice.

I would have been annoyed by his constant smirking and chuckling if I didn't find his appearance equally as amusing.

I managed to sneak away when they started wanting to cover themselves in glitter and Aaron had to explain to them why they couldn't.

However the wilds of the playground were hard to battle alone. I had to spend half an hour explaining to a bunch of boys that I wasn't a pirate and didn't have a treasure map for them to steal. And then another half an hour trying to get two kids to share the two dolls they had. Not really sure why it was such a hard concept for them but whatever.

Eventually I got weighed down by two kids who thought seeing who could cling onto my legs the longest was a fun and totally acceptable game. And then got ambushed by a bunch of terrifyingly talkative kids who for some reason knew a shit ton about me already.

What does Aaron tell these children?

After I escaped the talkers I headed to the shade of the patio and stayed near the door. I thought I was safe there, but then had one of the indoor kids approach me.

She seemed a little bashful, and I was concerned they were going to ask me something super bizarre but they handed me a drawing instead.

It seemed like a bunch of scribbles at first, but eventually I worked out that it was a stick figure of me with an eye patch and Aaron with a pirate hat. Despite the drawing being awful it made me smile.

Okay, kids can be cute sometimes.

Sometimes.

She didn't say anything else, just ran back to her table and sat down chewing on her hair.

I retrieved a pencil and paper and drew her on a ship with some treasure, and handed it to her.

She looked at it for a long while and then giggled and hugged my leg.

Ookaay.

Why are these things obsessed with my legs. They're like kittens.

Loud, bald, overgrown kittens.

She didn't leave, just followed me outside when I tried to get away.

Welp, looks like I made a friend at my first day of kindergarten. Something I thought I'd never cross off my list.

She hid behind my legs whenever other children approached me, which worked as a deterrent sometimes. Introverts uniteeeee.

However some were so obnoxious they didn't even notice her, and I began to gather a posse of my own.

I looked at Aaron with pleading eyes and he eventually made his way over to me.

"I think it's time for lunch. And we must get going." Aaron smiled and the kids made a bunch of noises.

The shy girl gripped onto my legs and shook her head. I mouthed the words 'help me' and he chuckled before leaning down.

"Hey Danny, don't you want your sandwich? I heard you all get an ice lolly today too." He smiled and she quickly ran off inside.

"Nicely done." I chuckled as the horde of children ran indoors.

"She likes you."

"She drew this beautiful drawing of us see." I handed him the paper. "It captures you perfectly." I commented and he laughed and smiled at it.

"That's adorable...I can't see it." He tilted it a little and I chuckled before pointing it out. "Ah, yes you're right, that's definitely me."

"I drew her something too and then she wouldn't let me escape."

"Well let's get going while they're distracted." He gently guided me in the direction of a side gate and I didn't hesitate to make my way out of it.

I surviveddddd.

"See, you like children after all." He commented as we walked and I looked back at him.

"I liked some of those children, in this situation, where they're not misbehaving. That's about it."

"Well, it's better than your viewpoint this morning, a step in the right direction I'd say." He smiled and I shook my head at him.

"Sure."

"Do you want to go somewhere for lunch?"

"Okay, aren't you tired after all that though?"

"No, usually I head straight to the sanctuary after this, or college."

"Ugggh." I huffed. "You might want to dust the sprinkles out of your hair though."

"So should you." He smiled, walking up to me and taking my eyepatch off. He ruffled my hair as it snowed pink glitter.

I chuckled as I reached over and started undoing the the messy braids in his hair.

"Your hair might need more attention than mine." I commented as I tried to shake the glitter out and he grimaced. "Aren't these bad for the environment?"

"These ones are biodegradable."

"Ah, of course." I smirked.

I bit my lip in concentration as I tried to get all of the pink out of his hair and paused when I noticed him smiling at me.

"What?" I chuckled, and he shook his head before leaning forward and resting his forehead against mine. "What's up...?" I wondered quietly and he let out a heavy breath, staying still for a while.

I have this really strong urge to...

I stood back suddenly, making him look up. I smiled and chuckled a little. "We should get going...don't want them coming after me.." I said, looking back at the building.

"They'll only come after you if you don't come back, they'll be expecting your return I'm sure."

"Whattt."

"You're one of us now, you can't escape. They were very angry at me for staying away for so long earlier." He joked and I chuckled.

"If you plead convincingly enough I may