Title: Vagrant Flame part 6: Gift Swap and Foreshadowing Author: Anonymous Pastebin link: http://pastebin.com/eiGsqUaX First Edit: Wednesday 15th of January 2014 07:28:35 PM CDT Last Edit: Wednesday 15th of January 2014 07:28:35 PM CDT Things were never quite the same after that night. But then again, how could they have been?   Vagrant started sitting closer to you at the table for meals, and outright snuggled against you whenever you laid down on the couch or bed. You found yourself doing the same kind of things. You caught her off guard while cleaning one day, Vagrant humming a tune as she floated about and dusted shelves.   You hadn't been able to help yourself, really. Overtaken by a strong desire to surprise her, you'd sneaked up and grabbed her from behind.   She'd let out a cry between a squeak and a yelp, dropping the duster as you held onto her carefully, trying not to damage her wings. It'd taken her a minute to figure out what your intentions were, before she'd slowly folded her wings and let you "catch" her. You'd held onto her, just standing there while wrapping your arms around her body just under her front legs, before she talked you into sparing your arms the weight and cuddled with you on the bed she'd already made.   The two of you had dozed off, napping together.   When you came to she was in the kitchen, making hot chocolate as best she could, tongue sticking out the corner of her mouth in concentration as she tried to measure milk into the pan.   You'd crept back to the room and feigned being asleep just so she could bring in a tray of the sweet smelling drink. Your heart had nearly melted when she giggled, landing softly beside you after setting the tray on the night stand. You still remember the feeling of her stroking your hair softly, humming a tune you didn't know to herself before she kissed you on the forehead and gently nudged to wake you up. You put on the best show of waking up you could, but even now you think she'd had her suspicions about whether you'd really been asleep or not.   If she'd noticed after all, she never told you she minded.   And so the winter passed: The two of you having moved beyond simple friends or roommates, but into a cautious couple trying to figure out what to do next.   --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Maybe your lack of initiative had been what caused her to leave.   A month passed, then two, where the two of you sat on the precipice of your relationship. You cared for her, and she very clearly cared for you, and yet....   After you'd given her that damned satchel, and then fallen ill, she'd disappeared.   ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   The satchel had been part of a gift exchange the two of you had done for kicks. It was winter, you were stuck indoors most the time since getting Vagrant's wings too wet would impair her for a while, and she wasn't big on snowball fights.   After a day of making snow ponies and moths and snowmen in the yard, the two of you had come inside, putting scarves and jackets up on the rack before falling back on your, now traditional, hot chocolate and cozy fireplace ritual.   That's when she'd surprised you, again.   With a gasp she'd darted off to the bedroom, telling you to stay where you were.   When she came back, she had you close your eyes.   "No peeking!" she insisted with a laugh as you tried to subtly open an eye, "I want it to be a surprise!"   Sighing but smiling widely, you'd shut your eyes tight and held out your arms as you heard her flutter over.   She'd placed it in your outstretched hands gently, like she was laying something far more precious in your care.     Truth be told; Maybe she had.   You'd opened your eyes and found a large, bound book of sorts in your hands.   "Open it!" she'd said, scooting close to you and holding your arm with her hooves, resting her head on your shoulder with a smile as you opened the book with no title.   Inside were pictures you never knew had been taken.   Beautiful landscapes at sunrise and sunset, vast fields of green and dense forests that crawled with life, rainy towns and snowy towns, bright days and a few dark nights. All places you'd never been or seen, at least at first.   The second half of the book had been things far more familiar. The coat rack where yours and Vagrant's scarves hung, intertwined. Hot mugs of chocolate and the warm fireplace. A picture of you sleeping with Vagrant making a goofy face. An image of Vagrant trying on your socks, which made you laugh quite hard and made Vagrant stick her tongue out playfully at you; All kinds of pictures of you or her, or things you shared.   Not one had both of you in it, though.   "I thought we could do that one next," she'd said with a smile, pulling a camera out from behind her. Had she had that this whole time?   She'd winked mischievously, "I've still got a few secrets."   Not wanting to wait, she'd snapped the photo while holding onto you. The two of you smiled greatly, the happiness you shared palpable even in the photo that still sits in the dusty book of too sweet memories.   That's when you'd given her the satchel. Right after she'd taken that photo.   She'd seemed so happy for your thoughtfulness, saying how nice it was, if a bit dusty from sitting under the couch all this time.   "I suppose it'll make travel easier," she said with a slowly fading grin, "Though I don't know how much of that I'll be doing anymore...."   "Well if you ever do, now it'll be easier," You'd said.   Like a fool.   She'd been so obvious! The photographs, the book of memories, "I don't know how much of that I'll be doing anymore," and just...everything!   She'd wanted to stay, and you'd known it, but you'd not said what you wish you could tell her now.   Falling ill hadn't helped either.   -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------   Something tickles the back of your mind as you think this, but you can't put a finger on what it is.   Maybe writing it out will help. That's the whole reason you were doing this, after all. Find out where you messed up, or what you weren't tracking.   There's still hope.