Original post date: April 28, 2012.

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

She woke up slowly, her eyes adjusting to the darkness surrounding her. She turned her head to see locks of snow-white hair as they lay limply against her pillow. With a rustle, she rolled onto her side. Though she wished desperately for her eyes to close again, she just could not. Her mind refused to sleep any longer.

Mist sighed lightly as she pushed away the blankets. The cold air of her home hit her all at once, and she gasped, wrapping her arms around her torso. She saw that the fire had died out long ago. That's why I'm so cold…

She stood up with a wince as her feet touched the freezing floorboards. Outside she could hear the light wind rustling the leaves against her house. Warm milk and a radish will help me get back to sleep. She walked slowly to her kitchen, stiffly, since she didn't like the cold floor at all.

Soon she sat at her dinner table with a mug of warm milk and a bright white radish. Mist picked up the vegetable as if she were about to eat it, but just as it passed her lips, she decided against it. Suddenly she didn't feel hungry anymore, or even thirsty. A branch hitting her window caught her attention and she stood up to leave her meager midnight snack.

The outdoors were brightly lit by a full moon, and she knew that the summer air would be warmer than the house, if only marginally. She shoved her feet into her sandals and tugged on a light coat before heading outside without really thinking about what she was doing. Sure enough, she felt herself warm up a little.

She began wandering around in the moonlight, allowing her feet to take wherever they desired. She merely soaked up the night air and reveled in feeling the breeze on her face. The next time she looked down, she was surprised to see rocky ground beneath her feet—Mt. Gigant. Just as she was about to turn around and go back home, she heard a long sigh. "Hm?" She climbed further up the mountain.

Sitting on the top, silhouetted in the moonlight, was Raguna. She debated whether or not to leave, but finally she went over and sat next to him. "Hey."

He jumped and looked at her. "Oh. Hello."

"What are you doing up here?" She hugged the coat closer around herself.

"I couldn't sleep." Glancing back at the moon, he asked, "You?"

"Same here." They sat in silence for a time before she cleared her throat. "It's um… Nice moon, huh?"

He nodded. "It's beautiful."

"Raguna, why couldn't you sleep?" She whispered.

Raguna gazed at her in the semi-darkness for a few moments before answering softly, "I was…thinking."

"About what?"

He took too long to reply. She tilted her head slightly to one side so as to gauge the conflicted expression on his face. Just as she opened her mouth to say his name, he whipped his head around to stare at her intensely. "I was thinking about you, Mist."

"M-me?" She squeaked.

He nodded once. "Every night, every day, every hour, every minute… I think about you."

Mist wanted so badly to comment on how the moon looked like a great big radish in the sky. She wanted to tell him that she looked forward to seeing him the next day and that she had a surprise for his favorite wolf. She wanted to say, "Well, good night! I hope we both get back to sleep!" and leave and pretend that this moment never happened.

But now was not the time to say that, because the moment did happen.

"I… Raguna…" She chewed her lip slightly. For once she couldn't think of one thing to say, crazy or not crazy.

"I know it's sudden. I know you weren't expecting it, but Mist," at his moment he took her hand in his, "I want you to know that when I go fight in those caves, I'm fighting for you."

She had dreamed of this moment sometimes, when she watched him in the sunlight as he farmed. She would find herself admiring the way his muscles flowed beneath his shirt and the way his chocolate hair waved in the breeze. But she never thought the moment would come when he would actually come close to even insinuating that he loved her. "Raguna…"

"Maybe it's the night air, I don't know. I just can't hold it in any longer." He gazed deep into her eyes. "I know you probably don't feel the same. I understand that. I just…thought you might like to know. Sorry." With a dry chuckle he made the motion as if he were going to leave.

"Raguna…!" She grabbed his sleeve.

"Wha—"

She forced her lips upon his, tackling him in a hug. A muffled gasp escaped him as he barely caught himself to stay in a sitting position. Mist pushed away after a few seconds, her hands splayed and trembling on his chest. "Raguna, don't you dare leave me."

"I won't. But… What was that?"

"I think it's normally called a kiss." She giggled. "Surely your memory isn't that bad."

"Mist, does this mean…?"

She nodded, giving him another quick peck. "Yes, farm-boy; I love you too."

He brought one arm up to hold her against him. "If this is what getting up to look at the moon at midnight does to us, then why didn't we become insomniacs sooner?"

She shrugged. "Don't know. But don't you think it looks like a giant radish? The clouds could be the leaves."

"Oh Mist…" He laughed deeply, burying his nose in her hair. Sleep being forgotten, they stayed up on Mt. Gigant, looking at the radish in the sky.