Story Note: Spoilers for the episode Blood Moon Ball.

Something between them had changed that night of the Blood Moon Ball. The subtle difference was both so noticeably strong it was practically tangible yet so impossible to place that it made his head hurt when he tried to pinpoint it. But a piece of him had definitely shifted. Marco could feel it in his chest, an ever-constant presence almost reminiscent of a little demon hiding in the shadows of his heart. Usually it was just a dull throb that he could easily push to the side, but sometimes when his eyes landed on Star—usually in the process of doing something ridiculous or singing or fighting monsters or any of the little things that made the girl who she was and caused his pulse quicken just the slightest bit—it gripped his soul so tightly that his throat constricted and he could barely breathe.

And it made his heart ache in the strangest of ways; the intensity of it made his affections for Jackie Lynn Thomas pale in comparison. The worst of all was his inability to really comprehend what exactly it was. He was powerless in the face of a looming emotion so strong, so deeply wound around his very being.

What changed?

Sometimes he wondered if she felt it too. That night on the balcony when they'd spoken in unison, vocal cords uttering the same syllables... he'd pinned it to mere coincidence. Of course, the imp residing in his chest knew it was more than that, knew it was a side effect of a connection running deeper than either of them realized. But on a conscious level, Marco wasn't aware of that, and it hurt his brain to no end attempting to ponder over it... and he knew he should probably just drop it, for both of their sakes'.

Yet, as he stared out of his window and up at the now-normal moon looming over the house, it didn't stop Marco Diaz's mind from racing.

Something between them had changed that night of the Blood Moon Ball. On a certain level she was precisely, and perhaps painfully, aware of what had happened. She refused to properly acknowledge it though, preferring to let the rumbling dragon in her gut sleep rather than rouse it when she knew exactly where that road would lead. But sometimes when she glanced at Marco—usually with hesitant and weary little looks now, when she knew he wasn't looking back—that beast perked its head up and reminded her of its existence.

And it made her heart simmer in a way she hadn't experienced before; it was an entirely different sensation from the affection she felt for her magical monster friends and her parents. It was that fact alone that made her want to shove the feeling as far away as possible or perhaps lock it up in a box and throw it into her closet of secrets to deal with on another day.

How long can I ignore it?

She knew he must have felt it too. When they'd accidentally been unable to stop speaking the same words... she'd seen it in his expression, and the dragon in her stomach grinned. But she tried her best to shove those thoughts away, because she knew it was likely for the benefit of both of them.

Yet, as she gazed out into the night from her balcony, Star Butterfly was powerless to prevent her thoughts from wondering.

Author's Note: This has likely already been done, but I needed to write something because I am helplessly wrapped up in the atmosphere of this episode in particular. The full version of the song Blood Moon Waltz is almost hypnotic and I found myself lost in it. Sorry it's such a short drabble.