"Meet me in the courtyard tonight after dinner". Her eyes read the note and her heartbeat zoomed such to an impossible rate that she felt faint. She knew who had sent it.

After the incident in the library, the training fiasco, and from what Ven had confided, she knew that something had to be said. Terra had been much nicer and more agreeable after dinner a couple nights back, still impish at times, but she was finding his impishness cute. When that realization hit her she had felt the blood drain from her face. "Oh no". She tried to stop and reanalyze but not matter how many times she did, she arrived that the same conclusion.

As the day passed she felt the butterflies in her stomach became unbearable. Her gait became stiff and she seemed to be shaking slightly from head to toe. She was able to compose herself enough in time for dinner. When she got there Terra and Ven were already hooting and hollering about something. As she made her way to the table she felt their gazes burn into her, not unkindly mind you but it still felt like she was under a spotlight.

Dinner seemed to go by without a hitch and she became so involved in the conversation she almost completely forgot what she was supposed to do after. She was reminded when Terra stood and bid his farewell. He was so calm and collected she felt the pangs of envy Well, he was always Mr. Cool anyway.

After he had left she stayed and talked with Ven for a while to try and make her leaving after Terra look less conspicuous, but he seemed agitated and distant so she gave up.

"I'll see you tomorrow Ven," she said getting up, trying to look as tranquil as Terra had when he had left. Once the doors closed behind her she walked a few paces down the hall, stopped and sighed.

"Ok. Let's go," she said to herself, forcing her feet to go in the direction of the courtyard

Once Terra entered the courtyard and saw he was alone he let his defenses down. That was the longest dinner of his life. He wanted to be sure he made it outside first. He looked at the note "Meet me in the courtyard tonight after dinner". The sound of the doors opening drew him out of his reverie. He quickly stuffed the note into his pocket, ran his hand nervously through his hair, took a deep breath and turned to face Aqua who was standing at the top of the stairs.

A long moment passed between them. While she stood there a light breeze ruffled her turquoise hair so that it fluttered around her face. The moon decided to take its cue and shine some of its light down on her, making her glow, enhancing her beauty. Terra released a breath he hadn't realized he was holding.

Unbeknownst to him Aqua felt the same as she looked at him. His dark brown hair swaying, the moonlight lighting up his eyes.

"Wow. Just wow." They both thought in unison.

She decided to take the first step, making her way slowly down the staircase. Her descent had Terra memorized. It felt as if there was a charged hum in the air, almost tangible.

When she reached the bottom she stopped a few paces away, holding her arms to her chest to keep them from shaking. Terra shuddered, breaking the spell that had them so entranced.

"Aqua"

"Terra"

He nodded his head as an indication to follow him. She followed. They walked in silence for a while, sneaking glances at each other now and again, making sure no one was going to run.

"It's beautiful tonight," she whispered, looking at the ground. Terra felt himself physically swallow back a mushy reply. Instead he settled on:

"If it's so beautiful why are you looking at the ground?"

Aqua laughed, it was a beautiful sound. He felt a smirk tug at the corners of his mouth. They continued along, resuming their stoic silence, but the tension had eased.

As they walked their hands suddenly seemed to find each other like magnets. They both stopped, looked down, and up into one anothers faces in unison. As they stared Aqua felt the familiar sensation of being sucked into his eyes. She started to move away, but Terra squeezed her hand and grabbed her other so that she was forced to face him. The staring contest resumed. He stepped in jut as she did. She was so close to his chest that if she wanted to she could lay her head on it. Due to his height she was forced to look up, this didn't help matters any due to her closer proximity to his lips.

"How long?" He asked, looking down, his eyes so soft that she had to blink herself to reality.

"Since…"

"Our training started." he finished. He was right. She knew the answer was the same for him too.

She released one of her hands to cup his cheek. His eyes closed momentarily as he inclined his head in the direction of her hand. He put his newly freed arm around her waist and pulled her even closer so that they were touching.

This was a whole new experience for them. They weren't touchy feely people. That was Ven's department. He filled that part perfectly for both. But now faced with true their true feelings, it was hard to resist.

"Ter-" She began as she saw him dipping his head down, but when she felt his lips meet hers she forgot her qualms and let go of her fears. This was their moment.

Terra felt something akin to a lion roar from within him when he finally kissed her. He'd lost count of how many times he had wanted to pluck up the courage to do it but never found the nerve.

He tentatively traced the arm around her waist up her back so that his hand held the back of her neck. When he felt no resistance he deepened the kiss and pulled her head closer. She may have beaten him on the training grounds but now she was responding to his movements without question, kissing him back, trusting him.

They broke to kiss and parted just enough to look one another in the eye. When there was no disagreement to be found they smiled, bringing their lips together again, still smiling as they did so.

Waves of so many different emotions went surging through them that they soon found themselves becoming bolder in their kissing explorations. Once tongue entered the equation a whole new world had been discovered. When they finally stopped they grinned at each other like fools. They leaned their foreheads together and sighed.

Aqua felt a giggle escape her lips, but once it was out all the backlash from the nerves resulted in her not being able to stop. It was so unlike her to laugh like an idiot but she was. Even Terra smiled, letting out a laugh of his own. He pulled her into a hug, holding her head to his chest. He planted a kiss on top of her head before resting his cheek on it.

They stood like this for a while. Aqua listened to his heartbeat slow down to a normal level, while Terra stroked her hair. Both savoring the moment.

Terra released her when he felt her move. She was looking up into his eyes again. He shivered. Her own were such an exotic color that they almost seemed to drag you in. This time they seemed to be sending him a message.

She didn't need to say anything. Neither did he. It was a silent confirmation. She kissed him to seal it.

Suddenly the night rang with a yell that sounded like;

"YEEEEESSSSSSS!"

They pulled away abruptly. Looking around.

Then it hit.

"Wait…" Terra reached into his pocket and pulled out the note. When Aqua's eyes fell upon it she went white. She then produced her own copy. They both stared in silence. Terra spoke first:

"I thought…"

"No! So you didn't…"

"No"

"Oh my…"

"VENTUS!" Terra yelled while Aqua stood in shocked silence, listening to the sound of feet racing back towards the school. Then she laughed. Terra whipped around, he didn't look to angry, he felt just as stupid as she did. The mystery to Ven's bizarre behavior had been solved.

"Well, Well, Well". Terra said, looking off into the night.

"It looks like he won this round" Aqua replied, doing her best to sound amused.

"That little…" Terra started, stopped, and threw his hands in the air with a chuckle.

"And after all this I can't find it in me to be mad at him. Too mad anyway"

"This doesn't change anything does it?" Aqua whispered seriously, fear creeping into her tone as she looked to him for an answer.

Terra froze when he realized that, no, no it doesn't.

Before she could say anything else he had pulled her back to him, her lips back to his in the most satisfying and convincing kiss she had received that night.

He broke away, letting her recover.

"We'll get him in the ring tomorrow," he whispered before he resumed kissing her.

Meanwhile Ventus jumped and ran around in a victory dance, pumping his fist in the air. He thought for sure he'd messed up when he let his excitement get the best of him. He knew what was coming but he didn't care. He'd beat them at their own game. He'd seen their weaknesses for quite some time, and now was finally able to get them. They'd forgive him… eventually. And that was a-okay with him.