Breathe.

Its not that bad. Not really. It was like anything else I'd ever done. Take aim… line up the sights… shoot. It was easy. I could do this. It was just like target practice, except this time, I had to pick out a point to not see. I had to carefully aim myself away.

Breathe.

That was the trick. I had to remember to breathe. I could get out of this. Easy. She wouldnt even know I was here. She would carry one about her business as though nothing had ever happened.

To be fair, its not like anything DID happen. Right?

Breathe.

Have to remember to breathe. If I don't breathe, I'll die, right?

If she realized I was in the room, I'd die anyway. But I guess breathing is better than suffocating. Besides, the only way she could possibly know I was really here is if I made a noise. It wasn't like she could see me.

I hate these small, small rooms. There isn't much room for maneuvering around. And its so easy to pick up on air currents when they change. But maybe that's just me. The air currents thing, that is. I have to pay special attention to the way the wind moves when I take my shots. The cold air meeting the hot air..

Hot… air…

Hot….

I need to remember to breathe. If I start choking, it's all over for me. I don't think I would make it. She'd turn me into a Finn-shaped smudge in the wastelands. And who knows, whatever she has in that mysterious collection of crystals might be more to her liking.

More painful.

I really, really wish that door was open.

Actually, I wish that I hadn't done this in the first place. I mean, seriously, I know I goof up all the time. And I even know its pretty much always my fault. And I also realize that everyone else knows it too. But this?

I should have seen the outcome of this coming miles away.

But I'm a bit dense sometimes.

Ok, well, I'm dense all the time. But even I don't deserve this.

I am starting to get the feeling that I will be here all night. All night, stuck here, until the morning comes and I am revealed in all my cowering glory.

She's gonna kill me. And I know I'll deserve it.

I will probably even welcome it. Its going to be a miserable night if I have to stay like this all night.

I wonder if she is a light sleeper?

Breathe, Finn. Breathe.

She sure has a nice…

AAARGH! Dammit! I need to breathe, not hyperventilate!

Its not like I've never seen that before in any case.

Ok, well, maybe not… in reality. But I have a good imagination.

I wonder if Aerrow's going to kill me too? If he does, I bet Radarr would help him. Evil little rat thing. And Stork… who knows?

Stork would probably be on my side. I know Junko would. As much as I know Aerrow would be mad at me for compromising the trust of the team or something like that.

I only did it as a joke, I swear. I never expected it to go this far. She wasn't supposed to stay! Its only five in the afternoon for crying out loud!

Do all girls do that? I mean, do they all just hang out in their rooms alone… wearing stuff like that?

I'm actually glad she has that on. I can't even imagine what I would be going through if I…

Wait. Never mind. I can imagine. I'm a guy. It's not like it's a complicated idea.

And I thought I was having a hard time before.

Breathe. Breathe, dammit.

I wonder if she will ever go to bed. I guess…

Aw, crap. She's playing with her crystals now. In her underwear! Wait… I don't think that thing can be classified as underwear. It certainly looks like something you wouldn't wear around company, but I could be wrong. I do not understand girls. I never will. I'm just glad all I have to do is pull on my boxers in the morning.

Wait! There's s a knock on the door! I'm saved! Its…

Junko? And he's asking for me?

Why would he look for me in HER room? It would be the last place I would be!

Well… normally it would be.

Breathe.

Aw, crap. My hands are starting to get sweaty. Junko left when he didn't see me and there was no room for me to edge out of the room! Damn him for filling up the doorway!

And whats worse, I have to sit here and not think about a half-dressed girl…no, woman who is standing right in front of me. Hello! Hormones anyone?

You know, I think I might actually end up dead before the duration….wears…off…

Oh, hell.

I forgot that this stupid crystal has a duration. I probably only have a few minutes left! I'm so dead. Maybe I can blame my presence here in her room on the black gorge madness. I could have a relapse, right? I think Stork would back me up.

Maybe not. I know how Piper gets when I mess with her crystals. And this could definitely be counted as 'messing'.

And maybe I'll just be able to die painlessly of embarrassment. Or hormone overload.

Weirder things have happened, right?

She's turning the lights down low. Thank goodness. Maybe I'll be less likely to-

I just heard a click. A click! It was the lock! Piper locks her door at night?! Why!? Its not like any of us would try to sneak in on her!

Well… not normally. Besides, its not like being here is my fault. And I think its safe to say that I won the bet. Not even Aerrow found me this time.

And why is she going to bed so early anyway?

Ok, Finn. Breathe. She hasn't noticed you and…. Aw man. The crystal is wearing off.

Uhm… its not the only thing that has come off. I'm a lucky, lucky guy, for the sole fact that her back is to me. That, and the fact that I can pretty much guarantee that no one else has EVER seen what I am witnessing right now. Hell-ooo bragging rights! With any luck, I'll be able to wait until…

Oh..

My…

God.

Piper… is hot.

Wow.

I can feel my jaw. Its keeping my feet company. And I am just so very lucky that she decided to sleep facing the wall tonight, because I don't think I would have the presence of mind to be stealthy if I were even smart enough to realize that I should. But come ON. A thin sheet covering a female body like that? Kinda falling off of her shoulder and bunching slightly at the narrow part of her waist?

Her breathing was deep and regular…

Breathe, Finn. BREATHE! Need air!

Aw, dammit. I'm hyperventilating.

I think I need to go on autopilot. When in doubt, don't think. That's my motto. Its gotten me out of tough situations before. Lets see if I can get out of here…

The door is almost closed behind me… and she said something! CRAP!

I don't think I have ever moved so fast in my entire life. I have never been so happy to dash madly into the bridge and scare the living crap out of everyone else. I look around at each of their surprised faces.

"I win!" I hear myself crowing, "And you will never guess what I-"

"Never guess what, Finn?" I think my blood just turned to ice. I don't even remember turning around.

There was Piper. Wearing a bathrobe.

Man… I'm gonna die.

OOO

Ok. I know that was weird, but it was just inspiration that struck me, kinda like a rock hurled at my unwitting noggin. Let me know what you think. Maybe I will do more with it if its interesting enough to people.

I do have one small problem with it that I may have to go back and address. I dislike using present tense and I think I may have slipped past tense in there sometimes. I'll probably revise it to past tense later on. Its just that the aforementioned rock upside my head told me to write in first person present.

Thank you for reading.