Nole and Dapple watched from atop a small hill within the ruins of Blacktower as the sun set in the blood-orange sky. Grass and dirt had flooded the abandoned castle like a rising tide, with vines and weeds growing from the cracks. The once great fortress was in tatters, allowing sunlight to dangle through like golden banners streaming overhead.

  They were back inside their old bodies again, just two elves within Redrock mountains. Before them lay the perfect vantage point of Lake Everquill over the waterfall's edge, and the gaping hole in the wall felt like their own private viewing booth.

  It was perfect. Waves of gold erupted from the sun, painting everything in sight, rolling over the lake, the mountains, and every landmark in sight until finally reaching their outstretched legs on the hill.

  Nole and Dapple melted like two lizards on a warm rock, leaning back into their propped up arms behind them. It was getting late in real life, but the sun was always setting somewhere in Enix.

  "I know it's a video game," Dapple began. "But this is really nice."

  Nole turned to her. She had soft, squinted eyes and a lazy smile, glowing now more than ever like a sunflower.

  "Yeah, I could sit here forever,” Nole replied. "Reminds me of long, warm showers. Just marinating for like twenty minutes ‘til you get all soggy. Used to be my favorite thing."

  Dapple side-eyed him.

  "Chu crazy," she said. "Twenty minutes? No way."

  “What, is that too short?” Nole joked.

  “Too long, bucko,” Dapple replied.

  "You don't like long showers?" he asked. "It's like getting massaged by hot water. How could you not like that?"

  "My showers are super short," Dapple informed him. "I'm always trying to beat my time and see how fast I can get in and out."

  Nole shook his head.

  “Now, that’s wild,” he replied. “I’m sorry for your loss.”

  "I'm down to thirty seconds now," she grinned.

  “Thirty seconds?" Nole laughed. "It takes me longer than that to find the shampoo bottle. There’s no way."

  “No, I’m serious,” Dapple argued, sitting up. “We timed it and everything.”

  “We?” Nole laughed. “You and your shower consultants?”

  “Yup,” she said. “My dad, the shower consultant. I have him wait outside and time me. The trick is you lather up with everything first. That way, as soon as you jump in, you’re already washing off! It’s like speedrunning.”

  “That sounds terrible," Nole argued.

  "Don’t knock it ‘til you try it,” Dapple insisted. "Next time you wash off, time yourself."

  Nole wrinkled his nose, disgusted at the idea.

  "We could be shower rivals!" Dapple exclaimed. "Let’s go back and forth trying to one-up each other.”

  "How do I know you won't cheat?" Nole asked with a sly grin. "Might have to use the same shower, just to be sure."

  "You wish," she laughed. "Anyways, speed showers are addicting. Trust me. It's like trying to get a new high score every day.”

  "My high score is how long I can take," Nole replied. "I prefer to slow things down. Savor every little second. It's like here in this game. It’s not over until you log out. And I like to make a nice moment last forever.”

  Dapple smiled and laid back like a lazy lizard once again.

  “I could stay here forever,” she agreed.

  Nole looked out on the lake. The sunset fluttered like butterflies atop the water's reflection as far as the eye could see. Just the same, butterflies were building inside of him.

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  "What makes you feel like you could stay here forever?" he asked. "Is it the place… or the company?"

  Dapple slowly gave him a curious look over her shoulder.

  “For me,” Nole admitted, swallowing all reservations. “For me, it’s the company. That’s what makes this game so special to me. It’s who I’m with.”

  Dapple’s eyes drifted low, taking a few moments before speaking. Nole sat still, looking out over the water, giving her as much time as needed. She was gathering her thoughts and processing his words carefully before responding, which was rare since he'd known her.

  "Nole," she began. "I feel lucky to have met you. I've really enjoyed our time together."

  “Me too,” he replied.

  "I really mean that," Dapple went on. "You make me laugh so much. You get my humor. You get me. Most people think I’m weird.”

  "You are weird," Nole joked. "But I'm the same kind of weird."

  "Exactly," she laughed. "You're my weird. Everything is so much fun with you. I already know I'm gonna have a blast whenever I log in because you’re here. That’s pretty special.”

  “I feel the same way,” Nole admitted.

  “I’ve never had that with anyone else,” Dapple told him. “Like, I have friends, of course. But it’s not the same as hanging out with you. It’s like we click. Whenever I have stuff going on in real life, I just think about how I’d rather be here.”

  "It's the same for me," he assured her. "All through school, I'm just daydreaming about this. I know how much fun I'd be having with you instead, so it's like, why would I wanna be anywhere else?”

  "We're terrible," said Dapple, shaking her head.

  "It's only gonna get worse," Nole joked. "We’ll have something like hamster bottles set up at our desks, so we never have to take breaks. Just lean over for feeding time without taking our eyes off the screen.”

  “You mean you don’t do that already?” she laughed. “It’s just me?”

  “My bad," said Nole. "I should've known. It's that speedrunner mentality. You have corner-cutting-vision. All you see is opportunity."

  "Exactly," she replied. "You gotta keep up, or I'll leave you in the dust."

  There was a moment's pause. Then Dapple resumed on a serious note.

  “I’m glad you feel the same way,” she admitted. “You are special to me, Nole."

  "You're really special to me, too," he replied.

  Dapple smiled, content to stop there. But Nole braced himself. He decided to dive deeper. He was going to put it all on the line.

  "I really like you, Dapple,” he confessed. “I like you, like you.”

  She leaned forward, watching the sunset with her knees wrapped in her arms.

  "I mean, how could I not?" Nole went on. "I've never met anyone like you. You're hilarious. You're so much fun. I never get tired of you. Every day, I rush home just so I can see you even one minute sooner."

  Dapple smiled a bit as she buried her head into her arms.

  “So, yeah…" Nole concluded. "There it is. I've got a crush on you. That's the truth, so shoot me."

  There it was. Nole trailed off, fingers crossed. After some time, Dapple eventually spoke again.

  "Nole,” she began. “No matter how much time we spend together, it never feels like enough. All those things you said about me? I feel them about you, too. I mean it. I’ve never had a best friend before, but that’s what you are to me. My best friend.”

  Nole’s heart plummeted.

  “Just friends, huh?” he said, sinking in place.

  “I’m sorry, maybe that came out wrong,” she assured him. “I didn’t mean it like that.”

  “What do you mean, then?” Nole asked her.

  Dapple rubbed her neck.

  "I mean, like, we don't even know each other, you know?" she said. "I'm sorry, I'm not good with this stuff. I feel like I’m just putting my foot in my mouth right now.”

  “Could you try?” Nole asked, feeling crushed more and more by the second. “What am I to you, Dapple?”

  She held her head in her hands, trying to formulate a response while Nole deflated with every passing second.

  “Nole,” she went on. "What I mean is, you're my best friend. Maybe even more. Maybe I’m crushing on you a bit too. You are special to me, but we just met. I don't want to ruin anything we have already. I don't want to lose you when I just met you.”

  “You wouldn’t lose me,” Nole suggested to no avail.

  “What I’m saying is, we're too young to be worried about this sorta stuff,” Dapple smiled. “We should just have fun, you know? Today was the most fun I’ve had since I can remember. Today was the best! Don't you agree?"

  Nole nodded, swallowing the rejection that was already building up inside.

  “Today was great,” he admitted.

  "Don't you wanna keep having days like today?" she asked. “Let’s just look forward to that, for now. You know?”

  “It doesn’t have to be one without the other," Nole argued.

  Dapple stood up, brushing herself off. Nole buried his head deeper into his arms.

  "You're too serious," she said, nudging him. “Come here.”

  Dapple held out her arms, but he didn't budge.

  "Come on, don't be like that," she said. "It's getting late. I'm gonna go to bed soon, so send me off right."

  Nole curled deeper into his ball of woe.

  “Nole,” she demanded, nudging him. “Get up here.”

  He rose slowly, and Dapple wrapped her arms around him.

  "It's late," she whispered, hugging him tight. "We should get some sleep, alright?"

  Nole leaned limply against her, dangling his arms at his sides.

  "Alright?" she asked again.

  Nole nodded meekly in her arms.

  "Alright," he eventually replied.

  "Okay, now hug me," Dapple insisted.

  Nole wrapped his weak arms around her, hugging her back.

  “Thank you,” she told him. "You worry too much. Everything's gonna be alright, you big dork."

  "Yeah," he said reluctantly.

  "Good night, Nole," she told him. "Sleep tight, okay? I'll see you tomorrow."

  He nodded but said nothing. With that, Dapple logged out, fading in front of him. Nole sat back down, looking out into the Redrock sunset.

  “It’s not over ‘til you log out,” he told himself painfully.