Darkk felt the corners of the cave press into his back and tookk a diagnol step into the cave. It was dark in there, but not impossoble. "Just a liitle ways in here, then we can see the waterfall."

he stepped over close behind the other nearly touching in some places a fair hand-span behind in others. he made sure not to be left behind and was happy to hear their destination was within sight

Dark took a couple steps forward and then the cave suddenly opened up into a glade. "There," Dark said pointing to the furthest side of it. The waterfall was large and flowing quickly, the rocks had trees and bushed growing freely in them.

it was beautiful, he could see how this inspired the small fall in his book, everything from the shale cliff to the three large rocks it was an exact replica in position and color, only size and dometication differed between the two. he had to stop

"It is beautiful isn't it." Dark said noticing Alexander's face.

'it is' he replied quietly. the birds chirped and the noonday sun glittered across the water, he was almost moved to tears. he reached out to dark and grasping his hands brought the other's fingers to his lips kissing the knuckles he offered a humble 'thankyou' for the gift of having been able to see this place.

Dark smiled at Alexander, "You are welcome. The only reason this place is so beautiful anymore though is it is very difficult to get to. " Dark tried not to dwell on what would happen if someone else found this place. "The waterfall looks best up close though," Dark took Alexander's hand and led him to the waterfall, as they got closer the noise the waterfall made increased untill talking would be futile.

the noise and spray were something to behold, he could not hear anything else and there was almost a fine mist about it. he was led by the other until they came to a small ledging near the fall, it was suspended out into the water but was just far enough to ovoid becoming wet, he could see a broaud landing just beyond it and another ledge leading underneath the fall. the other led him onto the walk and they crossed over onto the stone face, setting down his things dark took off his shoes and rolled up his shorts to above the knee, alexander watched then did the same

"Be careful here," Dark advised as he walked further along the rock. He had removed his shoes to have a better grip on the surface. "It is father mossy, if you fall you probably won't be able to surface again." Dark was grinning now looking into the heavier mist. "We can leave the food here and get it later when we are hungary."

he nodded and his heartbeat sped up, they were going behind the falls! he left the things and followed behind the other, as they slunk past the water the world grew darker and cooler, a few steps put them in a small cave behind the falls, he felt a thrill go through him

The caves were the same catacombs he had found as a child, yet dark did not go in too deep, knowing it would be easy to get lost. The caves glowwed naturally from the moss that had grown on the walls. "If ou want to go futher in, let me know it is eay to get lost back here." But Darl grinned at Alexander even after the words, "Now turn around." The water fall was behind Alexander and Dark knew that if you looked through it at this time you would see several rainbows and the green-blue water's underside as it went rushing past. "At night," Dark started, "The moon reflects through the waterfall and you can see your reflection as though it was still water."

he sighed at the sight. nothing he could conjure was half as beautiful as this. dreamily as if he had no awareness of anything other than the view in front of him he spoke "this world is beautiful, as you are beautiful. i feel a desire to be here forever"

Dark blushed at Alexander's words. "Thank you, Alexander." He said. "WOuld you like to go deeper in with me?" Dasrk asked pointing further inward. "I want to see how far these go back and if the moss is because dof the water or something else."

'oh?' he said coming from his daze, "....if it pleases my- if it pleases dark" he spared one last glance at the water and took the other's hand. he would follow his lord to the end of the world.

Dark was careful as they went deeper into the cave to remember how to get back. The glowing fungas had stopped once you could no longer see the falls from in here, leading Dark to believe it was something in the water that caused that to happen. The tunnels were dark but it was still possible to see. "Alexander," Dark said, "do you have a flashlight?"

'...the stick thing? i do, it is back on the ledge with the food, why?'

Dark let out a little laugh, "Um... it is generally easier to go back to where we started if we can see. The darker it is outside the darker it is in here and eventually we could be plunged into complete darkness."

'you do not know the way?' he chuckled in the gloom, he could only see the dimmest outline of the other 'you are the teacher, it is your place to know'

Dark was embarressed by Alexander's words but pretended not to be, "I rely quite a bit on my sight." Dark turned around, still holding Alexander's hand. "Like now I can't tell you how to get back there, but I can lead you back in this light."

"that is the same" he said assured, "being able is no different than knowing for the results are the same" he could barely see the other but he had the suspicion the other was blushing again, he wanted to see the other's badly he drew closer to dark and with his free hand found the other's face, he brushed the edge of a jaw and turned towards an ear "let's keep going" he whispered

If Dark had not been blushing before he certainly was now. Dark was sure Alexander had not meant it that way and so mostly ignored the comment. "Okay," Dark agreed to going deeper in.

in the back of his mind he felt a little rush of pleasure for having elicited such a response, the light shiver in his lord's voice meant more than the words themselves. he gripped his lord's hand tighter as he was pulled along deeper into the cave.

they walked for what could have been a minute or an hour as far as alexander could tell before the sound of water could be heard under their feet, it was cool and slick and felt good under his feet the little bit of light allotted to them earlier was gone and he felt a little knot of dread in his belly. he opened his mouth to speak when he was interrupted by dark 'ah, we are almost there' he felt the other disentangle their fingers "just a moment it's somewhere along here" he could hear the light noise of the other brushing his hands along the wall moving farther away. the knot became a ball 'dark..' he whispered the other mhmm'd a question, 'dark don't leave me, i am sorry'

"Huh?" Dark said and then felt like bashing his head in. The darkness must remind him of the end of the book and he thought Dark would just leave him there. "I'm not going anywhere," Dark said calmly and walked back to Alexander. "I'm here," And Dark took Alexander's arm, "Not leaving." Dark smiled and hoped that Alexander knew what he was doing even if Alexander could not see the smile.

when the hand took his arm he latched on to it with his other hand pressing hard enough into his own arm to bruise. he still was not assured."i don't like this anymore. we should leave" he made a move to leave in the direction he thought they came when he felt dark's other arm wrap around him. his head was pushed lightly into the crook of the other man's neck 'alexander i am here, do not be afraid' he froze. 'i am afraid?' he thought about it, and was shocked to find that he was, really and truly he was. he let go of the hand and put his arms around the other in a tight embrace. 'i don't want to be afraid anymore'

"We can't shose whether or not we are afraid." Dark said. "Sometimes we grow out of it or have to face it suddenly, but a vast majority of us never do and have the same fears all our life." Dark assumed what he spoke was true, having had the same fears all his life.

"then how," he asked "can your hero save what matters most if they are always afraid?"

"Our hero?" Dark asked being slightly confused on the concept of the entire human race having a hero.

"your hero, dark is the protaginist, alexander is the foil, that woman" unknown to dark he made a face at the mention "is the antagonist, who is the hero?"

"In most pieces of literature the protagonist would be sonsidered the hero," Dark explained, "But I'm no hero so it is not me." By now Dark was not talking to Alexander anymore, just commenting to himself. "I confess to being lost on this question."

he was at a loss of words then. his lord was the protagonist, regardless as his role as maybe hero, that much was certain, even if the book had not cast him so already there was no other place for him now. he- 'i confess,' the other interupted 'to being lost on this question' he felt close to tears in his frustration '..i, i am sorry, i have so many wwords to ask with and yet it seems i never know how to ask my questions' he sighed and put his face back to the others neck. now that his fears had been once more dispelled he felt as if he could stay here forever, it was dark like his book in void, but despite itself it was not empty as the book had been, he was still here and his lord was still here and the world though it looked to have ended could still be felt in a breath from the other

Dark smiled at Alexander, "Ask them anyways and see what answers you get." That would safely get them away from any questions as to why or why not Dark was actually the protagonist.

he said nothing instead he made a frustrated growl in the others neck. that is what he was doing and all it got him was more things to question and no way to find answers

Dark felt the growl and sighed knowing Alexander had been asked but Dark was just not getting it. "Shall we attempt to find our way out of here?" Dark asked and then changed his tone to teasing, "Or do you want to get lost in the caves forever with me?"

he was still upset but his lord's tone turned and he felt compelled to answer. he mumbled incoherently into the other's neck.

"What was that?" Dark asked having not understood what Alexander had said.

he nipped the other lightly as his sour mood dispelled. "forever sounds nice" he did not know if he was serious but it did not matter. "what were you looking for?" he pulled away just enough to look at the other forgetting for a moment he could see nothing

"I'm looking at what we came in here to find." Dark said answereing Alexander. "I saw it through a crack when you shifted." Dark explained to Alexander.

'oh' he pulled away but put his hand around dark's then you may look, but don't let go.

"Okay," Dark agreed and then moved closer for a better look. "Yep, this is the place." Dark said. "Actually getting there will be pretty easy now, all we have to do is go forward until a cave branches off to the left." He explained to Alexander and then place his unoccupied hand on the wall and started to walk forward.

he was pulled along several feet even stubbing his toe once but he did not complain, he merely followed behind an 'aha' from the other caught his attention. 'i will go in first, it's a tight squeeze, come in backwards to make sure you won't get stuck' he nodded in the dark, he let go and the other pushed through, he could hear the other's cloths shush against the walls, when the heard the sound of feet hitting sand he reached for the crack and followed in backwards. when he got throw he was awed once more by the beauty of the place, a single shaft of light shown down on a clear-water pool, black sand gleamed and small glass pearls glittered along the walls dimly like stars. he could see the other now though it was as if it were night, all shadows. he breezed past the other brushing his hand against the other as he went. he crouched down at the edge of the pool and placed his hands just over the water. he badly wanted to touch it but he feared his hands would sully the beauty of it