North leaned her head on my shoulder. The breeze on the floating island was soft, almost dreamlike. We sat on the edge of the marble platform, feet dangling just above the still water below. It reflected the blue sky, the distant clouds barely moving.
"You smell better now," she said, smiling.
I gave her a look. "Wow. Thanks."
She chuckled. "No, I mean, you smell good. Clean. You even did your hair."
"I thought I'd impress someone."
"Did it work?" she asked, looking up at me with a playful tilt of her lips.
I turned my head slowly, catching her gaze. "Better than I expected."
We stayed quiet for a moment. She played with the cuff of my sleeve, running her fingers along the seam.
"You always act so easy going," she said. "But you're actually….very bad."
"Why would you say that?" I said quickly.
She laughed. "Why not?"
"In what way am I bad? Steve is bad. I am good."
As if summoned by name, Steve's voice echoed across the courtyard. "Talking about me again?"
