Midnight sights.

It was still dark when John woke, sweating and panicked. He sprung from the couch, whirling in place, breathing heavily, the violent dream that woke him already forgotten. He stood there, muscles tense, until his heart was no longer thudding like a war drum. His nerves still on edge, John decided he could use some fresh air.

Easily able to see his surroundings in the dark, John made his way to the front door and stepped outside, into the moonlit forest. The night was cool, but far from the freezing temperatures he had grown accustomed to when sleeping outdoors. John filled his lungs with the cool, clean air, then let out a long, slow breath. He repeated this process a few more times until, finally, he felt at peace.

Tranquil, now, John looked out at the shadowy forest surrounding him. He was hundreds of miles away from anything familiar, but the dark wilderness holds many of the same dangers and opportunities, no matter where you are. In some ways, John thought, the darkness was comforting. There was no way to know what lurked behind the trees, and where this thought struck fear and unease into the hearts and minds of many men, John had lived in the darkness and shadows ever since human society had cast him out. The darkness was his home, his shroud, and his guardian. It held dangers, of course, but few worse than him.

The sound of the door opening and shutting behind him brought John out of his ruminations. “The moon is still high,” Lily said, her voice soft, “Did you have trouble sleeping?”

John nodded, but didn’t turn around to face her. “Nightmares. Not uncommon for me. I just need a few moments of calm before going back to sleep.”

“Hmmm,” Lily sighed, “I’m sorry your dreams are troubled. Is there anything I can do to help you rest?”

John shook his head. “No, I’ll be fine. The couch is comfortable, and the blankets warm.”

Lily chuckled softly. “Okay, then. When I heard the door open, I was worried that you might be trying to sneak away in the night.”

He shook his head again, but as he turned and opened his mouth to reply, the words were suddenly absent. Lily apparently slept in the nude, and hadn’t bothered to get dressed before coming outside. Her pale, smooth skin almost glowed in the darkness, and John knew he would never forget the way she looked. The swell of her breasts, the slim curves of her hips, the tight lips between her legs… He quickly turned back away, mortified at how blatant his eyes had been.

“Ah. No worries,” He said, remembering the conversation, “I have nothing to run away from, with you.”

Lily moved forward to squeeze reassuringly at John’s shoulder, and it took all his willpower not to turn back around and take in her nude body once more. “I’m glad to hear it. I’m going to go inside and head back to bed. You try to get some rest, too.”

John reached up to brush his fingers against hers, and nodded reassuringly. “I’ll head inside in a few minutes. See you in the morning, Lily.”

“Okay, John,” She said, pulling away, “Sleep well.”

The door opened and shut again, and John was alone again. He shook his head vigorously, trying in vain to quit thinking about Lily’s naked body. The elf was beautiful and perfect, from the tips of her ears to the bottom of her shapely legs, though, and he knew he would never forget the way she looked in the moonlight. Sighing softly, he turned back, and went inside, settling back down on the comfortable couch. In the relative silence, he could just barely hear the sound of rustling sheets from Lily’s room, and he went to sleep dreaming not of shadows and ****, this time, but of her beautiful body.