I Will Always Find You (Past Fanfic with Proteus)

Odette raced into the woods, she was smiling from ear to ear as she made it to the little hiding spot she would generally hide in. The nine year old smiled as she dashed into the tree that had the low sweeping branches that made her feel like she was being protected.

Proteus ran through the woods excitedly, a wide grin on his face as he laughed brightly, despite his heavy breathing from running. He stumbled a couple times over his feet, but quickly caught himself and continued after a certain blonde. He slowed to a stop when he came to a small clearing, looking all around as he slowly started to catch his breath, his heart rate running very quickly still, and his smile still just as wide.

After a few seconds looking around from one spot, Proteus started to walk around, looking in bushes and up trees for his friend. He stopped, looking forward in surprise, when he saw familiar looking gold waves through some branches, and, smirking mischievously, he casually walked away, hands behind his back. He walked the long way around to the back of the tree were he had seen Odette's blonde hair, before starting to climb up on the side of it, his smirk growing into an excited grin. "Ah HA!" he exclaimed as he leaned his head over the side to look at Odette, his head turned almost completely upside down. "Found you," he said brightly, smiling exuberantly over to her.

Odette's eyes widened when she heard Protie enter the clearing and slowly moved herself into a better hiding position. She hoped that maybe this time Protie wouldn't find her, she did her best to still her breathing, maybe then he wouldn't find her so fast. She had almost tricked herself into believing otherwise and then she heard his voice. Shrieking she jerked and whirled around to face him, "Unfair, you totally cheated!" She pouted as she frowned up at him.

"You only say that cause I can always find you," Proteus countered, sticking his tongue out at Odette playfully as he rested his closed hands on his hips. He then carefully climbed down from the tree and walked around it to squat in front of the blonde, smiling brightly as he gazed happily towards her, resting his arms on his knees. "Do you wanna try again?" he asked thoughtfully, his smile pulling up at one corner. "Or would you rather play something else?" he offered brightly.

Odette frowned and made a face at him before she sighed, "Ok fine, lets play hide and seek again. This time no cheating or else!" She said as she gave him a dark look.

"Why are you so insistant that I cheat?" Proteus laughed lightly, looking down at the ground as he shook his head, and then smirking up softly at Odette. "Okay. Okay. I promise. I will not cheat," he assured, a hint of laugh still in his voice, holding up his hands in surrender. He smirked playfully as he stood up and slowly backed away a bit from Odette, keeping his enthusiastic eyes on the blonde. Once he was a few feet away from her, Proteus gently dropped down to sit on the ground, seamlessly crossing his legs as he did so, his grin broadening as he met Odette's gaze. He closed his eyes softly, and then covered them with one hand, his smile blissfully cheerful, before he started to count slowly.

Odette's grin widened and she started to run off, she did her best to keep her movements soft and silent. She winced as she stepped on a few twigs but Odette was determined not to be found so easily and once she was far enough away she started to climb a tree. Once she was high enough up she scooted to hide herself from any prying eyes.

Proteus' voice gradually became louder as he continued to count higher, and his smile grew wider on his face as he finished his counting. "Ready or not, here I come!" he shouted exuberantly, just about throwing his hands off his face and quickly pushing himself up from the ground as he started off in search of Odette. He walked briskly as his head quickly turned from side to side, and he searched in every hole and crevice he could find, turning his head up occasionally to look in the trees.

((Do you want Proteus to still be the one who finds her, or for her to sneak up on him?:3))

Odette poked her head over the branches as she watched Proteus start to head to her hiding place. She smiled wickedly and was about to move further up only the branch she was on decided to snap. Odette's eyes widened in terror and let out a panicked cry as she started to fall from the tree.
(teehee, he can catch her x3)

Proteus' head turned instantaneously at the sound of the branch snapping, and his eyes widened in horror upon hearing Odette's scream. He sprinted through the trees to where the sound had come from, not having to move far, but easily avoiding the couple obstacles in his way, and he then looked up to search the tree above him feverishly for the familiar blonde head of hair. His eyes and heart stopped, as well as his breathing, when he saw Odette hanging on to the tree by a limb. "Odette! You okay?" he called up, his voice relatively calm, but his eyes full of panic. "How good his your grip?" he called up inquisitively as he worked to figure out how quickly he could climb up to Odette to help her.

((Oh you!x3))

( I'm shameless )
Odette's fingers slipped a little on the branch she was clinging too, "I....my grip is slipping!" She cried in a panic as she tried to use her other hand to grab hold. A little whimper left her throat as she could feel her grip loosen even more and she knew it would 't be long before she fell.
(Up to you on what happens )

Proteus watched, fear gripping him, as Odette became closer to the ground, but he quickly forced himself to focus, shaking his head and furrowing his brow as he positioned himself beneath Odette, spreading his arms upwards and out-he could just about grab hold of her ankles. "Let go Odie. I've got you," he called up, his voice a bit shaky, and his eyes a bit anxious, but his body sure, and ready.

((X3))

( had too sorry XDD)
Odette bit her bottom lip, "...P..promise not to let me fall?" She asked shakily as she clung desperately to the branch she was swiftly losing her hold on.

((Of course you did. ))

"Well you're gonna fall," Proteus tried to laugh, his eyes still anxious and his light tone and smile forced. "But I'll be right here to catch you when you do," he continued sincerely, his smile softening and becoming more genuine as he looked up at the blonde. "Trust me Odie. I'm right here," he said comfortingly, a hint of urgency to his voice.

(XDDDDD )
Odette swallowed hard and then nodded, "Oh....kay." She said as she tried to work up the courage to release her tighht hold on the branch she was clinging too. With a shaky half-sob Odette let go of the branch and started to fall.

Proteus' breath stopped, as well as his heart, the moment Odette released the branch, and he kept his eyes focused on her descending form. He moved around a bit, to position himself in order to catch her, and he let out a low 'Oof' sound as the blonde collided against his chest. He wrapped his arms firmly around her and maneuvered himself to fall backwards with her, a soft thud sounding as he hit the ground. After a couple seconds on the ground, Proteus was able to breathe again, and his heart slowly started beating once more, and after lightly running his hands up and down Odette's back a couple times, verifying she was there and alright, he let out a relieved laugh and hugged her close to him and buried his face in the crook of her neck as he continued to quietly chuckle. "You're okay," he murmured between guffaws. "You're okay," he repeated in whisper, mostly to himself, as he tightened his arms protectively around Odette.

(AWWWWWWWW SOOO CUUUUTE!!!! MY SHIPPER HEART!!!)
Odette was silently crying and she buried her face in his chest as she just concentrated on being safe and sound. "You caught me." She whispered with a shaky laugh as she held onto him extra tight.

((Here you go. ))

"Did you ever doubt I would?" Proteus asked, still chuckling softly, as he leaned back a bit to look down at Odette's face. He smiled lovingly amused down to her as he brought one of his hands around her to softly wipe away the tears that were sliding down her cheeks. "You can count on me," he assured her brightly, chuckling a bit again as he wrapped his arm back around her and held her protectively, lightly rubbing her arms a bit as he smiled down at her. If he was honest, he had doubted himself. He hadn't been totally sure he would be able to do it. He had mostly been acting optimistic for Odette, to keep her calm. So he was really just so relieved that he had managed to catch her, and keep her from hitting the ground.

((These two are awfully grown up for two 9 year olds.x3))

(yes they are XDDD and teehee you read my mind! XD)
Odette sighed happily as she lay against him, "If I hadn't fallen you wouldn't have found me." She said and pouted, once again becoming upset that he had won...even if it had only been because she had been in danger.

Proteus held Odette for another couple minutes, a soft smile on his lips, before he snapped out of his small trance and, after shaking his head and biting his bottom lip, he started to move the blonde off of his lap. "Geez. You are the most sore loser ever," Proteus teased gently, shaking his head again as he delicately moved Odette to sit on the ground beside him. He then pushed himself off the ground to stand up, stretching out his body-a bit over dramatically, moaning and groaning, after a few seconds, and sticking out his tongue at Odette when he was done and standing up straight. Then he lightly plopped himself down, legs crossed, beside Odette again, his body turned slightly to face her, and his face cheerful. Once seated, Proteus lifted his hand and started to go in as if to playfully poke her nose, but he then quickly changed direction and lightly poked her in the stomach, chuckling softly as he pulled his hand back and rested both of them on his knees. "So, you okay?" he finally asked, tilting his head a bit to side playfully, but honest concern in his voice.

((Heh. Sorry. Had to. : P And I think he would have at least a bit of a crush on her as a kid. And he would SO be a romantic, even at 9. x3))

(awwwwww him crushing on her as a kid is sooo cuuute <33333)
Odette nodded and then bit her bottom lip, "Y..you won't tell mom right?" She asked with sudden horror at the idea of her mom finding out. That would mean no more playing with Proteus in the woods....maybe not even anywhere. The whole idea was so horrible she moved and sat next to him before she rested her head against his arm.

((X3))

Proteus inwardly breathed a sigh of relief as Odette nodded, and then looked at the blonde quizzically as she bit her lip, looking obviously nervous, but Proteus wasn't quite sure why. He then started slightly, his eyes widening a bit, as Odette moved closer to him and leaned lightly against him, but he quickly relaxed again, and smiled tenderly down at the young blonde on his arm. "Your secret's safe with me," he assured her softly, lightly nudging her shoulder, his eyes lighting up a bit with playfulness, before they softened again.

Proteus had a feeling now what Odette might of been nervous about. If their parents-any of them-found out how close Odette had been to being hurt, the two of them could say goodbye to playing out in the woods, and possibly just to playing with each other all together. And they couldn't have that. Proteus couldn't lose Odette. She was his best friend. The most important person in the world to him, aside from his parents. And they always had so much fun out in the woods, and never usually got into trouble out here. What harm could this one secret do? Besides, he could really hardly say no to Odette. It was pretty much impossible for Proteus. Proteus lightly laid his head down against Odette's as he gazed out into the woods, his grin growing a bit broader on his face. He was finding sitting here with Odette really very calming, and soothing. He could sit like this for hours.

Odette's hand moved and found Proteus's own as she looked out in the woods. "Thanks for the save by the way...I owe you one." She said quietly as she tried to calm her still slightly racing heart as she spoke to him.

Proteus looked down with a light smile, his eyes beginning to glow brightly with excitement, as he watched Odette take his hand, and he slowly turned his hand over to better hold hers, turning his gaze up to meet Odette's. "Don't mention it," he said softly, beaming over joyfully to the blonde, before playfully nudging Odette's shoulder with his own, his smile spreading wider over his face. "You know you can always count on me," he assured her lightly, gently pushing her to make them lightly sway back and forth where they sat.

Odette laughed, "Well good, I don't want to be a nudge." She said with a smile as she smiled up at him.