you have survived every moment of your life
even the ones you swore you wouldn't
"It's the closest I've seen so far," he agrees mildly, fingers tapping a gentle rhythm against her hip, incapable of ever sitting still. The nudge against his own interrupts it, but he squeezes with his hand and laughs, pressing another kiss to her temple as they walk, helplessly in love. Even after all this time, his cheeks still flush red at her innuendo, but at least he can still keep her gaze. Baby steps. "And I reap all the rewards for it." He wiggles his brows dramatically back at her, humor always more familiar to him than flirtations as his lips part in a grin.
"Of course! It's been some time since you've trained with me anyway," he notes, recalling their last. How far they've come since then, he muses, heart full and warm. It carries him through to the moment they are seated, and never dims even when he is faced with all that has happened since they parted. "It's a lot," he warns ahead of time, though he's sure Phoebe won't mind - just as Harper won't when he asks what she has been up to in return.
"I went to see Safrin, as you know. I asked how I could help, with the war coming, and she had me install bolts on the Skyboat dock that would keep any Ascended from getting near it without feeling a lot of discomfort." Easy enough to achieve, though he hopes she is proud of him for doing so expediently and without anyone noticing. "She also made me the staff." Here he twists and separates it into two, setting the individual pieces side-by-side on the far end of the table. A waitress comes by with their drinks, and Harper pauses for a moment to smile at her, giving their thanks as the glasses are set on the table. Taking a sip of one, he holds out his hand to Phoebe.
"And then..." Dark, inky feathers spread over his forearm. He's sure he doesn't need to explain it aloud, but he's eager to do so anyway. "She Attuned me." Harper is nearly glowing with the pride of it all, still amazed at all that she had done and given him that night. Letting Phoebe examine the feathers if she likes, and make any commentary, Harper waits before mentioning anything of Gideon - or the other thoughts on his mind. He would rather celebrate the good before speaking of the darker things.
"Of course! It's been some time since you've trained with me anyway," he notes, recalling their last. How far they've come since then, he muses, heart full and warm. It carries him through to the moment they are seated, and never dims even when he is faced with all that has happened since they parted. "It's a lot," he warns ahead of time, though he's sure Phoebe won't mind - just as Harper won't when he asks what she has been up to in return.
"I went to see Safrin, as you know. I asked how I could help, with the war coming, and she had me install bolts on the Skyboat dock that would keep any Ascended from getting near it without feeling a lot of discomfort." Easy enough to achieve, though he hopes she is proud of him for doing so expediently and without anyone noticing. "She also made me the staff." Here he twists and separates it into two, setting the individual pieces side-by-side on the far end of the table. A waitress comes by with their drinks, and Harper pauses for a moment to smile at her, giving their thanks as the glasses are set on the table. Taking a sip of one, he holds out his hand to Phoebe.
"And then..." Dark, inky feathers spread over his forearm. He's sure he doesn't need to explain it aloud, but he's eager to do so anyway. "She Attuned me." Harper is nearly glowing with the pride of it all, still amazed at all that she had done and given him that night. Letting Phoebe examine the feathers if she likes, and make any commentary, Harper waits before mentioning anything of Gideon - or the other thoughts on his mind. He would rather celebrate the good before speaking of the darker things.
this time is no different
you will last
