[SE] i wanna be your last first kiss

Zavien

The feelings Soh had around her perceived 'failure' would always be there, and no one could erase those for her - Zavien included. As someone who cared about her, all he could do was support and remind her of the truth and reality of it all: it had made her who she was today. He would happily do it as many times as she needed, and he kissed the top of her head to press the good thoughts in. 

With his eyes to the ceiling, he only felt Soh move, lowering his gaze to meet hers with silent appreciation for her words and physical comfort. He knew he wasn't a 'nobody' - especially in her arms - but it certainly felt like it sometimes, like his worth had been determined by his station, and even as people continued to request for his help, it was with the echo of his past role drawing them to him. He hadn't yet found who he was without being a Dragoon or Commander. As Soh reiterated: they'd figure it out. Whether that was Hak Etme or something else, it would eventually reveal itself, and he nodded his head to reaffirm that belief. 

The first words weren't even out of her mouth when he searched her face for answers. Her nerves were palpable, a cautious tension rising in Zavien as he braced for whatever she was about to say, suspecting it wasn't going to be as easy as the other topics - perhaps due to their current relevance.  

When the impact of her suggestion hit, he was ready, absorbing the force with a quiet calm that spoke of deliberate thought and consideration. His hand had stilled in its soothing movement, as if knowing he would need it more than her when Flora's name came up. He had no intention of hiding anything from Soh, but he was reluctant to explain why he wasn't comfortable living and interacting with someone that meant so much to her - her best friend in fact. Zavien would never forgive himself if he jeopardized that relationship, being painfully familiar with what it felt like to possibly lose that kindred spirit and confidant. 

He started his response light, a half-hearted smile on his face as he joked, "I suppose it's hard to train soldiers when you have a new set of twins." If Ronin really needed the help, it might be a good way for Zavien to find some structure again, and his smile turned more genuine at the thought of training with a group again. "That actually sounds really nice" he paused "but..." he couldn't ignore the reality of what that would entail. 

Not wanting to upset Soh, but also not wanting to lie, he kept things simple when he admitted, "Flora and I don't seem to agree on much, so it might be awkward if I'm training her soldiers." They could easily leave it at that. Their previous disagreement had been settled (to his knowledge), and as long as he avoided further instigating factors, perhaps they could live peripherally without incidence.

If you don't like the road you're walking,
start paving another.

All I know is this could either break my heart or bring it back to life

Maybe she should have left well enough alone, but given how many times Flora had come up today alone, it seemed prudent to get things out in the open - and besides that, it felt disingenuous, in a way, not to share what she knew with Zavien. There was, after all, an opportunity in Torchline that he would fit exceedingly well, and to avoid sharing that with him simply because there had been bad blood between he and the region's queen felt wrong.

Aside from that, she wanted to tell him that she was - at least in this situation - on his side. That she could love Flora and care for Zavien and it was okay if they didn't necessarily get along, so long as they could each accept her relationship with the other. It was a shame if it meant no double dates, but given the fundamental difference of opinion she'd heard about, she could hardly blame Zavien. After all, he didn't have years of history with Flora to fall back on when there was a disagreement.

A small smile twitched at the corners of her mouth as he mentioned the twins, widening a little as his smile turned more genuine. She tried not to get her hopes up, sensing the 'but' that was coming, but it was hard, especially when it was a role that he might otherwise consider if not for who it had come from. His deflection was expected, and she paused. She was still wrapped around him, one hand tracing little patterns on his arm, as though to reassure him that she was still here, that nothing he could do would change that. Maybe she should leave things at that, let it go, shrug and move on...

But that wasn't the kind of relationship she wanted. She wanted to be open and honest, so she took a deep breath. "Yeah... she told me. Or, well, she told me she and Kaisel's version of events, anyway." Turning things over in her mind, Soh tucked herself a little tighter against Zavien, as though by doing so, she might be able to shield herself from the feeling that she was betraying Flora by sharing this. "For what it's worth, I'm on your side," she added, her voice hushed, like Flora might be able to hear her even here. "And you don't have to, but if you want to talk about it, you can."

Got a feelin' your electric touch could fill this ghost town up with life

Zavien

Soh's words hit him like a sack of rotten potatoes in his stomach. "Oh." Flora was her best friend, he was sure they'd talked about it, about how stupid Zavien was. He got the feeling Flora was the kind to laugh it off, talk about how she'd 'forgiven' him and that it was no big deal now that he wasn't the leader of anything. It would just be a funny story to tell about how Zavien had tried to ruin her marriage before it had even begun, but how she'd managed to put him in his place and prove him wrong. How it didn't matter.

The thoughts were acrid, the burn of insult and embarrassment already rising in preparation for what Soh might say, how her opinion of him had changed. He braced for the eventual distance, wondering how she'd managed to sit here this long knowing what Flora thought about him. The pain was already brewing, stealing the warmth of his body as if to show him how it would feel when Soh left. 

But she tucked closer to his side, her words shattering the mounting storm with so much force that his throat tightened as he took a deep breath. Not only had she heard the story from Flora and still come here, she agreed with him. He couldn't quite comprehend it, stunned into wondering what version she'd heard, or why she thought there were sides to be had. Zavien wasn't standing alone against them in some feud, using anger or righteousness as his weapons. This wasn't some battle he was gathering reinforcements for. 

And yet, knowing that he wasn't alone was like finding her hand in the cold dark of a cave, the warmth of her touch enough to brighten the lonely space he'd stumbled into but couldn't find his way out of. 

For a moment, he considered nodding and letting everything end there. Maybe it would save Soh some of the heartbreak to know how he'd felt. 

But maybe it would only turn her against her friends if she thought he still held unresolved anger. 

Taking a deep breath, Zavien's voice turned heavy with exhausted emotions. "I guess I'm just... confused," he started. "All Kai had asked was that I not tell Koa. It's so simple and easy, but... I knew Koa would feel betrayed and I didn't want to add to that by being someone he couldn't trust." And there was a fine line between 'not telling' and 'lying' that Zavien hadn't wanted to cross. "So I agreed but added the stipulation that I wouldn't lie if Koa decided to ask me directly about it." It seemed stupid now. He'd been told it was stupid. But it still felt wrong to have agreed with Kai while not clarifying the one case he'd be forced to break that promise. Zavien prided himself on being someone people could trust, on caring about those close to him. Who would he be if he wasn't 100% honest with the people around him - Kai included?

"Kai's always been hot-headed, and I knew he liked Flora, but Soh," he shook his head, saddened to remember what had happened next, "he panicked." The way Kai had immediately rushed on the offense had thrown him, like a caged animal suddenly lunging at the bars with teeth and fangs swinging indiscriminately. "He started raising his voice and accusing me of being dishonorable, which - fine, whatever. I got that he was scared. He liked Flora and didn't want to further damage his relationship with Koa. I get that," he emphasized, trying to understand at least some of Kai's reaction. However, the more he continued, the more confused he became, his words slowing as he said, "But then he twisted something I'd said - about not knowing if Lena and I were ready for marriage yet - and he threatened to lie to her and say I didn't want to marry her." Even at the time that hadn't been true - simply because it hadn't been a point of discussion in their relationship - and yet Kai's threat continued to cut now that Lena was gone, reminding him of the ways he'd failed her, having gained more ground to sew doubts in his new relationship. 

Pain lanced through his heart, pulling his chin down as he grappled with the emotions. "I just..." Rather than wallow in the self-doubt the topic had unearthed, his focus returned to the fight and why it still bothered him, why it had stuck despite the positive outcome. "That hurt. That he would willingly hurt my relationship after I'd agreed to help him. I didn't want to get between him and Koa. I didn't want to cause more damage by being the one to break the news. But I also refused to be someone Koa couldn't trust. Why did that mean he had to go after Lena?" His voice had turned quieter, minimized by what had felt like betrayal of someone he thought he knew. "Even as panicked as he was, his response was to cause more harm for others, and I didn't feel like I could trust him anymore."

As for Flora, Zavien winced, knowing that this part was mostly his fault. "Then I made the mistake of thinking Flora might want to know her boyfriend had a habit of making promises of assistance on her behalf then threatening her fellow political leaders." A pathetic excuse for a laugh squeezed from his chest as he shook his head. "I was such an idiot. I should have just let it go."

But he hadn't.

Clenching his jaw against the memory, he explained, "She accused me of making something personal political, said I had no right to tell Koa ever because there are ways to not tell him without lying, and politely reminded me that I was the new leader of the weakest region while she was the strongest." Pain had become a constant companion at this point, overflowing in the green of his eyes and the cold twitch of his hands. "It felt like a threat and an insult wrapped in one," he whispered, remembering the cold fear and anxiety when he realized what Flora could and would do if she thought he'd insulted her or Kai. She might not have been the first to make the personal political, but she'd made it clear she could win if she did. That had been a cruel awakening and a brutal lesson for him to learn, and left him with a bitter taste in his mouth. "Even when I later apologized to clear the air, she just accepted it and moved on, offering condolences for Lena and Stormbreak's imminent fall, but... they weren't comforting when all I could think about was how ruthless she'd been."

Shaking his head, he was quick to reassure Soh. "I don't want to come between you and Flora - and I won't. She's your best friend and Kai's her husband and you're living in her house, so I'm sure you'll hang out with them a lot." And he wouldn't blame her. He didn't expect to be the center of her world, for her to cut off the rest of her support system over his sensitive feelings and dumb disagreement. 

Pursing his lips, Zavien looked down, knowing that what he said next wasn't going to make her feel any better. Still, he needed her to know the truth, because even after honesty had damaged his relationships with Kai and Flora, he would not lie to her. So he took another deep breath and resigned himself to whatever may come. "But after being on the receiving end of their tempers and never hearing any remorse for their words... I'm not sure they're the kind of people I want to be around." He'd do it if she asked, continue to put aside the hurt they caused if it would make her happy, but there was a sadness to his voice. He felt like he'd lost two friends, two people he thought he could trust, two people who had proven they thought less of him than he'd thought.

If you don't like the road you're walking,
start paving another.

All I know is this could either break my heart or bring it back to life

Soh felt the shift in Zavien in the way he stilled, no longer seeming even to breathe. Once more she wondered if she was doing the right thing, bringing this up now, hating how it felt to pick at something that had caused him pain, like pulling the scab off a half-healed wound. But she had to know how he felt, had to reassure him that it changed nothing. That she could love them both.

The thought made her swallow hard, her grip tightening incrementally as she tucked herself tighter against Zavien’s side. She hadn’t let herself even think the words, as if doing so would somehow curse their budding relationship. Did she love him? Already?

But that was a consideration for another time, when Zavien wasn’t preparing to tell her his perspective of all that had transpired between he and Flora and Kaisel. His voice, when he spoke, was heavy, as though this was a burden he’d carried alone for far too long. Soh stayed still and silent, holding him, offering what scant comfort she could in the only way she knew how.

His story, for the most part, lined up with what Flora had already told her - although she rather felt as though her friend had left out a few key details. She wasn’t sure how to feel about that. Had Flora intentionally told a story that would benefit her, or had she just not thought the details important enough to share? She had a hard time believing that the Doubletake would have twisted things to suit herself, especially when she’d been so adamant that she was in the right, but…

When Zavien called Kaisel hot-headed, Soh snorted derisively. ”That’s one word,” she couldn’t help but mutter to herself, a touch of bitter hurt still lingering in her mind. But otherwise, she listened, absorbing Zavien’s words. It was hard to listen to - not because the story surprised her, but because she could hear in his voice how affected by it he was, how it bothered him even still. She kept her hold on him, even going so far as to twine one leg around his, as though by getting even closer to him, she could shield him from the idiocy to which he’d been subjected.

When he was done, she didn’t have to think; she spoke immediately to assuage any doubts he may have. ”You won’t come between me and Flora,” she assured him. No man ever had before, and even a significant disagreement with her best friend hadn’t been enough to tear them apart. But then Soh shifted, pulling away enough to free her arms, reaching to cup Zavien’s face in her hands. Her thumbs stroked his cheekbones, and her silver gaze met his squarely. She wanted him to hear the next part. ”But she won’t come between us either.”

Soh paused, as though letting that sink in, before she continued. ”Thank you,” she said quietly. ”For telling me. I’m glad to have your perspective on what happened.” A small frown creased her brow. ”Flora is my best friend. She and I have been through a lot together, and I’ve never - not once - had to question if she had my back or if she wanted me to be happy. Despite everything that happened, she’s been nothing but supportive of you and me. But… that doesn’t mean I always agree with her methods. She’s done things I wanted to strangle her for. And this? I don’t agree with how this was handled, even though I think I understand a little why she acted the way she did. Regardless of her methods, she would do anything for her region and anything for the people she loves. So if she felt like you were threatening either - and I get that you weren’t, but I’m just saying - I can at least understand why she said what she did. 

“As for what happened with Kaisel…” she scoffed, voice flat and tone openly disdainful. ”He’s an idiot. I would have done the exact same thing as you, and that’s what I told Flora. I don’t understand why Kaisel reacted the way that he did, or why he would bring Lena into it, or why he would threaten to twist your words just to hurt someone you loved - when you didn’t even do anything.” Soh was growing heated now, remembering her fight with Flora and the way Kaisel had acted towards her recently. ”I don’t understand how refusing to lie to your best friend could be anything but honorable. They just - they don’t see it that way, and I don’t get that.”

She might have said more, could have ranted on, but stopped herself. That wasn’t the point. Softening, calming, she said, ”I don’t expect you to move to Torchline and be around them. I just wanted you to know it was an option. I don’t need you guys to all be best friends. I just need you and Flora to know that I care about you both, and that that’s not going to change.”

Got a feelin' your electric touch could fill this ghost town up with life

Zavien

He felt her support throughout the entire telling of his experience, her leg wrapped in his, her quietly uttered words, her soothing touch. Where he had felt alone and outcast by his feelings before, Soh stood by him, staring into his eyes like she would stand against the world if it tried to tear them apart. He didn't know what he'd done to deserve this kind of devotion, what he'd done to earn her loyalty so quickly. She'd known Flora for twice as long as him, probably more, and yet she sat here and promised that nothing she said would drive a wedge between them. Stubble scratched against her palm as he leaned into her, grateful for the reassuring words despite the worries they rose. 

Flora's actions were easier to understand, although he didn't agree with the sharp escalation when a soft reprimand would have done the trick. Instead, she'd gone for the jugular over a single overstep and moved past it without caring what kind of feelings she'd hurt. It made sense if she'd felt Kai was at risk, and Zavien tried to give her the benefit of the doubt in spite of the coarse feelings of unease at having been insulted. "I get it," he said of Flora. He might not plan on spilling his heart to her or trusting her morality when it came to people she cared about, but at least he could respect her and be cordial as he always had, believing that she would always have Soh's best interest in mind. 

As for Kai and the rest of the disagreement, Zavien stayed silent, watching her get worked up over something on his behalf. He'd long since run through what little anger he'd had, leaving little but the sour pain of disillusionment. He'd thought Kai a comrade, a cousin, a friend, only to have that ripped away when he was willing to throw threats in his face then act like nothing had happened the next time they saw each other. He'd never apologized for stepping out of line, never bothered to offer sympathies on the loss of Lena or Stormbreak, never made any indication that he cared about repairing the relationship he'd trampled over. It made Zavien feel worse than dirt to have seen him smile without any hint of remorse, like he couldn't have cared less about the damage he caused. It didn't make him angry, it made him feel worthless. 

When Soh finally finished, Zavien moved to rest his hands over hers, not pulling them away but offering sympathies as his eyes diverted from hers. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "You shouldn't have to be the middleman between people you care about - or tiptoe around topics involving them." No matter what she said or claimed about being okay with them not getting along, he knew it would strain on her, knew it could fester and create bitterness when it should be times of happiness. 

His eyes met hers as he continued, unwilling to let her pretend that everything was going to be as simple as caring about them both. "I'm sorry that it might make festivals awkward or gatherings hard, that you'll have to handle uncomfortable conversations or play peacekeeper when you shouldn't have to. I don't want you to feel divided or like you need to pick sides." That wasn't fair to her, and he wanted her to be happy. If that meant playing nice on weekends and holidays, Zavien was willing to do that. It just might never lead to cozy nights or fun double dates. Still, he offered her an encouraging smile, hoping she knew he would try as long as they did. "Maybe we can all get along eventually."

If you don't like the road you're walking,
start paving another.

All I know is this could either break my heart or bring it back to life

Stubble scratched against Soh’s palms as she held Zavien’s gaze, heart thundering in her chest. She hated this, hated that he seemed so hurt by the actions of her friends. If she could take that pain away, she would; she’d do anything in her power to mend the burned bridges and bring them all back to a place where they could get along. But none of that was in her power to do, and so all she could do was offer what reassurance she could that it didn’t matter to her.

”Hey,” she said gently as his green eyes diverted from hers. ”Don’t do that. None of this is your fault. I’m not planning on tiptoeing around anyone. This doesn’t change a thing for me.” Maybe it meant they wouldn’t be hanging out together or going on double dates, but that was okay. It wasn’t like they didn’t have other friends, if they were so inclined. Trying on a smile, Soh tried to coax Zavien to meet her eyes. ”But I guess I’ll understand if you don’t want to be my date to their wedding,” she teased.

Dropping her hands, she eased back to her previous position against his side. ”I’m sorry,” she said. ”I know that wasn’t an easy conversation, but… I’m glad we had it.”

Got a feelin' your electric touch could fill this ghost town up with life

Zavien

A faint smile spread across his face. "Some of it is my fault," he corrected gently. He could have and should have handled some of it better, even if he could recognize where the others had also erred. Still, he gave a dip of his head between her hands, glancing into her eyes as he said quietly, "But thank you. I'm just glad this doesn't change your mind about anything." About him. About them. She could have just as easily took Flora's opinion to heart or chosen to prioritize her friendship over this new untried relationship. 

But she hadn't.

And Zavien returned her smile as she brought up the wedding. "As long as they're okay with me attending, I'll go wherever you want me to." He'd paste a smile on his face and be the perfect, well-behaved boyfriend as long as it made her happy and didn't flare old wounds. He didn't think his attendance at the wedding would be invited but he'd be there to support Soh and her friendship to Flora no matter what his personal feelings on the bride and groom were. 

As she apologized and shifted back into the crook of his side, he let out a long, tired sigh. "No, it's a good thing we talked it through." He rubbed her arm again, wanting to smooth out the bristled emotions of the conversation. "I just hope things work out." He wasn't sure what it would require on his end, but he'd be open to repairing the relationships if that was something Soh asked for. They might never return to what they'd once been, but it might make things easier for her than these strained emotions.

If you don't like the road you're walking,
start paving another.

All I know is this could either break my heart or bring it back to life

Soh wrinkled her nose at his gentle correction, wanting to argue but recognizing that he wasn’t wrong. It sounded like things with Flora could have been handled better, at least. But she wasn’t about to rub salt in the wound, so instead, she let it go. Some things, she thought, didn’t need to be talked to death, and some things couldn’t be smoothed over. Maybe time would ease the ache of the memory, maybe tolerance could prevail between the people who cared about her - if only for love of her and consideration of her feelings.

Maybe it was her endless optimism, or maybe it was faith in her loved ones, but Soh had no doubt that everything would work out. As long as she and Flora were good, and she and Zavien were good, then the rest was immaterial. She did hate that the conversation had derailed them from the fun they’d been having, but Zavien was right. It was good that they’d talked it through.

”I think this should be a requirement for all hard conversations,” she said, gesturing to their pillow nest as she snuggled back into place. Like life, the nest wasn’t perfect, but it was rather playful, and she thought it would be hard to be upset for long so long as she was wrapped up in Zavien’s arms. ”Complete with cuddling. That’s obviously the most important part.”

Got a feelin' your electric touch could fill this ghost town up with life

Zavien

Having nearly pulled Soh into his lap as this point, Zavien let out a low laugh. "Cuddling is always a must, hard conversation or not." He didn't want it to be exclusively for difficult moments. He was becoming increasingly greedy to have her in his arms, and he didn't want to be making up random problems in order to get her to cuddle with him. 

Zavien tilted his head, his smile turning playful as he asked, "So if I come home to find a pillow nest, should I expect a hard conversation with it?" He raised an eyebrow. "What would we do for good news? Blanket forts?" Maybe it should be something bigger and grander since the good news always seemed harder to come by, but he couldn't deny that being sequestered on the floor, wrapped in each other as much as the pillows, was much more comfortable than some stiff conversation at the table.

If you don't like the road you're walking,
start paving another.

All I know is this could either break my heart or bring it back to life

The conversation shifted, turning brighter once more. Relieved for the change and certainly ready to embrace it, Soh smiled. ”Agreed. Cuddling always .” Despite an upbringing in which physical touch had been sorely lacking, she’d since found that it was something she craved - especially from Zavien, with whom she already felt so comfortable and safe.

At his question, she softened, melting into him even more. Coming home to a pillow nest implied coming home to her - and while that may be something to decide on in the future, the thought that he spoke of it so openly, as though it were a guarantee rather than a possibility, warmed her heart in ways she didn’t know how to describe.

”Hmm,” she said. ”I do like a good blanket fort.” The smile in her voice was obvious; seemingly nothing would keep her mood down for long when she was with Zavien. ”But good news… I think we’d need a snack worthy of good news, don’t you? Popcorn is nice, but I’m sure we could come up with something even more celebratory.”

Got a feelin' your electric touch could fill this ghost town up with life

Zavien

As someone who grew up in a community of hugs and physical affection, it had felt unnatural to go so long without physical touch. He couldn't tell if it was the lack of contact that made him feel like this, or the woman in his arms, but Zavien shifted so that he could hold her just a bit closer to him, a satisfied smile on his lips. "Good. Just let me know if you need space. I'd be content to never let you go again."

He let out a low hum as he thought on her words. He'd never tire of a good snack, and being able to share one as they shared good news could be fun, but she had good point about the popcorn. They'd barely even touched it since taking their place on the pillows. It would have to be something more unique and special. "Maybe it could be cake? Chocolate?" They'd have to go out and buy it, but if they were celebrating, Zavien would be willing to take out all the stops.

If you don't like the road you're walking,
start paving another.

All I know is this could either break my heart or bring it back to life

"Then don't," she said simply. "I'd be content to stay right here for as long as you'd let me." For the rest of the day, for the night, for the week - and onwards towards a future that had no end. It still felt surreal that only last season she'd been mourning the loss of a relationship (or lack thereof) that she'd poured years of her life into. If she'd known what was right around the corner - or who - then she'd have run headlong into it with a smile.

A happy little smile played on her lips now, satisfaction evident in every languid stroke of her fingertips along his arm. Even the rain pattering against the windowpanes no longer felt quite so dreary, the pitter-patter in the background only serving to relax her further. "Oooo, cake," she giggled. "Oh, you know, I had this cake one time that had chocolate and peanut butter. A little something for both of us." If she were more confident of her baking abilities, maybe she would even go so far as to suggest that they bake it themselves - but we all know how that would turn out.

Got a feelin' your electric touch could fill this ghost town up with life

Zavien

There was a whimsical look in his eyes before shifting to something mischievous and perhaps a bit possessive. "Then I will plan not to let you go for any reason." His grip tightened as he tucked his head close to hers in a angled hug, a promise there that she might find out later when she wanted to adjust or go to use the restroom. She was stuck with him now, and it was all a fault of her own making, one he fully planned to enjoy exploiting. 

If either of them were more confident in their kitchen skills, they wouldn't be eating popcorn, but as it was, Zavien would be dreaming about peanut butter chocolate cake tonight. A low moan sounded in his chest imagining how that must taste. "Mmm. That sounds delicious." Although he had to guess it wasn't the easiest cake to get their hands on, and Zavien found it hard to believe that they'd be able to hold their news until the agreed upon cake was in their possession; so he tilted his head and added, "In a pinch, something like peanut butter cups might do."

If you don't like the road you're walking,
start paving another.

All I know is this could either break my heart or bring it back to life

"Good -" she started to say, but cut off with a squeak as he squeezed her tightly, angling a hug around her that had her laughing with delight. Despite the inconvenience of being unable to move, Zavien wouldn't catch her complaining. She'd asked for this, and she'd meant it; tucking her head against his chest, she settled in to enjoy it.

The low moan that reverberated through his chest at her description of the cake echoed in her ear. It had been a very good cake. She'd have to see if she could find the bakery she'd gotten it from and bring him some next time. "Peanut butter cups, it is," she agreed. A good anytime snack, where she was concerned, but certainly worthy of good news.

She could hear Zavien's heart beating, and for a moment, she fell silent, letting its steady rhythm ground her in the moment so that she might recall it later, when she would inevitably be separated from him. She did have a promise to keep to Colt, at the very least, that would draw her out of King's End and into the unforgiving desert. But that was a tomorrow problem.

This was so unlike anything she'd ever experienced, and she wondered if Zavien knew enough of her history to appreciate the jagged edges of her heart that he was smoothing over each and every time they were together. She kept waiting for something to happen - for her to mess something up, or for him to leave, or for some catastrophe to interrupt their otherwise idyllic relationship - and yet... nothing did. Instead of having to fight everyone and everything just to be together, it felt like it was them against the world, like there was no obstacle that could get in their way for long.

"I'm so glad we found each other," she whispered. So glad that he'd kissed her, so glad that they'd pushed through the uncertainty to find happiness on the other side, so glad that they could approach difficult conversations with compassion and understanding. Craning her neck, she wriggled to place a kiss along his jaw. "I feel so lucky to have you."

Got a feelin' your electric touch could fill this ghost town up with life