the thread may tangle, but it will never break

Amal El-Mohtar & Max Gladstone This Is How You Lose the Time War

“Back to argue with me some more?” You whisper-shout, wiping at your puffy eyes. Not that you’ve been crying, definitely not.

Tendou doesn’t hesitate as he pushes his way past the book cart and the stepping stool and god knows what else other dangerous obstacles inhabit the stacks where only employees are allowed. He knows you’ve been crying. He knows it’s his fault. He knows he needs to reach you, to fix this mess.

“Keep them there,” he says when you move to pull your glasses back down from where they were nestled on your pretty purple hair.

“What—?”

There’s no room for questions, arguments, thinking. There’s only his lips pressed to yours, his hand cradling your face, his body against yours.

For a first kiss… it’s unconventional, but when had he ever been conventional? You taste sweet and salty from your tears, and he wonders why he waited so long. He can only hope you’ll accept his apology.