sunrise, sunset

You mean you don't already know how to fight?

Opening her mouth to reply but stopping herself as she processed his words. It had been several years since someone actually cared about her, she grew up too fast and was confused as to why someone was concered about her. “I’m fine     why wouldn’t I be?” There was something else to the boy who stood before her, who would care for the safety of a stranger?

"I-- uh," Colin breathed, his eyes narrowing and his mouth twisting into an uncomfortable admittance of defeat. Shit. He lost his touch at stalking prey. Maybe it was just another sign of that he wasn't supposed to be feeding on humans anymore. He was supposed to have kicked that when his emotions turned back on. "I was just making sure you were okay."

It's a weird question to ask someone you just met.

Wow, you turned that on me quick, didn't you?

Then I'm not gonna give 'im to you. Or I might. I don't know.

Yeah, I'm sure there is. I wouldn't know.

Yeah, he is. I'm contemplating keeping him.

It's too cute to be out to get me.

If only you weren't allergic, you'd... steal someone else's cat?

What made you stop?

Uh, well-- Are you the kind of person that's okay with witches and werewolves and vampires or are you the kind that... kills them?

Wait, vampires and werewolves and witches? You believe... in that?

I can't just tell you, Opie. It's not that simple. You probably wouldn't believe me.

I know you're not stupid, Opie. I know that.

All she had wanted for a long time was to see him smile— to see him even a little bit happy. And he was. His happiness came with her’s, and her happiness came with his. The way his voice sounded when he said it made her stomach flip and she smiled, rubbing her hand along his cheek. She knew she loved him, and she’d known it for a long time. At first, it was best friend love, the kind that made her want the best for him and to make sure he was with someone he loved. Then, the thought of him being with someone else drove her insane. The thought of him loving anyone else but her made her angry and when her thoughts were cleared, she knew. Grace knew that if you loved someone and fell in love with a second person, you should always go for the second person— which was Colin. She loved him, but god, she was terrified to say it. Anyone she ever said it to either left or died, and the boy had a reputation with her for always skipping town. She trusted him, but she also knew he could only handle so much. Though, she doesn’t want to wait. She doesn’t want to tell him she loves him at the wrong moment, or tell him she loves him when one of them is on the brink of death. Fear had never been something to stop her before. “I love you too, Colin.” she replied, giving him her signature Grace Peterson smirk.

"Yeah? You do?" He hadn't expected it, so when it comes from her lips, his stomach flips and his grin grows as wide as he's ever managed it to. He can't remember the last time he'd been this happy to hear any words come out of anyone's mouth. It was years and years of waiting and then realising, despite all of his fears and the pain he had to endure, it was worth it. It was worth it to wait for her. If he didn't leave, he could have spared himself some pain, sure, but she found him. She found him the same way he's found her. They were always going to find each other and it occurred to him just then that maybe this was the kind of love other people yearned for. This was what everyone wanted, what he always wanted, and finally, he had it. "Say it again," he muttered, just so he could hear it.