The Red Ground

M: *Her face has a small smile on it, her expression earnest* You can get used to it - me coming here to give you a muffin and coffee every morning.

W: That's... You know you don't have to-

M: I know. But I want to. So, if you're okay with seeing me every morning, I'll keep doing it.

W: *Is staring up at her, like she's the most amazing thing he's ever seen in his life.* I'd really... Love that. Honestly it's become something I look forward to every day. *His cheeks grew red as he brought the coffee mug up to his mouth, avoiding eye contact, but he glances at her face and is stopped dead*

M: *Her face has a huge smile on it and her eyes are dancing in joy* I'm glad my efforts are appreciated *her tone was joking, even as her expression kept glowing with happiness*

W: *Is dumbfounded by her response, thinking "does she do this with other people" quickly followed by "is she this ecstatic every time she sees someone else" which caused a lurch in his stomach, and a feeling of irritation at whoever she gives presents to, and begins probing* Doesn't it take too much time to do this for multiple people?

M: *Marina's eyes blink at him, her face a mask of confusion, which was definitely NOT the reaction he expected* I don't do this for anyone else. You're the only one.

W: *Is stopped dead at that revelation, because it didn't make any sense* you really don't do this? It's just me? Why?

M: *Blushes and tucks her hair behind her ear, staring at the desk* because it's nice to see you everyday. I see everyone else enough already, I want to see you.

W: *Wakuu marvels at his self-restraint, because those words from her just now were enough to have his hand twitching from his desire to pull her down onto his lap and kiss the living daylights out of her.* I really enjoy seeing you too. You should come by more often, it'd be nice to hang out with you for longer than just a few minutes every day.

M: *He was not prepared to be pinned to his chair by Marina's eyes, glittering with endless stars as her whole face showed her happiness* I'll hold you to that, you know.

W: *His brain to mouth filter disengages* Please do.

W: *There was a pause, Wakuu realizing the implications of what he just said, and turning back to his work, face aflame and decidedly avoiding eye contact. As a result, he missed her reaction to his remark - first, dumbfoundedness, then blushing wildly with her eyes sparkling, before a smile engulfed her face, full of the adoration that had been growing inside her for all this time*

-----------

M: Umm, here, I wanted to give this to you.

W: Wow! This is my favorite, how'd you know?

L: I asked Chaem.

W: Really? Thanks, I appreciate it.

M: I thought you could use a pick me up after... That.

W: Yeah... My dad talks like that a lot.

M: That sounds rough to deal with.

W: I'm not just playing around with a telescope, but no matter how I try to tell him that, he never listens.

M: I, um, at the time I wanted to say something, but I didn't think it was my place to talk back there. But... *blushes, looks down, tucks hair behind her ear* I think that what you do sounds really cool. I think that anything that makes you feel happy and fulfilled in life is something worth doing. And I hope that your dad one day understands you better.

W: ... Thank you. I think I needed to hear that. *Notices that she's blushing a bit, and that her hands are fidgeting, and has a creeping thought that perhaps she's interested in him romantically, because he's seen how animated and confident she is around others*

M: *Looks up at him, surprising him with direct eye contact, as her face glows from her happy smile* Really? I'm glad I said it, then. *Fiddles with her hair slightly as she avoids eye contact* I almost lost my nerve, since I know we don't know each other very well. I didn't want to overstep.

W: Nah, you didn't overstep at all. I really appreciate the support, Marina. Thank you, for both that and the food. *Is slowly growing more convinced that she's interested, and finds her shy behavior to be rather cute, while remembering how dazzling he found her appearance when he first saw her. He thought she was gorgeous, but also far away, since Marina didn't really seem to have decided to properly settle down. The attitude and behaviors of the city clung to her. Deciding to test his luck* You ever stargazed before?

M: *Looks up at him, surprised by the question, and internally he thinks she looks like a small rabbit, he's like "cute", and his face gains a small smile without his knowledge* I did when I was younger, but it's been a long time. I grew up in Zuzu City, so the stars here are different, too.

W: You lived in Zuzu? Really? How much do you remember from the star charts back then?

M: *Her face grows thoughtful, and with her mind occupied with trying to remember, she's become less bashful, and he gets a front row seat to the way she looks while focused, and finds it fascinating and beautiful* Um, I remember some, I think. I was interested in the stories that different cultures had about the various constellations, and so I remember the shape more than the specific places.

W: That's an interesting angle to look at them through... Come by the observatory sometime, I'd like to hear about those stories.

M: *Face lights up, her smile is sweet, and he finally realizes why he keeps hearing people asking about her - she's beautiful, animated, enthusiastic towards other people and their interests, she's popular among single people who are interested* Really? Can I?

W: *Small laugh* Wouldn't have said it if I didn't mean it.

M: *Blushes but almost glows, and he bites his tongue a bit from how her blue eyes look like the night sky and her hair like the stars that shine in it* I'll come by sometime then.

W: I'll look forward to it. Have a nice day, Marina.

M: You as well, Wakuu. Take care.

-----------

W: I heard you hang out with Ben quite a bit. You like him?

M: That- no, not like that, not at all!

W: Oh, so... Just friends?

M: Yeah. Actually... He reminds me of my younger brother.

W: What? I didn't know you had a brother, where does he live?

M: Ah, well... He... He isn't with us any longer. He passed away three years ago, the ship he was on was lost at sea.

W: Oh, God... I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have pried...

M: No, it's okay. You're basically the only person I'm comfortable telling the story to, and I...I do need to tell someone, if only to make sure that he's remembered by more than me, even if just in passing.

W: ... Okay. What was he like?

M: He was like Ben - a lot like Ben, actually. If they had ever met, they'd have gotten on like a house on fire. He was always nomadic, wanting to be out on the ocean, and I admit, I nagged him more than I'm proud of. I was always so worried for him, and it... It took a long time for me to understand that, for him, he already had everything he wanted. I never did get that until he passed. All I saw was my brother wasting his life while barely surviving on the fringes of society. Even after he passed, I still didn't get it immediately. But, one day, as I was going through the things he owned, it just... Clicked for me, suddenly. I finally understood his view point, and I...felt so deeply ashamed of myself. I'm his older sister, I should have tried to understand him better when he was alive. As it is, it's too late to apologize, and too late to regret. All I can do is make sure that I never forget the lesson he taught me.

W: And that was?

M: It's not up to me to say what can and should make you feel happy. It's not up to me to try to change anything. No one needs a medler in their life. But everyone needs someone who accepts them as they are. I don't have to understand to accept you, and I don't have to understand why you're happy to know that you are. I think, that's why I understand both you and your father's stance. But I already learned my lesson about demanding someone I love to fit in with what I want. I have no interest in changing you - because would you still be you, if you changed to fit my arbitrary expectations?

W: *Is currently stuck on the "someone I love" part, but snaps back to focus as she turns and makes direct eye contact with him, and her eyes had unshed tears, but her smile was wide as she looked at him*

M: It took me a while to understand that. And even after three years, I'm still not done grieving, I don't think. My regret is too big, I think it'll be a long time before I'm able to fully move past it. But hanging around Ben is so similar to the times my brother and I hung out, and it helps remind me that, even if I misunderstood my brother until it was too late to correct it, I never made my brother feel out of place or unwelcome. I think... I'm beginning to think that... Despite everything, I was still a good sister. And that's more healing than anything else.

W: I think your brother must have loved you a lot. I also think he knew how much you loved him, and I'm sure you were the best sister any brother could ask for.

M: Thank you. I... Didn't know how much I needed to hear that from someone other than me. Hey, Wakuu...

W: Yeah?

M: This... Might be a bit strange to ask of you, but... Could I hug you? I could really use one right now, honestly. This is the first time I've told anyone this story, so...

W: Oh! ...Uh, yeah, that's... That's fine.

M: ...Thank you.

*She hugs him, and he kind of flutters his hands a bit, unsure what to do with them, before tentatively placing them on the small of her back. He felt her arms tighten slightly, and it gave him more confidence to pull her closer. She smelled of fresh grass and flowers, and the scent combined with the feeling of her so close to him, as well as the emotional charge from their discussion, had his heart pounding, and his cheeks growing hot.

He knew that he liked her as far more than a friend from the beginning of getting to know her - she was dazzling, a beautiful light amidst the commonality of the world around them. When she began approaching him to become friends, he knew that he was never going to be able to look at her as just a friend. He was afraid to give his heart out, but he honestly didn't even know when it was that he lost it to this woman. So, hearing her say how she felt about him, even in such a Freudian way, was enough to have his heart dive straight into that well of emotions he'd been trying to stay away from.

Not that it had done him any good, considering that the whole conversation they'd just had was born from him trying to hide his jealousy about her spending time with someone else. He really feels like an asshole, but instead of internally tearing his hair out while worrying if he'd messed up, all that he could focus on was how nice it was to hold her close to him, and how soft her body was in his hands.

Screwed, he was so screwed - this woman was quickly becoming the most important person in his life, and he still didn't know how deeply she felt about him. While his emotions were strong enough to have him faintly hearing wedding bells during quiet moments of his day, he still doesn't know for sure that she likes him in that way. Sure, the signs were there, but socialization wasn't his strong suit, and the likelihood that he was reading too much into it was high.

He couldn't stop himself, though. No matter how much he tried to reign his emotions in, keep his feelings in check, it didn't matter. He was only falling harder and harder every day that went by.

He could only pray that she'd catch him in the end, because otherwise he was going to break. And he had no idea what that would look like.

---------

M: A bit late for a muffin, but I want to make sure you knew that I haven't forgotten you- I just ran out of cocoa beans.

W: ...You were making them yourself? I thought you got them from Raj.

M: In the beginning, I did, but the moment I saw Sam was selling a cocoa bean tree, I decided to make them myself.

W: You could have told me, you know?

M: Why? It's no big deal - and I didn't want to put any pressure on you to feel super thankful or anything. I just wanted to give you something you enjoy.

W: If you ran out, how'd you get more? Sam doesn't sell them alone.

M: I asked Eva if she could spare some for me.

W: ... Hey, Marina?

M: Yes?

W: Come closer real quick.

M: ??? Alright

W: *The moment she's in range, he reached out and grabbed her waist, pulling her into a hug and leaning down to put his lips next to her ear.* Next time, let me know it's you - I want to be able to thank you properly.

*Marina was red faced and stuttering, her hands floating about from her uncertainty in how to respond to his actions. It was honestly the cutest thing he'd ever seen, and his eyes unconsciously softened, with a smile curling his lips, as he reached a hand out to brush her bangs away from her face.

M: Marina's eyes went wide at his expression, her mouth dropped open, and then a very sweet, very happy grin covered her face.* Alright. I'll tell you next time. But only if I can get a hug then, as well.

*Pink bubbles around the both of them, and several people in the tavern were stunned to see this side of Marina - many of them were interested, with no one really knowing who held her interest, but now they did. Marina didn't act like this with any of them. Several eyes looked at Wakuu with a bit of envy, because how the hell did this awkward guy catch her interest?*

-------

M: I... If I may say something? I didn't want to say it while Aaliyah was here because it seemed like it would be used to fuel the argument further, but...

Bettie: What is it?

M: I...I think you're letting your grief rule you, right now. Aaliyah has a dream - and she's closer than she's ever been to achieving that dream. I understand that you want your family close to you, but... Well, to be blunt, I don't think it's fair to demand your children to give up their dreams, whatever the reason.

B: That's... But still...

M: And not everyone is going away. In fact, your two boys are staying, aren't they? Noah is most concerned for you, he cares for you deeply, always puts you first. You don't need to worry that you won't be taken care of with Aaliyah away. You are also in good health, so there's little chance for you to pass on while she's in space. In which case, the only other worry would be how dangerous it is, except that's why astronauts train so hard. She's putting her everything into this.

B: I understand, but still...

M: Even if she stays, would she be happy? You run the risk of driving your daughter away in the future, simply for the sake of keeping her here now. Don't clip your children's wings so you can forcefully keep them with you. You will birth nothing but resentment.

B: And how on earth would you know this? Truly, how could you underst-

M: Because it happened to me.

B: What...?

M: It happened to me - to my family. And we never recovered.

B: Just what...

M: I'm... I'm not comfortable talking about my past before I moved to Coral Island, I'm sure people have noticed that already. This is the first time I'll have told the full story to anyone. But Aaliyah is my friend, and I want to help her how I can. So, please listen - because.... this is how- this is /why/ my brother died.

B: What?!

M: My parents said the same things you said during your discussion with Aaliyah. My brother wanted to be a sailor. He wanted to see the ocean and the world that lived in it. It was his passion, and our parents... Didn't like it. They would quietly shut down any discussions that involved being a sailor, nothing overt, but it also wasn't subtle. My brother spent most of his life believing our parents hated him for his dream.

B: I would never-!

M: And they didn't. They loved my brother. But he was someone who made his passion his life, and so every discussion always somehow led to my parents telling my brother to just "stay close to home" and "it's dangerous to sail like that!" When my brother pulled away, they panicked and hounded him even worse. He was so desperate to get away from them, you know? I don't think my parents ever realized the damage they'd done - even now, I don't think they realize where they were wrong. But this push and pull situation went to a head one day - he left. He'd taken a ship, was going to live on the ocean, and he only told me.

B: He didn't-

M: He asked me to not tell my parents immediately. I remember his face hid his anxiety quite well, and I thought the anxiety was on making sure he could get away without seeing them. I was wrong. I was so... So wrong. *Is beginning to choke a bit on her sobs, and Betty, ever the mother, reached out to give her a hug, but was stunned when Marina held her hand up, shaking her head in refusal. She breathed a bit, and Betty felt her heart tighten at how quickly Marina calmed herself down - when was the last time someone had comforted her, for her to be so good at comforting herself?*

M: *Wipes her eyes, her eyeliner streaking on her hand* it turned out, that the ship he took was the last one that was going to leave the harbor before the end of the season. The storms are no joke, and most ships had left a long time ago. But this crew was full of newbies, with a captain who didn't even know the terminology for port and starboard, calling it left and right.

B: *Betty's hands clasped together tightly as she listened*

M: *Marina's smile has a destitute, angry sort of hollowness to it* He was so desperate to escape our parents' equally desperate attempts to keep him by their side, that he risked his life on an untested crew during the most dangerous part of the year, and only told me. No one else, not even any friends - just me. Probably because I was the only family he felt was still family after everything - I never hounded him, I was always interested in his knowledge. My openness to his ideas meant that my parents learned of his departure three days after he already left.

B: Three days?

M: He'd asked for that - to wait three days before I told them what he did.

B: Were they-?

M: *Marina's smile twisted into something of a smirk, with an undercurrent of self-loathing* Oh, they were furious. Almost disowned me on the spot. They kept demanding to know why he told me and not them. How could I have let him go? Why didn't I stop him?

M: *She looks at Betty, who's face is white like a ghost, and her attempt at a smile this time was simply sad* I wonder that too, you know. That question still keeps me up some nights. It was the height of storm season at that time, and all we could do was wait for word to be sent on his safety. My parents and I virtually stopped talking to each other - how could we not, since they blamed me for him leaving? But then, word came back that the ship he left on was never seen at their destination, and in fact, no one had seen it since it departed the harbor.

B: *Betty's hands covered her mouth in horror*

M: *Marina's voice grows a bit rough* My parents had blamed me since day one, and that blame didn't shift when we found out that he was missing and presumed dead. For months, the house only had two volumes - screaming from our arguments, or silent as the grave. I...I was 19, at the time. I found out what happened to my brother, and thought "I want my mother - I want her to hug me and tell me it'll all be okay." I didn't get that. All I got were pointed fingers and hateful words.

M: I went home as a child seeking comfort. I left that house as an adult cutting ties towards strangers I didn't even know anymore. I left, without telling them anything - in hindsight, I left just like my brother did. I wonder if the irony hits them like it does me? But I came to Coral Island in search of a home. Not some house inhabited by people I rarely talk to, but a home, a place to belong. My point, ma'am, is this - your daughter is a brilliant woman, with a clever mind and good instincts. I doubt I'd have as much confidence if it was one of your sons. She knows what she wants, and she's already told you - shown you, rather - that she will accomplish her dream with or without you.

M: *Marina's eyes are red, her makeup destroyed, but it made her seem that much more serious, as she looked Betty directly in the eye* Don't do what they did - don't shove your child away in the time where they want your support the most. I don't think Aaliyah will suffer the fate my brother did. But please, at the very least, don't make your sons be the only ones supporting her. Don't let there...I never want to see anyone become someone like me.

B: Someone like you?

M: Someone for whom the word mother... Became the word monster. And someone for whom the word family stopped being a source of comfort, and instead became a source of anger, grief, and blame.

B: My dear...

M: *Marina seems to finally realize how badly her story affected Betty, and her struggle, between apology for hurting Betty and the belief that she said what was necessary, was written on her face. She shifted on her feet a bit, glancing up the stairs anxiously, before withdrawing into herself, and stepping back* I'm sorry, it seems I ended up unloading a lot of baggage onto you, which wasn't my intention. I'll- I'll leave now, I'm sorry for speaking up in a situation where it wasn't my place to talk. Goodbye.

B: *Betty called out to Marina right before she opened the tavern door* You are still welcomed here, child. You are always welcome here.

M: *Marina froze, her back to Betty, and her hand on the tavern door. Before she could respond to that, the door opened, and she was suddenly face to chest with Raj, whose expression went from cheerful to concerned immediately upon seeing Martina's face. He held a hand up, as though to rest it on her shoulder, Marina ducked away from it and slipped past him, out the door, with the sound of her heels running being heard for a bit*

R: *Raj looks at Betty, whose face is grieving and anxious and apologetic all at once, and wondered what on Earth happened that could make Marina, the most cheerful, radiant woman he'd ever met, to have tear tracks and red eyes on her face*

A: *Meanwhile, Aaliyah, who'd frozen at the top of the stairs the moment she heard Marina start talking, slides down the wall until she's sitting down, her hand over her mouth in horror as she'd listened to Marina share such a painful story - one that Marina shared /just to help Aaliyah/. Aaliyah could only think "I never would have guessed that Marina had a bad past - she never talked about it, sure, but I figured that it was just because she was afraid of boring people... She's... Why is she holding this all to herself?"

[---same scene---]

Meanwhile, Marina ran past everything, thankful that most people weren't out and about, and simply tried to put physical distance between herself and where she told that story, like it would help her put a distance between her and the story itself.

Without realizing it, she'd found that she'd ran to the hilltop, with the Observatory in sight. She shifted on her feet, wincing at the blisters that were on her toes from running in heels. She wasn't going to be able to make it home in these. That, and she had a guess about why her feet led her here instead of back to her farm.

She wasn't up for retelling that story, she felt entirely too raw to explain her state at the moment. But just being near a place that someone she trusts lives was giving her the ability to breathe, and so, she walked up towards the railing, pulled her shoes off, and simply stood there, barefoot, looking at the sky. Her body felt numb, and her eyes strained, but she did her best to just think about nothing.

It was going relatively well, enough so that she didn't hear the doors of the Observatory open, the footsteps behind her, the soft, questioning call of her name, none of it. And so, she startled, badly, at the touch of a hand on her shoulder. Her head whipped around, her eyes meeting gentle, worried black. Wakuu stood there next to her, his hand suspended in the air, his eyes going wide at seeing her disheveled appearance.

Marina could only guess how bad she looked, and her head dropped, staring at the ground, and her hair fell to cover her face. She waited, for the questions, for the insistent demand for answers, for the suffocating feeling of people who care but won't respect her boundaries.

W: Instead, there was a silence, and then she heard, "do you... Do you want a hug?"

She blinked, looking back up at Wakuu, who stood there, his expression showing how out of his depth he felt. The knowledge that he was willing to feel uncomfortable if it meant he could help her, caused a flash of appreciation to go through her.

But that flash of emotion was the straw that broke the camel's back - she was drowning in her emotions, and the thin layer of control she thought she had completely disappeared. Her face breaks, and with a sob, she almost threw herself into his embrace.

He stumbled back a bit, but quickly regained his footing, and wrapped his arms around her, letting her cry herself out on his shoulder. When she buried her face in his shirt to try to muffle her sobs a bit, Wakuu hugged her tighter - how did he always know exactly what she needed? Where did this man come from, that he was able to read her mind like this?

Meanwhile, Wakuu, his arms full of a crying Marina, almost felt himself about to cry at the sound of the anguish in her voice. When he came out, he was planning on setting up his telescope, but was surprised to see the familiar back of a woman he could spot from a mile away.

His immediate emotion was confusion, because why would Marina be hanging around outside the Observatory instead of coming in? When he called her name, she didn't respond, which caused his confusion to gain a bit of worry to it.

He was stunned at the violent flinch she gave when he touched her shoulder, but he had no words to describe the emotion he felt at seeing her face, streaked with tears, eyes red, bottom lip bleeding slightly from being bitten, her hair a wild cascade of curls around her head.

He had just enough time to think "even when she's crying, she's gorgeous" and feel the subsequent sense of self-loathing, before he was forced to act, because Marina was just staring at him, her eyes wide but dark, and her whole body shaking.

He knew better than to pry about the details for how she got like this - every interaction he'd ever had with Marina had told him that she was only going to talk when she was ready, and demanding answers was just going to remove himself from the list of people she'd talk to.

He knew they weren't dating - whatever his personal feelings and intentions might be, their relationship was still platonic. He might want more, but they weren't there yet. Still, a hug didn't have to be a romantic thing, right? It wouldn't be too strange for him to offer one to comfort her, surely.

The moment he offered that hug, he watched as Marina just...

Broke.

There was no other word for it. Marina broke, shattered into pieces, and he was caught off-guard when she threw herself into his arms.

And again, he had just enough time to marvel at how soft her body felt in his arms, along with the subsequent sense of self-loathing (when would his hormones learn to respect serious situations? He was going to end up in hell, like this), before she began to sob.

She clung to him in a way he'd never experienced, her fingers balling up the fabric of his jacket, her head buried in his chest, her body half-leaning on his for support, and dear goddess, what /happened/?

What could cause Marina, sweet, beautiful, radiant Marina, the strongest woman Wakuu had ever known, to break, like this?

His best guess was that it was something to do with her brother, since he knew she had a well of hurt there- she'd never outright spoken about it, but Wakuu could read between the lines to know that whatever it was, it was /bad/.

He felt Marina begin to calm down, her sobs fading away, but she didn't leave his embrace. There was a silence, before Marina spoke, her voice rough and thick with tears.

M: "Not going to ask me what happened?"

W: "You'll tell me when you're ready. And honestly, I don't have to know what happened. I'm just glad I'm able to be here for you like this."

He felt her move, pulling away a bit, and met her eyes as they stared up at him. That beautiful, summer sky blue, those eyes that had captivated him from the very first moment he'd ever seen her, looked up at him. And like a sun slowly rising, he watched as a tired smile grew on her exhausted face. It was small, and fragile, but that made Wakuu even more proud for managing to make it happen.

M: "I know why my feet led me here." There was something soft in her tone, and one of her hands came up and cupped his cheek.

He was too lost in her eyes to be surprised when she did that, which is probably why it felt like lightning had struck him with her next action.

She leaned up, standing on her toes, and placed a very gentle, but very deliberate kiss on his cheek, her lips touching the corner of his mouth.

Wakuu's brain almost immediately shut down, trying and failing to process that action and everything it meant.

Meanwhile, Marina rested her head on his chest, her arms wrapped around him, and gave a little sigh of contentment. She was choosing not to think about the consequences of her actions just now, and just focused on how warm Wakuu was.

They stood there, quietly, for a long time that night.

---------

W: Wow... I've never seen you dressed up like this.

M: It's a date with you, one that you set up. Of course I have to pull out all the stops.

W: You didn't even dress like this during the Harvest Festival., and there were much more important people there.

M: Important to who? What do I care if those arrogant snobs don't like me? I'm not about to dress up for a bunch of old men who don't matter. I only dress up for one very specific reason.

W: And that is?

M: Making sure that whoever I'm dressing up for can't take their eyes off me. Is it working?

W: Oh believe me, it's working. You look...I have no words, stunning doesn't do you justice. I /am/ worried that you'll be cold, though.

M: That's really sweet of you to think about, and don't worry, I have a solution for if I get cold. *Walks up super close, their eyes connected, and she reaches her hand out, grasps his wrist, and gently guides his arm to wrap around her shoulders. Wakuu followed her lead, holding her close. She smiles up at him, then leans into his side, wrapping her own arms around his waist.

He was always so warm when they hugged, and she was always a bit sad to let him go. Tonight, she was going to use the excuse of being cold to get all the cuddles and warmth she wanted from him. Her smile grows at the thought, tightening her arms around his waist and resting her head on his shoulder.

Meanwhile, Wakuu is blushing up a storm, but his heart was full of pink bubbles. He also, a bit guiltily, had a faint hope that she'd be cold for the whole evening (he loved holding her in his arms, and was, in fact, wondering what god or goddess he'd helped to be given the opportunity to hold Marina for as long as he wanted.)*

*Over by the Lake Temple, the Goddess that Marina had met before laughed a bit, catching a glimpse of Wakuu's thoughts. She hadn't given any blessings to this meeting, but she certainly could, if she wanted. And given all that Marina had done for the island, the Goddess thought that she more than deserved to be blessed with love. With a soft sound, a breeze swept from the temple, traveling through the town and entering the observatory, before wrapping around the smitten couple. The Goddess gave a pleased hum as the magic worked and returned to her sleep.*

*Later, after the dinner date, they stood outside the tavern for a bit, and Wakuu, still not wanting the date to end, and also worried about Marina getting cold, walks her back to the farmhouse, and turns to Marina, catching a glimpse at her smile, clearly pleased with herself about something, and it clicks into place that Marina definitely came to the date without a coat purely for the purpose of keeping him close to her during the evening, as much as possible. He nearly laughed, thinking that Marina certainly deserved to feel pleased with her scheme, because it clearly worked very well. However, looking at her showed him again just how gorgeous she looked tonight, all dressed up like this, as well as remembering how she said that she only did it for him, because she wanted to keep his attention the whole night. That thought, that she only did this for him, not even dressing up for festivals or meeting important people, /just/ for /him/ - something within him welled up, a feeling he couldn't name but was overpowering, and he turn to her, his fingers brushing her cheek as he tilted her head up a bit*

W: Marina, can I kiss you again? *Wakuu heard his voice almost like a third party, too busy losing himself in those eyes of hers to stop his mouth from running away from him again. Luckily, his voice was steady, if quiet, giving no indication to the wave of emotion that was running rampant in his chest.*

*Marina blinks in surprise, but almost immediately smiles, causing those starry skies in her eyes to glitter captivatingly. Rather than verbally reply, she wrapped her arms around his neck, tilted her head back a bit further, and gently closed her eyes. With that clear permission given, he captures her lips for the second, and final time that night. Their earlier kiss had been sweet, but this kiss was different - where the earlier kiss had been a gentle pressing of lips that simply reveled in the contact, this one was exploratory, both of them learning what felt nice and what each other's boundaries were. When they finally pulled apart, slightly out of breath, Wakuu saw that Marina's pupils were blown wide, and her face had a dreaminess to it that showed just how affected she was by that kiss.

That expression was one that Wakuu immediately knew he'd never get tired of seeing. A brilliantly competent woman, one who could get any person she wanted without having to move a finger, but had chosen him? Even he thought that sounded ridiculous, and maybe that was why he was so reserved in the beginning of their relationship. It took a while for him to move past his worries, but he finally saw that she was serious when confessing to him that she liked him. That was why he'd asked her out this time - he'd decided to risk being left behind like a trashed doll if she changed her mind, and gave his heart to her.

Up until this second kiss, there was still the smallest bit of anxiety, but the expression she had right now, that she had from simply kissing him, completely destroyed any lingering insecurities he'd had. Her dreamy expression showed, more than any number of words could describe, that this woman loved him, was IN love with him, and if he had any sense at all, he'd hold on to her for dear life, and never let go.

And Wakuu had plenty of sense.*

----------

W: Thought you dressed up so I wouldn't take my eyes off you?

M: While I feel no guilt at capturing your attention for a single night, I don't want to be a /complete/ distraction for you. I know how much you love your work, and I also love seeing you in your element like this. Why do you think I always bring a chocolate muffin and coffee for you?

W: I thought you did it because you like hanging out together and wanted an excuse to see me.

M: That's absolutely true but if that was all I wanted, I could just go and see you at the tavern - I could even play pool with you while spending time together. No, there's a reason I like coming up here to see you. A man who's focused on his work is always attractive. I also get to have you all to myself without risking anyone coming up to interrupt us.

W: ... Marina, come here for a moment. *She blinks, and moves closer to him, and once she's within range, he wrapped an arm around her waist and pulled her onto his lap. The action was sudden, and Marina quickly grabbed his shoulders to steady herself. Looking at Wakuu, about to ask why he did that, she was stopped dead, her eyes wide. Wakuu was looking at her, his face serious, but there was /want/ in his eyes, which were looking at her lips before very slowly dragging his gaze back up her face to meet her eyes. He didn't ask this time, instead just reaching his hand up to guide her lips to his. The pull was gentle, allowing Marina to reject him if she wanted, but she had no interest in doing so. Her eyes fluttered closed just before their lips touched.

Marina wasn't sure why, but since that night, Wakuu was much more assertive with her. He always reached for her hand if they were walking together, would wrap his arm around her if they stood next to each other for any length of time, and was just overall much more physically affectionate.

Marina loved it. She was a physical type of person, however much she might enjoy talking to people, and she'd much rather have her boyfriend hold her in silence than to chat with each other three feet apart. This was only their third kiss, but Marina was already melting into it. She wasn't entirely sure why Wakuu was so good at kissing, given that this was both of theirs' first relationship, but she wasn't going to complain. Not that she could, since her mind was turning into goo as the kiss continued. She wrapped her arms around his neck, his own hands moving to her waist to keep her steady in his lap. Her body slumped against his, and she could feel her knees getting shaky.*

*The kiss finally ended, and Wakuu was treated to the sight of a completely undone Marina. Her cheeks were red, her pupils blown wide enough you could scarcely see her iris, her lips parted slightly as she regained her breath, and her expression was dazed. Despite being an inexperienced kisser, Wakuu had just kissed her stupid. That knowledge may or may not have made Wakuu feel a bit smug, but it's hard to feel anything but warm affection when he had this woman in his arms. Her dreamy face grew a smile, and she rested her head on his chest. The rest of their time together was quiet but still sweet, Wakuu gently fiddling with Marina's hair as she remained in his lap.*

----------

Archie: Hey, Ms. Marina!

M: Oh, hello! How are you doing, Archie? *Is currently carrying a large, heavy aging barrel, that looks like it's about to flatten her through size, but her hands are steady and her arms aren't shaking, meaning she's carrying it well*

A: I'm doing well! Um, Ms. Marina, are you good with animals?

*A little ways away, Wakuu notices Marina, before noticing that she was talking to Archie. Without really thinking about it, he follows after them, quietly so they don't know he's following, and gets to witness the whole conversation*

M: I'm not bad with them, though I'd say your friend Zoe and her parents are more experienced than I am. *Senses that this might be a bit of a talk, she gestures with one hand* would you be alright walking and talking? I need to set this down in the shed, but I don't want to miss catching up with you. Come on!

A: Ok, Ms. Marina! That thing looks heavy! Don't you need help?

M: Oh no, it might not look like it, but I'm stronger than I look. I also have a secret technique that helps me lift really heavy things like they weigh nothing! *Has a humorous, faux-secretive tone of voice as she glances at the boy*

A: Wow, a secret technique?! What is it?!

M: I lift with my legs, not my arms. I'm holding this in my arms, but my arms themselves are relaxed at the elbows, so all the weight is being carried by my legs and feet.

A: That's what Mom and Dad do! I thought it was a secret technique?! *Pouts in betrayal*

M: Oh no! I thought I was super smart for learning to do that while watching your parents build my barn! Turns out, there was someone even smarter than me, who had already done it all before! *Her face has an exaggerated look of sadness, hiding her laughter quite well, and Wakuu begins to smirk when he sees Archie look worried*

A: Um, it's- it's still cool that you can do it! Mom and Dad won't let me lift any heavy things yet, they keep saying I'm too young! *Looks confused about why they would say that*

M: In that case, it's even more impressive - you learned just by watching, you didn't need to do it yourself to learn! You're so smart, Archie! *Sets the barrel down, patting the lid with a satisfied smile, before turning her full attention towards Archie* And so? How can I help you, Archie?

M: *Face looks genuinely worried now, and he seems antsy. Immediately, Marina's smile falls off, and she kneels down to look Archie in the eye. Wakuu sees how Archie stopped fidgeting when Marina kneeled down, and something warm is growing in his chest at this interaction* What's wrong? You looked worried.

A: Um, well, the thing is... *Pauses, clearly struggling to explain, before sighing* Um, I found an injured bird in the forest the other day. I couldn't leave it there, cause it would die, but my parents don't like animals, so I don't want them to know I have it. I was wondering if you have any newspaper or something like that, so I can build him a nest?

M: *Marina nods slowly, her face serious but understanding* I do. I'm assuming you don't want your parents to know?

*Wakuu raises an eyebrow, wondering how Marina would handle this*

*Archie nods* yeah, please don't tell them, Ms. Marina!

A: Archie, I'll be honest with you. As an adult, I have an obligation to inform your parents if I'm helping their kid do something, especially if that something will be done in their home. *She holds her hand up when Archie looks like he's going to say something, face a bit panicked* Luckily, I think I have a solution for this - why don't you bring your bird friend here? I'll let you visit him and take care of him as much as you like, and since it'll be under my care, it allows me to leave the decision of telling your parents what's going on up to you. Does that work, Archie?

A: Would you really help me take care of him?

M: *Marina smiles sweetly, ruffling Archie's hair. That scene sticks in Wakuu's mind for a long time* of course I will, Archie. I'm here to help you with anything you need, to the best of my ability. That's the other part of being an adult.

A: The other part?

M: Yup! The first part is being an honest person who tells people the important things they need to know, and knowing what those things are. The other part is being a trusted friend who can help those who need it, and being willing to do so.

A: Oh... That sounds complicated.

M: *Marina stands up, her smile wide and warm as she looked at him* that's okay - your super smart, remember? The older you get, the better you'll understand what I meant. Now then, it's getting a little late in the afternoon - why don't you go pick up your bird friend now? That way, we'll have all the time we want to figure out where best to take care of him and get him all healed up!

A: Okay! I'll be right back, Ms. Marina! *Begins to run off, before Marina calls after him*

M: It's fine to run there, but make sure you walk carefully and slowly coming back when you're holding your birdie friend! If you run, you might hurt him, okay?

*Archie pauses, before yelling agreement and running off*

M: *Meanwhile, Wakuu slowly walks over, hands in his pockets, looking in the direction Archie headed, before turning his eyes towards Marina, who was still eyeing the way Archie went. Right as Wakuu reached her, she speaks* did I handle that okay?

W: How'd you know it was me?

M: Of course I know it's you - I know your step pattern, Wakuu.

W: You memorized my footsteps?

M: Yeah. My hearing has always been hyper sensitive, you already know this.

W: I thought you just memorized your parents' footsteps.

M: I thought I did too. Then I met you, and learned that I memorize the footsteps of the people I care most about.

W: Do you know Chaem's footsteps?

M: We might be friends, but she's not you, so no, I don't know hers. You're the only one.

W: The only one in town? Just me?

M: Did you think I'd memorize someone else's? The reason I know yours so well is because I always want to see you.

W: Always?

M: Always. I love your company - I love /you/.

W: ...Marina, turn towards me for a second?

W: *Marina turns her head, eyes confused, only for Wakuu to ambush her with a kiss. It was only a sweet press of the lips, but Marina's eyes had closed immediately at the contact. She blinked them back open, just to see Wakuu smile while wrapping his arms around her from behind* I love you too, and, to answer your earlier question, I think you handled that whole interaction wonderfully.

M: *Marina leans back with a contented sigh, her hands coming up to rest over his, which were pressed flat against her stomach.* That's good - I was worried, because I don't have a lot of experience interacting with kids.

W: Could have fooled me - you looked like you knew exactly what you were doing.

M: That... Makes me really happy, actually.

W: Why? Do you want kids?

M: I'll ask you back - do you?

W: I like the idea of having kids - I'd like to be a dad.

M: I think you'd make a wonderful dad. And I'd love kids as well.

W: What would you have said if I said I didn't want any kids?

M: I would have kissed you, while mentally erasing kids from my future.

W: Really?

M: Really. The future I see with you is one that I want, with or without children. If we had no kids, I'd just adopt a cat.

W: The future you see with me, huh...

M: Yeah. The future I see with you is one that I fell in love with from the moment I started thinking about it. That future is one that I think can hold anything. Children are a gift, but one that I'm okay with losing if it means keeping you. That's how important you are to me.

W: I guess it's good I want kids then.

M: *Marina half turns in his embrace, using his shoulder as leverage, she kisses his cheek, and when he turns his head, she gives a quick kiss on the lips, not noticing the small, aborted movement Wakuu made when stopping himself from chasing her lips further. She turns back, leaning against him, and rests her head on his shoulder. She slowly closes her eyes, her smile wide and peaceful, and gives a soft sigh of contentment.* With or without, I love you Wakuu. And I think you'll be an amazing dad for our kids.

*They both go quiet, enjoying each other's company, meanwhile, Wakuu did his best to swallow back the emotional surge that had run through him the moment Marina said "our kids" after they spent so long tip-toeing around that particular phrasing during their conversation. That emotion was a tidal wave in his heart, running rampant in his chest, but the only indication he gave of it was tightening his hold around Marina's waist.*

----------

M: I'd initially planned to give this to you later, because I didn't want our anniversary to overshadow your birthday, but in the end, I was only able to wait three days.

W: I wouldn't mind having our anniversary happen on my birthday. That just makes my birthday even more special.

M: But I think your birthday is just as special as our anniversary.

W: Really? Why's that?

M: Because it celebrates /you/ - who you are, how you live, how you came to be here. I love you, Wakuu - and you have no idea how often I think about how lucky I am, for you to exist in a time and place that allowed me to fall in love with you. Your birthday is important to me because it's the day the world blessed me with the possibility of meeting you.

W: Marina... *Voice soft, bewildered but elated, fingers reaching out to hold her face, staring into her eyes*

M: *Smiles up at him* Our anniversary celebrates the day that we became one, which never could have happened if you weren't born. Your birthday is important - that's why I'd initially planned to wait a bit longer before asking you this. But in the end, three days was apparently my limit - this ring felt like it was burning a hole in my pocket everyday, and every time I saw you, it just felt like it burned hotter. I really-mmmph!

*Interrupts her with a kiss, one that he put every little bit of feeling he had in it - gods, he loved this woman. He knew that he shouldn't have interrupted her, that it was rude, but he was almost suffocating under the weight of his affections. This woman was such a beautiful soul, earnest and sincere in everything she did, even when confronted with other people's sarcasm. Her voice was clear and sweet, like a bell, and he knew that if he didn't interrupt her, that she would just continue to say things that would make him fall even further for her.

When he finally allowed the kiss to break, pulling away from her, he saw her eyes were half-lidded and dazed, her lips puffy and her cheeks red. He then became aware of how tightly she'd grasped his shirt, like she was using it to help her stay steady, and the fact that he, Wakuu, astrological geek and socially awkward introvert, left this gorgeous woman breathless enough that she needed to lean on him for support was almost enough to pull him back under. Then, her eyes cleared up a bit, still hazy but now smiling, her expression smitten with him, and the tension broke again, pulling him, and by extension her, back under.

He guided her hands around his neck to give her something more stable to hold than just the cloth of his shirt, using the change in position to move his hands around her waist. One slid up her back, holding the back of her head and digging his fingers into her silky hair. This allowed him to deepen the kiss even further, and he felt her arms tighten around his neck as her knees went weak, hanging off of him. His arm moved down so he could hold her up better.

Until now, Wakuu had always been the one directing the kiss, with Marina being kissed into a stupor, passively receiving. Now, Marina had fallen so far away from any kind of brain function that her body was moving almost by instinct. Meaning that, for the first time, Marina /kissed back./

Was Wakuu surprised? Absolutely. But if you think for a moment that his surprise might have lead to him breaking off the kiss, you'd be dead wrong. Marina kissing him back just made it so that Wakuu didn't want to stop. Her "instincts" had created a monster, and it only took moments before Wakuu walked her backwards, lifting her so that she sat on the low cement wall right outside the observatory building. Marina hadn't wanted to risk any eyes watching such a private event, so there was no one around to worry about walking into this situation.

Wakuu was beyond caring. The only thing on his mind was his girlfriend - his /fiance/, his soon-to-be /wife/, gods, this woman was amazing and beautiful and perfect and wanted to be /his/. He didn't care if someone caught them right now. Normally he was the one most concerned about giving others a free show (not because he was embarrassed to be seen with her, but because he was territorial enough to want to be the only one who got to see the way she looked after he kissed her), but he didn't care if someone saw them right now, because all he cared about was making Marina feel good. Her kissing him back had lit a fire, and one of his hands moved slightly behind her, bracing himself on the cement wall as he leaned closer, his other hand migrating from holding her head to gripping her waist.

The moment his fingers wrapped around her hip, Marina made her first and last mistake of the night.

She moaned.

Wakuu's self-control instantly snapped.

He wanted to hear her make that noise again. Right now. He wanted to hear it again /right now/. The hand he'd been using to brace himself instead moved to grip the other side of her waist, and-

Another moan. Fuck, that noise was the hottest thing Wakuu had ever heard in his life, and his libido - which he hadn't even realized he /had/, having never experienced anything like the current situation - was five seconds away from digging his hands past her clothes in search of more places that would allow him to hear that lovely sound again, and an image flashed through his head, of a bed and a red-faced, panting, partially-unclad Marina lying under him.

It was that image that finally brought him back to reality, though, because, however lost in lust towards his girlfriend - his /fiance/ - he might be, he's not an /animal/. His father, for all his faults, raised a gentleman, and Wakuu drew the line at fantasizing about doing things with his fiance that she wasn't ready for them to do yet.

He slowly pulled back (however much he might try, pulling away from Marina always felt like pulling teeth), holding Marina close to his chest and resting his head on top of hers. The scent of fresh grass, rainwater, and lavender entered his nose, and he took a deep breath, suppressing his newly discovered inner fire. He felt Marina stir in his arms, glancing down and catching Marina's eye as she looked up at him with a besotted smile.

He pulled her closer, burying his face in her hair, his mouth centimeters away from her ear, and said the final words that would be spoken by either of them for the rest of the night:

W: "Marina's husband, Wakuu - I love the title already."

----------

M: Can I kiss you?

W: I've been waiting for you to ask.

M: Oh? Really? Should I kiss you first thing in the morning?

W: I'd love that.

M: Alright. *Leans in and presses a kiss to his lips* Good morning, luv. Can I ask something of you?

W: *Blushing but feeling like he's walking on clouds* Anything you want.

M: I hope you know, I love kissing you. I love hugging you, I love holding you and I love having you hold me. And I also love hearing you talk, even if it's just a few sentences. Your voice is one of my favorite sounds. Which means, every time you finish speaking, the very first thing I want to do is kiss you. *Leans against his chest, turning her head to the side so that her forehead was resting in the crook of his neck. He could feel her breath against his collar bone* Promise you won't get bored with kissing me twice every morning?

W: *Wakuu nearly bursts out laughing, since the idea that he'd get tired of kissing her, when HE was the one who was trying not to go overboard in asking HER for kisses, was ludicrous, but recognizes that this request is something she's actually worried about, and so he treats it seriously* The likelihood of me getting bored of kissing you is zilch. It's not a thing that could ever possibly happen.

W: *Marina's hand comes up and Wakuu immediately grabbed it, threading his fingers with hers, and tilting her head up with his other hand so he could look her in the eye while saying this* Marina, I'll never grow tired of you with anything. But, hearing you ask me that, does make me a bit happy.

M: Why? *Marina blinks up at him, and Wakuu felt a swell of adoration surge through him - all she's done is LOOK at him, and he's already nearly tripping over himself, he's so far past screwed that he's lapped it and is coming up behind it again.*

W: Because I was worried that YOU'D get tired of kissing ME.

M: Not on your life!

W: And that's the same thing I thought when you said you were worried about me growing bored with kissing you. It's nice to know you share my worries, it makes me feel less lonely with them - I'm too familiar with what it feels like to feel lonely in a crowd.

M: I know. *Marina's face is earnest as she looks up at him* You'll never be lonely with me here.

W: *Wakuu kisses her forehead* I know. And you'll never feel unwanted with me here, either. You're worried I'll get tired of kissing you because you'll kiss me twice every morning?

*Marina's eyes still have the faintest hint of uncertainty in them*

W: Why only twice? I'm not sure twice every morning is enough for me, actually. *Kisses her forehead again, then leans in and kisses her properly. It's very short, because he still had to finish reassuring his wife that she was beautiful and perfect and amazing* Nope, not enough. *He leans in, kissing her again* Still not enough. *He meant to keep going like this, but every kiss he stole from her lips was eroding his self restraint. His voice when he spoke again was low, and full of desire* it's never enough.

*And he threw all his restraint, plans and tasks for the day out the window, instead choosing to push Marina back down onto the bed.

The rest of the world can wait, he's not letting her back out into it until he was good and done with her - and that wasn't going to be happening any time soon*

----------

*Marina has Hype Boy playing on her phone on the counter, singing along to it, lost in her head as she cleans. Wakuu walks into the house quietly, and wanders towards the kitchen hearing the music from it, and gets a front row seat to Marina as she cleans, she has a good voice and her pronunciation is almost perfect, and her head bops, her body grooving to the beat [shut up, I'll use the words I want]. She hasn't seen Wakuu yet, focused on the chore she's doing. At some point, she finishes what she's doing and turns around to see Wakuu leaning against the door frame, a small grin on his face, his eyes dancing with amusement*

M::How... How long have you been...

W: Long enough. *His grin grows as her face turns bright red with embarrassment*

*Marina holds her face in her hands, too embarrassed to look at him, but he really wanted to see that red face of hers some more, so he walked over to her, gently taking hold of her wrists and pulling her hands away from her face. She resists slightly before letting him, but still turns her head away, not able to look at him.*

*Wakuu is growing more and more amused at her antics. He lets go of one of her wrists, reaching out to turn her head back towards him, and the sight of her red face, with her eyes looking up at him like that, causes him to briefly flashback to the night before, where a beautifully red-faced Marina laid under him, calling his name. The memory flashes by quickly, and has Wakuu leaning down to capture her lips.

For Marina, the kiss is sudden, but her surprise disappears along with any thoughts she might have had in her head, because being married had done NOTHING to inoculate her to Wakuu's kisses. Even with how far they went last night, Marina was still left in a stupor just from being kissed. Something warm pooled in her stomach as the kiss continued, and she used the hand that Wakuu had let go of, so he could hold her face instead, to reach up and dig her fingernails into his hair and along his scalp, having learned last night exactly what that would do to him.*

*The change was immediate, and the kiss, which had been sweet and adoring until now, suddenly caught fire, and Marina only had enough time to think 'oh no' with pleasure pooling in her gut due to her anticipation, before Wakuu had her pressed up against the wall and at his mercy - any thoughts she might have had were completely destroyed due to the pleasure that she was drowning in.*

*By the end of the night, they would both be in bed, naked and sweaty from spending their whole afternoon making like rabbits, and in all honesty, Marina hoped that they wouldn't fuck this much every day, because her body wouldn't hold out. Just as she thought that, she moved her leg and brushed up against /it/, feeling his arms tighten around her. That action then caused her breasts to rub up against his chest, which then led to his member growing hard, and before she could do much more than whimper, his hands were on her, his fingers seeking out her pleasure spots (how had he already memorized where they all were?!) and Marina's mind grew foggy again as he brought the fire in her body back up to scorching levels.

She was going to be fucked silly by her husband by the end of this, and if she managed to make it out alive after tonight, then she was going to have to be more careful about setting off her husband's libido.

But, just as the resolution glimmered faintly in the back of Marina's head, Wakuu lifted one of her legs up over his shoulder, hitting a new place that was deep enough to knock the breath out of her, and that sector of her brain went blank as she saw white, which turned that resolution into mere vapor. She was struggling to remember her own name right now, she couldn't retain anything except the pleasure and the name of the person giving it to her.

It was in the wee hours of the morning that Wakuu finally decided to let her go, and he felt a little guilty when he saw her fall asleep almost instantly. He was still awake for a little while after that, looking at his gorgeous wife laying next to him, his fingers reaching over and fiddling with her hair absent-mindedly. He mostly tried to focus on her face, because when he looked at her body, so heavily covered in red marks that she could be mistaken for having a sun burn, red marks left by /him/, well... He didn't want to risk it, because he knew they both had early starts tomorrow.

And he clearly wasn't good at restraining himself.*

-------

*Wakuu learns what it's like to go to sleep alone*

It was far later than normal for Marina to go to bed, and when she comes in, she very quietly closes the door and changes into pajamas. Her husband was there, sleeping peacefully, although Marina felt a small bit of concern at the small frown on his face - was he having an unpleasant dream?

She slipped into bed, and shuffled next to him and hugged him from behind. She felt the small bit of tension in his body relax, and realized that going to bed alone had been unpleasant for him.

It was sweet, honestly, but Marina couldn't comfort him if he stayed asleep. After a moment of thought, she partially sat up on her elbow, and leans over him a bit to look at his face. His hair was blocking his eyes from view, and Marina gently brushed it out of his face.

W: The moment that her hand touched his face, he blearily woke up, looking up at her. "Marina...?"

M: "Sorry I woke you up, luv. I'd missed you today, and wanted to see your face before going to sleep."

A smile, despite his still half-asleep state, crossed his face, and he turned over so he was facing her. She laid back down, and, after a small pause, she reached out and laid her palm on his cheek, shuffling a bit closer so she could plant a kiss on his forehead. Her fingers stroked his face, and one of his hands came up to hold it.

W: His voice was slightly rough from sleep. "I'd missed you too. Did you finish...?" His voice trailed off, his exhaustion causing him to lose the last half of his sentence, but luckily, Marina knew what he was asking.

M: "Yeah, it's all done. Tomorrow we can spend the whole day together..." Marina trailed off because she suddenly realized that what she just said sounded needy.

Her relief came when Wakuu's smile grew, and he reached out to pull her into his arms, threading their legs together. He tucked her head under his chin, so her ears were right over his chest. She almost felt his next words, more than heard them:

W: "You said it, not me - I'm not letting you go tomorrow, I'm keeping you to myself."

M: Marina's chest grew warm and her arms wrapped around him. "You promise?"

W: She felt his arms tighten around her a bit, his words slightly slurred as he fell back asleep. "Yeah, promise."

Marina let her eyes droop down, the gentle beating of his heart lulling her to sleep. She wanted it to be tomorrow already.

----------

*normally Marina is already sleeping by the time Wakuu is home, exhausted from a long day of labor. He comes in quietly, doing his best to be silent as he changes into his pajamas and slips into the bed. Marina is facing away from him, he slowly hugs her from behind, trying not to wake her. She rouses slightly anyways, and a quiet, sweet voice is heard*

M: Missed you. Welcome home.

W: *Wakuu always loved the way her exhaustion would curl around her words, almost like an accent. He pulls her closer to him, and presses a gentle kiss on the crook of her neck.* Missed you too. Go back to sleep, luv.

M: Mmmh, goodnight, I love you so...mm... *Her voice trailed off as sleep overcame her, but Wakuu was up for a while longer, marveling at this woman he had in his arms.*

---------

W: *Wakuu glaces up by some kind of sixth sense, and sees Marina heading towards the pool table. A smile naturally found its way onto his face, and he set the pool cue down and walked the few steps to meet her as she drew up to the table. He hears some snickering behind him but ignores it, pulling Marina into a hug, grin on his face.* Hey, you.

M: *Soft laughter drifted sweetly from the body in his arms, and he feels her return the hug.* Hullo, luv.

W: What brought you here?

M: Why, I'm looking for my husband. You wouldn't happen to have seen him? Taller than me, hair dyed silver, very handsome when he smiles?

W: Hmm, not sure it rings any bells. *The joke breaks when neither can keep a straight face going. While they were flirting, however, someone said "hey, get a room, you two!"

W: Wakuu raised an eyebrow and glanced around but otherwise ignored the voice, instead turning back to Marina.* Did you finish the project you were doing? *His arm wrapped around her waist and he guided both of them to the pool table, where everyone was either amused or jealous, depending on their level of interest in Marina before she married him*

M: I did, it went even better than I hoped it would. And since I completed it, I thought I'd pop over to check on my husband, and let him know that his wife will likely be heading in for an early night.

W: Not up for staying for a while? Could even join the game.

M: Mmmh, I don't kn-

*Someone says* I doubt she even knows how to play, Wakuu, don't bring her into this. Be nice to your wife!

*Wakuu had just enough time to think that Surya was an absolute idiot before he heard Marina's voice next to him. He almost winced at the sweet voice that now had knives hidden in it*

M: Actually, I think I will join. Anyone wanna lend me a cue? *Wakuu immediately gestures towards his cue that was leaning against the table, watching as she walked (stalked) forward. He glanced around and noticed that no one except him had any inkling about the hellfire about to happen.*

*Marina, holding his cue, looked at the current board, her eyes scanning for the best angle, and Wakuu knew it was all over the moment he saw her suppress a smirk - he knew that particular facial expression all too well.*

*With swift, certain steps, she walks around to the other side of the table, and Wakuu admitted to himself that the way she looked while walking in those little white shorts of hers was something he enjoyed watching. With one smooth movement, Marina shot the cue forward. Ball whacked against ball, with perfect precision, and everyone watched with growing wide eyes as the eight ball rolled right into the pocket.

With one move, she cleaned the board, and while she nonchalantly placed the pool cue down, everyone else was losing their minds.

Amidst the chaos, Wakuu stood alone, a bastion of calm and with a smirk on his face as he watched everyone else marvel at his wife's skill. When Marina was close, he quickly pulled her into his embrace, planted a kiss on her lips that had her blinking dreamily up at him, said loudly enough for everyone else to hear*

W: Should we head back home, then?

M: *Marina blinked, before looking up at him with a slightly concerned look* No, you don't have to cut your evening short, just to join me, you know?

W: *Wakuu stared at her for a long second, before leaning close to her ear, and whispering the only thing that was running through his head at that moment* babe, do you have any idea how hot you looked just now? I promise you, that my mind is not the only one in the gutter, even if they're gentlemanly enough to not say anything.

M: *Marina gained a little smirk on her face again, one that had him wanting to break public decency rules* So you're taking your wife to hide her away so that no one can look at her and have dirty thoughts?

W: *Wakuu's mouth spoke before his brain did* I'm taking my wife away because I can't pin her to a wall the way I want to, right now.

*Lucky enough, the only one who heard him was Marina. And given how her face immediately turned red before she buried her head in his chest, he was going to call that a rare win - it wasn't often that he won a war of words with Marina, she was far more skilled than he was, and he was not ashamed to admit that. Marina while in the midst of speaking passionately was also a Marina at her most skilled, and one he found to be hotter than hell. Since none of their disagreements ever became fights, (Marina was too empathetic and he always did his best to do the same for her) it meant that he could admire her beauty when she was at her best. Today simply hammered home how amazing her skill with words was, that it out shown any of her other skills*

*He quietly left the tavern with her, and they had a very different kind of fun after getting home.*

----------

*it's getting close to midnight on New Year's Eve, the fireworks are getting ready to go off, Wakuu discreetly waves Marina over to a hidden spot. Marina comes over with a smile*

M: Hullo, luv *she grins up at him, and he feels a rush of adoration sweep through him* why'd you call me over? The fireworks are about to start.

W: *Wakuu hummed a bit, his eyes dancing as he realized she didn't know about the tradition of kissing your lover at midnight. He leans down a bit, whispering* I'd like to have you to myself when midnight hits. Is that okay?

M: *Marina nods, still confused to why he wanted to be alone with her at this moment but not minding it* of course it's okay. *Her voice was quiet too, matching his voice*

W: *Wakuu smiles, his hand coming up to cup her cheek, and with perfect timing, he heard everyone else begin the countdown.

The moment the fireworks were in the air, he kissed Marina. The kiss began sweetly, soft and full of adoration, however, the bit of alcohol in Marina's stomach had given her a bit of liquid courage as well as a little bit if recklessness.

Uncaring if anyone found them, Marina wrapped her arms around Wakuu's shoulders, standing on her toes, and deepened the kiss.

Wakuu was initially stunned but he almost immediately responded, pulling her closer and closer, until he was almost crushing her body against his. She responded by tightening her arms around his neck and hanging off of him, pushing her mouth against his. Marina taking the initiative during a kiss was pretty rare, and Wakuu was /not/ complaining.

However, the sounds of the fireworks ending called for a stop with their current activity, and they pulled apart from each other. It felt like pulling teeth, but Wakuu held himself together with the thought that they could continue this once they were home, and /fuck/ he could scarcely wait until they were back at the farm.

In fact, he couldn't even wait long enough for them to enter the house before he pinned her to the door, looming over her. His lips crashed against hers, hard enough that she nearly hit her head on the wood of the door. One of his hands was holding her face, and the other came down and grabbed her thigh, pulling it up to his waist and grinding his tented pants against her crotch, only thin fabric to separate the two.

Marina groaned in response, reaching one of her hands up to dig into his hair and scratch his scalp. That act had completely killed any inhibitions of his, hell, it had killed any ability to think at all. He blindly reached for the door knob, and they stumbled through the door, with him kicking the door back shut behind them, his hands already occupied with getting his wife out of the clothes she was wearing. She could do little except hang on to his neck, knowing her knees wouldn't work at all. Which meant that by the time they got to the bed she was the only one undressed, with only her bra and panties still on her.

She looked up at Wakuu as he took his own clothes off, and she felt her panties getting soaked from the look in his eye, which was a blazing fire of desire.

Completely naked, he got on the bed and held himself above her with his hands bracing against the bed. Marina laid under him, red faced and hazy eyed, and that expression of desire quickly made Wakuu's brain grow hazy and the only thing he could think of was Marina, and her voice when she called his name. He was going to spend tonight worshipping her body, digging into every single weak spot and destroying her ability to think of anything except him and his name. He wouldn't stop until she was so fucked stupid that she'd forget even her own name, and then he'll keep going, because he knew that his hunger was ravenous tonight, and they weren't going to sleep until the wee hours of the morning.*

----------

W: I was gardening with Dad yesterday, and his plants are looking pretty unhappy. Maybe you can go over there and check on them, Marina? I told Dad I'd ask you about it.

M: Of course I can, love. Do you want to come with me? Or would you prefer I go with just myself? I can go over today.

W: Are you sure, Marina? I know the first two days are the busiest for farmers.

M: Wakuu, my crops can wait for however long I want them to wait. Family comes first, always. And your Dad is all the extended family we have, so he's even more important.

W: But, still, I don't want you to go if you don't have time-

M: If I don't have time, then I'll MAKE time. And I've made time to go whenever you'd like to.

W: ...Marina, come here for a second.

M: ??? Okay.

W: *Grabs her in a kiss, a hot one that leaves her staring dreamily up at him - a sight that made him a bit smug every time he saw it. Rests foreheads together, staring into those beautiful blue eyes that he'd been captivated by from almost the first time he'd laid eyes on her.* I'd like to go today, he's been pretty worried.

----------

W: My dad's so in tune with nature and I feel like I'm nowhere close to that.

M: Is that a bad thing?

W: Well, I mean...I feel like I could be more useful on the farm if I knew...

M: Do you think I married you in order to have a helper on my farm?

W: No, but-

M: You don't need to be close to the land. You're already a bridge between us and the stars, what is my little green thumb worth next to that?

W: It's still important-!

M: And so is your talent. You have your own gift, Wakuu. The first thing I fell in love with about you was the stars in your eyes - both the ones reflecting on them, and the ones that exist in them.

W: ... Marina, come here.

*Steps closer with a smile, now knowing what he's going to do when saying that*

*Kisses the life out of her, and after pulling back, he sees her staring dreamily up at him - it seems that, no matter how often he kisses her, she's still just as affected now as she was when he first kissed her. Wakuu tried to bury the smugness that rose up in him with that knowledge, and simply held Marina close, enjoying the feeling of her soft body in his arms*

----------

W: You avoid the tavern a lot, for someone so extroverted.

M: Extroverted? What?

W: Aren't you? I always see you laughing and talking with tons of people every day, that's not introvert behavior.

M: Hey, Wakuu - are you willing to keep a secret with me?

W: Yeah, I can. What is it?

M: Give me a second, I'm gonna go grab a bit of water, cause I'm about to show you something.

W: Okay...

*Comes back with water and a small towel, wets the towel, and swiped the rag under her eye. A huge amount of cover-up makeup came off, and as she kept wiping, more and more came off. When all of it was gone, Wakuu couldn't help but stare, a small part of him a little horrified. Her face was exhausted. He'd always thought her eyes seemed strange, but hadn't realized that the dissonance was because she was hiding how tired she was. There was a small moment of silence, before Wakuu spoke*

W: How long? *His voice was hard*

M: What?

W: How long have you been walking around in this state?

M: It's... It's been a while-

W: How long?

M: ...

W: Marina, please. *His voice goes from hard to nearly desperate, full of concern*

M: Since... Since I came here. I don't sleep well or much, and I have things I have to do, appointments to keep, I've been bus-

W: You're burnt out. You've been burnt out. You need to rest, why aren't you-

M: Because I always seem to end up talking to people. I take medication for anxiety, and it's not a small dose, either. But, people make me anxious. Restless, on edge - it's not because I think they'll hurt me, but I can't seem to-to shut out my awareness of them. If someone is nearby, someone I'm not truly close to, I can't relax, because they're there and my brain and body won't forget that.

W: So that's why you don't go to the tavern - it's like a megaphone blasting in your ear.

M: Yes, that exactly! I'm not sure if anyone's noticed, I hope not, but when more than one person joins a conversation, I stop talking pretty quickly. I can't think straight.

W: Then why do you come here? Why do you come to see me?

M: Because I'm comfortable with you. Because even when you're in my awareness bubble, I still feel okay. I can breathe. You have no idea how strange that is for me - even my own parents tap my radar. But not you. You are so wonderfully relaxing to be near.

W: ... This sounds closer to a confession, somehow.

M: *Small laugh* Does it? Then, what would your answer be, if it was? *Eyes look tired, but that sparkling blue is still just as captivating now as it was the first time he saw it*

*Wakuu looks at her, the whole her, and finally put a name to that feeling he'd had for so long now. Love. He was in love with her. That explains his reaction when she first showed her face - anger at how she was treating herself, anxiety at how much she's been carrying on her shoulders, and betrayal. Because why didn't she tell him this, before now?

But even in the moment, his concern for her overrode any other feeling.

It was similar now. There was a mounting ecstasy at having his feelings returned, a disbelief that Marina would return his feelings, and admiration - because, however bad she was at taking care of herself, Marina was an amazing woman to have gotten this far despite everything. But his love for her overrode those other emotions.

And, much like always, Wakuu's emotions were always the ones truly in control of his actions.

They were already standing close together, less than a foot apart, but he stepped closer, and his hand came up and gently tilted her head up, his thumb running along her jaw, before going past it and tangling his fingers in her hair, holding the back of her head.

Leaning down, he paused, millimetres from her lips, looking into her eyes for permission.

Permission she granted with a gentle closing of her eyes.

The touch of her lips on his was something indescribable - it was so much more than a simple brush of skin, there was an endless number of emotions and desires and beliefs, all held together and channeled through this small, intimate action.

Wakuu had initially planned for the kiss to only last a few seconds at most, but that changed when he felt her hands grip his shoulders, and her body lean into the kiss.

His other hand came up and held her face, his fingers stroking her cheek, and the kiss deepened, causing Marina to give a soft sound of pleasure, her fingers clinging to his jacket.

That sound started a fire in Wakuu's heart, instantly becoming a blazing inferno, and it took everything in his power to continue holding her gently, keeping the kiss sweet, when 2/3 of him wanted to hold her tightly and explore all the places that could cause her to make a sound like that again.

But his control won, and when they finally broke apart, Wakuu was treated to the sight of a dreamy-looking Marina, who stared up at him with hazy eyes that further messed with his self-control. But his dad raised a gentleman, goddammit, and so, instead of pinning her to a wall like his imagination was suggesting, he silently walked with her back to her farm, and before she went in, took her hand and gently kissed it, rubbing his thumb over the spot and quietly wishing her goodnight.

His dreams that night contained fantasies that he would never admit to having, ever, but they at least made it clear that his interest in Marina had officially stopped being just friendly and had instead become, frankly, besotted.

----------

W: Did you... Was that a fish tail, just now?

W: *Freezes, staring at him, stunned, but remains mute, causing Wakuu to realize that he was correct, however unbelievable it might be* Are you... Are you a mermaid, or something?

M: *She's still frozen, but he can see the struggle on her face, and he watches her mouth open and close a couple times, before her fists clench and she looks away, off the pier* I... This isn't my secret to tell, and it's... It's incredibly important to make sure no one ever knows about it. Technically speaking, I should lie and say that you saw it wrong, that it was a trick of the light or something. But- *she looks at him, her eyes are soft and her smile rueful* I can't bring myself to lie to you, and I can't tell this secret. So, instead of answering that question, could I ask you to pretend you didn't see it at all?

W: Thank you for being honest with me, but if it's that important, I think you should lie to people about it, my personal feelings aside.

M: And if it was someone else, I certainly would have - but I can't with you. I can't lie to you.

W: Just me? Why?

M: Can't you guess? Surely you already know how I feel?

W: ... Are you... Confessing to me, right now?

M: And if I am? *looks up at him, her eyes full of certainty, and this time, Wakuu didn't stop himself from getting lost in them. That pure blue, as gorgeous as the night sky he loved to look at, with endless stars shining in them. Before now, he held back, would glance away when he could feel himself beginning to fall, always worried he might make a mistake and ruin whatever the both of them had in this relationship. But, with this confession of feelings, he no longer had to hold back, he could do the thing he'd wanted to do since the first time they stargazed together. He reached out, his movement more sure than it otherwise might be, due to the almost trance-like state that losing himself in her eyes had put him in. His fingers brushed her cheek, tilting her head up and leaning down, till their mouths were millimeters apart. He could feel her breath across his lips, and looked into her eyes, a silent ask for permission*

*Her eyes had gone wide with surprise at his actions, but when she read that question in his eyes, she didn't even have to think about her next action. She reached her arms up, wrapping around his neck, and then closed the distance herself, her eyes gently falling shut*

My preference begins and ends with you. Whether you have long or short hair doesn't matter, I'm not dating you just for your beauty.

Stop, I'm already blushing, you don't need to continue!

But if I don't, how would you know about all the things you have that make you perfect?

Stoooop, I can't! *Covers face with hands*

*Laughs* Fine, I'll stop, for now. Back to our original point, I think you look amazing with both long and short hair, but if you choose to cut it, do you plan to head to the Capitol to see a hairdresser?

I probably will, yeah. Why?

In that case, I like your hair longer.

What? Why?

Because if you keep it short, it means there will be times where I won't be able to see you even if I want to. I'm too used to having you nearby, I won't be able to take it.

Now you're just being ridiculous.

I would never!

*Laughs*

But seriously, I really can't picture life without you anymore - I'd rather you have long hair if it keeps you nearby. I'd miss you terribly, after all.

You're just being sweet, again. Very sweet.

But only for you, so it's fine, right?

... Yeah, you're right. *Takes hand, smile soft*

I'll walk you home.

Okay.

-----

So it's you, huh?

Pardon? Is there something wrong?

You ever plan to go to the capital, boy?

Why do you ask?

I'd recommend you stay here - if you went to the capital with Layla on your arm, you'd be on the receiving end of a lot of ill will.

Why is that?

She's a pretty girl, isn't she? Vibrant, too. You really think a girl like that didn't have any admirers?

She did?

There's not a boy at the academy that wasn't interested, and plenty of girls were too, after Layla's seeming lack of interest in the male gender. Honestly, most of the professors just assumed that she was too focused on her duties as a chemist to ever be in a relationship. Now I know that it's just that none of them were her type.

I see...

Yup. And then you appeared. Hence, my recommendation that you stay here on Moonbury Island. Don't go looking for trouble if you don't have to.

I understand. I'll keep your advice in mind.

Will you? In that case, I have one last thing to say.

Please.

You treat her right, got that, boy? You better not hurt her feelings, or else.

I would never. She's a beautiful person, I'd be a fool to ever risk driving her away.

You keep that mindset, and you'll do just fine, boy.

-----

You seem quite tired, Layla.

Mmm, you're right. I didn't really notice until now, but I guess I've been running myself a bit ragged.

You should rest more.

Then... Can I rest here, next to you?

Of course. You can lean on my shoulder if it makes you more comfortable.

Thank you, Xiao.

X: *watches L scoot closer, before she gingerly rested her head on his shoulder. As the minutes went by, her body relaxed, leaning more heavily against him as she began to doze off. Her face is close, he can feel her breath on his neck, can feel her chest move slightly as she breathed. He hesitated, before wrapping his arm around her waist, pulling her a bit closer so that she fit more comfortably against his body. He turned his eyes back to the book in his lap, hyper-aware of the woman by his side, which made his reading slow to a snail's pace. Eventually, he gave up trying to read and just looked out at the ocean, thinking about his relationship with L, all of the things people have said and all of the things he's seen, the facts making themselves inextricably clear. He really loved L, more than he really had words for, and he felt incredibly blessed that his feelings were returned by the woman who had swept in and stole his heart.*

-----

People keep telling Xiao that Lilah's eyes always light up when they see him, that they're jealous of him for being on the receiving end of the care of someone like Lilah.

Xiao and Lilah are both at the tavern, they just happen to see each other and she walks up, her smile is soft, her cheeks lightly dusted pink, asks if she can join him, he returns the smile and says "of course. I'd enjoy a bit of company."

Her smile brightens, and she hurries over to Yorn to put in her order. While she's there, Reynar, who was playing darts with Runeheart, sidles up to Xiao. He's looking to where Lilah is talking with Yorn, and he says to Xiao, "I'm actually really jealous of you."

Xiao is like ??? Because his words come out of nowhere, but he meets Reynar's eyes and Reynar sees that Xiao doesn't have any idea how much Lilah likes him. Reynar just looks at him before saying, "you haven't realized that she's in love with you, yet? She doesn't have eyes for anyone else in town, and it's not just a few people who are interested. You'd better get your act together, otherwise you'll miss your chance."

Lilah returns, and flashes Reynar a smile, causing Reynar to flush a bit while Xiao is watching. Then Lilah turns her attention to Xiao and Xiao gets a firsthand look at the difference between the smile Lilah gives to others vs the smile Lilah shows him.

That smile makes his heart beat faster, like it always did, but now it made his cheeks burn a bit and excitement to run through his body, because it's possible that his feelings are returned. Where before, he didn't know if what he and Lilah had was something special or if she was like that with everyone, now he gained a bit of confidence in the idea that she treated him differently from others. He might have a chance with her.

He and Lilah talk for a few hours, and he walks her home. Standing outside her house, she looks up at him before going in.

His breath catches at the sight of her shy smile, and she says "thank you, for walking me home. I had a really nice time with you."

Xiao smiled back, and decided to try his luck. He reached over to tuck a loose strand of hair behind her ear, fingers trailing her jawline and lingering there for a few seconds.

He gets a front row seat to her reaction to his touch. Her eyes grow wide, mouth drops open a bit, her cheeks turning red, she looks stunned, and that look quickly transitions into an embarrassed, happy flush, her grey eyes looking almost silver, her smile radiant. She's a vision, and Xiao almost gives in to the desire to kiss her. His eyes flick to her lips. His head leans down just a bit, but then he catches himself, instead stepping back.

He says, "I really enjoyed my time with you as well. We should do this again, sometime."

She beamed. "I'd really like that."

Xiao gave a soft smile, Lilah gets a little lost in it, and then he says, "goodnight, Lilah. I'll see you tomorrow."

He leaves behind a blushing mess of a chemist, quietly triumphant about his attempts to flirt with her just now. He can't wait for tomorrow.

-----

-----long form--

The next morning, she woke up and immediately made herself coffee. The last thing she wanted to be was half-asleep when making first impressions. Her exhausted brain often made her mouth more truthful than she'd like to be.

Exiting the house, she was greeted by Mayor Myer and...

Her mind went blank. The moment she locked eyes on the man following after Myer, her mind became empty, and the only thing she could register was the sound of her heart beating faster than normal. He was gorgeous - black hair, dark eyes, and a tall, lean physique. His jawline was sharp enough to cut glass, and his hair was just wavy enough to look appealing to run your hands through it.

Distantly, she heard Myers introduce the man behind him as Xiao. Apparently, he worked the front desk of the Town Hall, meaning that she'd be seeing him often. Lina nodded her head at Myers' directions, struggling to hear more than just every third word he spoke.

She was finally brought back to earth as Myer turned around and began to leave, not because she was really able to notice him turning around, but because the man - Xiao - turned to leave with Myers.

She gave a small wave and smile towards Xiao before he turned away, causing him to pause a moment before nodding his head in her direction.

When they both disappeared from sight, Lina sagged against the door of her house. Her heart was racing, her cheeks felt hot, her stomach was fluttering, and her mouth felt dry.

It took her a while to get herself back to normal.

___

[Same scene, different perspective]

The morning he followed Mayor Myers to meet the new chemist was one he didn't think he'd ever forget. Mostly because the chemist herself was nothing like he'd expected her to look like.

Pale, almost white, blonde hair, mysterious grey eyes, and a slender body reminiscent of a willow tree. Her nose was small, her lips full, and her eyelashes were long enough that he felt like he could count them. She was one of the most beautiful women he'd ever seen, honestly.

The meeting itself gave little in the way of gauging her personality, she was quiet, listening carefully to Myers words, nodding to show her understanding. Myers' seemed quite satisfied with the whole situation, turning to leave. Before Xiao could follow him, he noticed the chemist - Lina - giving him a small wave, with a shy smile on her face.

He gave a nod in her direction in response, before turning around and following after Myers, doing his best to not feel like he was fleeing from the encounter.

Myers asked him for his opinion, breaking Xiao's train of thought. "And so? What is your assessment of our new chemist, Xiao?"

Xiao very carefully danced around his actual thoughts. "That one interaction doesn't really give me much to assess."

Xiao nearly breathed a sigh of relief when Myers nodded, agreeing with Xiao's statement. "True enough, I suppose. We'll soon learn if she's as competent as the Medical Association said she was. She did come highly recommended by them, but time will tell."

Xiao nodded in agreement, his mind lingering on the idea that this woman, Lina, might end up staying on Moonbury Island for a long time. He couldn't decide if that was a good thing, though. His hand came up to his chest, noting the rapid pounding he could feel with his fingers. He knew that if he was going to see that woman often, he'd need to get used to her beauty. Problem is, he's never been good at ignoring beautiful things. He just hoped no one ever finds out this particular weakness of his.

Beautiful women were bad for his heart.

-----

X feels upset at the fact that his time with Reina keeps being interrupted. He feels a hand gently take his, threading their fingers together, and as he turns his head, he freezes at the feeling of soft lips on his cheek, the scent of jasmine drifting by his nose. He looks over, and sees something that leaves him nearly breathless - rosy cheeks, a smile brighter and more beautiful than the sun, eyes the color of the ocean that glittered up at him, R was looking up at him like he was the only thing in her eyes.*

R: *voice sweet like sugar* Next time is a promise, right?

X: *brain flatlines, and his mouth runs off without him* Yes. It's a promise. *The thought "she kissed me, she kissed me, she's always so cute and flustered when I kiss her, but she just kissed me, her face is so adorably red, I love this woman, so so much" running on loop in his head, leaving him in a bit of a daze until he finds himself in his house, closing the door behind him, sitting down and looking up at the ceiling, still in the throws of the wellspring of feelings that had swept him up earlier from R's actions, and eventually gives a low, helpless laugh* I'm fucked. *Begins thinking about proposal rings and how to pop the question to R*

-----

I did it! I did it, Xiao!

You did. I never doubted you would.

Thank you! *Runs over and throws her arms around X, X looks flustered for a second, before smiling and wrapping his arms around her.

The hug lingers, before L pulls back a bit, looking up at him, her face radiant, eyes sparkling, cheeks red, smile bright, and X feels his breath catch slightly.

The scent of jasmine was running under his nose, and their faces were very close. It's L who leans in first, rising to her toes in order to plant a kiss on his lips. It's soft and sweet, not quite a peck but not a long drawn out kiss either.

The kiss lasts just long enough for X's eyes to flutter closed, and when L pulls back, he opens them again to see her entire face a bright, burning red, her eyes looking off to the side, avoiding eye contact with him.

X thinks 'cute', he gently turns her head back towards him, she's still looking very embarrassed, and the combination of her eyes shyly looking up at him and her lips pressed together in a bit of a pout, was enough to knock him dead.

Instead of a heart attack, however, he tilts her head up a little, and then leans down to capture her lips again, this time with a proper kiss. It was warm, her lips soft, her skin was like silk from where his fingers rested on her jaw, and he pushes a bit further.

The kiss, still somewhat chaste, grows deeper, L beginning to lean on X as it went on, her legs and knees going weak. She places her hands on his shoulders and uses his frame to keep herself standing. There's warmth pooling in her stomach, her body felt hot and a bit feverish, and she was hyper aware of X's every movement.

His hand on her waist, that he was using to hold her close, his fingers as they traced her jaw, his lips as they molded themselves to hers, his breath that entered her mouth, honestly her brain was growing foggy as the kiss continued. Eventually, X pulls away, and looks to see L's face is dreamy and absent-minded. Her eyes were foggy and her lips open, panting a bit, she looks like she's been kissed stupid, as it were.

A small feeling of victory rushes through X, and suddenly the ring that's been in his pocket, waiting for a good time, grows heavy. X has a quick glance around to see that there wasn't really anyone nearby, a small, very quiet, jealous part of him glad that he was the only one who got to see L looking so tempting and sweet.

Still, he didn't want to risk being interrupted and he didn't really want others to be present for his proposal, so he gently takes her hand, threading their fingers together, and softly remarks, "let's head somewhere else, alright?"

L, still looking a bit dazed but quite happy, nods her head, and follows him. She doesn't ask any questions, content to be in his presence, regardless of the location. They get to his house, go in, and that's when X, still holding her hand, turns to her and pulls the ring out.

"Not overly romantic, I know, but I really couldn't bring myself to wait much longer. I want to spend the rest of my life with you, L. I want to always be with you, just seeing your face everyday really isn't enough for me anymore. I love you, L - will you marry me?"

L's eyes grow wider with every word he says, and she covers her mouth with her hand, her eyes growing a bit shiny, and at his question, she just nods her head frantically. X feels the tension in his body rush out of him, and with a relieved smile, he takes the ring and places it on her finger.

She doesn't look at it, instead, she throws her arms around his neck and kisses him again, hard this time. Pulling back before he can really respond, she looks into his eyes and says, "I love you too. I love you so much, Xiao. I'm so glad I met you, that you're in my life, and that you love me like I love you."

X's face relaxes and smiles, pink bubbles surround both of them, and X captures her lips once more, L rises to her toes, her arms tightening around his neck, his left hand holding her waist close and his right hand threading itself through her hair. Scene fades to black*

-----

*Quiet knock on door, X answers, it's L, she's looking up at him, it's late, he's like* Lilah, hello. Is there something you need?

L: Do I have to need something to come see you?

X: *flustered, backpedals* Of course not, you're always welcome, you know that!

L: *laughs* That's good to hear. But you're right this time, there is something I wanted.

X: *relaxes* what is it?

L: *gestures for him to lean down a bit, stands on toes, kisses him, causing his face to go red, she pulls back and laughs at his dumbfounded face* I didn't have the chance to do so today, and we haven't had much time together recently. That's why I came here now, since both of us are done with work.

X: *still looks a bit flustered, but is smiling* So you're here just to steal a kiss from me?

L: *laughs, slightly mischievous* Yep!

X: *grins* Since you're here, would you like to come in?

L: I won't say no to the invitation. I've missed you lately.

X: *holds door open, they end up spending the night together, including lemon*

-----

X: *sick, feverish, looks at L with furrowed eyebrows, sighs*

L: what's on your mind?

X: not looking forward to the workload tomorrow, I'll have to play catch-up

L: Oh? Does no one ever help cover for you?

X: not really. If I'm not there, most things aren't urgent, but they still have to be done.

L: I see. That sounds like a bit of a pain.

X: you're not wrong *laughs then coughs*

L: *face concerned, gently pulls the blanket over X more securely. Places her hand on his cheek, leans down and kisses his forehead, brushes his cheek, says softly* rest. I'll take care of everything else, so just rest well and get better soon, okay?

X: *heart warm, thinks 'I love this woman so much'* yeah. I will. Thank you, L.

L: don't thank me for taking care of you, not only is it my job, but I love you. You're important to me. I'll always be here for you, for as long as you'll have me.

X: *face goes red, eyes full of hearts* I love you, too, L. I love you so, so much. I'm so glad I have you. *Drifts off to sleep*

L: *waits for him to fall asleep properly, gets up, and with a determined look, heads to Myers' office, asks for X's workload, says she's covering for him since he's sick. Not wanting X to wake up without her by his side, she takes all of it back to the clinic, sits down next to X's bed, and spends the day completing everything for X. He wakes up in the evening, to see L by his bed, a small desk having been dragged over for her use. The soft lamplight glowed behind her and gave her a halo, she's an absolute vision. She glances up to him as he moved to sit up, and hurriedly puts down what she's working on, coming up to him to check his condition. X patiently waits, smiling at the relieved look on L's face after confirming his recovery.*

L: that's good, you're all recovered. Still, take it easy for a few days, okay?

X: I'll try my best, but I'm going to have to rush a bit tomorrow, remember?

L: *smiles triumphantly* don't be so sure about that

X: what do you mean?

L: it's a surprise

X: alright, keep your secrets *both laugh*

Next day, X looks in amazement at the completed work on his desk, L's careful, looping handwriting on the documents. The whole day, he's just thinking that he's going to find L the moment he's off.

-----chaos reigns-----

Han's hair grows long, so in Caro kingdom, Cale buys her hair clip.

Han was gonna cut her hair, Cale compliments length, "longer hair suits you well, it would be a shame to cut it. Use this, and when your hair gets long enough, I'll get you a proper hair tie."

Happy flowers expression, Han asks "can you help me put it on?"

Cale, "shouldn't you learn how to put it on yourself?" Even though he's already moving to put the clip in her hair. Eyes meet Han's when he finishes, and there's a small, charged moment, Han notices Cale's quick, almost too quick to see, glance at her lips, before stepping back and continuing as if nothing happened.

Cale, internally, 'fuck, I wasn't prepared for how seeing her in something I bought her was going to affect me, she's entirely too goddamn pretty for my mental health.'

Han, internally, 'I didn't see wrongly, I know I didn't, he looked at my lips, did he want to kiss me? Why didn't he kiss me? Should I kiss him? I want to kiss him. Why didn't he kiss me?'

Before she can do anything, the emergency alarm for war goes off, and she has to run to keep up with Cale.

The hair clip gets stared at by everyone they pass, all of them realizing right then that Roan's youngest swordmaster is a woman, while also realizing (the smart ones realize it, at least) that Han clearly is in love with Commander Cale.

A story makes the rounds about the beautiful swordswoman, one-sidedly in love with her liege, unable to confess due to the harshness of war, forever longing and yearning for him.

It becomes incredibly popular among the Western continent's people, maybe Deruth makes a small mention of it? Like, "we don't care who you marry, Cale, we don't put any importance on how noble our spouses are"

Meanwhile, Cale is like "??? I know? You married a merchant's daughter, Dad, what are you even talking about?"

Cue misunderstandings, that are surprisingly close to reality this time. Cause, you know, it's TCF. It wouldn't be TCF without the misunderstandings.

---

I like to think that in this story, Cale is the romantically forward person. Like, Choi Han stands in front of Cale, protecting him and following his orders (even carrying him, because in this house, we stan breaking gender normatives and stereotypes), but in a romantic moment, Cale is the one who leads.

Like, they'll be sitting next to each other, resting against a tree, Choi Han resting and Cale reading, and Cale will reach for Choi's hand, threading their fingers, which causes Choi Han to short-circuit.

Cale will watch Choi blush for a bit, enjoying the sight, before tugging Choi's arm, Choi letting Cale maneuver her around until she ends up on his lap, tucked under Cale's chin, letting him smell and bury his face in her hair, threads their fingers together again, and then nonchalantly holds his book up and begins to read again.

Meanwhile, Choi Han's brain hasn't just short-circuited, it's completely fried, she can't think of anything, her brain's blank. But Cale's very warm, and he smells like home to her, comforting and safe, and so, without any thoughts in her head, she ends up falling asleep against him.

Maybe she has vicious nightmares, and that time sleeping against Cale was the first time she can remember where she didn't wake up in a panic in the middle of the night. And, finally feeling what it's like to be well-rested, she's addicted immediately. So whenever Cale sits down to rest for any substantial length of time, Choi Han will come over and curl up against him.

She worries that she's bothering Cale, but she can't seem to stop herself. Eventually, her nightmares get found out, and she confesses that sleeping next to Cale is the only way she's found to be able to sleep in peace.

And, since Cale is the romantically forward person here, he immediately offers to stay with her every night (sleeping together is unstated but understood, and what's also understood is that this is completely non-sexual, and they're really just going to sleep).

Choi Han nearly dies but manages to nod her head, and so, Cale goes looking for her every night, without fail, and if it just so happened that his own nightmares disappeared as well when they slept together, well, no one needed to know that - but of course, it's eventually found out (because no, bad Cale, mutual vulnerability and trust is the core of a relationship and you need to communicate, mister!)

------

Cale to Clopeh/everyone else: don't call me Cale-nim.

Cale to Choi Han: Call me Cale-nim.

Everyone else: ???

Choi Han: *eye sparkles* yes, Cale-nim!

-----

Cale to Hannah: Holy Maiden

Hannah: just call me Hannah

Cale, who's already started to refer to Choi Han as Han-ah internally, even if no one knows that yet: sorry, can't. It would get confusing.

Everyone: ?? What does that mean?

Cale's Ancient Powers: you know, you should probably explain yourself. Of course, it would require confessing... *Cale just ignores them and resolutely calls Hannah Holy Maiden*

At some point, later on, everyone learns that Choi Han and Cale are together, and are super cute together, but they still haven't gotten an answer for why he won't call Hannah by her name.

Then, at some point, Cale very nonchalantly calls Choi Han "Han-ah", and everyone is like "Oh!" *Lightbulb moment* only to then become further confused, because if Choi Han is why Cale won't call Hannah by her name, that would mean he'd been in love with her for far longer than anyone had realized, even Choi Han herself.

At some point, during the aftermath of this revelation, someone asks Cale the very pertinent question: "How long have you been in love with Choi Han, then?"

Our romantically forward Cale, who loves to fluster Choi Han, and has absolutely no shame and zero hesitation: "Since I first saw her. She was gorgeous, and the more time I spent with her, the deeper I fell. By the time we'd finished dealing with the capital incident, I was so far gone that I knew, if she rejected me, I'd die alone because I can't love anyone else like this. She's it, for me."

Choi Han is blushing brilliantly, which Cale watches, side-eyeing her face, his own mouth hiding a small quirk of the lips that is something none of the rest have really seen before.

But then, Choi Han blinks, and is like, "Wait, but when we first met, I was a mess! My hair was ragged because I had to cut it with a knife, my face was covered in dirt, hell, my whole body was covered in dirt! I looked horrible!"

Cale: "you looked beautiful, and after you were able to rest and clean up, you looked gorgeous. Also, after you took care of that bandit attack, I accidentally activated Record when I saw the way you looked when you came back. You left me dumbfounded - something about the way you held yourself, the ferocity lingering in your form, I almost couldn't breathe."

Eruhaben: accidentally?

Cale, nodding: yeah, I hadn't actually intended to do that. I think I was so stunned that my subconscious brain took over for a few seconds.

Choi Han is completely red and unable to say anything, meanwhile, Rosalyn says: "if you were that far gone even back then, you certainly didn't show it. We'd never have known if you didn't tell us, you gave no indications that you were head-over-heels like you say. You always just looked calm."

Cale: I'm happy it seemed that way, because I certainly never felt calm next to her. She had a way of making my mind go blank while doing the most mundane things. She still does, actually. I'd like to say I've gotten used to it, but I'd be lying.

---

Lap/shoulder pillow in carriage? Sleep is always needed!

Cale is exhausted, and Han is like, "um, are you okay, Cale-nim?"

And Cale looks at her, face blank for a moment, before sighing like he's annoyed. He gets up and sits next to Han, who's face is full of question marks, and nonchalantly leans to the side, resting his head on her shoulder.

Han is like, "Cale-nim?!" Cause really, Cale, warn a girl.

Meanwhile, Cale just closes his eyes, and says "I'm tired, can we just stay like this for a while?" And despite how blunt his words are, his tone is slightly softer than usual, a small note of insecurity in it, without him realizing it. Of course Han agrees.

They ride the rest of the way like that, and then, later, it becomes more of a habit. If Cale and Han are riding together, then Cale is gonna catch some sleep next to her.

It becomes routine, but no one knows because Cale doesn't often ride carriages with others. But at some point, Rosalyn or Lock, maybe Alberu, find out about the behavior because they're riding with Cale and Han.

And Cale being Cale, the presence of another person doesn't matter, Han is comfortable to lean on, Cale is in love with her, and even though he can't bring himself to confess to her when everything is so crazy, he's also very much not willing to give up or share, so this is one of the ways that he stakes his claim, if you will.

Han expected the presence of someone else might mean that Cale wouldn't rest against her, the thought bringing with it a certain amount of resignation and upset, only for Cale to, again, give zero fucks and just act like normal.

As a result, Lock (I'm going with him, it works) watches with wide eyes as Cale rests against Han with a comfortability that makes it clear this isn't the first time, but gets to watch Han's face grow pink, her eyes begin to sparkle a bit, and she just looks at Cale, laying against her with his eyes closed, with nothing but hearts in her eyes.

Lock doesn't keep the scene to himself. Cale knew he wouldn't, and if the story goes around that Han's feelings are anything but one sided, and Commander Cale loves her very much but they simply can't be together due to the war making things uncertain, then, well, Cale won't ever admit to that being something he let happen and encouraged deliberately.

Han notices that the only rumors that don't seem to piss Cale off or make him feel exhausted, are the ones about her and him having a much more intimate relationship than they actually do, and that fact causes her courage to go sky-high.

And so, at some point, when just Cale and Han are together, needing to spend the night in each other's company out in the wilds for reasons, Han finds herself staring at Cale.

Cale's voice is low, but relaxed, despite the rather miserable conditions of their current situation. "Ask your question. I can feel you staring at me."

Han smiles at his words, gets up, sits down right next to him, close enough that they were pressed against each other. Cale normally doesn't let anyone sit that close to him, but he doesn't move away from Han or ask her to move either. He just tosses a glance in her direction before going back to staring into the fire.

They sit in silence for a bit, before Han breaks the silence.

"Cale-nim."

"What is it?"

"Do you have someone that you like, romantically?"

Cale tosses her another look, one that says 'why are you asking me something so obvious', before saying "Don't you already know the answer to that question?"

Han smiles up at him, and Cale looks at her and they maintain eye contact for a bit, before she says "That's true. In that case, don't you have a question for me?"

And Cale just looks at her, head tilted a bit, Recording her face and eyes, the way her smile looks, and when he speaks, his voice is quiet. "You're right. I do. Han-ah..." Han's eyes grow wide at the affectionate call of her name, and then is even further surprised as she gets front row seats to the most beautiful smile she's ever seen, gracing Cale's face as he looks at her.

Cale says "Can I kiss you?"

And Han's mouth drops open in surprise, because she didn't realize that Cale would be so bold given how shy he usually is about expressing his feelings to the rest of the group. She sees that Cale is looking at her lips, desire flickering in his eyes, glancing at her eyes while he waits for her permission to do anything.

And Han just has pink bubbles and hearts floating around her, as she nods her head, no shyness, because why would she be? This is all she's ever wanted since the day she met him. And as he comes near her face, one of his hands cupping her cheek as he tilted it for better access, her eyes flutter as she feels his warm breathe fanning across her face, and they share a very sweet kiss.

-----

It would be funny if, at some point, they're at a banquet or a ball or something, and some noble from a martial arts family tries to cozy up to Han, thinking he'll be able to seduce her into being his wife so that he can have a swordmaster in his family, and he thinks everything is going well, not noticing that Han is slowly inching her hand towards her sword, only for Cale to come over, Dominating Aura on full blast, the noble shudders, Cale glares, reaches over and grabs the guy's shoulder, and says, just loud enough for the noble and Han to hear, "come near her again with bullshit like that, and I'll show you exactly why the Northern kingdoms flinch when they hear my name. Got it?"

Noble is like "you can't do that, my household is important, you'll ruin your reputation as a hero!"

And Cale just looks at him, threats of death in his eyes, and says "I didn't name myself a hero, you all did. I don't give a fuck about some stupid hero title. Come after one of my people, and I'll drag you and your household's name through the mud before stripping it of any power and making sure that everyone witnesses you getting kicked out on your ass, covered in mud and looking like the filthy rat that you are. And if you come within 15 ft of my knight Han-ah ever again, I promise you - no one will ever find your body. Got it?"

And the noble's face grows deathly pale, nods frantically, and almost runs away.

Han is like, "you didn't have to do that, I could have handled it" and Cale is like, "of course you could have, but watching him act like that towards you pissed me off. You just killing him would have been too easy, I want that bastard to piss his pants at the very idea of acting like that to you again."

Han blinks, before saying, "Cale-nim, are you saying you stepped in because you thought I'd go easy on him, and you wanted him to suffer?"

And Cale very pointedly avoids eye contact. Han grins, her whole face glowing, and Cale takes a tiny glance at it, his heart settling and his anger gone, before he looks away. He sticks close to her for the rest of the night, acting nonchalant but every time someone looks like they're going to come over to talk to either of them, Cale pulls out the Dominating Aura with a glare to scare them off.