#naesarang;

The last of the hot chocolate had cooled at the bottom of his mug, faint rings of sweetness clinging to the sides of it. It had been an easy sort of afternoon, but Xavier didn't dare bring himself to think too much of it. Even in the warmth of the sunlight pooling onto the kitchen tiles, he'd set the mug down, stood up with a glance out the window.

I should—

He thought it, but didn't speak. The words were lost on his tongue when he heard her.

He paused, took a moment just to look at her, and perhaps under the weight of her own gaze, he felt himself soften. Shoulders relaxed. Lips curled up slightly into a little smile. His steps moved back to lower himself back onto the kitchen stool, and there was a quiet relief in the confirmation that he wouldn't be overstaying his welcome.

It's her voice that leads him to pause, one moment. Around them the leaves sway in the evening breeze, moonlight filtering through the canopy. When he turns back, the softest of smiles grace his features. The forests in Linkon had never been too daunting for him—even missions into more remote areas were easy, and he was certain feelings like that wouldn't have come as a surprise. Yet her concern feels palpable; his eyes gleam and toe the line between something heartfelt and something more like amusement.

So he stands in line, footsteps slow, his pace matching then with hers. Side by side. Just as it was supposed to be.

"I know."

He nods, half to himself, half to her, and shifts ever so subtly closer. "I have a smart, reliable, and very strong partner with me."

Yet with a small shake of his head, he closes the distance with a hook of his pinky with hers.