[There's no other fanfare or boisterous manner in which she announces her return to Hotel Caelum. Amelia had been very clear and concise about how she wanted to check up on Blackgale, her high school, and other supernatural matters that needed her input. Additionally, this came with the approximate length of time she would be home and when she would come back.
"Two weeks, give or take. I will return."
It wasn't an exact promise, but she always had a way of saying things and 100% meaning it with little wiggle room for interpretation.
This was an unspoken promise that the Emerald Witch wasn't about to break. And thus, she sits in the hotel lobby, seated on one of the sofas, drinking a black coffee and reading a book, waiting for her beloved's reply or appearance. Either or.]
[In her absence, Gale had made certain to keep himself busy— it didn't take much to do so, considering he had already been deeply invested in using much of his time here at the hotel on some vitally important research regarding his situation, among other things. Other recent departures had come to weigh on him a bit, but Amelia's matter-of-fact reassurance that she only meant to handle some business back home before returning within a certain window of time kept him from worrying overmuch, even if he did find himself anticipating her return with an increasing sense of eagerness as the end of those two weeks drew nearer.
This afternoon finds him buried in his work in the small study in his room, hunched over a particularly delicate-looking old tome with his hair pulled half up to keep it from obscuring his vision and a pair of reading glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. Even as engrossed as he is, the shift in his attention is immediate when his phone alerts him to a new message, and he reaches for it with the hope that he'll see her name displayed on the screen for the first time in weeks.
At last. He's long due for a break, and he can't think of a better reason to take one than to welcome her back.]
I'll be there in the blink of an eye. Don't you dare move.
[It turns out that he'd been quite literal in his response; he leaves his work exactly where it is and uses an extended Blink spell rather than making his way to the elevator— a few seconds after his response, he appears in the lobby with a distinct pop!, wearing a broad smile.]
Well, well— welcome back, Ms. Steinbeck. I hope all was well in Blackgale?
[Of course she's drinking coffee and reading a book, looking as though she'd never even left the place and it's a day like any other. That's exactly like her.]
[He appears so suddenly, but she looks up, nonplussed.]
Gale.
[She closes her book, sets down her coffee and stands up to smooth out her skirt.]
You didn't even give me time to move. As for Blackgale, all is well. The town didn't set itself on fire during my absence which is all I could really ask for.
Perhaps I didn't want to give you the opportunity, just in case.
[As always, he meets her neutrality with his usual warmth and just a bit of teasing, and as she stands, he strides forward to close the distance between them.]
Very glad to hear all was as expected, just as I am glad the town can spare you a bit longer.
[Without ceremony, he puts his arms around her middle and hugs her against his chest, bringing his chin to rest atop her head.]
[Her arms lay by her sides as his arms wrap around her person before moving to hug him back and letting his warmth envelop her. Two weeks to her was a small amount of time but to others, it may feel quite substantial. Amelia knew that Gale would be fine in her absence, but...
You were missed.
There's more weight behind those words when it comes from him and knowing how much they treasured one another.
She gives him a squeeze]
I wasn't going to keep you waiting any longer than necessary.
[This place has certainly altered his perspective of time— he's had so much more of it than he'd expected to have at his disposal, and while two weeks here doesn't feel so terribly long at first, he has to consider just how much had happened during his last two weeks in Faerun. Depending on the circumstances, two weeks could mean a great deal.
Her absence had made it feel significantly longer; he'd suddenly found himself keenly aware that it was, by a large margin, the longest they had gone without seeing one another since meeting, and he had decided he didn't much care for it. Her reassurance as she hugs him in return brings a softer smile to his face, and he gives her a gentle squeeze of his own in reply.]
I never doubted for a moment, of course. You had things that needed tending to.
[But he is grateful that she hadn't wanted to make him wait— selfishly, perhaps, but knowing his own time is potentially limited brought more weight to that effort, as well. He loosens his hold just enough to step back so that he can look down at her properly, his hands loosely clasped behind her back.]
Your students did well on their exams, I hope? I imagine it was good to see Berna and the others again, as well.
[How long has it been since she's had someone waiting for her? Someone for her to come back to felt so novel, but the gentle squeeze from Gale is a reminder that it was a precious sort of thing.
Amelia smiles lightly at him as he pulls back and she makes a soft hum under her breath at his question.]
Some of them predictably fell behind, but most everyone else had put in their best efforts. I think everyone will be fine by the time the academic year ends.
As for Berna, she's in her workshop. I don't think I'll be seeing her for another few weeks or so, but that's usually a sign that she's perfectly fine.
[Before she continues, Amelia takes another step back, but keeps one hand over Gale's.]
How does a walk and then some lunch sound to you? I'll tell you more as we go.
[His smile warms further at her suggestion, his gaze fond as she takes her step back.]
That sounds perfect— I can think of nothing I'd like more.
[Before shifting, he takes the opportunity to lean down to give her a chaste but heartfelt kiss, a proper welcome back. It's more reserved than what his heart spurs him to do otherwise, but he'll not overwhelm her so soon after arriving, and certainly not in the lobby of all places.
Once she's had time to settle, perhaps.
He shifts so that they're comfortably arm-in-arm, happy to let her lead the way in this little stroll of theirs.]
I'll admit, I'm curious to know if you've had cause to mention this place while you were home. How did time flow there, while you've been away?
[His kiss is a welcome one; warm, encompassing, more than she could ever describe even in poetry. How embarrassing.
She leads him to the elevator and presses the button for the room that should bring them to the Vale of Tears once again. They could use the dreamy scenery and privacy.]
You bring up some interesting questions... To be honest, my visit back home felt vague. Not a significant amount of time had passed. Maybe a month at most? While here, I've been on vacation at Caelum for months now.
[The elevator door makes a light 'ding' and slides open to reveal the beautiful Vale.]
Admittedly, I decided not to think too hard about the mechanics of it. My mind would have wandered if I tried to box in the logistics.
[Amelia briefly leans her head against his shoulder as they walk out into the vivid spring-green grass.]
And then you would have waited for me for three weeks instead.
[The Vale of Tears is a welcome sight— the wondrous scenery alone makes it worth visiting, not to mention the fact that they'll almost be guaranteed privacy for as long as they like, but it holds some sentimental value for him, as well. The night they had first gone exploring here, helped one another past the obstacles it presented, took in its breathtaking sights— he'd first felt the spark then, at least for certain. In retrospect, he thinks it may have taken root even sooner than he knew, but here...
Here, he had realized how truly special she really was, how easy and natural her companionship felt despite her describing herself as difficult, how it was clear that he had met someone who understood how it was that he saw the world.
He gives her forearm a fond squeeze as they head out into the Vale itself, her head against his shoulder a more than welcome presence after so long apart. He'd gone without human touch for so long until shortly before meeting her that he'd thought two weeks, in the greater scheme of things, would be easy enough to manage. He had been terribly wrong, as it turns out.]
Interesting. It's certainly not unheard of, time passing differently between realms, but it's one thing to read or discuss a theory— another entirely to actually experience such a thing firsthand. Disorienting, I would imagine, but I consider myself very fortunate you chose not to let derail you. Three weeks.
[He shakes his head as he echoes her, putting a rather dramatic hand over his heart.]
Perish the thought. I've barely slept in two as is.
Edited (I found an embarrassing typo on time for once ) 2024-03-22 21:37 (UTC)
[The Vale of Tears is where everything between them truly began. She would have never saw it coming in a million tears, believing herself unable to entrust her heart to anyone else.
But here they are again and so much has changed already.
Like how Gale's wellbeing is one of her top priorities because, Mr. Waterdeep, please...!]
Two? Two days?
[That has unexpectedly made her brows furrow with concern before she straightens up and pauses when they stop in the shade of a giant mushroom. Amelia cups his face with her hands to examine him closely.]
That's bad for your health. I know what it's like to lose track of the clock, but you know better.
[He almost corrects her— it's been a rather rough two weeks, all told— but he chooses to bite his tongue, perhaps wisely. If she's already fussing over him this much, he can only imagine what that admission will inspire.
He laughs softly, raising a hand to rest over hers against his face as she stops to examine him beneath the mushroom, though he does turn his head as directed so that she can inspect him thoroughly.]
Ah, I admit, some of it was due to getting a bit caught up in my work, but I rather meant—
[He raises a loose fist to cover his mouth as he clears his throat.]
Something a bit more romantic? I slept enough, surely, but it turns out I've become quite accustomed to having company.
The clarification gives her pause and then slowly, but surely, redness creeps into her cheeks as she sheepishly turns her gaze to the grass beneath their feet.
Yes, they've been together for a significant amount of time and have been intimate in more ways than one, and she still reacts like this. Amelia doesn't know whether she's in her 70s or a foolish young woman sometimes.]
Then... Yes. Yes, it's... Been a while now, hasn't it?
[The flush in her cheeks manages to take him by surprise even now, and it only takes the space of a single heartbeat for him to guess what she must have inferred.]
Oh! Goodness, I didn't mean— well, I didn't not mean—
[He certainly hadn't meant anything terribly blushworthy by it on the surface, but he supposes it's all rather tied up together, isn't it? To say that he hadn't missed that as well would have been a lie, of course, but it was the who that mattered to him, far more than the what.
He exhales as he stumbles over his words, then laughs softly as he takes her face between his hands and gently tips it back upwards so he can meet her gaze, collecting himself enough to find his composure again.]
I only meant that I missed you dearly. I've become quite accustomed to your company, you know.
[And he's grown quite fond of waking up beside her whenever he has the opportunity, regardless of what may or may not have happened the night before.]
Amelia will internally scream at herself until morale improves.
Gale cupping her face with his hands simultaneously and paradoxically soothes her and causes warmth to creep across the surface of her skin. Her own gaze is evasive, but it's not like there's much room to escape his eyes and his soft laughter that makes her heart beat faster.]
I mean... I didn't just mean that, but— oh, forget it.
[Her hands find rest on his forearms as she inhales and exhales to relax herself.]
[He shakes his head, taking a step forward to narrow the distance between them— it would seem they're both intent on tying themselves up in knots over saying or doing the right thing, whatever that may happen to be. Something of this magnitude was quite new for the both of them, and for better or for worse, they were both perfectionists in their own way.]
You are perfectly fine, just as you are.
[He huffs a laugh, his smile quirking to one side.]
I think we're both overthinking this a bit. I do know that I'm overjoyed to see you again, my heart.
[He leans down to kiss her properly then, lingering longer than the last time; not enough to incite anything, but he allows just a touch of heat to peek through. He murmurs the next part against her lips; he knows it may earn him a playful swat, but if she's already blushing—
Well, he simply can't have her thinking she was the only one with that sort of reunion in mind.]
And if I have my way, no one will see you emerge from your rooms for the next two days.
[Gale is absolutely not helping, not when he kisses her so sweetly and warmly and not when he declares something like that. Predictably, Amelia turns redder and although she returns his kiss, she lets out a huff and reaches up with one hand to bump her palm against his forehead.]
Clearly, I should have taken the third week if you're already promising to over deliver.
[Here he thought he was being incredibly helpful. He laughs as she gently bumps against his forehead, pulling back to reach up and rub at the spot with a wince as he feigns injury. He definitely deserved that, but he can't help but think it was well worth it.]
I don't know if either of us would be able to handle the dire state you would have returned to find me in if you had.
[He's already been suffering from those third-degree yearns as it is.]
I don't dare to imagine the condition I could theoretically inflict upon you.
[She rolls her eyes because sometimes, Gale of Waterdeep was a bit much. Amelia takes one hand in his to lead them past the babbling brook and smaller waterfalls so they can make their way further into the Vale.]
That said... Let's not... Overdo it if we're going to...
[A bit much? Him? He certainly takes her response in stride easily enough, his smile hitching wider. He is, at least, moderately self-aware.]
Right. Of course.
[He squeezes her hand as he allows himself to be led forward, raising his free hand to rest over his heart.]
I will be the perfect picture of gentlemanly moderation. For the present, however, there is a lovely sense of nostalgia, returning to this place with you.
The butterflies draw his gaze briefly, and he chuckles softly as they steadily walk towards the sound of rushing water.]
I quite like that. I've mentioned it in passing, but have never brought myself to tell anyone else where it is, or all that we saw here. I don't know that I much like the idea of sharing it, come to think of it.
[They'd learned a lot about one another here, that much was for certain.]
[She remembers that they had witnessed the fragments and echoes of each other's pasts. Gale eventually revealed all that ailed him even up until now. Amelia hadn't.
They make it to the crying statue soon enough and she muses over what he just said.]
I hope that me crying wasn't what made you realize that.
[He gives a shake of his head, though his warm smile persists.]
No, no— quite some time before that, though I was quite touched that you felt able to be so open in front of me, even if only for a moment.
[His gaze is drawn to the statue, as well; he gazes up at it as he had then, and it is just as striking a visual as it had been the first time, a curiosity to be explored.]
It was right about here, in fact. We proved ourselves to be a rather remarkable team for the first time, that day.
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Action; 3/05 Reunion
[There's no other fanfare or boisterous manner in which she announces her return to Hotel Caelum. Amelia had been very clear and concise about how she wanted to check up on Blackgale, her high school, and other supernatural matters that needed her input. Additionally, this came with the approximate length of time she would be home and when she would come back.
"Two weeks, give or take. I will return."
It wasn't an exact promise, but she always had a way of saying things and 100% meaning it with little wiggle room for interpretation.
This was an unspoken promise that the Emerald Witch wasn't about to break. And thus, she sits in the hotel lobby, seated on one of the sofas, drinking a black coffee and reading a book, waiting for her beloved's reply or appearance. Either or.]
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This afternoon finds him buried in his work in the small study in his room, hunched over a particularly delicate-looking old tome with his hair pulled half up to keep it from obscuring his vision and a pair of reading glasses perched on the bridge of his nose. Even as engrossed as he is, the shift in his attention is immediate when his phone alerts him to a new message, and he reaches for it with the hope that he'll see her name displayed on the screen for the first time in weeks.
At last. He's long due for a break, and he can't think of a better reason to take one than to welcome her back.]
I'll be there in the blink of an eye. Don't you dare move.
[It turns out that he'd been quite literal in his response; he leaves his work exactly where it is and uses an extended Blink spell rather than making his way to the elevator— a few seconds after his response, he appears in the lobby with a distinct pop!, wearing a broad smile.]
Well, well— welcome back, Ms. Steinbeck. I hope all was well in Blackgale?
[Of course she's drinking coffee and reading a book, looking as though she'd never even left the place and it's a day like any other. That's exactly like her.]
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Gale.
[She closes her book, sets down her coffee and stands up to smooth out her skirt.]
You didn't even give me time to move. As for Blackgale, all is well. The town didn't set itself on fire during my absence which is all I could really ask for.
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[As always, he meets her neutrality with his usual warmth and just a bit of teasing, and as she stands, he strides forward to close the distance between them.]
Very glad to hear all was as expected, just as I am glad the town can spare you a bit longer.
[Without ceremony, he puts his arms around her middle and hugs her against his chest, bringing his chin to rest atop her head.]
You were missed.
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You were missed.
There's more weight behind those words when it comes from him and knowing how much they treasured one another.
She gives him a squeeze]
I wasn't going to keep you waiting any longer than necessary.
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Her absence had made it feel significantly longer; he'd suddenly found himself keenly aware that it was, by a large margin, the longest they had gone without seeing one another since meeting, and he had decided he didn't much care for it. Her reassurance as she hugs him in return brings a softer smile to his face, and he gives her a gentle squeeze of his own in reply.]
I never doubted for a moment, of course. You had things that needed tending to.
[But he is grateful that she hadn't wanted to make him wait— selfishly, perhaps, but knowing his own time is potentially limited brought more weight to that effort, as well. He loosens his hold just enough to step back so that he can look down at her properly, his hands loosely clasped behind her back.]
Your students did well on their exams, I hope? I imagine it was good to see Berna and the others again, as well.
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Amelia smiles lightly at him as he pulls back and she makes a soft hum under her breath at his question.]
Some of them predictably fell behind, but most everyone else had put in their best efforts. I think everyone will be fine by the time the academic year ends.
As for Berna, she's in her workshop. I don't think I'll be seeing her for another few weeks or so, but that's usually a sign that she's perfectly fine.
[Before she continues, Amelia takes another step back, but keeps one hand over Gale's.]
How does a walk and then some lunch sound to you? I'll tell you more as we go.
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That sounds perfect— I can think of nothing I'd like more.
[Before shifting, he takes the opportunity to lean down to give her a chaste but heartfelt kiss, a proper welcome back. It's more reserved than what his heart spurs him to do otherwise, but he'll not overwhelm her so soon after arriving, and certainly not in the lobby of all places.
Once she's had time to settle, perhaps.
He shifts so that they're comfortably arm-in-arm, happy to let her lead the way in this little stroll of theirs.]
I'll admit, I'm curious to know if you've had cause to mention this place while you were home. How did time flow there, while you've been away?
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She leads him to the elevator and presses the button for the room that should bring them to the Vale of Tears once again. They could use the dreamy scenery and privacy.]
You bring up some interesting questions... To be honest, my visit back home felt vague. Not a significant amount of time had passed. Maybe a month at most? While here, I've been on vacation at Caelum for months now.
[The elevator door makes a light 'ding' and slides open to reveal the beautiful Vale.]
Admittedly, I decided not to think too hard about the mechanics of it. My mind would have wandered if I tried to box in the logistics.
[Amelia briefly leans her head against his shoulder as they walk out into the vivid spring-green grass.]
And then you would have waited for me for three weeks instead.
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Here, he had realized how truly special she really was, how easy and natural her companionship felt despite her describing herself as difficult, how it was clear that he had met someone who understood how it was that he saw the world.
He gives her forearm a fond squeeze as they head out into the Vale itself, her head against his shoulder a more than welcome presence after so long apart. He'd gone without human touch for so long until shortly before meeting her that he'd thought two weeks, in the greater scheme of things, would be easy enough to manage. He had been terribly wrong, as it turns out.]
Interesting. It's certainly not unheard of, time passing differently between realms, but it's one thing to read or discuss a theory— another entirely to actually experience such a thing firsthand. Disorienting, I would imagine, but I consider myself very fortunate you chose not to let derail you. Three weeks.
[He shakes his head as he echoes her, putting a rather dramatic hand over his heart.]
Perish the thought. I've barely slept in two as is.
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But here they are again and so much has changed already.
Like how Gale's wellbeing is one of her top priorities because, Mr. Waterdeep, please...!]
Two? Two days?
[That has unexpectedly made her brows furrow with concern before she straightens up and pauses when they stop in the shade of a giant mushroom. Amelia cups his face with her hands to examine him closely.]
That's bad for your health. I know what it's like to lose track of the clock, but you know better.
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He laughs softly, raising a hand to rest over hers against his face as she stops to examine him beneath the mushroom, though he does turn his head as directed so that she can inspect him thoroughly.]
Ah, I admit, some of it was due to getting a bit caught up in my work, but I rather meant—
[He raises a loose fist to cover his mouth as he clears his throat.]
Something a bit more romantic? I slept enough, surely, but it turns out I've become quite accustomed to having company.
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The clarification gives her pause and then slowly, but surely, redness creeps into her cheeks as she sheepishly turns her gaze to the grass beneath their feet.
Yes, they've been together for a significant amount of time and have been intimate in more ways than one, and she still reacts like this. Amelia doesn't know whether she's in her 70s or a foolish young woman sometimes.]
Then... Yes. Yes, it's... Been a while now, hasn't it?
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Oh! Goodness, I didn't mean— well, I didn't not mean—
[He certainly hadn't meant anything terribly blushworthy by it on the surface, but he supposes it's all rather tied up together, isn't it? To say that he hadn't missed that as well would have been a lie, of course, but it was the who that mattered to him, far more than the what.
He exhales as he stumbles over his words, then laughs softly as he takes her face between his hands and gently tips it back upwards so he can meet her gaze, collecting himself enough to find his composure again.]
I only meant that I missed you dearly. I've become quite accustomed to your company, you know.
[And he's grown quite fond of waking up beside her whenever he has the opportunity, regardless of what may or may not have happened the night before.]
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Amelia will internally scream at herself until morale improves.
Gale cupping her face with his hands simultaneously and paradoxically soothes her and causes warmth to creep across the surface of her skin. Her own gaze is evasive, but it's not like there's much room to escape his eyes and his soft laughter that makes her heart beat faster.]
I mean... I didn't just mean that, but— oh, forget it.
[Her hands find rest on his forearms as she inhales and exhales to relax herself.]
I'm too old to be acting like this...
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You are perfectly fine, just as you are.
[He huffs a laugh, his smile quirking to one side.]
I think we're both overthinking this a bit. I do know that I'm overjoyed to see you again, my heart.
[He leans down to kiss her properly then, lingering longer than the last time; not enough to incite anything, but he allows just a touch of heat to peek through. He murmurs the next part against her lips; he knows it may earn him a playful swat, but if she's already blushing—
Well, he simply can't have her thinking she was the only one with that sort of reunion in mind.]
And if I have my way, no one will see you emerge from your rooms for the next two days.
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Clearly, I should have taken the third week if you're already promising to over deliver.
[Ever the blunt one, this witch.]
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I don't know if either of us would be able to handle the dire state you would have returned to find me in if you had.
[He's already been suffering from those third-degree yearns as it is.]
Thank goodness you're here now.
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[She rolls her eyes because sometimes, Gale of Waterdeep was a bit much. Amelia takes one hand in his to lead them past the babbling brook and smaller waterfalls so they can make their way further into the Vale.]
That said... Let's not... Overdo it if we're going to...
[insert noncommittal gesture here]
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Right. Of course.
[He squeezes her hand as he allows himself to be led forward, raising his free hand to rest over his heart.]
I will be the perfect picture of gentlemanly moderation. For the present, however, there is a lovely sense of nostalgia, returning to this place with you.
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they're going to have to order room service aren't theyHer lips quirk at his remark about this floor. Butterflies flutter past as they pass by several dice structures.]
I don't know if anyone else among us have been here yet. In a way, I suppose I haven't told anyone about it since it feels like it's for us.
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Well, he'll be far too busy to cook...The butterflies draw his gaze briefly, and he chuckles softly as they steadily walk towards the sound of rushing water.]
I quite like that. I've mentioned it in passing, but have never brought myself to tell anyone else where it is, or all that we saw here. I don't know that I much like the idea of sharing it, come to think of it.
[They'd learned a lot about one another here, that much was for certain.]
This is where I first knew, you know.
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[She remembers that they had witnessed the fragments and echoes of each other's pasts. Gale eventually revealed all that ailed him even up until now. Amelia hadn't.
They make it to the crying statue soon enough and she muses over what he just said.]
I hope that me crying wasn't what made you realize that.
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No, no— quite some time before that, though I was quite touched that you felt able to be so open in front of me, even if only for a moment.
[His gaze is drawn to the statue, as well; he gazes up at it as he had then, and it is just as striking a visual as it had been the first time, a curiosity to be explored.]
It was right about here, in fact. We proved ourselves to be a rather remarkable team for the first time, that day.
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[And she means romantic beyond the expected definition though it's certainly that as well.]
I didn't check into the hotel ever expecting to land unceremoniously into a cross-dimensional relationship.
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