⠀⠀
⠀⠀ゝ his eyes wavered, looking away for a moment that felt like an eternity. He paused, his sentence not yet done but it felt hard, but finally ❛ So that you’ll always make me shine ❜
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀
⠀⠀ゝ His fingers remain entwined with hers, his smile—small, almost hesitant—lingering as if caught between thought and feeling. ❛ Then… perhaps we should stay together ❜ he murmurs, almost as if testing the words on his tongue.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀——— ⋆ ⧽

⠀⠀
⠀⠀ゝ Nervia’s gaze softens, and for the first time, a faint blush dusts his cheeks. It’s subtle, barely there, but undeniable. He does not quite understand it, this warmth that settles in his chest, but he does not reject it either.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀——— ⋆ ⧽

⠀⠀
⠀⠀ ❛ I do not know if I am as you say ❜ he admits, his voice softer now, almost introspective. ❛ But if there is light in me, then perhaps… it is because I have been fortunate enough to stand beside you ❜

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀——— ⋆ ⧽

⠀⠀
⠀⠀❛ And you are beautiful—not just in how you appear, but in the way you move, the way you speak… in the way you are. I hope our bond lasts forever ❜
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀
⠀❛I see you as you are, Adrienne,❜ he says finally, his voice a gentle certainty. ❛Someone strong. Someone kind. Someone who carries more than she lets others see.❜

His thumb barely brushes the fabric of her sleeve before he lowers his hand, but his gaze never wavers.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀——— ⋆ ⧽

⠀⠀
⠀⠀ゝ It’s not flirtation, nor some grand declaration—just an undeniable truth for him, offered without expectation. To him, there is no question of her worth.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀
⠀❛ That means a great deal, Adrienne ❜ he says, his voice as steady as ever, yet touched with something softer. He doesn’t look away, doesn’t pull back. ❛ You should see yourself as I do. ❜

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀——— ⋆ ⧽

⠀⠀
⠀⠀❛ You’re so beautiful, Adrienne,❜ he says quietly his voice smooth yet full of an emotion that's hard to place. He lets the words linger, not needing to say more. Just this simple truth, and everything it carries in the silence between them.
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀

⠀⠀
⠀⠀ ❛It’s alright, Adrienne ❜ he says, his voice calm, steady. ❛ You don’t have to say anything more ❜ Nervia's gaze softens, the gentleness in his eyes unwavering. He takes a slow, steady breath, his hand remaining at her shoulder as if grounding both of them in this shared moment.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀——— ⋆ ⧽

⠀⠀
⠀⠀ゝ He tilts his head slightly, eyes narrowing just a fraction, sensing the tension in the air—the subtle change in her voice. Her smile feels a little different, her energy shifting in a way he doesn’t fully understand, but something about it pulls at him.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀——— ⋆ ⧽

⠀⠀
⠀⠀ゝ He notices the shift in her demeanor, the way her breath catches, but he remains silent, waiting for her to speak. When she does, her words are quick, almost as if trying to mask something underneath.

⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀——— ⋆ ⧽

⠀⠀
⠀⠀ゝ He steps closer, his eyes flickering over her as she smiles, the blush on her face not going unnoticed.
❛ It looks... perfect on you ❜ His fingers hover near her shoulder for a moment, and then he adds, almost hesitantly, ❛ I’m happy it means something to you ❜
⠀⠀⠀⠀⠀