— [It wasn’t a taunt. I whispered quieter, softer, reaching for your hand and offered a grin. The grin reserved for you, softer at the edges.]

What will it be, love?

— hadn’t known one day could exist. In the direction of the hope we still clung onto in this damned world.]

They are louder than all the ghosts and all the pride and all the ego in the world.

They’re here. I’m here.

— Don’t answer that. Point is, maybe there’s a chance he can be moved to change his mind. And if that’s not convincing enough for you…

[My head tilted in the direction of the children, of the laughter we —

— [A pause, like I was thinking my next question over, even though I knew I wasn’t.]

Or am I just another one of those delusions you hang onto?

[My finger lifted as if to silence you before you could speak.] —

— I circled your chair again, fingers dragging along the fine leather until I crouched before you and held your gaze.]

She still believes in people, you can’t say you don’t because you haven’t given up on me. —

— grimace as if struggling for the word before Ada chimed in.

𝘖𝘱𝘵𝘪𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘮. 𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘬𝘯𝘰𝘸, 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘶𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦.

I silenced her with a begrudging look. Did she not realize I was trying to help her? —

— do know how to play hard to get. It’s a good look.

[I teased before speaking up again, stopping behind the chair, just close enough to where you could feel the heat rolling off of me.]

Ada still believes in people. That’s…oh, what’s the word?

[I paused in faux thought, a —

— [I stepped inside without asking or waiting for an invitation, a slow circle around your chair, like orbiting around the Sun. My gaze flickered deliberately to the cigarette hanging from your mouth and spoke just soft enough for you to hear.]

Brooding. Smoking. Pushing family out. You really —

— devour mine would have had you already, a few times over. Your sister might as well have been a thousand miles away.

With arms folded, half a smirk tugged at my mouth as I watched you with that look you hated: the one that knew you all too well.]

Ada’s not wrong to hope, Tommy. —

[The door creaked openly slowly, my gaze sweeping over a film you could say I’d seen before.]

Now, that’s the look I missed.

[My voice curled through the smoke like I belonged in it. Leaning against the frame, I let my eyes drag over you again, drinking in the heavenly sight. If a gaze could —

Oh? Consider me more than intrigued…

And lifetimes of them ahead of us yet. I know just how we will celebrate this one.

Seven summers with you, it’s always a dream.

It’s only been a moment, it’s only been a lifetime. The happiest, darling.