“Come again?” She whispered to him, barely louder than the rustle and brush of the surrounding night. Her back pressed against the cool and ragged stone of the old building as he leaned in closer still. The courtyard fountain’s waters broke the low hush of the night as the pair hid from the rest just around the corner. Time felt slow and like a figment of one's imagination as the moon revealed the features she tried so hard not to obsess over.

His light gray eyes never broke gaze with hers as he repeated himself again. He leaned in this time gently wrapping his arm around her lower back as he leaned in against the wall - the only thing keeping her upright.

“ What if I want more than friendship?” he asked again patiently with a sense of defiant determination as if he had never repeated himself to begin with. She paused as she allowed those daring words to wash over her and dissolve into the sound of night. Davina fearfully broke his gaze staring into the forest lines as a small fox could be seen scampering around in the brush. He waited for her answer still and unmoving, gentle and unresolved. His cold fingers brushed the small of her back as he leaned closer, Keeran’s forehead just faintly touching hers.

“What if…” He hoarsley whispered this time, breaking her focus from the forest line. “What if I’m only interested in you?” Keeran finished as he met her gaze again.

The laughter from inside quietly trailed behind them as she struggled to find the words. The systems and structures that they lived in separated them in a way that could only be measured by eons. The most obvious divider being the reason they hid away just to steal this moment in the first place. The laughter in the hall grew louder as the night grew deeper. The sound of music and clinking glassware spilling out into the air pushing the little fox to scurry deeper into the woods.

“ I suppose… it wouldn’t really matter…” Vina trailed off allowing the sounds to sober her heart.

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“ It matters, if you feel the same way, Davina.” He quickly responded as the brush of his fingers halted and grew into a gentle squeeze around her waist. She looked into the night sky just above his shoulder as the stars began swirling, orbiting themselves in groups as they had every night before, here in this strange place.

“ I am as alien to you, as you are to me…” She answered as the orbiting stars became infinite burning circles in the dark.

“This isn’t my home and your responsibilities…” She trailed off as tears stung and threatened to reveal her true feelings even more.

“...Let’s just focus on closing the deal.” She weakly pleaded, interrupting her own stream of thoughts that swirled faster than the stars above.

This time she matched his gaze and watched the frustration build in his frame before it quelled off like a wave that threatened to come again and morph into a tsunami. She waited for his release but he only grew still.

“ You’re not who you think you are, Vina,” Keeran said with calm acceptance. She pulled away from him as she took her first deep breath for quite some time. “Give me time to show you.” he bargained as he gave her room to step away from the wall and step into the moon’s light. But that’s exactly what she was afraid of… an explanation that made sense. A reason that answered every aching question she’d buried inside herself all the years before.

“ Let's just focus on the de–...” She was ready to repeat before his lips fervently pressed against hers. The contrast of their skin revealed in the flashing stars above as he stepped forward pressing her back into the wall he had released her from just moments ago. The once sobering sounds fading as he wordlessly insisted that she know his heart and give him time. Tears generously rolled down her face as her feelings betrayed her and her thoughts left abandoned into a deep void of unknown.

He gave her just a moment to breathe and gather herself as he worked with vivid restraint not to overwhelm her even more. “ Give me time, Vina” He pleaded again, his voice cracking as if the passion of his love could at any moment ripple outside his body and break down the forces that held them distant.

Afraid of how much more he might do to convince her, afraid of how quickly she might agree to his profession. She silently nodded in agreement as laughter and music interrupted them once again.