It was the end of the year, and for that this extravagant hosting was planned to signal a symbolic end to the chaos and misfortune that had plagued Fiore for years. It had seemed as though every few years, another major issue had found itself wreaking havoc through this little slice of Earthland, and time after time the citizens were the ones that had suffered.

The common folk had taken the brunt of the losses in every major event. When the scourge of Grimoire Heart was running rampant through the towns, countless men, women, and children met their ends to the struggles. When the demonic excursions signaled the precursor of the war to come, the people who died were the general populous. And as the war raged and the Nine Heroes were hunted across the continent, it was those without power who had to bunker down and wait for the situation to be resolved.

Anyone who understood the current state of the country knew that it was not the Nobility, nor even the Royal Family, who was being looked at with gazes of respect and gratitude. It was the mages, both affiliated with guilds and independent of organization, who were the hero to the common man. It made it no surprise that those who ruled were so quick this time around to celebrate the perceived rescuers of the common folk. "See," it seemed to say, "We had them save you, and they too come to our beck and call."

The gesture was hallow and easily seen through. Yet, in a time like this where the future held a long path to recovery, it was something to cling to. Even when you knew it was false, it was something that gave hope in an otherwise bleak truth. Who would admit that even those who ruled were unable to stand up to the forces at work behind the curtain? Who would admit that even they needed help from the Guilds, and that if the Guilds refused their call, the population would suffer? Better instead to view the two sides as part of the same coin. At least then there was something to grasp.

In all of Finn's travels, he understood better than most just how important hope was in such trying times. He saw how people who had lost their inner light were quick to succumb to the horrors of their own fears. It was a pit that he himself had slipped in and out of for the longest time before his return to Fiore.

And luckily, it was something that he was now safe from. He had begun finding reasons to hope once more. The discovery of a long term goal was one thing, but more than that he had reconnected with his friends whom he had once left behind. He had even begun written correspondence with Jake once more, who had apparently even started his own family. Things were going well for him once more, and his life was one to enjoy once more.

That said, what brought him here wasn't the anticipation of reward nor the goal of seeing his friends. What brought him here was the promise of a single persons time. She had agreed to this rendezvous, had agreed to his intent, and had signaled that there was at least a chance of her feeling the same way that he did.

And that gave him something to grasp onto.

As he made his way through the dense crowds of royalty and nobility, he was in awe of the sheer wealth that was held within this single room. His suit was fine, and as expensive as any mage or adventurer could afford. Yet the clothes on those of the upper crust really shone as unique. Their jewelry alone was worth more than Finn would likely ever see, and they held themselves with an esteem that they likely had never earned. The room dripped with gold and silver, crystal and diamond. The relic in the center was possibly the cheapest thing on display, and it was the reward to all those who showed up here today.

And yet all the richest and glitters faded into his peripherals.

His eyes fell upon the one he had came to meet, and his heart began to beat rapidly within his chest. Despite the onslaught of noise from all directions, he felt for a moment like he could hear only her heels falling upon the surface. Her dress clung loosely to her body, catching upon the air as she walked and making it look as if she were flowing through space itself, and still managed to accentuate her figure. Her hair cascaded past her neck and shoulders, falling naturally in a way that framed her face like the art it appeared to be. And as his eyes found her face, well, she was upon him and he was lost for words.

"I-" he stuttered, "I mean,-" he paused longer this time, as if the words he searched for simply didn't exist. For all the money that went into this hall, for all the paintings they hung around the room, and for all the statures that did their best to depict beauty, he found himself enraptured by the woman before him. "You look perfect."

As he had only just done, she analyzed him from top to bottom. In a way it felt odd. His mind flashed back to their first meeting for just a moment as she stood in silence. He saw the two of them, laying on a pier in relative silence alongside Jake. He remembered how quiet she had been, how distant and reserved no matter how much they tried to crack her shell. He remembered how much more innocent he was back then, still thinking that life was one big adventure that would always go in his favor. Back when he felt more free, and back when he had his brother at his side.

Then, snapped back to reality. Her words permeated his flash to the past, and he found himself once more in the Grand Cathedral within Crocus. In front of him was still the beautiful woman that he would have never anticipated being with in a million years. Their fates had strangely intertwined, and had culminated in a moment of opportunity. What happened tonight, he felt, would set the tone for his upcoming year. They were sharing one of the moments that one could truly feel the gravity of the situation, without the need to wait for hindsight to appreciate its significance.

She spoke to him, cheeks flushed and smile wide, and he felt his heart melt. This was how things were suppose to feel when they were right, he though. Simple, as if things just clicked and without the need for extra effort. He liked it, and it felt different from anything he'd experienced in the past. He found himself laughing under his breath at her non-comedic comment, as if he were in disbelief that they were both here right now. Still, he had made it this far by charging blindly ahead. Now that he knew she was interested, what could the harm be of charging further still?

"Well," he began, his voice surprisingly sure. "We came all the way here, to a ball, so would you give me this dance?" As of on queue, the song that had played their arrival had reached its diminuendo. The final notes slowly dragged themselves, reverberating from the walls and beginning to die. If she had not expressed immediate disdain for the idea, he would have acted. Stepping forward and reaching towards her hand in his, he took it and smiled. Slowly, he'd walk with her towards the dance floor, leading just a step ahead.

Then he would stop and turn, one hand finding its rest upon her hip and his other rolling in her grasp, interlocking his fingers with her own. His golden orbs searched out her amethysts, and his lips curled upwards in a shy smile. The next song began, and as the people around them began to move in their manufactured elegance, Finn began to follow suit. The only problem was that his movements were a little different than theirs. He didn't feel stiff, but his movements were arguably a little lack luster in comparison to the posh and prim movements of those around him. A quickly learned imitation, perhaps?

Then, as if to confirm it, Finn spoke up. "I uh... Truth is, I don't know how to dance. But I figured if you came here with me, it was part of what we were expected to do. So I've been watching them all really closely and, well, I think that I've got it down for the most part." The confidence was still there, but it didn't take a genius to realize that he was not the best on that dance floor, but hopefully there were points for effort.

It had seemed that any reservations she'd brought with her, of him or the night, had been left at the door. Long gone was the nervous and shy exterior that had reacted to his initial come on. Instead, it had seemed as if she found comfort in his grasp. Her laugh rang out, and though it would have been deafened by the music and the jollity of the room, it reached him just fine. His lips curled upwards, genuine appreciation for the one who stood before him. She stepped into each rotation of their dance with much more confidence in her movement. It had seemed, at least to his untrained eye, as if this were not her first party.

Her comment about the food meant it was his turn to laugh. It escaped his lips before he'd even noticed its presence, causing him to turn his face and laugh in a way that seemed almost unbecoming of the dress he wore. It was a genuine laugh, far from the reserved nature of those who otherwise surrounded them. In a way it matched hers, and perhaps that was another reason to the familiarity he felt.

Yet it was not as though this was a predicament in which they found themselves in often. Never before had she been so close to him, and he found their lack of distance almost intoxicating. Everything about her drew him in closer. She had a unique perfume, and had worn just enough that only at this close distance did he detect it at all. It was delicate, floral even, and lingered in his nose like a citrus. Even the way she looked at him, craning her neck and staring at him with eyes that seemed to want to fill themselves with his visage alone, made him wish to bring her closer still.

And so as she spoke again, moving her body as to close the distance even further, Finn couldn't help but react. His grip on her waist shifted ever so slightly, allowing him to better hold and lead her in this new close proximity. If anyone had told him, even as recently as their reuniting only a few weeks ago, that he'd find himself in a place like this with Xandra, he'd have likely ignored them completely. It wasn't as though he had found her unattractive or anything of the sort; Rather, he'd simply never imagined her in this context before. Yet now, as the song continued along and their movements slowly refined themselves, he found a comfort in her touch.

"Well, I didn't say I disliked the dancing," he began, grinning and looking down at her now, his eyes seeking to lock with her own. "Just wanted to make sure you knew what you were getting yourself into. But I'm glad you're enjoying it..." His voice trailed off, but the smile lingered on their face as he continued to dance with her. He'd have given her a moment to make any comment, should she have wished, and then proceeded forward.

"I'm glad you said yes, you know. To the date- To this." He spoke while lightly motioning his head behind him, referencing the entire Cathedral in its expansive presence. "I know it must have been sudden but, I've really been enjoying my time with you. You make me feel lighter, I guess. And happy. And, well, there's no one else I'd rather be here with." If there was one thing that may never change, it was Finn's inability to articulate his feelings when it came to this sort of thing. Yet still, it wasn't as though he was lying. He meant every word, and though perhaps he shouldn't have said such things while they were in mid-dance and preventing her from escaping should the words be too "cringe" as they say, he felt it needed to be said nonetheless.

Finn had spoken to Xandra, and used that time and their proximity to confess a lot of the things that had been on his mind. He had allowed himself to become stressed, as he often did when there were unresolved issues within his life. Yet once again it was her that allowed him to make those problems melt away. He had confessed to all of his hidden thoughts, laying himself bare before her, and she seemed to have soaked them all up. She hadn't answered him or interrupted, instead choosing to continue to dance and look through him as he spoke.

Then, he had finished. With his thoughts put out before her, he readied himself for a response. He was not so optimistic as to expect her to immediately reciprocate, nor was he such a pessimist that he anticipated the end of their night. Rather, he didn't know what to expect. There was a sort of stillness in the air that permeated despite the notes and joviality around them that made it feel as though he were standing upon pins and needles. He was nervous, more so than he had been in a long time.

And when she answered, it was completely outside of his realm of possibilities.

Of anything he could have hoped for or predicted, the distance between them dissolving was the last on his mind. His heart immediately fluttered, the nervous feeling within his stomach made him feel as though he were completely out of his element. Yet without a word, and without him having the opportunity to react, her lips pressed against his cheek.

As she pulled away, she'd immediately be able to see his dull pink hue that had made itself at home upon his face. This was the first time since his appearance shifted that he blushed. On the bright side, his ears no longer turned red in embarrassment. On the negative, it turned out that pink was a natural accent to the markings upon his forehead, making them stand out even more than ever before.

She spoke to him, simply and in affirmation, and Finn felt it. For a moment, they were alone together within this room which had entered obsolescence, and there was nothing in front of him but her. It was only a moment, but he felt truly happy. To call him elated would have been an understatement; Yet, there was no time to process such complicated and evolving emotions now. Not when their time together had become interrupted.

Finn's feet stopped, his gaze drifting to the woman who approached them. His grip had tightened ever so slightly on Xandra's waist, in part to make sure that she didn't accidentally keep moving to the music and tripping upon his sudden halt. The other was an almost protective measure. Despite her ability to make him relax and feel at ease in his surroundings, an event like this was still a nightmare for someone like himself. He was surrounded by unknown potential enemies, and one such individual had just approached them.

Her words and tone, however, were disarming. Finn was not well versed in the culture of court, and despite his leaps and bounds in the politics of words he was dealing with someone who had been born and raised in the art. Nobles and Royals could paint entire canvases with their words, and the ones the spoke to would never be the wiser. She spoke of them being a couple, and while his cheeks reinstated their pinkish hue, he stayed on edge. Only had Xandra chosen to step away or put distance between herself and Finn would his arm have falling away from her waist.

Assuming that wasn't the case, though, one of his hands untangled itself from hers and reached for the offered wine. Taking it and motioning it in a "Cheers" fashion, Finn brought the rim to his lips and sipped on it. The distraction dulled the moment, but it also gave his mind time to catch up with itself. The woman before them spoke once more, and only then would he respond.

"Finn Mertins of Blue Pegasus. Thank you-" he paused, motioning with the glass to the room around them, "For putting on something like this. I've never seen anything so extravagant before."

Xandra's tone and body language had shifted. Gone was the woman who had let herself free and enjoy the night, and back was the Seated Knight of the Rune Knights. Her body stiffened, her eyes focused, her smile dissipated, and she was once again at work. Finn would be foolish to think he knew her so well now that he could figure out what she was thinking based on her body language alone, but such a sudden shift was enough to catch his attention. Her emotions had become falsified, and with that Finn's night became slightly worse.

It was due to that, no doubt, that as the Countess spoke he found himself seeing her words in a more negative light. Regardless of her tone or expression, she was now the woman who had dampened his evening. In any other case, it would cause for an unnecessary souring of relations between him and whoever it was he felt this way towards. In this case, however, it coincidentally allowed him to see her in the very light she truly belonged to.

As she made her name recognition, reasonably putting together who he was, she spoke with flattery. Her words addressed his accomplishments, hinting that he had been discussed even in Era and the Capital. Perhaps, in another light, he would have felt flattered to a degree. Instead, he responded with an "Mmm", acknowledging her words without expressing any thoughts on the matter. He was lucky that she had kept talking, making his dismissal appear as though he were showing respect in letting her continue, rather than interrupting.

Yet what she said fueled his annoyance, and at that point her intent was not longer important. Instead, all he focused on was what she was actually saying.

And what she was saying pissed him off.

She had finished her talk, and if she was as in tuned with people as a noble should be, she would likely see the annoyance on Finn's face. Had this been anywhere else, with anyone else, he likely would have had a few more choice things to say to the noblewoman. Luckily, he had matured a bit over the years. He understood, in a sense, that he was dealing with Xandra's boss. To directly disrespect her would be to directly cause problems for Xandra, and that was something he wasn't willing to do.

Instead, he would try to play at her game.

"You might have a point, Countess." Rather than addressing the relic, he instead chose to bring the conversation back a few steps. "After all, I am currently here with my date Xandra. And considering she is the only person whom I could possibly want, well, I guess you're right." Whether she would take what he said as an indirect jab to her own allure was up to her, and her state of mind. Rather than linger, Finn would only give a glance to his date in order to see if she wished to chime in as well. If not, he'd continue on.

"As for the relic, I guess that depends. If the thought is about its safety, then I'd say there's no where safer in all of Fiore right now than right here. If you mean using the Relic to give us this rejuvenation, well- I guess that depends. If you like the idea of one of Fiore's most powerful assets getting a boost to their fighting force, I think it was a wonderful idea."

Xandra, it seemed, would prove time and time again that the leagues they stood within were separate. The way she was able to read the wave of emotions coming from him, and match her tone appropriately, baffled him. He was certainly not the one who would step into a room and control the atmosphere with his linguistic prowess, and so seeing someone who could was something he couldn't help but respect. His body seemed to relax as she spoke, the stress that once caused his frame to tighten finally seeping from his form. His eyes fell upon her side profile, and he thanked whatever it was he believed in for being there that night.

Their fingers had woven together, and it seemed that in the Countess' efforts to draw a divide between the two, she had brought them closer together. It was a strange feeling that welled up inside him. It was as though, in that moment, he made the unconscious decision that she would be a very important person in his life. He squeezed his hand once, lightly, a silent appreciation of her brave move. His eyes found their way back to the Noble, and as if nothing had happened at all she continued their little game.

It was truly terrifying, if he stopped to consider what had just happen. In no more than a few moments, and with only the context clues that a glance could capture, Margret had figured out how to draw out such a visceral response from the two of them. Had they not leaned upon one another, it was possible that a scene could have truly unfolded here. Her words were daggers, and they found the two to be relatively unprotected against them. Could she have wanted to bait a more primal response, perhaps? But what does she have to gain from such a thing..?

He couldn't dwell on the thought. Instead, she directed yet another question their way. She was simply full of inquisitive thoughts, and it seemed she would not hesitate to lob them at the two. Once again, though, Finn would speak up first. "Well," he began, his eyes locking upon the orbs of the Noble. For a moment, perhaps if she was more in tune than he gave her credit for, she could perhaps feel it. The sense of dread that came from standing before a hungry predator, and the uncertainty of where one lay on the food chain. A sense of intimidation, perhaps, that would come with such a feeling being directed at her from someone she apparently knew of so well. Without giving her time to process, if it was indeed needed, he continued.

"I'm not going to pretend I know the direction Fiore is going. I just know the patterns that I've seen in my travels throughout the continent. If the worse comes to pass, I will continue to try to protect the citizens of Fiore, and will do my best to confront those who would do them harm, no matter who the enemy is. Even if it means I have to confront the Royal family." His words were not at all quiet. Had there been anyone keen on listening in at all, the nearly treasonous words would have been easily overheard. Regardless of if it was bravery or sheer stupidity, there seemed to be no hesitation from the Warrior. Rather, he seemed so confident in his declaration that anyone would be quite just in calling him a fool.

Finn Mertens has been rewarded 150,000 Jewels.

Xandra Queen has been rewarded 150,000 Jewels, additionally Xandra’s answers have unlocked an S3 Mini-Plot.

Xandra answered the question in a way that confused the warrior. It was as though, in the presence of the Countess, she had embraced the role of her job. While her answer certainly represented her true feelings, it was laced with the wordplay of the upper crust. A piece of Finn was impressed by her ability to play their game, and still another part of him had done his best to decipher her words. No matter how he struggled, though, he couldn't find commitment to anything in what she said. Rather, it seemed as though she'd intentionally avoided aligning herself to any specifics. It wasn't as though he was offended or hurt by her statement; Never would he try to hold someone else accountable to his own sense of duty.

Rather, it pinged a sense of intrigue. What she said neither conformed to a preconceived notion of who she was, nor did it catch him off guard and surprise him. Rather, it showed how little he truly knew about the woman who was with him. She was not a shallow person in any sense of the word. There was so much depth to be discovered, and he felt his lips curl into a smile as he imagined what the future may hold for them. She had proven herself to be someone who could contest wits with the noble far better than he could, and for that she now had his respect on top of his affection.

As the Noble finished her piece and attempted to bow out, Finn turned his attention back to Xandra. His expression had changed ever so slightly from anything it was before. It was a peaceful acceptance of the moment. He gazed at her, his intense golden orbs softening ever so slightly, and his entire body seemed to relax. The fighter who could never seem to leave the battlefield seemed, for once, completely vulnerable. He drank in her appearance as long as he dared in silence, accepting whatever words she had to add. He realized he could comment on the strange happenings that had just occurred, but better he thought to accept the silence while it could last.

As he finally opened his mouth to speak, their time together was once again interrupted, if only briefly. A stout man had approached, a platter in his hand that cost more than low ranked requests would ever pay, with a bottle of wine that dwarfed even that. He commented that the bottle was from Margret, stated to them a toast from the Noble, and then bowed and made his way out. Finn stared in mild disbelief as the man made his way, then a soft chuckle escaped his lips. "I don't think I'll ever understand these people..."

The bottle had been opened by the man, and without hesitation Finn grabbed it and set aside the two glasses, filling them up slightly. He handed a glass to Xandra, and held the other in his dominant hand. Perhaps she'd have noticed his complete disregard for the bottle, not admiring it the way that the Countess likely would have insisted upon. He understood that the bottle was expensive, and he didn't need to consider anything else. Raising the glass towards her, he grinned. "To a unique night, and many more to come." Assuming she'd accept the toast, he'd sip at the drink and then place his own drink down upon the table beside them.

"You know, this is all new for me." He spoke with the smile still upon his face, and while it was clear that his mood was high, his tone took on a slight seriousness. "Everything about you just feels different from anything I expected. Beyond the fact that you're obviously gorgeous, you're just so... Mysterious?" He added an extra inflection upon the word, emphasizing his inability to find the correct thing to say. "Every time I think I have figured out a little bit about you, you add more to the table. You're smarter than I could have imagined, experience with Nobility, witty and carefree, yet cautious and paced with everything you do. I have felt like you've led this little dance of ours since we've met, and I've done nothing but trip over my own feet."

He laughed at his own words, a genuine laugh that showed how amused he was with the situation. "Everything about this is so far out of my expectations that I have no idea what to do or say next. All I know is I want to do something to feel like I'm controlling the pace a bit. Something that I've wanted to do since we got here, I guess." His words trailed off, and without further ado he leaned forward and lifted his hands. As his palms cupped her face, his lips would press solidly to her own. He had moved to her tune since they met, and finally he was going to trip her up.

Their time together thus far had been better than he could have possibly anticipated. There was certainly the bumps in the road, primarily in the form of the Countess who chose to imbue their night with her bad taste, but it was a splendid time overall. It felt, to Finn at least, as though the recent months had been to this very moment. The two of them, still strangers in almost every sense of the word, found a comfort in one another. For him, Xandra's presence was something that he not only couldn't take for granted, but something that he had come to look forward to with almost a dreamlike glee. She had invaded his time, making herself omnipotent in his thoughts.

She simultaneously made him feel untouchable and impossibly vulnerable, and he appreciated her for it. It had been a long time since he had felt this way about anything, and he certainly hadn't thought himself capable of it. Yet here he was, dressed in clothing that was far stuffier than he would have worn otherwise, to see her. Nothing in the cathedral, not the relic nor the hall that was adorned in priceless art and artifacts, would draw his attention as she could with the most simplistic actions.

As he spoke to her, overflowing with more words than were likely necessary, she did it again. Anyone else would have taken such a sudden outburst and looked on in a horror, confusion, disgust, or a mixture of the three. Not her.

She watched him with a baited anticipation, frozen on him as if time had stood still and eyes wide as if in wonder of the man before her. The more he talked, much too quickly in a single breath, the more confidence had welled up within him. She had taken his words as if they were a lifeblood to her, and it was her way of interacting with him that made him feel this way. With her, more than anyone else, he felt as though he were someone. Far too long, and without even realizing it, he realized that those around him had often made him feel like an expendable piece in their life. As his mind flashed back, even the what seemed like it should have been an obvious exception came back the same.

Yet with her, he felt special.

So as they came together in that moment, and as the room around them seemed to both spin wildly out of control and come to a complete halt, Finn had gambled everything. Their time together, the signs that he may have misread, the bond that he felt yet had never heard put into words. He rolled the dice on who they were, and what if anything existed between them. As he pulled away, the distance allowing him to look at her face in its entirety once more, he could finally process how her body language had reacted to his advance.

Her hands had found their way to his body. Her cheeks had flushed, eyes both searching out his own and diverting themselves from his gaze in an alternating pattern. Her breath seemed to have been taken away from her as she uttered a single word before pausing in order to gather herself. Then, in a final strike to his heart, she spoke in a way that brought a smile and laugh from his lips before he could stop it. His eyes looked up, head tilting back, and a sigh escaped his curved lips.

Locking eyes with her once more, and still unable to curb the happy noises escaping from him, he nodded once. "Yeah, you caught me. I like you." Moving one of his hands down to his own waist, his hand would cup itself around her arm. "Is it safe to say that you're still holding onto me like this because you like me too?"

Her words escaped her with a sense of glee, a sense of giddy excitement now radiating from the young woman. For a moment, much to brief for him to truly focus in on, he saw her as she once was. The quiet girl, unable to bring herself to speak more than a few sentences at a time and with eyes that seemed like they no longer yearned for more. He wondered if, perhaps, she felt the same sense of surreal difference from the past. Long gone was the shorter blond boy, eyes of ocean and brother at his side. He had been replaced by many versions of himself along his travels, but he felt an almost irony to the fact that he felt more like himself now that he was in this new body than he ever had before.

There was doubt in his mind, of course. Not yet prominent worry, but the seeds of chaos that would certainly be watered with time. The question of if her feelings for him existed before his physical change would spend the next few months crawling its way through his psyche, causing damage from his subconscious until it found its way into a question. There would be plenty of time for things such as that, though. It was still such a new concept that he didn't have the ability to conceptualize anything that would act as a damper to the night.

Instead he listened to her words, and they did their job of getting him lost within the moment. She had already confirmed her feelings for him, but the fact that she could find the courage to articulate them made him even happier.

She went a step further, explaining to him just how foreign she felt to the situation at hand. Hearing that comforted him, proof that he wasn't alone in his feeling of being lost in the unknown. They would have plenty of time to get to know each other better. They would be able to grow closer, to get more acquainted with one another's past. Yet before they took the time to look backwards through time, they would find a way to get further muddied in the present.

"I feel the same way, Xandra." She had found his hand once more, earlier as she answered his question, and had anchored herself to him with her comforting touch. Jake would be so happy if he saw this right now. His lips curled upwards. He'd have to write his brother and try to get him to visit. After all, he had always been a vocal proponent that Finn's decisions in life might not have been the best for him. This, he thought, would be something they would agree on.

Then came the suggestion he'd been waiting for, though whether he had been awaiting her to mention it or for himself to he couldn't say for certain. Once she put forth the idea of leaving, though relief flooded over him. He hated this stuffy atmosphere, the fake personalities, the forced enjoyment of the night. In a sense, the Countess had been a bright spot among a crowd of gray intentions. At least she had made herself transparent, even if she couldn't break the deceptive wordplay of a noble.

"Yeah, lets go."

Though leaving was very clearly Xandra's suggestion, Finn would lead the way. Her fingers, laced in between his own, felt comfortable in a way he couldn't explain. He moved through the crowd, which seemed to have thinned a bit without his realization, and before long they had made their way to the grand entrance. The doors were propped open, and aside from the guards, butlers and maids stood to thank the guests and bow to see them leave.

Finn glanced at his partner and grinned, stopping and gently pulling her over. His arm raised, and while their fingers were still tangled up together he rested his hand on her hip and held her against him. He could speak, ask about what they were now or where they were going, but part of him felt like any noise from his lips would shatter what certainly felt like a dream. Instead he closed the gap once more, finding his place on her forehead, and then began walking with her. The night would embrace them, and they had all the time in the world.

[EXIT]