Work Text:
Dan Heng had better places to be than here at the Twilight Courtyard. However, he hadn’t known he had better places to be until this morning when Stelle announced she was going to sign up for the preliminaries of the game tournament being hosted in Okhema. This shouldn’t have been a surprise; she was the kind to dive headfirst into competitions. He just hadn’t been sure she’d be up for participating considering she was still recovering from her experience being ‘mostly dead’, as she called it.
But now, she was in the middle of the action while he was not even in the city. Furthermore, he’d promised Hyacine his assistance in the courtyard today in exchange for her previous guidance around the grove.
“Dannie! We have a bit of a problem!”
Dan Heng couldn’t say he cared much for the childish nickname, but he’d grown accustomed to it. Hyacine liked adding that “-ie” sound to the end of just about everyone’s name. It wasn’t a personal slight, nor did it imply anything untoward. “Did something happen?”
She heaved a tired sigh, the workload beginning to wear on her perpetually cheery demeanor. “One of our critical care patients managed to escape. Even with your assistance, we’re still severely short-staffed, so he must have found a break in the guard. Would you please go retrieve him before his condition worsens?”
“Of course. I doubt someone from that ward would have been able to make it far.”
“You’d be surprised how well patients can rally in the face of hope. Perhippies has been speaking non-stop about attending the Seal Slammers tournament, especially after meeting a sick seal who also wanted to participate. Both of them are missing, but I have a pretty good guess as to where they’re heading.”
A clear destination certainly made things easier. “I’ll hurry.”
“Thank you so so sooooo much!”
The crowd for the competition was much larger than Dan Heng anticipated. And much louder. This was Stelle’s scene, for certain. And it was a scene he liked to avoid unless it was necessary for a mission. The ‘Cold Dragon Young’ incident would haunt him for years to come.
He found an announcement board posting all the match-ups, and there were many. He gave it a look over, knowing to be looking for the name Perhippies, but every name that started with an S stood out to him. He couldn’t help but be curious about a certain chaotic raccoon who took these things both very seriously… and not seriously at all.
In moments like these, he wondered why he was so drawn to her. Of course, it was a worthless question that wouldn’t take long to answer. The aforementioned chaotic raccoon had many good points to her, which in turn endeared him to all sides of her, including this one.
He happened to catch Stelle’s name first. She’d already won one preliminary, and her next opponent was—
“Gather 'round everyone!" An announcer cried. "The contestants this round are Stelle and… Perhippies?! Gah! Someone inform the Twilight Courtyard!”
… well, that made his job easier, didn’t it?
With a spattering of apologies, Dan Heng pushed his way through the crowd to the nearest competition pool. Upon reaching the front, he was greeted with the sight of his fiancée facing off against a guy who couldn’t even stand up on his own.
For the life of him, Dan Heng did not understand why someone who looked like death warmed over would leave a hospital for this.
“Excuse me,” Dan Heng proclaimed, finally making it to the contestant’s side. “I’ve been tasked to track down this escapee and return him to the Courtyard. I think it best to pause this match for now.”
“Nooo!” Perhippies whined, his voice weak. “I won’t go back. I worked so hard to escape. Do you know how far the Twilight Courtyard is from here?”
“Ahh.” Dan Heng narrowed his eyes at the man. “So you know how far I had to run.” And how far he was going to have to carry this walking—er… crawling corpse back. The bandaged seal in the pool didn’t look much better, to be honest.
Dan Heng was not looking forward to this.
“But I like Seal Slammers too much!”
Exasperated, Dan Heng looked across the pool at Stelle, who looked like she would rather be anywhere else than participating in this particular match-up. Even from here, he could see the concern in her eyes.
Yeah, I don’t like this either. This was going to result in permanent injury if Dan Heng didn’t put a stop to this.
“The dead know no fear!” the bandaged seal cried. “Just let him go. We’re but using each other to achieve our goals.”
… And with that, Dan Heng had the strangest feeling of déjà vu. A certain unhinged stellaron hunter flashed through his mind. For a moment, he was tempted to turn his back and walk away from this mess. If he hadn’t promised Hyacine, he might have left these two suicidal beings to their own devices.
Logically, he should yank these two kicking and screaming back to the Twilight Courtyard for their own benefit, but that prospect sounded atrocious. Meaning the only other option was to let them play. Once again, he looked at a hesitant Stelle, who was looking at him for any sign of what to do next.
At that moment, Dan Heng made a decision. He wanted the return trip to the courtyard to be as painless as possible, and while he hated to say it, the only way he would achieve such a thing was if this man’s spirit wasn’t just crushed, but obliterated.
Stelle could do the job quite nicely.
“Alright, Stelle. Get this over with quickly.”
Surprise flickered in her eyes only momentarily before it hardened to determination. She gave him a theatric bow, a promise that this would be a performance to behold.
And it was.
She was efficient, deadly, and quick. Very quick. It didn’t take more than three minutes for this match to be decisively over.
Seeing he was playing both jailer and lifeguard to the man on the ground, Dan Heng didn’t dare move from his position. However, that meant he couldn’t personally congratulate Stelle for her work.
So the moment Stelle was lining up her winning shot, Perhippies and his seal already curled in heaps at their near-defeat, Dan Heng pulled out his phone to send her a quick text.
Dan Heng: Good job. Proud of you.
Dan Heng: And thank you for ending this quickly.
He put his phone away as the announcer proclaimed Stelle’s victory before lamenting the state of the injured.
Even though he knew the two losers at his feet would at least put up no protest on their trip back to the Twilight Courtyard, Dan Heng was still not looking forward to this.
Balancing two injured patients, Dan Heng flagged down a dromas. He wasn’t going to carry them any farther than he had to.
His phone had buzzed while he helped the injured competitors onto the back of the dromas. Some bystanders kindly offered their assistance, along with healthy doses of concern. Only once the two patients were safely settled in the carriage did Dan Heng check his phone.
Stelle: (Blushing Emoji)
Stelle: I’ll be sure to bring honor to the Astral Express. ;)
Stelle: BTW, good luck with him. I hope all THAT goes smoothly.
He smiled. But with one glance down at the very injured passengers, he wondered if he was too late. The seal in particular looked like death was right around the corner.
Dan Heng: I’m going to need that luck.
Dan Heng: And I have no doubt you’ll win the tournament. I’m rooting for you.
Stelle: Hey, do I get a kiss if I win?
Stelle: Wait, do I get a kiss for EVERY win???
Fondly, Dan Heng shook his head. Before he could even think up an answer, there was a tug on his sleeve. “H-hey…”
Putting his phone down, Dan Heng looked toward Perhippies. “Do you need something?”
He grunted, his face growing paler with each step the dromas took. “Can’t miss out… Seal Slammers.”
Dan Heng resisted the urge to roll his eyes. It seemed he’d completely miscalculated this man’s obsession. “You are in no condition to argue your point. And your seal companion is in an even worse state. Even if you are just using each other, I cannot in good conscience allow either of you to continue this madness.”
“Participate… in my place.”
Dan Heng raised a dubious brow at him. “And pray tell, why?”
“Want a chance… championship....”
And with that, Perhippies proceeded to pass out.
With a sigh, Dan Heng once again pulled out his phone, this time sending a message to Hyacine.
Dan Heng: I have the patients. Neither are in good condition.
Dan Heng: You were right. They were at the competition. I hired a dromas to carry us to the Twilight Courtyard.
Hyacine: You’re a lifesaver, Dannie!
Hyacine: what’s your ETA? I will have staff on standby.
The man had regained consciousness by the time they arrived at the Twilight Courtyard.
The seal, however…
Dan Heng didn’t want to think about the seal.
As promised, Hyacine was at the front of the courtyard, assistants and stretchers by her side proving she was prepared to take the patients back immediately.
Dan Heng brought the seal off the dromas first. The moment he set it on one of the stretchers, staff rushed it back. While he hoped the seal would be okay, he didn’t want to get his hopes up. That seal did not look like it was going to stay on this side of heaven much longer.
Next was Perhippies, groaning all the while as Dan Heng and Hyacine assisted him down from the dromas and onto the stretcher.
Before they could take the man back into the clinic, Perhippies grabbed Dan Heng’s hand with surprising strength.
“I won’t go!” he insisted.
Dan Heng felt exhausted all over again. “Your escape worsened your injuries. You must get treated.”
“I refuse!”
Hyacine looked extremely distraught by the proclamation. “Please, Perhippies. I understand you are upset—”
“Please,” Perhippies begged, staring at Dan Heng. “Take my place. I won’t get treatment until you promise to win this in my place!”
Dan Heng withheld his protests. This man was not stable; not physically, mentally, or emotionally. He needed treatment, preferably with a strong sedative and perhaps some restraints.
Dan Heng could insist Perhippies receive treatment anyway, but consent was key to a doctor’s ability to treat a patient. Hyacine would not ignore this man’s refusal no matter how reluctant she was do to so. Hence, if only for her sake, Dan Heng relented. “If I agree, will you accept treatment?”
Relieved, Perhippies loosened his death grip. “If I must.”
Dan Heng helped Hyacine guide the stretcher toward the clinic.
“You have to win this competition in my place,” the man continued to ramble. “Prove to that gray-haired girl that we have what it takes to win."
Hyacine’s brow furrowed. “Gray-haired girl…” Slowly, her expression turned bemused. “Grayie?”
Perhippie's expression contorted. “You know her?”
Hyacine was soon all giggles.
Dan Heng, not so much. “My wife,” he flatly explained.
“Huh?”
“Stelle, the woman you went up against, is my wife.”
“O-oh…”
“And they’re so cute together,” Hyacine cooed. “And I know Dannie here wanted to see her in action. What better way than to start a little friendly competition between husband and wife?”
When they got to the double doors Dan Heng knew he was not allowed past, they passed the man off to the awaiting staff. The double doors swung shut behind them, leaving Dan Heng and a tired Hyacine in the hallway.
“Thank you,” Hyacine said. “I appreciate your sacrifice.”
“I apologize for having to leave,” he mentioned. "Unless, you're okay with me lying to the man, but I doubt you'd agree."
"You're right: I couldn't stand for a lie. Furthermore, I fear what he'd do if he learned you didn't compete."
"Then, I should return if I'm to make it in time to sign up. Will you be able to manage without me?"
“We'll be fine. As we always are. I'll miss having you around, though. You're great company."
“One problem,” Dan Heng said. “I don’t have a seal to compete with.”
“We’ll figure something out,” Hyacine said. “If worse comes to worse, you can take Little Ica.”
That’s when the double doors swung open, a stoic nurse appearing. “Doctor Hyacine,” he greeted. “I have some… interesting news on the latest seal patient.”
Dan Heng was not planning to put much effort into this. That’s not to say he would do the competition a disservice by putting in no effort at all. He’d simply adopted the mindset that should he face a decent competitor, he’d take the loss and walk away.
The same could not be said for his teammate. The ghost seal was determined to put in twice the effort to make up for Dan Heng’s lack thereof. Hence, Dan Heng was content to allow the seal to take the lead and play to its heart’s content. He only offered advice and guidance when called upon. Considering no one else knew exactly how to handle the undead seal—the concept creeped him out and was undoubtedly going to give him nightmares about Stelle’s ordeal—this seemed to be the only thing that could be done for it.
It seemed the seal was going to make its dying wish happen no matter what, because next thing Dan Heng knew, he had made it to the championships.
“Hehehehe!” the ghost seal at his side chuckled, its focus never wavering. “We are winners. We will be the winners. There is no other option.”
Dan Heng sighed. It had been a very long day.
Curious to see who his first competitor was, he checked the matchup board, only to spy a familiar name.
He smirked. Heh. Well, this was promising.
“It’s herrrrr,” the ghost seal growled. “This time, we will not be defeated. We will be the victors. It is time for our revengeeeee.”
Most of his amusement faded. This seal’s mental state was beginning to take a toll on his own. While there was a competitive part of him excited to be facing Stelle down, there was a much larger part ready for her to take him out of the competition. If he was to lose to anyone, he could lose to her with pride.
“Alright! I give up.”
Dan Heng whipped his head around, surprised to see Stelle standing there. Her eyes were narrowed, her smile ruining any attempt at an intimidating glare. “How did you make it all this way without me noticing?”
“It’s herrrrr!” Ghost seal bounced agitatedly at Dan Heng's side. “You will not triumph this time, gray-haired fiend! There can only be one winner in this competition. And it shall be meeeee!”
Stelle blinked down at the seal at his feet. “Um…”
“It’s a long story,” Dan Heng dismissed. “Don’t take anything personally. Its mental state is… fragile.”
Stelle gave a slow nod. “Got it. So, you and… this seal decided to make an appearance without telling me?”
He shrugged. “I kept a low profile.”
“No kidding! I just didn’t know that ‘low profile’ included not telling your wife.”
“It was a last-minute decision.”
“Too last minute to tell me?” she bemoaned with a theatrical pout.
“Yes,” he sarcastically deadpanned, playing along. “I purposefully forgot to inform you. It was all a setup to take the trophy out from under you.”
“I knew it. How dare you.”
His facade broke with a dry chuckle.
It brought a smile out of Stelle. Appeased, she propped her hands on her hips. “What made you want to compete anyway? You never agreed to join gaming events in the past when March and I were practically on our knees begging you.”
“Do you remember Perhippies?”
She grimaced. “The man who couldn’t even stand upright? Yeah. How’s he doing, anyway?”
“He’s alive, but that’s about all I can say. He said he’d only get treatment if I participated in his place. And the bandaged seal here… didn’t make it. It's a ghost now, fueled by its undying obsession to win. No one really knew what to do with it, and I needed a partner, so it came with me to fulfill Perhippies request.”
“Aww, big softie Dan Heng couldn’t say no.”
Warmth touched his cheeks only for a moment, more because of her cooing praise than the teasing.
“Will the competitors approach the arena?” the announcer shouted.
“We’re up.” Stelle bumped their shoulders together. “Hope you know that I’m not going easy on you.”
“I hope not. Please give me a reason to end this.”
“Only if you promise to give it your all,” she said, offended. “Don’t even think about going easy on me.”
“I wouldn’t do you the disservice.”
“We will wiiiiin!” Ghost seal chanted. “We. Will. Win. We. Will. Win—”
Dan Heng sent Stelle a pleading gaze. “Please save me.”
Stelle grimaced in pity. “Will do my best.”
He then took out a pair of sunglasses he’d bought with the purpose of keeping a low profile. It had been a happy accident that he'd worn traditional Okheman clothes today, preferring to blend in at the courtyard rather than stand out. It had been a conscious decision to avoid getting blood or other stains on his clothes. They were already tattered, and he didn’t want them falling apart any more.
“What’s with the glasses?” Stelle asked.
“Um, let’s just say out of sight, out of mind.”
“Well, you’re certainly channeling the Seal Slamming spirit. I have them, too!” She pulled them out of her coat, sticking them on her head before striking a pose. “How do I look?”
He grinned. Her joy was infectious. “Prepared to win.”
She giggled. “Prepare to go down, Dan Heng. I’m about to cash in a lot of kiss rewards.”
“I never agreed to such conditions.”
Theatrically throwing a hand to her chest, she gasped. “You wound me.”
His fond smile widening, he affectionately shook his head. It was his greatest misfortune to be so enamored with this woman. It was also his greatest blessing.
After losing to Stelle—he snuck a kiss to her cheek afterwards as thanks for finally ending this nonsense—he stuck around the competition just long enough to watch her take the championship title. Thankfully, the competitors were few, meaning Dan Heng did not have to endure the ghost seal’s whining for more than an hour before he had to take it back to Twilight Courtyard for further observation.
When he handed over guardianship of the creature to the nurses, he was hit with overwhelming gratitude for his freedom. The seal talked a little too much like… someone he’d rather never think about again.
“Dannie! I heard you’d come back.” Hyacine skipped up to him. “You were a huge lifesaver today. I owe you big time.”
“I’m glad I could be of help.” That was true. Hyacine had been nothing but help to him, so even if this task had been miserable, he’d been happy to repay her for her assistance.
“Huge help. Perhippies is settled in for a long treatment and we don't have to worry about him fighting us every step of the way. He's disappointed you didn't win, though."
"I tried my best."
"Grayie is really something else, isn't she? Anyway, I'll let you get back to her so you two can celebrate. Have a good evening, and give Grayie my congratulations for winning the tournament!”
The walk back to his private bath chambers was blessedly silent. Blessedly. No one was needing him. No one was seeking him out. No one was rambling about an unhealthy obsession with a game. He was finally able to hear himself think.
He might have taken the long way back just to relish the silence.
When he got back to his temporary residence, he opened the doors to what he half expected to be an empty room. There was a good chance Stelle was out celebrating with her friends.
Instead, he was met with a pillow to the face.
Stunned, he stumbled a half-step back as he attempted to close the door behind him.
“That’s for not telling me you were competing,” Stelle cried. Then she smacked him in the chest with the pillow. “And that’s for not informing me I needed to root for you.” She tried to smack him again, but he caught it before it hit his face. “And that’s for once again keeping secrets.”
He didn’t let go of her choice of weapon, trying to process how to best disarm her while also appeasing the feral raccoon he’d just walked in on. “I wasn’t aware this counted.”
“One hundred percent.” She wiggled the pillow out of his grasp, giggling all the while. “I’m your wife. Who else gets to be your number one fangirl but me!”
She swung out at him again. Seeing as she wasn’t seriously upset, he found himself chuckling as he dodged her assault. “Lay the pillow down, Stelle.”
He loved that wicked little gleam in her eye. “Make me.”
He’d been “making people” all day. What was one more?
She swung out at him again. He ducked under the weapon, tackling her by the waist. She squealed as he threw her over his shoulder.
Okay, he was getting a lot more enjoyment out of this than he originally thought.
One well-placed swing, and the pillow whipped around his head and smacked him in the face again.
“Do that again," he warned, "and I will drop you.”
“You wouldn’t dare.”
He wouldn’t.
Instead, he threw her onto the bed.
With a laugh that sounded more like a squeak, she bounced on the mattress, preforming a half-roll that landed her on the other side of the bed, still wielding the pillow. “This is not over, Dan Heng.”
His grin grew. “Oh really?”
“Better believe it. I will be the champion of both games today.”
Deciding to humor her, he grabbed the other pillow on the bed. His reward for the movement was her entire expression brightening. Ironically, she looked happier right now than she had at the tournament all day.
He felt the same.
Stelle quickly rounded the bed, pillow aimed to strike. He didn’t swing at her, instead using his pillow to block hers while he waited for an opening.
Bap. Bap. Bap.
There.
He swung the pillow, getting her in the face and sending her laughing. A few more blocks, then he got her a second time on the back. He was about to move for a third strike when she ducked. The next second, he felt himself lifted from the floor.
A dirty move, grabbing his legs like that. Off-balanced, he fell back onto the bed.
“Raccoon attack!” she shouted, immediately straddling him and proceeding to hold the pillow over his face.
In a surprisingly automatic reaction, he grabbed her sides, eliciting a shriek from her as she curled in to protect herself. Having caught Stelle off-guard, he rolled her over so she was the one pinned to the bed. He grabbed her wrists, pinning them above her head so she couldn’t strike out with her pillow.
“How dare you,” she said, her cheeks rosy with amusement.
He chuckled. “Now now, you can’t be mad at me playing dirty when you start.”
“Me?” she innocently cooed. “I’d never play dirty.”
Fondly, he shook his head. “What am I supposed to do with you?”
She batted her eyelashes at him. “Well, you’re the one who has me pinned to the bed. The question is, what are you going to do with me?”
It took a second to realize the suggestive nature of their position.
And it took her a second to catch his hesitation. “Here’s a hint,” she faux whispered. “You’re supposed to kiss me.”
His smile widened. She’d been fishing for a kiss all day. To give her what she wanted now would mean surrender, and he refused to cave so easily. “Oh, really?”
She made a show of nodding.
“That seems like too much of a reward for assaulting me with a pillow and then trying to smother me.”
“Oh?” Her eyes gained a mischievous twinkle. “So if I don’t get a reward, does that mean I’m in for a punishment?”
He hung his head. Nevermind, it seemed there was no winning this round. “Don’t make that sound so suggestive.”
She giggled.
When weighing the options, Dan Heng decided the only way to win this battle was to withdraw. Shifting his grip so he had her wrists pinned with one hand, he grabbed her pillow with the other.
And returned the smothering favor by slapping it over her face.
She was laughing even as he crawled off the bed, removing himself from their intimate position. Only when he released her could she remove the pillow he’d slapped over her face.
His heart warmed at the sight. He should try to be playful more often. She may have been the one talking about getting a reward from him, but he felt like he was the one receiving a reward.
“Congratulations on winning the tournament,” he finally said. “I knew you could do it.”
Slowly, she calmed, her cheeks flushed a healthy pink as she clutched the pillow to her chest. “Can I please have a reward now?”
“Maybe.”
“Oh? Maybe.”
“I’ll treat you to dinner.”
“Oh! A date. I like dates. But do I get more than a date?”
So retreat was not an option, either. She wasn’t going to let him escape. Meaning his options were to cave… or to cave.
Fine. He supposed it wasn’t the worst thing in the world.
He curled a finger under her chin, tilting it up to lay a brief kiss on her lips. She beamed under his affection.
“Is that a good enough start?” he asked.
She hummed, her silver eyelashes fluttering open. “For now. Maybe not later.”
“We can save that for after dinner.”
“I like the sound of that.”
Her trophy was huge.
And strangely light.
He knew there had been chaos courtesy of Cipher having swiped the trophy, and it wouldn’t be impossible to believe she had a fake lined up.
“Are you certain that’s really the trophy?”
“No,” Stelle admitted. “But it’s shiny, so good enough.”
That was so very Stelle of her. Yet, the thought of her getting slighted out of her due prize irritated him. “Are you sure you’re okay with that? You tend to like monetary gains.”
“What’s that about mixing business and pleasure? Don’t do it? Anyway, what does it matter? It’s just a game and the trophy is just the momento. That's where it's worth lies.”
He admired her perspective. It was a balance between logic and sentimentality, of not being greedy while also attaching personal meaning to items, thereby adding immeasurable value to them. That too was so very Stelle of her, said woman managing to give meaning to items abandoned and thrown out while also resisting the pull of shiny things in shopfronts.
“Besides—” She pointed to the two glasses underneath it. “—these are more important to me, my dear competitor.”
Although he still didn’t quite get the point of growing attached to objects, there were times he could more easily put himself in her shoes. He’d never had the chance to see the true value of such an object until her. Until she’d given him salvaged books to add to the archives knowing he always sought to expand his knowledge. Until she’d given him a decorative wedding ring, laden with vows. Until she set two pairs of matching glasses side by side next to a picture of them ‘supporting Team Astral Express.'
Those mementos meant nothing until they recalled memories that meant everything. The same went for her trophy, whether it was real or not.
He smiled. “As long as you’re happy.”
Instead of answering immediately, she leaned against his shoulder, wrapping her hands around his arm. “I’m happy with you.”
Her touch sent warmth blooming in his chest, spreading out to the furthest extremities of his body. “I’m happy with you, too.”
“Then, you’re okay with me setting the trophy there?”
“Funnily enough, it makes the room seem reminiscent of your own.”
“Huh?”
“Despite having lived here for so long, you’ve refrained from putting knick-knacks everywhere. Even though one trophy hardly compares to your displays in your room back home, it does add a… homey touch to the place.”
The longer she stared at the trophy, the wider her smile got. “You’re right. But you know what else would make this room feel like home.”
“Oh, pray tell, what would that be, and should I be scared.”
“No… maybe…”
Okay, now he really was scared. “Out with it.”
“Can we adopt a pet?”
“A pet?” he flatly repeated.
“Yeah, but instead of a digital warp trotter or a cat cake… would we adopt a chimera?”
“Ah, you mean Bubbles.”
“Yeah. I miss my Bubbles at home, and this Bubbles fills the hole. It doesn't have a place to stay, and it doesn't want to return to the grove.”
“I thought I already agreed to it staying here.”
It was Stelle’s turn to blink. “You did?”
“I overheard the conversation you two had and Bubbles asking to stay by your side. When you were pulled away by the announcers for a moment, I had a talk with Bubbles agreeing to the arrangement. It went to grab some things before moving in.”
Her eyes lit up, and suddenly, all his reservations about accepting Bubbles into their temporary home faded.
With a grin, she threw her arms around him in a hug. “Thank you!”
He chuckled, returning the favor. “But only this exception. We are not bringing home every animal you find.”
“That’s to be determined.”
“Stelle.”
Despite his warning, she giggled. “Okay, okay. I know my— er, our room on the Express is big, but I don’t know how many pets will fit, anyway.”
He paused. "Our?"
"Yeah." She pulled away to meet his gaze. "I mean... you're moving in with me when we get back home, right? Better than me moving in to the archives when I have a perfectly functional bedroom."
Her proclamation caught him off-guard, even though he knew it shouldn't have. "I... hadn't realized you'd thought that far ahead."
She quirked a brow at him. "We're gonna be married. Why wouldn't I? I'm planning our whole future."
Words failed him, and in the end, he surrendered the struggle to wrangle them as a smile split his face in two.
"I'm already trying to think about what shelf to clear out so you can organize your notebooks," she continued. "And I can move over my things in the bathroom for you. And do you want your blankets on the bed or mine? We can replace anything—"
"I'm happy with anything," he cut in. "I think what you already have is perfectly fine."
She scrunched his nose at him in disapproval. "I know you're just trying to be practical, but you're allowed to put your fingerprints on the room, too, you know. I want it to be your home as much as mine."
She was already his home. The details of where or what didn't much matter to him. But she wasn't just extending that offer, she was making a plea with him. He didn't exactly know how to fulfill that request, but there was a piece of his heart determined to make that happen. "We'll cross that bridge when we get to it, okay? But I promise, I’ll try."
That must have been a good answer, because her expression brightened. "That’s good enough for me.”