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It was difficult to pay attention to the movie they’d turned on for their date when the setting sun embraced them in golden ivory, painting them softly like Renaissance paintings and ink on old, dusty paper. Tao couldn’t look away, at least, from how Elle was encircled like a goddess. She was transfixed on the scene unfolding in front of them, softly smiling with lips that Tao knew were softer than a baby’s skin.
She tilted her head to the side and threw a piece of popcorn into her mouth, eyes still set on the screen. Tao wasn’t surprised that she was so invested in the film despite how many times they’d seen it. Moonrise Kingdom was a favorite.
“We should dance like that when we’re at the beach next,” she murmured.
“Mm,” Tao hummed, and he slid closer to her, reaching for her hand like it was his tether to consciousness. Perhaps it was. “We should.”
“And kiss like that, too,” she giggled, squeezing his hand between her fingers.
Tao blushed, exhaled shakily until he had to breathe in again. Elle didn’t turn to look at him, but she had quite the intuition. She chuckled knowingly, leaning forwards to grab the remote and briefly pause the movie. She turned to Tao, who was still flushed red all over.
“Tao,” she said.
“Elle,” he responded.
“I’m going to kiss you now,” she stated, like it was a well-known fact of life. Like it was nothing but also everything. Like it was something.
Tao didn’t have time to nod fervently before her lips were on his, and just as fast as she had kissed him, he was kissing back. She tasted like honey and lavender tea. He sighed with pleasure, joy in the fact that of all the men in the world, Elle had chosen him to be with.
“Would it be alright,” she said between breathless kisses, “if I said… if I said…”
“Said what?” Tao asked, pushing her head back a bit and cradling her jaw in the crook of his hand. She smiled weakly- as if she had a secret.
“That I love you,” she whispered.
He was flabbergasted for a moment, and then he was smiling. Still shocked, he nodded with as much fervor as he could muster. She exhaled a breath of relief, illuminated in the final bits of sun slipping past the horizon to make way for the tapestry of stars that dressed the night sky.
“Only if I can say it back.”
“Do it.”
“Say it back?”
“Yes,” she said, the syllable delicate on her tongue and between her teeth. It was a whisper.
“I love you, too,” he said with hesitating.
“Nice,” she grinned.
“Nice?” he snorted.
Elle chuckled. “I love you, you idiot.”