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The sun was slowly setting and The Female was gazing at it with almost childish glare. There were so many things that could make her happy, simple, small things that made her day prettier. And Serge knew that, sitting two feet away from her, looking at her the same way she was looking at sunset. They just sat there, both of them admiring the object of their gaze. They sat in silence, which was actually one of the many ways they communicated. They were comfortable around each other, comfortable with silence that meant more for them than anybody could possibly understand.
“Mon Coeur?” He spoke up after some time. It could be hours but also minutes. Time never meant much to him. He was clean for months now, he couldn’t remember last time he managed to go clean like this. And yet here she sat, his drug, only one that could make him really happy.
She turned at him, her bright smile even widened. She never understood what those two words he used instead of her name meant, but the way it sounded was something she never felt before. She nodded to show him, that he has her attention.
“You like it, oui? The sea?” He asked softly and she nodded again. The waves were approaching the land in steady, calming way and hissed each time before they returned back where they came from.
“You wanna stay a bit more, before we head home?”
She just smiled softly at him and looked away. For a while she was thinking about him. About the way she felt around him, about the emotion growing in her chest, emotion that always turned into pain when he wasn’t around. She knew the words to use, but they – as usually – couldn’t get out of her throat.
“Kimiko?” He used her name this time, with that ridiculously cute accent.
She looked at him again and their eyes met. She slowly moved her hands as she was getting ready to speak up.
“How do you know you love someone? Someone who isn’t your family?” After that she run her fingers thought the sand. Serge stared at her and raised his hands too, so he could sign and speak at once. It became a habit for him.
“Mon Coeur, I am not the man to ask about this.” This was ridiculous. They run away together. From Butcher, from Vought, from the whole world, they run away to sit there on the warm sand near Marseille and he still wasn’t sure how to tell her. “I’ve been with many people, you know. I’ve been in love, amour, many times. But I don’t know how you recognize it, you see? You have to feel it. Here.” He moved his hand and placed his palm on her chest, and she blinked but kept staring at him.
“What do you feel?” She signed again, her hands mildly shaking. Her heart raced under that touch, and she stared into his eyes, unable to look away.
Serge was trying to keep calm as he continued this time only whispered, as the moment somehow required it. “You know, you feel, you know, certain kind of… la douleur. Pain. But pretty pain. It makes you happy when you are around that person, it makes you cry, when they are not. They make you better person. Like me when…” He realized too late he was talking out loud and to her.
And she knew what he was about to say. She knew it for some time now and she smiled as he nearly said it. “Like you when you are around me.” She finished his sentence, looking at his breathless face.
“Mon Coeur, I…” She didn’t let him finish even that sentence as she leaned forward and gently kissed him. Kimiko knew she had to do that first, because last time he tried to kiss her, she nearly killed him so it was obvious he wouldn’t risk that again.
He was surprised at first, but then he kissed her back and placed his other palm on her cheek as he breathed out and took the initiative and kissed her. He knew how to do this, so he gently decided to lead her.
They sat there kissing each other for eternity and ended it just because they need to breath in. They stayed like there, close to each other, in silence that was so typical for them, until…
Until she laughed. Loudly, softly, happily. He heard her only once before to laugh like this and this time it was even… prettier. This time it was for him, just for him, because of him and he couldn’t be happier. She was making progress and she was making it by being happy with him.
“Mon Ceour.” He whispered and caressed her face. “I love you.”
Kimiko breathed out and and stared at him in surprised disbelieve. Did he just… How could he… Is he…
He loved her. The fact punched her in her face, and she thought she was about to faint. Out of happiness. Tears run down her face as she stared at man she loved and was trying to process the fact that she could really be happy.
Serge was trying not to panic. What was this reaction? Was it good? Was it bad? He never did it this way, he never did it properly and he just couldn’t afford to lose her. Not now. That would kill him.
She moved her hand again, softly punched herself twice into her chest and then once she hit his chest.
Her way to say “I love you.”
And then he hugged her. Pressed her against his chest and happiness filled his veins and tears run his face down as well. And they just sat there, hugging each other, knowing they love each other and that no matter what comes, they will stay together. No matter how unreal it seemed for French weapon dealer and Japanese super terrorist to sit on the beach near Marseille and be happy, here they were. And as her kissed her forehead and whispered the same words as before, but in French, he thought that maybe, just maybe, they could have their happy ending. Right there, in the small house by the sea Serge owned long before he even met her. They could settle down, forget about superheroes and Butcher and just live their lives. Maybe, just maybe they could have, in time, few kids – he never thought of such possibility till now, and yet here it was.
But that was far in the future and only thing that mattered was her in his arms.
Kimiko in his arms. They were happy and they were together.
And nothing could change it.