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It’s a summer evening in Vancouver, but the air on the balcony is growing cool with the sea breeze. She snuggles into his lap, and he hopes his arms are enough to warm her; this could be the last he sees of English Bay for quite a while.
“It’s freezing,” she says, hugging herself, “but I don’t want to go inside yet. I want to stare at this view until I can never forget it.”
He smiles, looking at her in profile. “I feel exactly the same way.”
He settles his chin on her shoulder, looking out at the Bay. She reaches her hand up to cup his cheek.
“I can’t believe it’s almost over,” she says softly. Sadly.
“There will be other shore leaves,” he says, dreading their return to the Normandy at least as much as she is. His time serving with her has been the highlight of his career so far, a dream of an opportunity even excluding their relationship. But having to work in such close proximity to her, having to pretend away this intimacy, feels like an especially sick form of torture.
“What was your favorite moment?” she asks.
How can he choose? After months of bonding over their insomnia, every night they fall asleep together and every morning they wake up late; he can’t remember the last time he’s been so well-rested. And after months of not trusting himself to let a friendly pat linger too long, they’ve barely kept their hands off each other. After months of being in awe of how incredible she is, how superhuman, she’s spent hours and hours being totally… normal, with him. Being vulnerable with him. And he’s still in awe of how incredible she is.
“I don’t know,” he says, “I can’t choose. What about you?”
“Getting high at the zoo,” she says, without hesitation. “I cannot believe all the fucked up animals on this planet. Walruses? Giraffes? And the fact that my parents knew about them? And didn’t tell me?”
“I’m sure they would have told you when you were ready to hear it,” he says, kissing her behind the ear. He catches her little laugh just before it’s carried away in a gust of wind.
“…When you told me you love me,” he whispers shyly, kissing down her neck as if to conceal his flushed cheeks in the dark. “That was it… my favorite moment.” He still can’t believe it happened, and saying it aloud almost feels like inviting her to deny it.
She takes one of his hands in both of hers. “I do love you,” she says, kissing his palm before entwining their fingers together.
“I love you too,” he says, kissing her shoulder and hugging her tight, “I have for a long time. I just thought I’d be the one to say it first, I guess.”
“You would have waited too long,” she says, “you never would have said it until you were sure I loved you too.”
He laughs. “Were you unsure? Whether I loved you?”
She looks back at him with a smirk, conceding.
He smiles against her shoulder, kissing his way to her spine. As she sighs, a sudden explosion of thunder makes them both jump.
“That doesn’t bode well for our plans,” she says, a drop of rain hitting her cheek.
“Our outdoor plans, maybe,” he says, shifting her in his lap before standing up with her in his arms.