"Thank you for today. It was fun." She smiled, her back to the door.
"I should say the same." Hershel took her hand and dotted it with a kiss.
Silence fell over them. Oblivious to the implications, he continued to hold her hand while she stared at him thickly, somberly.
"...Is that all?"
"I'm afraid so, it's getting dark already an--"
"Not that."
His eyes widened in interest, then his quaint wondering smile fell. He looked away and coughed. "I'm sorry but we're not properly wed..."
"Not that." She said firmly, though her cheeks were dark as a plum.
"I'm sorry... I don't understand."
She drew out a long sigh, her head was swimming. Even intelligent men are dense, she thought. "It's been six months.. don't you think we've been more than allowed to..." She began to stutter, ashamed that she had to bring it up.
"To what, my dear?"
"...To... to... What I mean to say is I wouldn't mind if you kissed me." She quickly added, "On the lips."
She shyly raised her gaze to him, not surprised that he was looking down, poking his fingers together. She understood his hesitance and yet, she was so angry, shaking, afraid of her own feelings. "Am I really any different than other women, Hershel? You seem to have no problem treating a woman right--"
She stopped, feeling tears trail down her flaming cheeks.
"Now, now, tears do not suit you--"
"See? Stop it! Stop it already!"
"Stop what?"
He was truly lost. No matter how many times he tried to piece together her sadness, he was pulling apart the pieces again, staring at a crumbling mess, internally agonizing about what he had done.
"Just please. Please kiss me. Show me that I'm not like the rest to you. That's all I want."
"Believe me-- I would-- it's just..." He was poking his fingers again, looking from her to elsewhere. "I don't know how to go about it."
"Then, here."
She took his face in-between both palms and pulled him forward. Their breath fogged in the chill air. She closed her eyes, sure that staring at him would only make him more nervous, and waited. Nothing. She peeked out of one eye, finding him to be staring at her, stock still and mouth wide open.
Her mouth curved; a huff followed, and then a gale of laughter. She was holding her sides rather than his face, and tears began to form in her eyes, replacing the previous angst-driven ones.
That was when he felt he could do it. It hadn't feel right with simple pleasantries from their six months, or the tears that were there moments ago. He had never seen her like this, so happy that her back was sliding against the door and her body ricocheting with laughter. Even still when he finally did find the courage to kiss her, humor reverberated in his throat, waning the longer they stayed just like that.