"You don't have to do this, you know."

Maya jerked her head up from where she'd been staring more at the window of the train than actually out of it. She got out half a "what?" before realizing what had been said and shaking her head. "I promised Pearly we'd visit, and since she doesn't have time to leave the village, we have to go to her."

All true, all something she'd said to herself a dozen times today while Kay watched her pace and flap her hands. Softening her gaze, Kay scooted over to her until their sides were pressed together. "Yeah, but was a last-minute change in schedule. She'll understand." Especially since this would be Maya's first trip back to Kurain.

She leaned her head on Kay's shoulder, silent for a moment. Then, she sighed. "I know. But she was really looking forward to seeing us again and it shouldn't be such a big deal but…" Her voice got higher as she went until she trailed off with a heavy breath and turned her head to bury her face in the fabric of Kay's jacket. "I spent so long trying to get out of there, it's…" Her hands went to twist the fabric of her dress, fiddling with it as she continued. "I keep feeling like once I get there everyone's going to treat me like nothing changed, and that everything that happened since I left was just a dream, and I'll be stuck there for good this time."

"Oh." The response was more of an involuntary exhalation than any kind of purposeful reaction. Her chest tightened in sympathy as her mind called forth memories of the years she'd spent watching Maya choose to struggle with untangling herself from the mess of blood feuds and traditions rather than tear herself free in an instant. All for the sake of leaving behind a place where her cousin might feel safer in her choice to stay. "Hey." She put a protective arm around her, stroking her hair in a steady pattern. "That's not going to happen, I promise."

"I know." There was a tremor to her voice as she said the last word. "…I'm being stupid."

She huffed. "No you're not." Gently, she picked up Maya's left hand, giving it a light squeeze. "With how hard they tried to get you to stay, I'd be worried too. But you don't have to be." Her thumb traced patterns across the back of Maya's hand, and as she said that, she moved it to rest on top of her wedding band. "Because I'll be there by your side. Holding onto you the whole time, if that's what you need."

Maya looked up at her, eyes glittering with tears not yet shed. "You would do that?"

With her free hand, she tucked a strand of loose hair back behind Maya's ear, tracing her fingers against her skin as she went. "Of course."

For a moment, she only blinked as she met Kay's steady gaze. Then, a smile bloomed across her face. Sitting up, she gently shifted both arms to hang over Kay's shoulders and pull her down to kiss her.

As they parted, Kay hummed, then chased after Maya, turning the single kiss into a succession of soft, easy ones. Unhurried but purposeful. She eventually trailed off without moving away, a hand still at the back of Maya's head.

With a contented sound, Maya pressed their foreheads together. The tension that had been keeping her stiff had melted away so that she was able to rest easily against Kay. "You know, I shouldn't've been so surprised," she murmured, after a pause. "After all, there's no way you would ever let someone steal me away."

"You-!" Kay pulled away enough for Maya to see how indignantly she was reacting to the playful jab. Holding the expression for long proved difficult, though, especially in the face of her wife's bursting into laughter. Giving in, she smiled, then pulled Maya over even further so that she was practically in her lap now. "Of course I wouldn't," she whispered, emphasizing it with a kiss to her neck.

They drifted into a comfortable quiet after that, punctuated every so often when one of them would make a sleepy remark. Otherwise, they simply watched the scenery rush past them and cuddled as best as one could in the seat of a train.

As the outside shifted from greenery to the more sparse rockiness of the mountains, Maya tilted her head to look out the window. "We should be there soon."

There was a soft "mmm" from where Kay had rested her face against the top of Maya's head. There hadn't seemed to be any emotion attached to her statement, but she wanted to check on her anyway. "You feeling alright about this?"

Maya took Kay's hand. "Yeah," she said, and kissed her knuckle just below where her ring sat. "I am now."