Mai trembled against his figure. Salty tears stained Noll's dark attire as she weeped for the loss of her friends. She gripped the stiff fabric of his sleeve and looked up at him with irritated, puffy eyes.

"Why…? Why does this keep happening?" Mai hiccuped.

Noll offered no audible response. Instead, he pulled the young woman closer and held her in a tight embrace. Noll's hand supported her skull and his fingers tangled in her hair.

"I don't understand…" she whispered. "All of our friends… Gone… We… I should have noticed it sooner! Maybe I could have done something to help or-"

"Mai," Noll interpreted with a tender tone, "you have no reason to blame yourself. You did nothing wrong."

"But I didn't stop it!" Howling into another fit of blubbered sobs, Mai buried her face into Noll's chest.

Noll sighed, "Mai, there wasn't anything you could have done. You don't even know who did this, or why. These events were unpredictable to you."

"Then why do I feel like I could have stopped it?!"

Exhaling, Noll placed his hands on Mai's shoulders and pushed her back. He gazed at her as she rubbed her eyes with the back of her hand. Noll waited for Mai's breathing to steady.

"Mai…" Noll's voice was soft. He cupped her cheek in his hand and leaned closer. His nose was nearly touching Mai's and his breath teased her upper lip. He felt her stiffen, but she didn't move away. Her glossy eyes met his.

Mai hesitantly held her hand against Noll's neck. Noll kept still for a moment longer, allowing Mai the opportunity to move away, before he finally kissed her.

The gentle act ended as Mai came to the realization of what was happening. She halted Noll from shifting away by gripping the back of his neck. Holding him in place, Mai returned Noll's gesture of affection.

Relaxed, Noll hummed. His approval gave Mai the opportunity to push him down onto the sofa while entangled in their kiss. Her knee wedged itself between his legs. At the moment Mai pushed against him, Noll paused their heated battle of the tongues.

"Do you want this?"

Mai wasted no time in answering, "Yes."