He keeps his promise to her, and when weeks bleed into months, he decides that maybe time hasn't been completely unkind.

"I can't believe you've never done this."

Her laughter is delightful, and there's flour on her face. It's a silly but homey image, and it combined with the smell of baking cookies pulls a smile free of its constraints. "I have not."

He doesn't realize what he's done until her fingertip brushes his cheek.

"Saw that," she says softly.

Habit grabs him by the teeth, and it disappears. "Hn. You saw—"

She shoves cookie dough into his mouth.