Part 8
Hotch was starting to have hope.
Emily was treading carefully around him, he could see it, but in truth he couldn't blame her. He knew he had surprised her, and that she needed time to get used to the idea. However over the last few days she'd given him some signs that she was warming up to the idea. She had accepted his invitation to dinner, had slightly flirted with him, and had called him by his first name, which for as long as he had known her had never happened before.
She was getting more comfortable around him, and she was considering it.
Hotch had never shied away from a challenge, as boldness was integral to his personality, but in this case he really wanted her to have the last word. The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted her in his life, he recognized that now, but he didn't want to pressure her. So his plan was simple: he would make his feelings known, and would leave her free to walk away. There was a lot at stake, and he couldn't ask anything of her that would put her in an awkward position. Having a relationship with him would be risky career-wise, and he didn't want her to ever regret taking that risk if she so chose. Yet he could offer no guarantee. Being chief of a high profile unit meant that he was often under the microscope, and he wouldn't always be able to protect her from that. But knowing her, she probably wouldn't expect him to.
And what about the man whom, as far as he knew, she was still dating? She hadn't said anything, and he hadn't asked. But maybe it was time.
He didn't hear from her again after they'd met in the park, and Hotch thought he would give her time and not force the issue. But on Tuesday night he became a little restless, feeling as if he needed to speak now, before he returned to work the next morning. She wouldn't be back to the BAU for a few days, leaving her some time to make a decision. He wasn't looking for anything decisive or final, but he needed to know at least if he was right to hope. Jess offered out of the blue to stay with Jack that night, saying that she had missed him over the last week, and though he knew she loved Jack like he was her own, Hotch didn't entirely buy it. There was just that twinkle in her eye that made him suspicious.
Nevertheless, Hotch took advantage of the opportunity and didn't think twice before driving to Emily's place. He knew this was bold and that there was a chance she might be mad at him for showing up unannounced, or that she might not even be there, but he needed to take the chance.
He wasn't sure what he wanted to say, or rather how to say it, and he kept trying to come up with ways to introduce the subject, but nothing came to mind, even as he stepped into the elevator, walked down her corridor and knocked on her door.
He held his breath as he waited, until he heard footsteps, and then the latch. The door swung open, and there she was, her eyes wide.
"Hotch! Is everything okay?" she asked, her eyes checking him over quickly.
"Everything's fine," he replied hurriedly but calmly, to put her concerns to rest. "Is this a bad time?"
She looked like she was getting ready for bed, with her hair pulled up in a careless bun and wearing PJ pants and a sweater vest. She appeared much younger somehow, and he realized that she wasn't wearing her usual make-up.
"No! No, come in," she said with a smile once she snapped out of her surprise. "Can I get you anything? I was just about to make some tea," she asked as Hotch followed her in. The room was cool from AC air despite the humid heat outside, and he suddenly understood her need for a sweater. Wearing only a t-shirt, he however had to fight a shiver at the abrupt change in temperature. He had only been to her place once or twice before, but the place was still as immaculately neat as before. Was she a neat freak? he asked himself, amused at the thought.
"No, thanks, I'm fine," Hotch replied as he watched her pour hot water into her cup, immerging the tea leaves. There was something really intimate in seeing her in such an informal setting, and Hotch tried not to let his eyes travel down the length of her body and notice how fetching she was. He needed to focus. He had things to say.
But where to start?
She was watching him with a little bemusement now, waiting for him to speak his piece. After a second, she smiled and gestured him to follow her to the living room, where she turned off the TV and settled down on the couch.
He decided not to sit directly next to her, but rather took the sofa chair opposite her. When he looked up she was still watching him intently, with still a small trace of amusement. She wouldn't make this easy for him, would she?
"I- Sorry to come unannounced, I ah…" Suddenly feeling like this was a bad idea, he rose to his feet again. "You were busy watching a movie, I can come back some other ti-"
"Aaron, just sit down," she said sternly, stopping him with her fingers around his wrist. They were cool to the touch. "You came here to tell me something. Go ahead," she said encouragingly as she gave his arm a small tug. "I promise I won't laugh," she added with a mischievous twinkle in her eye that made him smile. Hotch yielded to the slight pressure and sat back down, this time next to her.
"Right," he said with humor as he leaned his arms on his thighs and joined his hands together. He inhaled. "The other night, you said you were considering the possibility of…us, but there's something that I… That is, may I ask… what happened to the man you were meeting at the restaurant? I don't mean to pry, but-"
She shrugged with a quick, decisive shake of the head. "Not going to happen. I think an association with me was a little too adventuresome for his taste."
Hotch raised his eyebrows. "Adventuresome?"
"His way of being polite, but I think he meant freaking dangerous," she said.
"Oh. I'm sorry," Hotch said seriously, though he had to restrain a smile at her words.
She tilted her head, trying to meet his eyes. "I'm not, but are you, really?"
"Yes. You deserve more than this, Emily."
"Hotch, I don't even know what this is."
"Well, I think you know how I feel about you-"
"Do I?" she interrupted again, making Hotch stare at her in surprise.
"Don't you?" he threw back, a little confused. Hadn't he told her, just a few nights ago?
She shrugged lightly, one corner of her mouth tugging upward. "I might be a profiler, but I'm no mind reader. All I know," she started as if she was reciting something she'd learned by heart, "is that you think I'm beautiful, and that you feel some physical attraction towards me, as evidenced by you almost kissing me," she finished with a noncommittal shrug and a half-smile that showed her dimples. Despite her apparent amusement, Hotch could hear the serious undertone in her voice.
Hotch's brow furrowed slightly at her words. Did she really think this was purely physical? Then she had misunderstood him before, when he had told her that seeing her picture alone would not have been enough to enthrall him. It was her, all of her.
He shook his head and met her eyes steadily. "I think you know me well enough to know by now that if this was merely physical I wouldn't be here."
She frowned, and he realized that it could sound a little strange without further explanation. "What I mean, is that if this was merely physical, I wouldn't have let it go so far. There's too much at risk, for both of us, for mere physical attraction." He sighed, then dove right in. "I'm here because I can't control the feelings I have for you. But mostly because I find myself not wanting to."
Up till then she had been a little amused by his lack of eloquence, he could tell, hell he was too, but her expression changed into something more understanding, softer, at his last words. It gave him the courage to keep going.
"Emily I don't expect you to say anything now, but I just wanted to tell you that, if you so choose, I'd…very much… like you to be a part of my life. I'm not suggesting we jump into anything right away," her eyebrows rose with amusement at this, "but that we could-"
Her hand on his forearm stopped him, and he was reminded of another time when she had made the same gesture. It had sent the same goose bumps along his skin.
"Excuse me, there's something I need to, ah…check," she said as she put her teacup on the coffee table. Confused, he half expected her to rise to her feet and leave, but instead she stared at him squarely before swiftly bridging the distance between them, her eyes holding his as she leaned closer until he could feel her breath, hot against his chin. She hovered for a second and raised her eyebrows, as if daring him to close the gap, but he didn't, despite the erratic beating of his heart against his chest at her closeness. God he wanted this, he wanted her, but it had to be her call. The only movement he allowed himself was to raise his hand and touch a lock of her hair from the tip of his fingers. Her hair was so soft, and her eyes so wide and spellbinding-
Before he could finish the thought she was leaning in, firmly pressing her lips against his. She pulled back again before he could react, but only far enough to look into his eyes. Hotch held his breath as he held her gaze with increasing longing. His lips tingled where hers had been, and all he could think about was how soft and intoxicating she'd felt. Praying that she would do it again. After a second or two of gazing into his eyes as if trying to read into his soul, she suddenly seemed to give up her inner battle. She let out a soft sigh and fell back into him, once more bringing her lips to his. Hotch was prepared this time, so he immediately responded, emboldened by the way her lips quickly parted under his. Their breaths mingled where their lips met, as his fingers fully tangled into her hair and his other hand came up to cup her cheek and neck. Shifting his position on the couch so that he was better facing her, he deepened the kiss, tracing her lips with his tongue, until she met him halfway, the intimate contact making her gasp and him shiver. He felt her cool fingers slide into his hair and around the back of his neck, pulling him closer as lips and tongues explored and taunted and caressed.
When the thought that he never wanted this to stop crossed Hotch's mind, he was suddenly reminded that it did have to stop. At least for now. He forced himself to slow down and slowly pull away, trying to catch his breath as he leaned his forehead against hers.
If he'd known that kissing Emily Prentiss was this mind-blowing, he wouldn't have been able to resist that night in the safehouse. Now that he knew what she tasted like though, he felt even more intrigued by her, puzzled at the complexity of her. All he could think about was that he needed more, he needed more if he was ever to figure her out. He closed his eyes, trying to get his breathing and blood under control.
After a couple of seconds of leaning his forehead against hers, he felt his lips shape into a small smile as he remembered what she'd said before. "Well?" he asked, his voice sounding husky to his own ears. He cleared his throat softly.
"Huh?" she replied, sounding a little disoriented, much to his satisfaction.
"You said you needed to check something," he replied, his fingers still lazily caressing the soft skin of her neck.
She opened her eyes and raised an eyebrow, her breathing still coming in quick intakes. "Chemical reactions all present and accounted for," she said with a grin as she pulled back slowly, letting her hands trail along his arms until they rested in her lap.
Hotch immediately missed her warmth and touch. He bit his lips and raised an eyebrow in response to her quip. "You think?" He shook his head, as if to clear it, before returning his eyes on her. He gazed at her for a moment, taking in the disheveled state of her hair, her pink cheeks and lips and her sparkling eyes, wondering whether he should bring up what this meant and risk ruining the moment. But then he figured he wouldn't be Aaron Hotchner if he didn't address the situation in a straightforward way, so he cleared his throat a little. "Emily, I um…" he frowned at his lack of eloquence, then tried again. "I need to ask. I know where I'd like this to be going, but where do you think this leaves us?"
He realized then that despite what had just happened, he still dreaded her answer. But then she reached out with one hand and closed her fingers around his. He could tell from her slight tremor that she didn't feel as confident as the gesture would have him believe, and that reassured him somewhat.
"I don't know," she replied truthfully at last, making him look down at their joined hands. "But," she started again, making him meet her eyes once more, "I'd like to try and find out."
He stared for a few seconds, trying to see in her eyes if she really meant it. "Are you sure?"
He watched, mesmerized, as she leaned close again and kissed the corner of his lips softly, like a promise. "Yes," she said simply, her breath fluttering against his lips.
He squeezed her fingers and his other hand came up to caress her cheek, making her smile and lean into his touch. Deciding that this was the moment or never, he pulled back and rose to his feet, reluctantly letting go of her hand.
"Where are you going?" she asked as her eyes followed him up, caught by surprise.
"I should go," he said as he gazed down at her, trying to contain the burst of feelings that threatened to make his chest explode.
She stood up too, the movement bringing her almost nose-to-nose with him, close in his personal space. "You don't have to go yet, we still have some things to talk about-"
He interrupted her with a brief kiss, just because he could, and he smiled in elation at her immediate response. "We do," he agreed as he pulled back, noticing with some satisfaction that she followed him for a second, almost making her topple over. "But I think we both need some time to process, to rationalize this. Well, I do, in any case." He added with a small shrug at her amused expression. He resisted kissing that teasing smile off her face, and softly squeezed her shoulder instead, letting his fingers linger on her arm. Then he forced himself to turn on his heels.
"Yes, very wise," she replied from behind him as she walked him to the door. He grinned at the smile in her voice.
He stopped and turned to her again when they reached the door. "I'm going back to work tomorrow," he said, "but call me if you need anything, or if you need to talk about this."
"You still don't believe me, do you?" she asked, sounding more curious than incredulous.
He sighed. "Emily, until a few days ago I never would have imagined that you would be willing to even give this a second thought. When I drove here tonight, my only goal was to find out whether I should hope or not. And it turns out you gave me so much more to hope for… It's just a lot to take in, and I need some time to-"
"Rationalize it," she finished with a knowing smile, "I know."
Hotch nodded, glad that she understood.
"Well, maybe this will help make this real for now," she started again before walking up to him and circling her arms around him, pulling him into a tight hug. Hotch returned it immediately, taking a deep breath against her neck and relishing in the feeling of her slender body snug against his.
"Yes, that helps, but I could use a little more persuasion," he said cheekily.
He felt her chuckle a little, and she pulled back. "Alright then, off you go. Call me if you need to talk about this." She said with a quick wink.
Hotch smiled as he gave her one last happy look, then he opened the door and left.
Hotch was an expert at keeping a tight reign over his emotions – most of the time anyway. So he hoped that the rest of the team attributed his uncharacteristic ebullience that next morning to just being happy to go back to work.
The minute he came in JJ accosted him with a welcoming smile and a new case. Three murders committed over the last three weeks in Atlanta. The local police had just started connecting the three murders, and now they requested the BAU's help in catching this serial killer. This meant that he would be away for a few days. He sighed at the thought as he prepared his files for the briefing. But then he realized that maybe this was a good thing. This time away would allow them both some time to process the new developments in their relationship.
Gathering his paperwork, Hotch walked to the conference room, where he was met with happy greetings and one or two 'good to have you back.'
"Thanks," he replied, with a genuine, albeit small smile, "it's good to be back."
"Have you heard from Emily?" Reid asked as they all settled.
"As a matter of fact, I have," Hotch replied, keeping his tone business-like. "She says she's feeling fine, better. She'll be back on Monday."
They all nodded, and then got to work.
Between the flight and the first stages of investigation, the day passed quickly for the team and Hotch barely had a second to himself all day as he focused on the case. Every few hours, the memory of her teasing expression or their kisses would spring to mind, making him long to call her, just to make sure that it was real. It all felt so dreamlike, somehow. But then things got busy again and he didn't get any opportunities to get enough privacy to call her.
They worked well into the night, but eventually Hotch called it a night, sending them all to bed. They would start again in the morning, with fresh eyes and fresh minds.
Once in his hotel room, Hotch picked up his phone again, then looked at the clock. 3:09 am. It was too late to call her, but on impulse he flipped his phone open and started typing.
He didn't want to make it too personal, so he went with the simple truth: Another nasty case. Missed you in the field today, it's not the same without you. AH
He hit send and put his phone on the night table, then set the alarm clock for 6:15 am before dropping his head onto the pillow.
His eyes flew open when he heard the distinct 'incoming message' beep coming from his phone, only a minute or two later. Could she be awake at this late hour? Curious, he reached out and picked up his phone again.
Wow, 3am. You must be getting old, going to bed so early. I missed you too. Get some sleep. Em
He chuckled out loud at her cheeky reply, and then noticed how she had used the 'I' pronoun. He had been careful not to use it in his own message, but of course she had seen right through him.
Feeling a little lighter, he was asleep within minutes.
When he woke up three hours later, she was still on his mind, but he resolutely pushed thoughts of her to the back of his mind, so that he could focus on the case once more. The day passed pretty much like it had the day before with the team splitting up to interview witnesses and suspects, refine victimology or work on a geographical profile. He had told Emily that he'd missed her on the field, and it was true. Not only was her input always valuable, but they all felt how big of a difference it made to be one profiler short.
The day went by quickly again. By midnight they were all tired, but Hotch could feel some additional pressure building up in everyone's behavior. They were running out of time.
When he got to his room, he picked his phone again. Are you awake?
He went to the bathroom to get ready for bed, and he was in the middle of brushing his teeth when his phone beeped.
What's up? It read.
Something not making sense in the case. He sent back.
He started when his cell started ringing in his hand, instead of just beeping. He looked at the caller ID, which confirmed his suspicion. He flipped his phone open with a smile and brought it to his ear eagerly.
"I love a good puzzle," she said energetically on the other end of the line before he could even greet her, "tell me about the case."
She didn't crack the case per se, it was more of a team effort, but she had definitely suggested a few things that none of them had thought about before, and in the end it led them to finding the UnSub, on the end of that third day. Of course Hotch could never admit where these new ideas had come from - he could hardly admit to sharing a midnight phone call with Prentiss - so he didn't say anything, though he felt a little uneasy for not giving her the credit she deserved.
Sitting by himself on the plane that night, he sent her another text message. Case solved. Turns out you were right. Thanks for your invaluable input, made all the difference. Dave has invited all of us for a BBQ on Sunday. He'll call you, act surprised. In the meantime, are you free on Saturday?
This time she didn't respond right away, but a couple of hours later, just as he opened the door to his place and dropped his bags to the floor, his phone beeped.
Glad I could help. Free as a bird. It's summer, let's do something fun.
Hotch gathered that 'something fun' implied some kind of outdoor activity, so Jack and he picked her up around 3pm that next day to go to the National Zoo.
She looked happy to see them again. Energetic and full of life, she spent the afternoon alternatively teasing Hotch and teaching Jack some trivia she remembered about the animal kingdom. 'Did you know that the term monkey only applies to primates with tails? That means that chimps are not monkeys. Who knew, right?' And…'Did you know that the baby of a male lion and female tiger is called a liger? They don't happen in the wild though…' Hotch was content to wander through the different pens quietly, listening to her animated voice, amused by the contents of her conversation, and moved by the way she was with Jack. She was just so naturally charming, and he could tell that Jack was having as much fun as he did spending time with her.
He had to constantly restrain himself from touching her, she was attracting him like a magnet, but every once in a while he would indulge a little and stand a little closer than was necessary and smell her mix of shampoo and sunblock, or put a hand against her back, or touch her arm. He could tell she knew what he was doing, since she met his eyes every time. He couldn't wait until they were alone again.
They went to dinner afterwards, and Hotch chose a small town diner to make sure he wouldn't meet with anyone he knew. The atmosphere was informal as the three of them enjoyed their fill of burgers and French fries, all the while looking at the digital pictures that Jack had taken of some of the animals, sometimes catching part of Emily's face or arms or other unidentifiable body parts. After exchanging a look with her, Hotch carefully deleted those pictures.
On the drive back, it didn't take long before Jack fell asleep on the back seat, exhausted.
"I had a great time today," she said quietly from the passenger seat. Despite wearing sunblock all day, her cheeks and nose had turned a little pink, and Hotch was once again struck at how beautiful and relaxed she looked today.
"As did I," he smiled. "You're amazing with Jack, do you know that? He won't ever forget this visit to the zoo, I'm sure," he replied, throwing her quick looks while keeping an eye on the road. There was no mistaking it, she seemed to be glowing in the warm tones of the setting sun. He couldn't take his eyes off her. Which could be a little dangerous when he was behind the wheel. Unable to stop himself anymore, he reached out and took hold of her hand, intertwining their fingers and relishing in the feeling of her palm against his.
She gave him a warm smile. "I'm glad you think so, I really enjoy his company," she said as she covered their hands with her free hand.
"Do you ever want kids of your own?" he asked before he could stop himself, before he realized it made him sound like he was seeing that far into their relationship. But that wasn't how he'd meant it. He was just curious.
She looked at him in surprise for a second, but then redirected her gaze to the road. "Sometimes."
"Only sometimes?"
She gave a small shrug. "It's complicated."
Seeing that she wasn't particularly forthcoming, he didn't push it and changed the subject. It occurred to him that they hadn't really talked about how this would play at work. They were taking it slow, which was good, but they needed to discuss how much the team needed to know.
By the time they reached her building, they agreed that they would try to hide it for now, at least until they had a better idea of where their relationship was going. It wouldn't be easy to hide this from a bunch of behavior analysts, especially from Dave and Morgan, but he'd seen how good of an actress she could be, and she had little doubt that he'd be able to act 'as sternly as usual' around her. He only wished he could have as much confidence in himself as she did.
They parted with a goodnight kiss that had him longing for more and her walking up to her place on shaky legs.
The next day Hotch drove to Dave's place for his invitation to a BBQ. Thinking that it would be kind of boring for Jack since there would be no children of his age around, he left him at a friend's house for the day. The weather was hot and humid despite the cloud cover, announcing some imminent rain.
When he got there, most of the team was already present, except for Garcia. Following his nose for BBQ-smelling smoke, he found them all in the backyard, casually chatting. Hotch greeted the team with a nod, immediately noticing as he made his way to the chef that Emily was sitting with JJ and Will, holding Henry in her lap. Dave was busy flipping burgers, though he was still partaking in the various conversations that were happening all at once. Hotch walked up to him and shook his hand in greeting.
"Glad you could make it. There's beer and wine in the cooler, help yourself and make yourself at home," Dave said, quite the true host. Smiling, Hotch grabbed himself a drink and took a seat by Morgan and Reid, catching up on their conversation easily, though his thoughts were with the small group next to theirs. She had given him a small smile in greeting, acting the perfectly professional Agent Prentiss, but their eyes had lingered on each other longer than was appropriate. They had to be careful. This was their first test, they had to pass, otherwise they were doomed.
A few moments later, Garcia and Kevin made their entrance, bringing with them some lighthearted banter and laughter. Though he might not seem like it, Hotch always enjoyed those little get-togethers – he felt like most of the time they saw each other on some of the worst days of their lives: exhausted, stressed out, desperate. But these casual meetings always reminded him that he thoroughly enjoyed each of his teammate's company. This felt especially nice after that last case, and the events surrounding Norland's capture. They needed to find their personal connection with each other again if they wanted to keep making a good team.
After a couple of hours of burgers, hot dogs and casual conversation and joking, Hotch stood to get a soda out of the cooler, but finding it empty, he suggested he go into the house to fill it up again.
"I'll give you a hand," Emily suddenly said as she rose to follow him into the house, exchanging a brief look with him as she maneuvered through the patio chairs.
"You guys need help?" Morgan asked, but Emily shook her head.
"No, I think we're good."
Hotch sighed in relief as he walked into the Air Conditioned house, Emily on his heels. He smiled at her briefly, allowing himself to really look at her for the first time that day. She was wearing a tank top and skirt, her hair curling slightly in the humidity, framing her face. He could still detect a trace of sunburn on her nose and cheeks from the day before, and that seemed to make her eyes sparkle even more. He was yearning to touch her, had been since the moment he had laid eyes on her hours before, but the setting was too risky. As they made their way into the kitchen, he promised himself he wouldn't do anything stupid. He would keep his hands to hims-
Before he could finish the thought, she had taken hold of his arm and pulled him back towards her. Her lips met his passionately the instant he was facing her, her hands going to his shoulders and behind his neck. She pulled back without warning, letting him go as quickly as she had pulled him to her, and walked around him to the fridge, leaving him a little stunned, still holding the cooler.
He shook his head at her as he stepped closer, leaving the cooler in the sink to get rid of the melted water.
She smiled as she caught his admonishing look. "What?" she asked innocently.
"Nothing," he replied, shaking his head. "Ice?"
Her smile remained and she opened the freezer, grabbing two icepacks and handing them to him. He purposefully let his fingers brush against hers as he took the icepacks, before placing them into the cooler. She handed him a couple of beer bottles next, once again meeting his eyes as their fingers touched. At one point Hotch couldn't resist teasing her with an icy finger against the back of her neck, and she yelped at the sensation. She threw him a look of such astonishment at his playfulness that he had to do it again. This time she chuckled and swapped his hand away before returning to their task. They were so absorbed in their little game that they both jumped guiltily when someone cleared their throat from the doorway.
They turned to find Dave watching them, a grave expression on his face.
Hotch opened his mouth to say something, but Dave stopped him with a raised hand. "It's not my place to say anything," he said as he shook his head. He gave them a warning look, then sighed. "I hope you know what you're doing."
He left as quietly as he'd come in, leaving them both with that sinking feeling that comes with being busted. Emily was the first to speak. "Do we?" she asked in a whisper. "Do we know what we're doing, Hotch? Are we crazy for even attempting this?"
Hotch turned to her in surprise. "Are you having second thoughts?"
"No, not about you, but I'm just wondering if maybe this isn't a good idea."
Hotch frowned a little at this. "That sounds a lot like seconds thoughts, Emily."
She sighed in frustration as she shook her head. "Well, you have to admit, our secret fell through pretty fast. We went on like, one date, and Dave's already figured us out."
Hotch nodded, though he let his eyes return to where Dave had stood only a few seconds before. He had looked a little disappointed by their behavior, but not entirely disapproving. He had cautioned them, but had made it clear enough that he would adopt the 'don't ask don't tell' policy. Maybe this would be easier than they'd thought.
"You know," Hotch said pensively as he let his hand rest against her shoulder blade, "I think it'll be fine. Dave won't say anything."
She seemed to relax under his touch. "How do you know?"
"I think he just told us." He brought his gaze back to her. "But if you find that makes you feel too uncomfortable, we'll-"
She kissed him quickly again, then gave a short, satisfied nod when he didn't add anything. Hotch wondered if her kissing him would always leave him that speechless.
She smiled. "I told you, I wasn't having second thoughts, I was merely stating some obvious issues that seemed to be important at the time."
Hotch smiled, as he pulled her to him in a quick half-hug. "Right. Come on, let's get these folks something to drink."
He decided not to worry too much. They were a team after all, they always covered each other's backs.
End Part 8
I know this last part is a little different, more about moments than an actual narrative, but I wanted to show how their relationship could grow in the days right after their 'agreement'. Still figuring out how to act with and around each other. I think both characters have really passionate personalities, but they're also very rational, so I figured they would tend to think about this rationally in public, and enjoy their passionate side in private ;-)
Next, the epilogue…