Hhmm?

It's hard to say for sure, but it seems that Gidget was the first of the company to pick up on the room's immediate mood – specifically, the mood between Renton and Eureka.

Of course, the notoriety of Gidget as an airhead, coupled with her impulsiveness, indicates that the whole room noticed "it" before her, but were too riled up by the energy of emotions that had just swept of the room to do anything.

"Well, I'm going to pack. Sorry Eureka, but me and Doggie will be off tomorrow. C'mon, Doggie." Gidget pulled herself, then Doggie, up off the ground, and winked at Renton as she left the room.

"You too, Matthieu," Hilda had put their dishes in the sink.

"Ah, geez. See ya later then."

As Hilda playfully pushed Matthieu toward the door, she shooed away Eureka's doubts. "Don't worry, we won't be leaving for another day or two. But we have some other stuff to do."

"Yeah," sarcastically assured Matthieu, " 'other stuff'." Hilda gave him a fair knock on the head.

One by one, Axel and the kids last of all, the people marched out of the room, all with assurances that no one was leaving, and with excuses of things to do and to be done. In the end, Renton and Eureka were left alone, one's palm laid in the hand of the other.

It was a comfortable silence that gripped both of them in a serene embrace. Neither wanted to move, or speak, or do anything to break what they had in that moment – standing there, hand in hand.

But Eureka wasn't going to let this opportunity go by. She had to be absolutely sure that there was a future: one with her, and the kids, and Renton– happy.

"Renton," Eureka, turning toward him, spoke as she looked down at their hands– as she gently moved her fingers through his, trying to communicate more than she could say with words.

"Hmm?" Renton massaged her palm and the back of her hand, but kept his eyes fixed on her expression. It was beautiful: her smile, and her soulful eyes, radiated nothing but her love– for him.

"Did you really mean it?"

"Hmm?"

"Are you really happy. . ." Eureka was trying to finish her thought, but nothing seemed to fit. 'happy with everything that happened? ...with how it all turned out? ...with the pain?'

"...with me?" Eureka looked up, and Renton stole her first kiss. It was so unlike how their lips had touched in free-fall the day she had disappeared into the sky. This was purposeful: it wasn't forceful or harsh; Renton was giving her his lips, and she accepted.

As Eureka applied pressure to his bottom lip, Renton felt it enough to stay still. He couldn't have done much else. It's true that he had no experience in kissing, but more than that, he was to entranced by the taste. Eureka's last bite of food had been a slice of melon, and Renton would always remember the faint, fruit taste of Eureka's kiss.

Though Eureka was passionate to continue, she felt – maybe that "felt" is the wrong word, but never the less – that she had to be sure of– she didn't know what. Without easing the grip she had on Renton's lip, she began to draw back so as to end the kiss.

But Renton pulled her closer by the hand, and leaned his head forward. Neither of them knew how long the kiss lasted. Weeks, months, and even years later, the two lovers would make a game of it. They played through the movements of their lips, and hands, and shoulders, and legs, trying to time how long each action took, and making guesses as to how long their first kiss was.

In the end, neither of them could agree to what the other's guess, and they would settle for trying to act it out one more time. Though no one ever asked, Eureka would answer that the most intimate moments she and Renton shared were during those games, as they replayed their first kiss.

Finally, they broke apart, and each panted for breath. After recovering the oxygen deprived by their embrace, both Renton and Eureka looked up to see the other gasping for air, and they couldn't help but laugh together.

Renton was still laughing when he wiped the tears from Eureka's eyes. "Haha, you're laughing so hard your crying."

Eureka looked at him and beamed, "Don't worry. . .I'm happy."

Still stifling his laughter, Renton added, "And you taste like melon."

At first Eureka was confused, and then she realized what Renton had just said.

"Wha-What'reUsaying!"

"AAHAHAHAAhahahaha!" Renton couldn't help but start a new round of laughter at the redness of Eureka's ears and cheeks.

But now Eureka wouldn't suffer being this embarrassed. She was marching out of the room, saying, "Geez, Renton! You're acting just like the kids!"

"Hey, I'm sorry, ok." Renton wouldn't let her go that easy. He locked her slender body in his arms, as he laid her back against his chest, and placed his hands on her stomach.

Eureka was struck by how assertive Renton was. She had remembered that her first of impression of him had been 'Funny. Silly. Goofy.' He taught her how to smile. Then slowly, but surely, 'Reliable. Brave. Trustworthy. Love. love. love. LOVE.' But she had never thought of Renton like this: 'Aggressive. Rough. Greedy. greedy. greedy for me.' It wasn't bad. . .this side of Renton.

But Renton hadn't changed over the past two years. He had matured, to be sure, but he was still naive, gentle, and even awkward – especially around Eureka. It was only that all of his want and desire had been pent up; and now the voice inside him, which whispered tumultuously 'take her', wouldn't be ignored.

"I forgive you." She had, totally.

'Slowly. . .don't lose it.' Renton couldn't help bur restrain himself – after all, he was the same person Eureka could trust completely, and he didn't want to lose that by being over zealous.

He began moving his head through Eureka's hair, down to her neck. Renton rested their, on Eureka's neck, to let her know that all he wanted was to feel close to her. For her part, Eureka hoped for that moment that Renton wanted more.

He tilted his neck to bring his lips to Eureka's cheek. Once, twice, three times he kissed her skin, each time with increasing passion so that Eureka felt more and more of the moistness of Renton's small marks of love.

"Ah. . ." Renton had unconsciously been squeezing Eureka's waist in his arms. With Eureka already holding her breath in anticipation of a second kiss, this added pressure was too much.

Renton felt Eureka trying to break away, and panicked. "I'm sorry! I knew–"

'I went too fast.'

"–I mean, I'm really sorry." Eureka failed to here the last three words; she was too busy bending over slightly with her hands on her stomach and breast in order to catch her breath.

Once again, Renton was too stunned to move, to speak, to do anything but stare dumbly at a recovering Eureka. But perhaps that isn't fair to Renton. It only seemed like all he could do was stare. In truth, his body was stationary, but his inner self was battling with the voice and the urge that told him to 'take her'.

Eureka seemed to understand the impossible. She didn't say "I forgive you" this time. She just composed herself, an bravely walked into Renton's arms. Her arms around his neck and their noses touching, with their lips inches apart, she whispered, "I know. I know. . .you love me."

"I love you", wasn't said. Instead, Renton kissed Eureka a second time.

As they broke apart, Eureka buried her face into Renton's chest – this habit had already taken root, and would persist for several years whenever Eureka felt embarrassed. At first, Eureka had felt that she couldn't stand for Renton to see her so red, but after a while, she decided that she simply liked the feel of Renton's chest, and the sound of his heartbeat.

"Renton."

"Hhmm?"

"I feel hot."

Note: I'm trying to keep to weekly updates. Feel free to scold me mercilessly if I don't.