A/N: So, hands up who thought this was an update that would never arrive?? :-)

Was feeling creative so this chappie is in a slightly different PoV format than usual. This one is set after Wasting Time With You.

The item in my hand is light; fragile; precious. The feelings it arouses within me when I hold it is a curious combination; borne of love and fear. My hand lightly brushes past it a great many times during each day, and on every single one of those occasions I feel the warmth, the love and the security that Lloyd and I imbued within its construction to such an extent, that I want to squeeze it tightly within my hand and never release it. However, I am almost always scared to in case the strength of my affection breaks the delicate wood in two. If so much of what Lloyd and I are, and always will be, has gone into its making, then what does it mean if such an object breaks? Does it mean that our love is not strong enough to resist the stresses caused by affection? Or would such an occurrence become symbolic at some point in the future? Both ideas send terrible shivers through my body and I always respond in the same manner – by tucking the necklace gently back under my clothing and searching for reassurance in the light tickle of its design on my skin.

It is happening again as I speak. My fingers shy away from the gentle curves of the Ozette Hares dancing around the main fascia of the necklace, and I slowly lower the item.

This time, Lloyd is with me and he smiles at my actions; telling me that I am being silly and that it does not matter if it breaks. It can be repaired.

I return his smile. I know that he does not really think that I am being illogical, for Lloyd understand me more than anyone else I am familiar with. I tell him, honestly, that I know broken things can be repaired, but rarely do they retain their initial strength following the experience. I tell him that I do not want something representative of our love to weaken in such a way, and it amazes me how my voice thickens with emotion as I explain myself.

Lloyd pauses, looking first at his own necklace before meeting my gaze and taking my hands in his. Heat blossoms from his fingertips and up my arms, using my necklace as a guiding light to warm my heart and quicken my pulse. The surrounding countryside, through lit by intense summer daylight, fades away as I surrender myself to his gaze.

Oh Lloyd, I could stare into your eyes forever.

He tells me he understands how I feel. He looks again at his own necklace and continues speaking; another point of view that could only ever come from him. Lloyd tells me that he feels that, in life, people that are committed to staying together often would like it to be true that their lives remain peaceful and free from trouble. He continues, saying that this is rarely the case in life, and that those in love sometimes find life chipping away at them; that things happen which test the power of their love – not just for each other, but of life in general. I think back to my time under the influence of the Exsphere and can readily believe it.

Lloyd entwines his fingers with mine as he continues to talk. He says that, how he sees it, if one of our necklaces became damaged then it would not just be a case of repairing it to how it was before – our initial love, but weaker – but a chance to show how our love has evolved and grown by trying new techniques and styles, creating new necklaces or changing existing ones.

He laughs nervously then, and I cock my head as I consider why. He looks at me, the love he just spoke of shimmering in his eyes, and leans to place the softest kiss upon my forehead. I guess, he says, that sounded just as silly.

I smile and take out my necklace. Perhaps Lloyd is right. Perhaps I should not consider this a symbol of our love eternal, but more as a static piece of how that love exists at present.

I smile. The more I consider it, the more my earlier fear relinquishes its hold. Our love will always grow, whatever life may attempt to chip away at.

I move in close, so that I can whisper into his ear.

Negative, I say.

I like silly.

A/N: There we go. Have no idea when the next update will come - but surprises are always nice, right??