The thing about making plans and schedules was that often, life found a way of spinning everything sideways and making any of those plans a moot point.

Eva was once again harshly reminded of that these days.

It had been four days now since she had gotten the last nudge she needed to decide two very important things.

One being that maybe, very likely, she was not the only one in love with her best friend and partner in crime, but that Sparda did in fact apparently return those feelings.

And the second being that she was going to tell him how she felt the next chance she got. She had nothing to lose, after all; only so very much to gain.

And then some decided to throw a monkey wrench into her plan.

Four days since she had made her decision; and three days since Sparda had left for a new job, one that called him out of the country, even.

It shouldn't take long, he had assured her the day he had left, a smile on his face that belied the annoyance casting shadows over his features; he hadn't liked the job the moment he had taken it, work far below his capabilities, but he was never one to refuse when anyone needed help. See you soon.

Eva had smiled around the words she wanted to tell him so badly, syllables calling for attention the longer she withheld them, and thought Later while hugging him goodbye with a Take care, alright?

One day turned into two, then three. Eva wasn't worried, not really; his work was one without regular working hours, so this wasn't the first time he got held up, far from it. Not to mention he was strong enough to deal with near anything thrown his way and come back smiling without a care in the world.

No, she wasn't worried.

She was, plain and simple, annoyed.

Restless energy took hold of her after the second day and well into this third day; making it impossible for her to sit still and read, or visit some friends, or do anything, really, to take her mind off of Sparda's awaited return so that she might welcome him back. Walking helped to dispel some of the jittery feeling and buzzing in her very being, yet it didn't occupy her mind enough to keep it from turning round and round the question of how she was going to confess.

It had finally driven her out of the house for a long, long walk, a book in her bag, intended to be read as soon as her thought threatened to circle again.

Which was how Eva found herself here now; at the edge of the open fields sprawling around the city, sitting in the soft grass beneath the single tree she favored as a goal for her walks. The book lay next to her, long forgotten since she couldn't seem to focus on the letters at all, and she was watching the landscape around her without really seeing.

And it would have been such a beautiful day, too. After making everyone wait for so long, spring had come fast and powerful; the fields were in full bloom, the sky crystal blue and the sun making up for lost time over the winter months with all her might.

She simply hadn't the eye nor the mind for it, right now.

Sighing quietly for the umpteenth time, she spun the blade of grass she had plucked earlier, watching the green twirl and twirl. Had she been a little more superstitious, Eva thought only a bit amused, then she would have guessed this was a bad omen, the two of them being held apart so she couldn't tell him how she felt.

How perfectly dramatic that would have been. How perfectly annoying.

She was throwing the green with a flick of her wrist, already reaching for something else to occupy at least her hands with, when she heard it – the gentle rustle of grass under added weight. Surprised, Eva shielded her eyes against the sun's light and squinted down the little hill. The place was secluded due to being far off from the streets, nearly out of sights. Rarely did anybody who didn't know about it and specifically look to come here stumble over it.

Even with her sight still blurry and the visitor half in shadow due to the sun in his back – the flash of stark white and purple was enough to give him away. A wide, beaming smile made its way onto Eva's face, heartbeat picking up as she straightened and called out, "Sparda! You're back!"

"Eva," warmth and amusement laced Sparda's voice while he climbed the steep of the hill with two last big steps, coming to a stop next to her. "What's on your mind that had you frowning so much?"

"Oh, not much," she shrugged, waving it off. Of course he had seen that even from far away… but now that he was back, it seemed unimportant. She tried to catch his gaze again, see his smile – the one so soft around the edges, the one he had every time he came home – but he had the sun in his back, and she could only make out his silhouette. "But tell me, how was work?"

A huffed laugh had warmth blooming in her chest, even when he grumbled a half-serious, "Tedious." right afterwards.

It only made her laugh. "You always say that!"

"It's always true."

"Spoilsport. It can't have been that bad! Come on, sit with me. Tell me about it," invitingly, she patted the soft grass next to her, scooting over a bit to make space. "Relax a bit!"

"Relax, you say?"

Eva couldn't see his face still, but the way he drew out the word, rolling it over his tongue as if tasting it, already had her brace herself, sensing the mischief behind it. She still wasn't prepared for it, though.

His coat, carelessly slung over his shoulder up until that point, was thrown to the ground with a soft thump. And then, moving way too fluidly and gracefully and quickly to appear anything but inhuman, Sparda first sat, then leaned backwards, and simply sprawled out flat on the ground on his back, his head pillowed in Eva's lap.

Eva hadn't had a moment to even blink, much less utter a sound, before it was already all over. Once it was, she gaped at him – upside down as he was – speechless in the face of the smirk he sent her with twinkling eyes.

Then she burst out laughing merrily. "You…! What's this supposed to be, hm?!"

"I'm relaxing," Sparda closed his eyes, smile still twitching around his lips. Shifting slightly to get a better position in a long, cat-like stretch. "Didn't you say I should?"

"Uh-huh, sure." Really now! Had she been standing, Eva would have put her hands on her hips in mock outrage. Just for the sake of it. As it was, she instead poked him gently on the forehead, trying to look put out and failing spectacularly. "Comfortable?"

"Very."

Before she could take her hand back, Sparda struck, quick as a snake. He grabbed her wrist, blindly, and tugged her hand gently, oh so gently, back to himself. Only once her hand was on his head, buried finger-deep in white strands did he let go again, humming a sound which quickly morphed into a rumbling purr once Eva started stroking.

She couldn't help but sigh fondly at him and his antics, feeling warm and content herself just from looking at his relaxed expression. "What am I going to do with you, you rascal?"

"What you're doing right now is a good start." The words were nearly slurred, close to getting lost in the purr rising and falling in his chest with each breath. The hand still loosely around her wrist stroked up and down, fingers tickling the sensitive inside to the beat of her pulse.

He seemed content to stay like this, all loose limbs and content warmth, and Eva was inclined to let him. It gave her time to really take him in for the first time since his appearance; gaze wandering over him from head to toe, hitching on small details. The undone top buttons of his shirt. The missing cravat. The dirt crusting the edges of his boots. The few loose strands escaping the usual slicked back style. The set of jaw and shoulders, slowly relaxing as she buried a hand in the white hair and carded gently through and mused it up completely to the sound of a purr.

All of them are very small things, unimportant to anyone who didn't look closely, or didn't know Sparda. He might not really care about what other thought of him, most of the time, or appearances in general, but he still made sure to look presentable at the start of a day, cultivating it into a natural perfection, an armor of professionalism.

The slight imperfections usually signaled the end of a long day, and now they painted a picture for Eva's observant eye. She pondered it while scratching his scalp lightly, earning a content sigh. "Did you only just come back?"

"Mmmh," an agreeing sound and another leisurely stretch followed before he added a murmured, "Wanted to stop by at yours. You weren't there."

"You came looking for me?"

She phrased it like a question even though she was already sure of the answer. It couldn't be helped; it was just too sweet to be comprehended so quickly. Warmth welled up in her at the thought, and she couldn't hold back the smile blooming on her face.

It was mirrored once Sparda cracked on eye open a tiny sliver and caught her expression, teeth glinting even though he aimed for a serious tone. "I haven't seen you in days Eva."

As if it was the explanation for everything.

Somehow it was.

"Softie," Eva accused, laughing quietly when he grinned and closed his eyes again.

"Don't tell anyone."

"Oh, hush. As if you're making a secret out of it."

"Not with you, no."

It stole her words, the sheer ease with which he could make such sincere declarations. Putting his heart in her hands without a single moment of hesitation, confident and smiling as always.

The words she wanted to say so badly rose like bubbling gold in her chest, and Eva could hardly breathe around it. He had been telling her all this time, hadn't he? How much he felt for her. She just… hadn't listened, not really.

I'm listening now. Promise.

Now if only speaking would be as easy for her as it seemed to be for him. Where to begin?

While she was lost in thought, the fingertips of her free hand followed the curve of his brow – no wrinkles to be seen in his peaceful expression – whispering past his temples and following the impossibly faint lines at the corner of his eyes. The very ghost of crow feet in a young face, only visible close up or when he laughed hard enough.

The first time Eva had touched them, feeling wondering and baffled all at the same time, he had joked about looking old because of it. Fully aware of the irony in the statement.

I like them, she had told him, softly. It might have been the first time ever that she had seen him speechless.

And she hadn't been lying. Sparda couldn't age, not like a human could, yet strain and laughter, time and hardships still had left their marks on him. They were barely visible, but there if one was allowed close enough.

And she was allowed close enough. It had hit her then, and it hit her now again, sitting here on lush grass with Sparda's head in her lap. She was allowed to all of this, seeing him like this, relaxed and vulnerable and, simply, him.

How many people had seen the Legendary Knight like this, not as unbreakable and untouchable, but relaxed and vulnerable? The man, rather than the legend?

Of all the many gifts he had made her, this might have been the most precious one yet.

"You haven't told me yet."

The murmured words made her pause, heart missing a beat. For a ridiculous moment it was as if he had read her mind, guessing what she had been trying to phrase and tell him for a while now. But that couldn't be. Right? "Excuse me?"

"What's on your mind that had you frowning so deeply," with another luxurious stretch, Sparda blinked his eyes open, craning his neck to look at her properly. There was a smile on his face, yet honest concern in his eyes. "You haven't told me yet."

"Oh," she almost breathed the sound, quietly laughing at herself afterwards. Of course. How silly of her.

She paused, closing her eyes as she took a deep breath and tried to calm her racing heart. When she opened them again, Sparda was still watching her; gaze unwaveringly patient and gentle. It was more soothing to than any deep breathing or calming words could have been.

Why had she been so worried in the first place? It was him. He had proven over and over again that he would keep her very heart save, had she handed it to him.No matter what she would say, he would understand and accept, even if he shouldn't reciprocate.

Peace settled over her formerly racing thoughts and heart, and it was the easiest thing in the world to Eva right then to look down at him and speak firmly.

„I love you"

As soon as the words left her mouth, Eva felt lighter in a way, as if she had released a breath she had been holding until it hurt. It felt right, saying it out loud, natural and simple. No different from noting a common truth.

The sky is blue, the sun is hot, Eva loves Sparda.

Simple as that.

Beneath her hands and her gaze, Sparda had gone very, very still. He didn't even seem to be breathing as he looked back at her, eyes going wider by the second – before his frozen expression broke and brightened.

Surprise was something which could have been expected, yes. Yet the way he looked at her now…

It was much closer to wonder and awe than real surprise.

"Eva"

Nobody had ever made her name sound quite like that, ringing with so many things at once; exclamation, question and confirmation at the same time. Coupled with the sheer tenderness softening his gaze, it had her choke out a laugh, happiness threatening to make her tear up any second now.

"I love you," she said, again, because it felt amazing to finally say it, made her feel warm and weightless. "I love you."

Repeating it, confirming it, seemed to break whatever stupor that had taken hold of Sparda. Between one blink and the next, he moved. She couldn't have possible said how he did it, especially considering his sprawl only seconds before - but the next thing she knew he was gone from his place in her lap and instead kneeling in front of her, nose to nose, hands cradling her face so tenderly as if it was the most precious thing. She had neither seen him move, nor felt his hands touch her when they did.

Had there been any doubt in her mind still whether he loved her too, it would have been blown away by the sheer adoration in his gaze when he looked at her. Would have been torn apart by the faint tremble of his hands where they cradled her so gently.

"Eva," Sparda's voice was hoarse and soft at the same time, near cracking with incredulity. "Eva, may I….?"

His gaze flicked from her eyes to her lips and then, after a long beat, back up, as if he had to rip it back with all his might to meet her eyes. His meaning was clear, as was his intent and want – and still he held back, waiting for her consent.

Her heart nearly melted at the sheer restraint, all just for her. God-… the answer has always been yes, silly!

Even while nodding, voice stuck in her throat safe for a faint assenting noise, Eva was already leaning forward and all but crushing their lips together. Waiting a single moment longer would have seemed like torture.

The angle was awkward, and too much force in it; noses bumped cheeks, teeth clacked together and lips meet hard enough to bruise, and it occurred to her that there wassomething like too much enthusiasm. She was about to pull back, apologize and try again, when Sparda's hand slipped from her cheek into her hair and pulled her closer. He coaxed her with the smallest touches, gentled her with soft lips and murmured noises, until they met halfway again, tenderly this time.

From there on out it was the same as they always did – they found a rhythm together. Light and teasing one moment, deep and slow the next. It was perfect, and Eva sighed happily into it, hands burying themselves in soft white hair on their own volition, and the answering purr rumbling through the kiss and into her made her melt even further into him.

Had it in any way been possible, Eva would have never wanted to stop and simply stay in this moment, this kiss, forever. But eventually she was smiling too widely to keep going, and breathing become harder and harder, so she broke away, grinning like a loon and gasping for air.

Sparda did not have the same troubles; he followed her, relocating his kisses to any other bit of skin he could reach while he couldn't get at her lips, scattering butterfly kisses and nips all over.

It certainly didn't help her in feeling any less dizzy, but it also felt too amazing to stop him. Still, Eva shook her head, trying to find her voice – losing it, once, twice, to a gasp every time Sparda found another sensitive spot to take advantage off – and got out, strangled and smiling, "Is that a Me too, then?"

No answer past a rumble against her the thin skin behind her ear that had her scrabbling for purchase on his coat.

"Sparda, as nice as this is…" every few words she was interrupted by a kiss – against her lips, her cheeks, her neck – "it sure would be," – she would have spluttered if that hadn't been kissed away from her mouth, too. "be nice to hear-…"

Angling her head back and up didn't help any bit, and when he proved silly enough to actually kiss the underside of her chin, of all the places, she burst into snorted laughter, exclaiming "Sparda! Words!"

"Yes, you do seem quite fond of those, though I cannot imagine why right now," the observation was murmured against her jaw, all mock exasperation. A scrap of teeth followed, a playful nip, and she spluttered for real this time.

She rolled her eyes heavenwards fondly, putting her hands against his chest to push him back an inch. Ignoring his grumble she leaned back until she could look him in the eye again, his arm around her middle the only thing stopping her from toppling backwards. The sight of him – hair mused from her hands, the healthy color to his cheeks making his eyes seem even brighter than they actually were – was enough to almost, almost distract her from the conversation at hand. Luckily, she could be quite headstrong, if need be. "Your words, Sparda. Use them, don't leave me hanging now."

"Words. Right."

He didn't try to kiss her again; both a disappointment and a small mercy, for she doubted she could have held him at arm's length again… or wanted to, for that matter. He simply kept watching her with a smile, gaze skimming over her expression – likely taking in the mess he had made of her, she thought, amused – meeting her eyes… and catching, there. Seemingly finding something he hadn't expected. Even his smile melted of his face as he frowned, looking suddenly poleaxed. The hand still carding through her hair relocated to her jaw, thumb stroking her cheek. "Don't tell me… You didn't know?"

It seemed like non-sequitur. Yet something about the way he said it, the context, and his sheer incredulity clued her in, even though she herself couldn't have explained how. She blinked back at him just as baffled, wondering how he could even think she had known. "I… no? I knew you cared for me as a friend, but…"

"A friend," it still sounded baffled, but there was understanding creeping in. He captured her chin in his fingers when her gaze dropped, gently coaxing her back into looking at him. Gaze holding hers as he continued softly. "That is not nearly close enough to describe… Eva, you're…"

Sparda cut himself off, hissing through his teeth. He let go off her to rack his hand through his hair, messing it up even worse. Looking so exasperated at himself, it tugged at her heart. Eva was close to reach out and stop him, assure him he didn't have to say it now – or ever, for that matter, if it troubled him so – when his gaze snapped back to her, soft and intense at the same time, and he finished with a voice that left no argument, "Everything. You mean everything to me."

It almost knocked the breath out of Eva, hearing that. She must have made some sort of noise, choked back and quiet, since some of the harsh set of his jaw eased and his gaze softened further. She was barely aware of it; vision blurring as she blinked against tears forming. Sniffled a laugh and rubbed at her eyes – all this time she had thought her crush silly and without a chance and now - surely she couldn't cry now!

Sparda watched her quietly for a moment before breathing a laugh, gently pushing her hand aside and swiping the stray tears away with his thumb. "Eva. Shh, darling."

"Sorry!" She had to laugh and hiccup at the same time, let him do as he wanted. "It's just… You didn't… you never said anything!"

Immediately she cringed; it had sounded much more like an accusation than the start of an explanation for her tears, like intended.

Luckily, Sparda didn't seem to take it badly; he shrugged one shoulder with a lopsided grin. "Neither did you."

When she made to protest his choice of words, he shushed her anew, shaking his head, something like self-deprecation lurking deep in his eyes. "I am not saying it should have been all on you. It's simply that I didn't see what was, apparently, there."

"Believe me, it was there," reflecting on all the times she had felt transparent in his presence, had thought her feelings written all over her face… Eva could only shake her head, amazed. "I thought for sure you would have noticed anything, by now… if you had felt the same, I mean. When you never seemed to react to it, I… "

"… assumed you were alone with your feelings?" Sparda offered, sardonic smile twitching around his lips. "Had been gently let down?"

"Something like that. No, exactly like that!"

"Sounds familiar."

They shared a look, a moment of sympathy and understanding, before they both burst into laughter at their shared and self-imposed struggle they had gone through. The kind of laugh that calmed down for a second, only to get set off again every time they made eye contact, until they were breathless with it, sides and cheeks aching.

Eva was still sniffling with it, wiping at her tearing eyes with tiny giggles, when she finally calmed enough to talk again. "Oh, my god. How are we ever going to tell this to anyone? Everyone will think we're stupid. I feel stupid!"

"None of that," Sparda was still chuckling under his breath. He nuzzled against her temple, gently tugging her closer until she could lean against him. Glad for the added ….. she accepted readily. "We will just have to keep it a secret for all eternity."

His grave observation almost made her laugh yet again. "Take it with us into our graves."

"Or pretend it never happened."

"I still can't believe it happened at all."

"If I might say something in my defense, at least" he cleared his throat even while she snorted at his so-very-solemn tone, continuing on as if he didn't have to smile himself, "Reading cues is not exactly my strong suit. All this time I thought your kindness towards me simply part of you, something you would have shown anyone. Whatever kind of hints you might have given me, I truly did not see them."

"I will give you a written explanation next time," Eva muttered, huffing when he laughed quietly.

"That might be the best," a beat, then he cracked a smile. "You may call me dense, in this regard."

"Oh, can I?" Maybe there had been too much excitement in her voice. She grinned at him when he narrowed his eyes playfully, feeling not the slightest bit impressed.

Feeling as if she had to make it clear he was not the only one at fault for taking so long, she cleared her throat, turning in his grip so she could settled comfortably in his lap with her back to his chest. "But, honestly? I didn't get any, ah, cues from you, either."

Even without turning, she just knew he was raising an eyebrow at her as if to say See? and Eva swatted at him blindly, missing by a mile, feeling him chuckle. "So we're probably both dense."

His arm squeezed gently around her, a comforting weight. "Not in general."

"Not in general, no."

"Just in important matters."

"And then completely dense.

"All or nothing, they say."

Eva craned her neck to look back at him. Or what she could make out, at least; he seemed quite content to bury his face in her hair and stay there. "Can you imagine I only recently got told we were painfully obvious?"

The sound Sparda stifled against her temple could have been either a short laugh or a noise of outrage. "Now that is almost offensive."

"Right? And you know what the worst about it is?That it's probably true," Eva sighed deeply, though she couldn't help but smile when she felt him shake with barely contained laughter.

They settled into silence for a while, both digesting all these new knowledge and the shift in perspective. Both seemed unable to quite let go of each other; stayed wrapped in their embrace and in contact as much as they possibly could.

Finally Eva asked something she could not quite shake, voice soft, "Why did you never say something?"

Sparda didn't freeze at her back, or pull away. Simply took a deep breath she basically felt herself before leaning over her shoulder, pressing a long, lingering kiss to her temple. When he pulled back to look at her, Eva had turned, meeting his gaze while he spoke, "I never felt quite sure how you felt in return. Saying something seemed like a good way of scaring you away."

"Never," the word had left her before she could really think about it, yet she didn't regret it in the slightest. Shaking her head vehemently, she insisted, "Not even if I didn't… never. Really."

"Yes, I think I see that now," Sparda's thoughtful look melted into something so tender and wondering, it was hard to look at. He raised a hand to stroke her cheek with his knuckles. Words only a murmur when he added, "I did not know before, however. And while there's only very few things left which might scare me… losing you, in any capacity, is one of them."

Again saying things which made her all sappy. Eva couldn't help but sniffle out an amazed laugh, capturing his hand in hers to press a kiss to it. "How exactly am I supposed to not fall for you when you keep saying things like that, hmmm?"

Some of Sparda's mirth returned while he watched her, even though he still looked sincere and soft. "That was something I sometimes dared to hope for, when saying similar things."

"Ah, well, that worked."

"And I am so very glad for it," twirling one of her locks around their joined fingers, watching it flare gold in the sunlight, Sparda sobered suddenly again. "Eva? May I ask something as well?"

"Sure. What is it?"

"What made you ask, now? What changed?"

Oh. Well, that was an easy one. Eva shifted so she sat sideways in his lap and could look at him better, playing with his collar while putting it together, "Remember when I said we had been called obvious?"

A smile twitched around his lips. "Distinctly."

"Anyway," she continued, laughing, before they could go that embarrassing line of thought again. "Since we both got called out for it, I had it on good authority that there's a big chance the feeling is mutual, right? I think that gave me the confidence boost I needed to, well, take the leap."

Silence followed her words, stretching nearly too long before Sparda all but whispered, "You couldn't be sure."

Eva shrugged, helplessly and slightly embarrassed. He seemed to think of it as something outstanding; she had never viewed it that way. "As I said, a leap. I thought… well."

"Yes?"

"I thought you wouldn't let me fall, no matter what."

It sounded slightly silly, once it was said out loud, yet she wouldn't take it back. It had been the truth, through and through.

The sound Sparda emitted then could have been growl or purr, and Eva noted in surprise it made her shiver quite pleasantly. "You're braver than me, then."

A surprised laugh burst out of her. She would have reared back, had his arm not settled around her back again and pulled her in. Still, she protested, giggling, "Am not!"

"You are."

"Sparda, that's just…"

Ridiculous, would probably have been her next word, had he not cut her off quite effectively with a kiss to her neck, right over her pulse point. Her words stuttered out as she gasped, instinctively clinging to his shoulder to keep her balance as he continued. Lips skimming over her skin like a caress, every now and then pressing hard enough she could actually feel the kiss there. Her jaw, her cheeks,…

And he just kept talking the whole time.

"You are…"

A kiss to her eyelids, fluttering closed before opening wide as he went on.

"… the bravest person…"

Behind her ear, next, strangely tickling and pleasant at the same time.

"… I've ever known."

The tip of her nose, now, which almost made her chuckle had she not been anxiously waiting where he would go next.

A quick, teasing nibble to the corner of her mouth answered that question – but before she could lean in and deepen the contact, turn it into something properly improper, he had pulled back again, the tiniest bit.

She wanted to punch him.

She wanted to kiss him.

She would probably settle for the later, if he just let her.

"So brave," Sparda's final words were a whisper spoken against her lips, as fervent as any prayer. As teasing as his whole actions had been – the heat in his gaze belied just how badly affected he was, himself. One look at the sheer fire there, tamed only by adoration, and Eva took a sharp breath at the tingle it sent through her, rocketing down her spine from head to toe.

She wet her lip, both at the feeling and because they felt horribly dry all of sudden. Leaning in and closing the gap would have been so terribly easy… yet she shook her head, slowly, clearing it enough to mutter, "Don't think I didn't notice you still not answering me just because you're complementing me so nicely."

"Hmmm. Answered… What, exactly?"

It was unfair, the way he could seem so aloof and calm and teasing while she was affected so badly she could barely pout at him.

"You know exactly what I mean, mister," it absolutely didn't help when he laughed quietly at that, warm breath ghosting over her lips like a tease. "I declared my love for you, and you never even told me if you feel the same. Don't think I've forgotten."

His eyes flashed, amused. "Aaah. Brilliant, too."

"You're being difficult on purpose now…"

"That would be the last thing I want."

By now, every time he spoke their lips graced, tickling and tempting, even though she could have sworn he hadn't moved. Maybe she had swayed in. She couldn't deny that she had wanted to… and who was to say for sure she hadn't done it? Thinking was getting more and more difficult by the second, anyway. Still, persisting, she scrapped together whatever defiance left to her and warned, eyes narrowed, "Sparda, I swear if you don't stop teasing now…"

Whatever threat she had meant to add was stolen from her lips by the quick peck Sparda gifted her with – just enough to silence her, just enough to tease, but not nearly enough. When he pulled back and her mind, frozen by the quick contact, started working again, Eva was about to say something to make it very clear what she thought of that- …

He cut her off, saying her name like it was everything, and held her still so she had to look at him, ice blue gaze meeting her waiting one with burning conviction. "Eva. Brave, brilliant, beautiful, Eva – I love you, too. Of course I do."

Breathing in a quick, happy gasp, Eva leaned forward to kiss him quickly, lightly in return, just like he had done, before leaning back to beam at him. "Love you, too."

A hitch in his breathing and a quick blink gave away just how much the words affected him. Then and there, Eva resolved to say the words as often as she could – show it as often as she could.

They had waited too long, maybe. But now, now they had all the time in the world.

And then – then, of course, Sparda had to be his usual, teasing self again. Eyes bright like stars, he somehow managed to smirk at her. "Were you going to say something before I interrupted you or...?"

Rolling her eyes heavenwards with a snort, Eva leaned in until they were forehead to forehead, laughing at him. "Shut up and kiss me again."

His smile was just as bright as hers as he leaned in to follow the command. "As my lady wishes."

He did. And again and again, as many times as she wanted.

Which was convenient, really – because she didn't think she would ever want him to stop.