Swith Witherward wrote:There was noise beyond the door but within the tiny chamber, still warm and comforting in so many ways, there was only the sound of soft breathing. Klingon apparel wasn't meant for gentle embraces but Hans wrapped his arms around Chrys nonetheless. His nose tip sought out her own. Curiosity ran rampant through him but this was new territory. Ogoti understood relationship things. Minerva's Lads did as well. Hans was just a German man at heart. He had been raised in an era where Victorian prudishness still lingered despite the aftermath of the Roaring Twenties. Duty and honor were familiar friends. Matters of the heart were foreign soil.
Tread lightly, Rache sensed the potential for failure.
"A very selfish part of me wants to thank Dia for parting with you. A very nervous side of me worries that I'm the cause of the dissolve. A very repentant side of me worries that I caused you pain." Hans chewed his lip a moment and then returned her gaze. " When all else is said and done, Fate proves true. There's no sense in trying to second-guess her. She's much wiser than we are. I won't see this as an end between you and Dia. Fate may have other plans. You and I should live each day, taking in each moment, and retiring each night with our trust that Fate knows what she's doing."
He drew a steadying breath and exhaled slowly before kissing her forehead. "Chrys, in the future? Please don't hesitate to tell me about things like this. You matter to me. The hand Fate deals you matters."
"All right," she said, at length. She wanted to disbelieve, to suggest that Fate was a trickster in her experience, but couldn't bring herself to. Not then, when Hans had spoken so well and touched her heart so skillfully. Nor was it about rewarding him; she refused to give herself to him as a prize, no matter how much he merited it. His kindness didn't need to be warped into ownership.
"I don't hold anything against you, Hans. Sometimes things like this happen, and I do follow Fate's direction. I'll be all right," she said again, attempting to assuage his concerns. "And, if you're willing, we'll both be able to share peace on the boardwalk, under the moon and the stars."
She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, kissing him gently back.