We had each other. Every day was an adventure, every moment a new challenge. We thought we had everything, that we needed nothing more.

  We had each other and thought that was enough. We never thought strangers would become friends, and friends family.

  ~ * ~

  Anya woke up with a smile on her face. She felt Seb start to stir next to her as she rolled over to face him. Two months ago she would have sworn no one would ever want her for who she was. A month ago she had been torn with uncertainty about his feelings for her. Today she had no doubts, today she started every day with a smile on her face.

  Parts of the last month had flown by, others had felt as though they would never end. Their first Dive had been a success, Seb had reached level 1 without her intervention in only a few days. The rest of their first week had been spent training in the Depths, teaching him what was safe and what wasn't, how to fight, how to actually survive. He'd learned quickly and escaped with barely a scratch.

  The rest of the month had been spent at home, training and constructing their War Husks while settling into their new routine. she had finalized hers a few days ago and Seb had told her yesterday that he was finally done, planned to show them off to one another once they were done with their errands. Very little actually changed, they still trained, still cooked, still spent all their time with one another. But at the same time everything had changed. There weren't the doubts anymore, there weren't the hesitations. When she pinned him down and he tickled her in retaliation it wasn't cheating, when they settled on the couch she curled up against him only to have him pull her closer. When they went to bed they went together.

  "Good morning," she said as she noticed that his eyes had opened. She didn't focus on them, it was impossible when they were so close to hers.

  "Morning," he answered with a light kiss and a smile.

  As he rolled onto his back to stretch she twisted and sat up, swinging her legs off the bed as she went to stand.

  "Please make sure your True Self is properly dressed today."

  She half turned and pouted at him over her shoulder, her voice catching mid sentence. "I thought you liked my usual outfit."

  She felt his emotions squirm, his face flushing for a moment in response and she let herself grin triumphantly. That was perhaps one of the best parts of the last month, the way the bond had grown, the way she knew how he felt, that he knew how she felt, and that despite their comfort with one another he still got flustered when she pointed out his interest in her.

  "Anya," he started with a frown she knew was mostly for show. "We're going to meet the Seers and Engineers today. Do you really want a repeat of what happened last time and not have a robe handy?"

  She felt herself blush. He just had to bring that up. She was sure nothing like that would happen, they weren't planning to do anything, but then again the Binding Ritual hadn't been planned.

  "When we're going to be meeting others, or when we're down in the Depths, times and places where it might be needed. The rest of the time I won't complain if you dress," he paused and let his eyes run up and down her spine, "wow."

  She giggled, preening slightly at his attention. The word had grown from his initial loss of words when she surprised him with a dress. He'd used it when he openly admitted his interest. Now it was as close as either of them had come to admitting any deeper feelings, such a small word to be filled with meaning still left unsaid.

  This text was taken from Royal Road. Help the author by reading the original version there.

  "If you insist Seb, but then you have to dress," this time she looked him up and down, knowing he was about to turn red once more, "wow some of the time for me."

  She waited just long enough to see him get flustered before starting to stand, only to have him slip his arms around her in a hug, his chin on her shoulder as he answered. "Some of the time, I suppose. And you know I'll still support you if you do end up needing a robe. But I will make sure to tease you about how far down your body you-"

  She slipped free of his arms before he could finish, her hand lashing out to grab her pillow before smacking him with it between one syllable and the next. She was not going to let him tease her that way. It was one thing to-

  The feel of his pillow hitting her in response interrupted her train of thought and left her focused on the moment. Dropping her pillow, they'd both learned that pillows broke easily after the first few times they'd interrupted one another, she tackled him back onto the bed, her fingers racing to tickle him before he could tickle-

  ~ * ~

  "Drive faster, we're going to be late."

  Seb pretended to roll his eyes as he focused on the road. Yes, they were going to be late. No, he couldn't drive faster and she knew it.

  "I told you we didn't have time. I wasn't the one who said they didn't care and just wanted-"

  "I know Seb!" she interrupted before laughing. "I didn't notice you complaining though."

  He smiled and slid his hand from the wheel over to squeeze her fingers. "You know I never will."

  They'd ended up having to dress in a rush. He wasn't sure if she'd dressed her True Self properly in the end and had to admit to himself he wouldn't mind if she hadn't. He didn't want to change her, he wanted her to be exactly herself. He also didn't want to have to embarrass her in public, other than when he did it on purpose. He only wished they'd had time to actually grab breakfast before rushing out the door.

  "Did you remember to dress?" he asked.

  "Are you really asking me that?" she answered before laughing once more. "No. I'm pretty sure I look exactly the way I did when you realized how late it had gotten and had to-"

  Seb groaned and focused on the road, grateful she didn't finish reminding him. He didn't want to banish the image she'd brought to mind, but they certainly didn't have time for more distractions. Her self-satisfied chuckle was bad enough as it was. He'd just have to get her next time.

  In the end they were noticeably late. He'd decided coffee would help apologize for the delay and stopped to grab some, along with breakfast sandwiches. He doubted Anya was any less hungry than he was, and the time it took her to eat confirmed it.

  ~ * ~

  Phelann was waiting for them as they stepped out of the elevator, clearly annoyed at their tardiness.

  "Lady Lysanya, Seneschal Sebastien. I do hope I remembered that correctly. Have you been well this last month? Been keeping yourselves well? Of course you have, you are both clearly happy and well rested. I meant to send you my congratulations on your Holding but I realized I did not have any way to contact you, you left so suddenly that I forgot to ask."

  "Seer Sean, we-" Anya tried to interrupt.

  "No, don't tell me. I'm not the one who should be recording your deeds and advising you in the future. Have you meet Seer Phelann? What am I asking, she's here because she assisted you in identifying your Gifts and then was appointed as your liaison. Did you know she was past the Wall? We haven't had a Seer working out of this office who was past the Wall since before your Grandmother took over Holding Lys. I looked it up, the last Senior Seer left a few months prior to her inheriting and we have not had another here since."

  "We really need-" This time Seb tried, to no more effect.

  "The business downstairs moved out last week. They'd been there for a few months and decided they didn't like the place. For some reason it keeps happening, we can't find Unawakened tenants who stay around for more than maybe a year. I prefer it with it empty, we get fewer accidental visitors, but every time I bring that up I get told we are safer with tenants, less noticeable in some way."

  Finally, Phelann stepped between them and cut him off.

  "You're late," she snapped.

  "Anya-" "Seb-" they began, ready to blame one another for the delay.

  He glanced at Anya in silently entreating her to let him try and defuse the situation before holding out the extra cup. "Coffee?"

  "Is it better than that?" Phelann asked as she gestured to a stained glass pot in the corner.

  "Definitely," Seb answered with a shudder.

  "Then yes, please."

  Phelann took the proffered cup, took a sip and smiled. "Much better. Sean, thank you for your advice, we will be using the conference room."

  With that she led them away, leaving Sean standing there mouth somehow still half open.

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