For a long moment Nayru worried that Gideon was still unconscious, that her words had been wasted on a sleeping man. Yet then there was a movement, the slightest response to her body pressed up against his, but it was more than enough. The energy she felt as he rubbed his thumb over her finger was exhilarating and any doubts she had had about waking him were vanquished. Gideon's voice was cracked with sleep, and he did not turn to face her. But he did have to. Nayru was content to be next to him, because she had always felt most comfortable there. Safe and solid and perfectly content—as it had been ever since childhood. Gideon was the one solid figure that had come and gone, or simply just gone as many of them had. That she had even considered staying apart from him in their new home lands seemed absurd now that she was laying next to him in the over sized bed.
Nayru almost flinched when the ebony man said he had almost given up. How long had he been waiting? Since a few weeks prior when he had vocalized his feelings or long before? And how much longer? Nayru couldn’t pinpoint when their relationship had changed, and even now she was sure it was still changing. Still evolving. It didn't happen like a switch, one day childhood friends the next lovers. No, Nayru was sure it was more gradual. Or maybe it had been meant to be all along and they had simply been too young to realize it. So rarely was the girl at a loss for words but now was one of those times. If Gideon had given up, where would they be now? How long would they have stayed friends, could they have? Of course Nayru would have, but when emotions ran high it was sometimes hard to maintain the status quo.
Nayru flexed her fingers, squeezing the palm of Gideon. Breathing out heavily she pushed herself closer to him, as if getting closer were possible. Finally her soft voice came, but still it was muffled against the thick fur of Gideon and whether he heard or not it didn't really matter. "I'm sorry it took me so long. I'm here now."
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