679 Extra Special - Part 8

ELIA

That smile he gave her was joy. It was love. It was the first thing she thought of when she thought of how handsome he was. And the one thing in this world that never failed to make her smile herself. Seeing Reth—frightened, concerned, protective, sure… but excited. Happy. Proud. It made it worth it. It blew away some of her fear, and tempered the rest.

And it made her never want to leave that moment.

They lay wrapped in that blanket for hours, while the sky darkened and the smell of the air changed. But they were wrapped in a cocoon of warmth, and Elia found that even though Reth hinted he'd had some other plans for the day, she just couldn't find it in herself to move from that spot. She felt safe, wrapped in his arms like that. Moving meant facing the world again, and she was so tired. And so, they lay.