From the Moment I Kissed You

While Tyr was in the kitchen preparing dinner, he could tell that the situation was still awkward. Even though Macha said she would stay for the meal, he still worried that she might decide to leave. Their conversation did not pick up and both of them seemed unable to relax.

When he looked up, he saw her staring out at the city. He wondered what she thought about and if she regretted meeting him. Trying to make his voice affectionate, he called over to Macha, "I bought a few new songs for you. I know how you like to listen to music. Why don't you take a look at them? They're in the box by my armor." He wanted to get things back to their normal flow. He disliked the tension in the room.

Macha had been wondering what he wanted to talk about tonight. She was not aware he knew how to cook and considered offering to help him. When she looked to the side, she spotted a wooden box that held many different orbs in them. The mention of him specifically getting them for her had not been lost on her.

A small seed of hope blossomed in her heart. Macha remembered how Tyr begged her to stay and declared he was wrong. Now she dared to wonder if he still liked her too. Back in Jimbaran, he had said he liked her, but after he left the other day, she worried those were just honeyed words. It would not have been the first time a man lied to her about his feelings, but Tyr did not seem like that sort of person to her.

She sifted through the box and felt like a child opening a Christmas present. The multitude of choices made her giddy, and the box seemed like a treasure chest to her. She and Tyr rarely went to buy music, but there were many new songs in the box. Macha picked an orb and moved to the music player. This orb was composed of pink quartz and had flecks of gold in it.

The sound of a solo guitar started playing, it created an enchanting melody that sounded throughout the living room. As the song progressed, other instruments joined in to create a beautiful song. Macha had been shocked that Tyr chose a song like this. It was not like his usual preference and it had deep romantic tones in it. The guitar picked the notes in a soothing sound that created a song of longing.

When she looked over to the kitchen, she saw Tyr watching her over his shoulder. She smiled, "This isn't like you."

Tyr turned his attention back to the chicken frying in the pan. "I know. I just thought of you when I heard it." He spent hours picking out the songs in the box and hoped he chose ones that Macha would like. He realized that she enjoyed many genres of music and was unsure if he made the right choices.

While he browsed the music store, he remembered that she once mentioned how the guitar seemed like the most romantic instrument to her. That day they had debated which instruments could express emotions the best. It had not been a subject he cared about, but he indulged her and listened to her opinions. Music was something she loved and while it just seemed like background noise to him, he enjoyed seeing her so passionate about something.

After Tyr finish cooking, he brought the food to the table. He pulled out Macha's chair, then sat down. This was the first time he cooked anything for anyone so he explained, "I made this with Pan Tao Peaches because I know you like their flavor. I hope it's decent." He knew Macha was picky about how their food tasted and he hoped he would not disappoint her. Before she woke, he practiced at least a dozen times. Each time he believed he improved, but the only time that mattered was this one. Not bothering to eat, he held his breath as Macha picked up a piece.

The music had a soothing effect on her and had improved her mood. Seeing the glazed chicken before her, caused a soft smile to touch her lips, "I didn't know you ever learned how to cook. I would have had you help me all these months." It touched her that Tyr prepared dinner for her. At first, she worried about his skill, but she could tell by the smell that it would be better than anything Luna could make.

Macha took a bite and realized it was delicious. Her eyebrows lifted up in surprise and a wide smile spread across her face. "Wow!" she took another bite, "This is really good."

Tyr picked up a napkin and wiped off a bit of sauce that lingered on her cheek. He gave a small grin, the mood seemed to improve, and it began to feel like things were going back to normal. He poured her a glass of Pan Tao wine and began eating. "Macha," he was about to tell her he loved her, but the atmosphere still lacked what he envisioned for his confession. Instead, he adjusted his sentence, "I tried really hard to show you my sincerity today."

He looked down at the table, ashamed of himself, "When I saw you with Freyr, I jumped to false conclusions. That's something I need to improve on. I acted like a fool by not trusting you. Please come back."

Macha put the chicken wing down and contemplated his words. Today she had listened to the music he bought her, saw the gardenias that decorated the apartment, and tasted the effort he put into the food. In truth, Macha wanted to come back, but only if they were more than friends or occasional lovers. Anything else would only cause her heartache. She took a small sip of the wine, "I want to, but I can't just be a lover to you right now. I told you I like you, and I'm not ready to come back if we're just friends. Give me time."

Tyr could have sworn his heart shattered into a million pieces. He did not understand why she assumed they were only lovers. All this time he thought Macha understood she was more than that to him. He got up from his chair and pulled her to the sofa. His green eyes gazed into hers and he stroked her cheek, "Macha, you have never been just a lover to me. From the moment I kissed you after the concert I wished for you to be my girlfriend." Tyr kissed her hand, "Please, come back. I was wrong."

His sudden confession caused Macha's face to turn red. He had never said his feelings so candidly to her before and her blushing embarrassed her. She turned her head to look away, but Tyr caught her chin and tilted her head so she would face at him. He looked at her expectantly, waiting for an answer. "Mmmm... I'll come back." She knew she was making a goofy grin but was unable to stop herself.

Unable to decide between hugging her and kissing her, Tyr pulled Macha close. For the past week, he worried she would refuse him. In a soft voice, he said, "If I'm ever stupid again, tell me. Sometimes I can't help myself."

Macha laughed and hugged him back. "You've been stupid for a very long time. How could you let me go on for so long not knowing I'm your girlfriend?" She covered her mouth with her hand to hide her smile. Now that she realized the truth, she felt silly for worrying for months about what their relationship was.

Tyr could not help but relish this moment. While he misunderstood, he had wandered the world with almost no care. Every night before he slept he wished he would never wake up and had no concern for his safety. He swore he was going crazy from a lack of sleep. The whole time he wanted to run back to her, but his pride got in the way. Now, seeing Macha smile, caused his world to make sense again.

Tyr bent down and gently kissed her on her lips. They were sweet from the Pan Tao sauce. He had missed the touch of her soft lips against his. "I love you," he breathed. His voice came out like a soft breeze, but he said what he wanted.

Macha heard him whisper something to her, but between the music and his kisses, she could not make out what he said. Her mind was dizzy with the realization that Tyr liked her and that she was his girlfriend.

Macha pulled Tyr closer and she felt his body encouraging her down onto the couch. The loneliness she experienced these past few weeks seemed to dissolve away. Her kisses became rougher as their bodies pressed together.

At first, Tyr wanted to just savor Macha's lips, but she moved in a way that excited him. He brought his hand up so it slipped under her skirt. When he pulled down on her underwear, she moved her hips up to make it easier for him. He was still unsure if she would be all right with intimacy after Jarnvid, so between kisses he asked, "Can we? I've missed you like this too."

Macha did not say anything but pulled his shirt up over his head. She always enjoyed seeing Tyr's defined body. Nibbling his lower lip, she purred, "You're being stupid." She gave him a devilish grin as his fingers enter her. They slid in easily, causing Macha to gasp with pleasure. Tyr covered her mouth with his, the look of desire on her face aroused him even more.

Aži rolled his eyes and jumped out of the portal he used to leave the apartment whenever he wanted. They usually had the decency to go to their bedroom, but he would forgive them today. He was glad that they sorted out whatever problem they had.