Lay Down Your Burdens Part 2  

The moment he felt her respond to his kiss, Black Howler pulled away from her. Ironically enough, she hadn't although her cheeks were as red as apples at this point. 

An awkward silence lay between them that lasted about as long as it took for Ath3na's blush to subside. 

"Um," she began. 

"Y-yeah," Black Howler replied.

Even more awkward silence ensued where they locked eyes only to look away afterward. Eventually, though, embarrassment gave way to amusing which then moved on to full-blown laughing fits.

And only after they were done laughing it off did Black Howler finally say, "Hi." 

"Hi," Ath3na replied in a softer tone than usual. 

"So that was—"

"—I get it," she waved off his apology. "You jolted me out of Sloth's enchantment with a kiss…"

"Yeah, exactly like that," he said. 

"Much like prince charming when he woke Snow White up from the witch's curse," she remarked, a smirk playing on her lips.