[She’s so fucking beautiful he thinks his heart might actually explode from it. So gorgeous. So good, so perfect, it hurts and he’s aching the whole time she reaches for the right words to say. His chest feels tight. She talks, and then when she’s done talking he kisses her, because the idea of not kissing her is a physical pain.]

[It’s a quiet, brief kiss, his breath coming slow and even when he pulls back. Not very far, but far enough; the space between them is so small that it creates some sense of secrecy, like they’re hiding out somewhere no one can see them, sharing stories no one else can know.]

[Maybe it’s kind of like that. Other people could know, but they wouldn’t know all of it. The two of them are the only ones who can feel the easy understanding and openhearted love of their Oath.]

Man, I keep winning. I can’t seem to stop. Every time you smile at me it’s another win.

[Cheesy. Honest. Another openhearted thing; he holds it out to her, entirely unassuming, because he loves her. Loving her is what he thinks he might be best at.]

Hey. I dunno if I ever said, but . . . thank you. For taking a chance on all this. Not even just me, but any of this — I know it’s hard, you know? It means a lot to me that you felt like taking that risk was worth it. [A pause before he clarifies:] That you trusted me that much. That means everything to me, Sayori.