Mercy he felt more stupid than ever. Was Mac right all along? Did he cause all of their grief by failing to be more aggressive? Or maybe it really was just about taking the time they needed? It all worked out in the end, didn't it? They could move from there and when (if) Aoba returned, they could keep going forward in whatever way worked best for them. No one else's rules need apply between the two of them.

"May I...please embrace you?" Declan breathed out after a moment of tenseness and silence, thinking too hard and too much about things he very much needed to be simple.

"I think it's very important that I can feel you warming in my arms. I keep thinking I just want to be holding you because you'll be gone before too long. If I hold onto you long enough maybe the feeling will stay until you come home..."