For the next few moments, Kiori felt more alive than he had in his entire life. All the privilege and luxury that came with being a member of the world's most powerful guild was but a fading ember vainly mimicking the dazzling sunlight that he was now baking in. A primal vital force coursed through him, waking not just every nerve in his body, but every strand of aether that composed his soul. He was alive! And he regretted nothing, neither invoking the ire of the guilds nor daring to step beyond the nostalgic friendship he had so comfortably set up a roost in. If he saw that as happiness, then he was blind and ignorant of what was right within his grasp. This was love, and it was worth casting away everything he thought he valued for just one moment of it.

And if that first kiss was a drop of heaven's nectar, the second was a full chalice. Rylee returned his kiss with passion as unbridled as their conversation. It was well that they were sitting, because this would have literally swept him off of his feet. She wrapped her arm around him, he tightened his embrace, and the fact that they were both leaning into one another was probably the only thing that kept them from falling to the ground in their reverie. He let Rylee have full control of the second kiss, letting her passion wash over him, letting it wash away all the memories of blood and pain. There was no past, and he could care less if there was a future; time was completely gone and all that existed was right here, right now. The pounding that Kiori felt, was it his heart or was it Rylee's? Was there even a distinction any more? But, inevitably, they dissolved back into reality with the parting of their lips.

The kiss was over, but Kiori didn't let go; he didn't want to let go. He was still stunned by the unfathomable surge of emotion he had just experienced, and he was in awe about the strange sensation that now lingered. Something had changed, but he could say what. He was still Kiori, she was still Rylee, but [i]they[/i] were different. He had seen plenty of "lovers" in his travels before, and had heard the word thrown about too many times to count, but now he was finally beginning to understand what the word meant. And then the time came for words. Apparently it wasn't even easy for Rylee, so how was [i]he[/i] supposed to say anything. Well, he supposed that he could fall back on her earlier advice and just say what he was thinking. "Rye, so long as we're together, I don't want you to be afraid. I swear, no matter what, I'll protect you." It was nothing poetic, nothing creative, but it was sincere. No longer would they be trying to survive. Now, they would be trying to [i]live.[/i]