Path looked away, not wanting to think about what might happen in the future. Should he die first or shoukd Efge, out of his humanity, leave him and forget this life that they had. Time would always be against them. The thought weighed him down, though Edge's reminiscences of how he had come through to Path..off the beginning they had, all the coldness, the tension, everything that Edge stripped away from him. A clean slate. To start a new life, have a family. It brought a sad smile to his face. Those cherished memories...
 
 The hug was warm, loving and long overdue. He breathed Edge's scent in deeply, of metal and fresh lime, oh, how he missed it. Yeah, he missed being this open. Being this close. He hid his reluctance as Edge pulled away, soft lips pressing kisses on his hands. They felt cold in Edge's own, having forgotten this warmth too. His heart pounded steadily, could Edge feel it? They way it skipped its rhythm, beating erratically at his words, going silent when he smiled at Path, then finally calming itself as Path breathed in deeply to clear his head. Edge's lips, warm and firm against his own and Path reveled in the chaste kiss, feeling dizzy even though it was meant to help him. 

 "Edge...." He said softly, barely audible, as he took a steo forward into an embrace. Slowly wrapping his arms around him, resting his head on his shoulder. Softly against his ear, "Every Path has an Edge, right?" Before he hid his face against his shoulder, arms tightening around Edge as Path wet his furs. In quiet shaky sobs, Path led Edge hold him while he pretended, for a moment, that nothing existed outside of this room. Nothing but them and this unfathomable warmth. There were no wars, no hydras, no humans....only all the time in the world for the both of them. For Path to cry and then some. 

 Finally, after what may have been forever, a hand tugged the fur around Edge's neck to reveal the bare curve of his shoulder. Warm lips placed gentle chaste kisses along the skin, trailing up to his neck and Path murmured in his ear, "Please, be my mate. Show me.....mate with me, slowly....lovingly. I need this..."