Sariah hadn't felt the way she had about a relationship like this in a long time, it was that kinda feeling where your mind constantly drifted to one person at random points in the day, thinking about their smile, or the way their voice would change when they said different works, it was her doodling all over her notebooks at work when she normally preferred them clean and pristine. She knew she felt a little like a teenager with her first crush but she also didn't want to stop, the feeling was good and it brought of light to her life, she looked forward to getting odd texts from Orion throughout the day or their evening phone calls where they would just talk about anything and everything. 

Sariah was starting to truly believe in the idea of a relationship again. There was one problem though. The two of them were still keeping everything on the down low. At first, it had made sense, she didn't want his kids finding out what they were via the front pages of the paper and there was always going to be that worry about the other ambassadors would look differently on them both once their relationship went public. But it was hard to have what felt like a big part of her life now, something she couldn't really talk about and she wasn't even sure the reasons for doing so were good anymore. 

The blonde sighed leaning against her desk, she really did like to overthink things, she was sure if she just told Orion she wanted to go public he'd probably be fine with it but every time she thought about saying it she chickened out again and changed the subject. This was her problem with everything, after being in quite possibly the most toxic relationship she could have ever been in, she doubted and questioned everything, even when the rational part of her knew she was worrying over nothing. She ran her fingers over the notebook in front of her and turned it to the next page, at the same time as pondering over her feelings she was actually trying to solve a particularly difficult coding problem she'd run into, though her mind wasn't really in it. 

She had to brave at some point right? She prompted herself with a shake of her head, who was this girl that sat around moping about the things she wanted instead of taking charge. She had been the one to give Orion her number, she had taken charge then so she could do it now. She took a long breath before she pulled her phone from her pocket and dialed Orion's number. She pressed the phone between her ear and her shoulder so she didn't need to hold it while she worked on the problem which was starting to drive her inside. When she heard the receiver connect the call she smiled softly hearing his voice down the line "Hey, I dunno if you saw, I mean you probably did see because it's all over the news and stuff and they literally don't shut up about it, but there's a meteor shower tonight" ah, the usual rambling that would probably follow her to the grave "Anyway I was planning on putting on like 4 coats and watching it from the park and I wondered if maybe you wanted to go?" she bit her lip and held her breath as she waited for his response. 

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Every hurdle in his life had taught him a lesson and maybe times those hurdles had him flat on his back on the ground and it felt like someone ran up and kicked him. But those terrible and painful moments paled in comparison to the ones he would forever treasure for the right reasons. For the perfect moments which would never repeat, those were worth keeping and focusing on though it had taken him a long time to truly learn that. Or maybe it had just taken a certain intelligent and nerdy blonde to replace darker memories and give him something to look forward to again. It wasn’t just Sariah which gave him such hope though, but also the city itself and that it could go through war and come out on the other side intact and with a new peace and he felt much the same. There was peace within the factions and in his personal life and that was something he would always fight to maintain and with Sariah he made sure to make that clear every day. He didn’t want to control her, he wanted to watch her flourish and be the woman who he knew her to be, every funny, goofy and quirky part of her because that was the woman he cherished.

Each faction had their own Ambassador, some were chosen, some promoted and in his case he had merely been in the right place at the right time when another had stepped down. But they had all seen a lot, been through a lot and had the best for the city and all it’s people in mind. Sariah was the youngest of the Ambassadors but she was incredibly mature and put together so it was something he never really thought on since her mind and experience spoke more to him than her years alive. As she spoke of it being hard to remember herself sometimes he couldn’t help but chuckle, “Personally I like the goofy, clumsy, nerdy side of you best but the fact that you can still maintain it while you carry the load of stress and borderline insanity is incredibly alluring.” He mused since he liked both sides of her equally because they made her who she was and to him she was amazing, especially when she got fired up and stood up to anyone in her way, including him at times. “We all need our alter egos in order to live our superhero lives. I imagine Clark Kent, Steve Rogers, Bruce Wayne and Oliver Queen would all agree as well.” He jested.

Usually it was hard to think or talk about his brothers and family which was no longer alive but each time he spoke of them it became a littler easier and it reminded him that he could remember the best of them. With Sariah no topic was ever off limits though and he found that often words just slipped out but the pain didn’t cut as deep anymore. “They were my worse enemies and my best friends. I’m not sure any of us took any nonsense from each other which always drove our parents mad.” He responded with a chuckle since bickering had often turned into fighting when he was a kid until they had all matured, and then it was just verbal jousting. “My father once told me that there are two kinds of family, the one we’re born into and the one we choose and sometimes one is there for you when the other isn’t.” Sariah was always so independent and he knew that came from mostly looking out for herself but he did hope that things were different now because he knew she had people to reply on, she only had to ask.

“I’m just saying, I might have literal claws and fangs at times but you have weapons that make even me keenly aware of the fact I shouldn’t sneak up on you.” It was so easy to tease her about the first meeting but at the same time it was also great to know that she didn’t always need his help. And more often than not was perfectly capable of taking care of herself. It was astounding to think of how far they had come since that night, threats, near death experiences, time apart before falling back together. Though learning how to be together by far had been their greatest obstacle since they both seemed to have gotten in their own way at the beginning but things were smoother now and they were just taking it a day at a time. “What’s normal for us in Evermore is definitely far from what’s normal for those of the everyday citizens of New York or even San Francisco. Normal seems so bland and boring and doesn’t fit us in the least.” Not after everything they had been through so far and not with how they had to structure everyday just so the other could be a part of it, but Orion wouldn’t change it for anything. “That is a very fair point, we don’t need to go flying around and shooting laser beams from our eyes to be superheroes. We’re everyday superheroes.” And he knew she was right because everything that they did in the shadows with the factions, Ambassadors and the Organization were what kept the city safe and peaceful and it wasn’t always easy.

To this point only Orion’s past had come back to haunt them and even then he and Sariah weren’t truly together at the time. Despite that it had still scared the hell out of him that Elijah had come after Sariah just knowing that she was close to Orion. So going public meant that anyone who opposed either had an additional target and that was worrisome but it was a reality regardless. They could both handle their own, that had been proven more than once but he would always worry over and want to protect Sariah, it was just his nature. However he knew that no matter what they would have one another’s back. “I think we’ve already gotten a taste of what it’s going to be like. Either of us really liked that feeling but I think we’ve both grown and learned a lot about each other since then. Such as trust and knowing when to ask the other for help. Given our own certain skills I think we make a very dangerous team to mess with.” He said in a bit a teasing tone since he wasn’t as fearful or worried about it as he used to be. It was a risk but the benefits far outweighed what might come at them.

So many people compared one relationship with another as if the value of one was the value that all of their relationships should be gauged on. Orion knew that wasn’t true because every person was different and you loved people for different reasons and in different ways. He had fallen in love with Destiny when he was young and didn’t fully understand the entire concept and thought that was how love was meant to feel. Orion had loved her, don’t get him wrong but in recent months he was beginning to realize she wasn’t the love his life even though she had most of it. The idea of a soulmate had never really resonated with him, two people carrying the same soul but he did believe that the right person felt right, they made you want to be your best self and you would live for them but be willing to die to keep them safe. “I’ve never really been the sort to put much stock in what others say especially about matters of the heart. But I think that love and relationships should be built on mutual respect and wanting to be the best version of yourself and it should be give and take. Taking turns lifting each other up in the hard times and traversing them together. With you I didn’t have to look for anything, it found me and the pieces just…fell into place. Maybe not perfectly at first but they wiggled into position over time.” He said with a soft smile glad that she was seeing things in such a way and being so open.

Falling silent he watched the white hot trails of light streaking across the sky in the most unique of ways. The last cosmic event in Evermore had been the comet that crashed so it was nice to be able to view a cosmic event instead of becoming a part of it. As Sariah spoke once more his eyes were drawn back down to hers and his heart seemed to melt at the ‘heart of the sleeve’ vulnerability in her gaze. “Seems that’s a mutual feeling that we have in common. I’ve felt a form of love, young love that I convinced myself was the only thing I would ever need in life. But it wasn’t.” Leaning his cheek into her hand he shifted his head to kiss her palm. “Sariah Holloway, I do love you. It was a small seed that seemed to find it’s way into my heart sometime ago and the more time we spend together they more it seems to nourish that seed and it’s growing and will continue to grow. Honestly it scares the hell out of me because I thought I knew the depths of my own emotions but clearly even an old fox can learn something new.” He admitted knowing it was a lot to place on anyone, especially someone who hadn’t had the best of luck in relationships because they had been told it was love, believed it was love and treated in a way that would make the very idea of love wither and die. But he knew what he felt and the scary part was, he knew it wasn’t even with his full capacity to love, it was still fresh, thriving, growing and changing and he felt it all.

She smiled softly when he said he liked the goofy part of her best, she nodded slightly, her lips parting as she glanced up at him “Me too” she responded with a nod of her head “Sometimes she gets a little battered down but I think she’s always there” she chuckled, that was who she was at her core after all, it was the person her parents raised and frankly, the person she liked to be, she felt most at ease when she could joke playfully with people and enthuse about how much she liked astrology or a movie she watched that week, that was just who she was. “Besides, I feel like if we weren’t true to ourselves then we wouldn’t be fit for the role we are performing, people look to us as examples and role models, not fake figureheads” at least she hoped that was the case, she had worked her way up through the organization, often at the cost of blood, sweat and tears, she was about as average as average came but there was a quiet determination in her to make something of herself and of the place she worked. “True, though I do feel I’ve been robbed of my cape” she laughed and wrinkled her nose “At least I still have the cool gadgets” she definitely did feel like it was somewhat a double life sometimes.

Sariah had noticed in their time together that he always seemed a little hesitant to talk about his family, at least the ones who weren’t around anymore anyway. It wasn’t that he was hiding it, nor would he avoid the topic if she brought it up but more that she could see how hard it was for him to process those memories and accept the reality of them at times. So when he did talk about them, she did her best to listen and be understanding of how difficult it might be for him to share it all “I imagine there were quite a few bruises and scrapes to go around” she commented with a laugh, she was never really exposed to much in that sense, no siblings but like any child she did fall and bump into things from time to time “Didn’t seem to hinder the person you turned out to be so” she imagined having elder brothers probably gave him people to look up to more than anything. What he said about family resonated with her, not because she really experienced the idea of family but because she felt herself wanting to, she saw it in Orion’s kids and spending time with him, it gave her a little window into what she might have had if she had grown up differently “Speaking of family, my parents are probably going to have a lot of questions” she groaned a little, now that part she wasn’t looking forward to.

She snickered when he spoke about the fact that despite him being supernatural he also knew not to mess with her, he’d learned that the hard way after all “Okay guilty” she responded and laughed “Though it really was intended for that obnoxious Valkyr and not you” she admitted with a shrug of her shoulders “Being in the role I am and the target I allow to be placed on my back, I need to have a few tricks up my sleeve” he understood that well he was sure, Eliah might have come after her but she was about ready to have a swat team on him if he hadn’t left and since then she had only increased personal security for higher ranking organization members. She pulled an amused expression when he said their normal was different to the normal of other cities “True, this city is a lot more self-aware than most” she commented and bit her lip slightly “Which is probably a good thing overall considering what we’ve managed to achieve” sure it was at risk but it was always at risk, that was the reality of life and it was a constant uphill battle. “Shooting laser beams would be pretty damn useful though” she commented in a slightly grumbling tone and shrugged, “I’ll pen it to the idea list” which was probably bold words considering the tech her company had already invented.

She supposed in a way, being an ambassador meant you had to push fears to the side and try and forget them, otherwise you might spend your entire life afraid and never get anything done, by putting their names as the spokesperson for their species, they were the person everyone looked to and not everyone agreed. Sariah was in an especially tricky situation because her faction was also in charge of keeping the majority of the population oblivious which often led to a lot of angry and scared people showing up at the organization. “At the end of the day, we do the roles we do, neither of us is going to give that up” she nodded, her blonde curls bouncing a little on either side of her face “But a united front? I think that’s what this city needs and it can start with us” it was going to be complicated as it was somewhat of a conflict of interest but she’d seen them put their personal bias aside before and they would no doubt need to again “I pity the person who underestimates us” she teased and nudged against him slightly with her elbow.

Sariah didn't exactly have the best track record when it came to relationships, from college onwards it was mostly a collection of bad experiences, the worst beginning it but since then she had some short ones that never really worked out because of varying reasons, mostly because she just hadn’t managed to find someone who made her even believe in the idea of love again. Or at all, she supposed, considering what she had with Noel could hardly be described as love and it made her sick to her stomach to even consider it close to that “Saying it makes it sound so easy” she spoke softly as he explained how he saw the idea of relationships, she agreed with him of course but the theory of the words and the reality of the actions were very different things “So basically what you’re saying is that I snuck up on you” she teased him with a soft laugh “I think you’re right, for me it’s probably about finding someone who understands, someone who doesn’t expect me to sacrifice who I am in the name of us but also makes me want to be better too” the way she was looking at him echoed the fact that she had found what she was looking for in him “By no means will it be easy, sometimes it might feel like the hardest task in the world but” she nodded “I would never regret caring about you” she pressed her lips together.

She leaned in close against his shoulder as they watched the spectacular show the sky had for them tonight, her lips parted in awe as she took it all in and enjoyed the way it felt some magical and otherworldly, it definitely felt worth waiting all this time to finally see one in person and having Orion here just made it that bit more special. As she looked back at him, she definitely felt a sensation of somersaults in her chest her heart feeling almost like it was beating double time. His words made her nod her head slightly “I guess for you it must feel a lot like chapters of your life” arguably the first was a lot shorter and sadder than it should have been but that shouldn’t mean he should stay stagnant and not turn the page in time. Her lips twitched into a smile when she felt the soft kiss against her hand and then her breath completely left her for a moment as she heard him say the words, it seemed he was braver than she was. She let out the breath slowly and shakily, somewhat like a sigh of relief “The scared line forms behind me” she admitted in a slow breath “But honestly I feel so much better for saying it” she pursed her lips realizing she hadn’t fully said it yet either. She swallowed and nodded “I love you, Orion, I do” she broke out into a smile the moment she said it because it felt like such a weight off her shoulders and she felt nothing but happy now, she leaned in close against his forehead and closed her eyes for a moment just holding him there. 

“In our line of work parts of us can be lost or pushed down for appearances and to get the job done. It doesn’t mean they aren’t there anymore, which is good because I would be awful sad if you were just Sariah the Ambassador lacking in the humor, quirks and all around sweet and goofy nature.” Both sides attractive but balance was necessary and being serious all the time could wear a person down, especially when so many people counted on them. “That is a very good point, no one is perfect and I think that kind of helps with our factions when they do make mistakes. I doesn’t give them a false sense of someone to look up to if they knew who we really are.” Orion knew that they both had a high level of respect within their communities because of what they had done for their species and the appearance they gave. It has been a lot of effort on both of their parts, a lot of sacrifice and hardships to get to where they were but neither had lost the best parts of themselves. “We’ll get you a cape, you can wear it at Ambassador meetings.” He teased since she did have all the gadgets and more, plus her need to do the right thing helped with her superhero pursuits.

It was nice to think of the good and what might have been opposed to the lives which had been cut off far too soon. To think of he and his brothers as kids scrapping in the living room and trying to get one up on each other. Of quiet nights playing chess as they got older, of training and sparing with one another, weddings and births, there was a lot of good that he had pushed from his mind over the years because it came with pain he didn’t want to think of. But he wanted to share it with Sariah because it all had a lot to do with the man he now was. “I’m sure our parents got tired of the three of us from time to time but they always let us fight out or talk out our issues and differences. Though talking it out would have been far more constructive in many situations.” But as kids and then teens that wasn’t necessarily something you wanted to think about. “I think they both taught me a lot and I can contribute a lot of who I am to them. None of us were perfect and we didn’t always get along but we were always there for one another when needed.” Though saying that did cause him some pain since even with being there, he hadn’t been able to save them, the words, you can’t save everyone echoing in his head. Orion knew them to be true but it didn’t make them any easy to hear. “I can imagine that anyone would.” Sera and Arwyn had thankfully taken it all pretty well but they had their own fair share of questions and concerns as well. “It’s been a long time since I’ve had to do the whole parents thing.” And for some reason the idea of her talking to her parents made him a bit nervous as well.

A chuckle left him at her words, “Oh I know who the intended target was but that didn’t help me much did it?” He asked in a humorous manner since he couldn’t even be mad at it since it had brought he and Sariah together. If they had only ever met in a professional capacity it was unlikely that they would be where they were today. “Though I believe I should be thanking you for that little mistake since it had a great deal to do with us getting closer and in turn here.” For some reason he couldn’t help but laugh as Sariah spoke of having tricks up her sleeve since he had the sudden image of her trying to pull a rabbit out of a hat. Though he knew that when it did matter she had more than enough gadgets and skills to keep her safe, she was a strong and intelligent woman after all and she hadn’t gotten to be an Ambassador by hiding in the shadows or backing down from a challenge. “Self-awareness is good, especially given everything the city has been through. If we can achieve peace it’s a bit sad if no one realizes it or appreciates it.” Especially after all the blood, sweat and tears they had all put into it, quit literally at times. “If you figure that one out I will be both impressed and mildly terrified.” He joked since honestly it didn’t seem all that impossible anymore, besides, impossible was what Sariah excelled at.

Disagreements were normal in their line of work and sometimes people wanting to challenge you as well because of disagreeing or thinking they were better suited. Thankfully being challenged in such a way was rare but disagreements were not. “No we’re not and I don’t believe either of us would ever ask that of the other.” He knew that would likely cause a different set of problems as far as favoritism and conflicts of interest but they were both professional and did what needed to be done. Even they disagreed at times but they never held it against each other because everyone had different thoughts and opinions and they weren’t going to pick the side of the other just to do so or gain imaginary points. “There are so many divides and still so many that are unsure if this will truly work. Showing a united front as friends and respecting one another as Ambassadors is something they already see. Not so much on the romantic side of things which involves a whole other level of trust and I think all the city really needs now is hope that we can all co-exist and get along in more than one way.” Even before they had begun to date the human and therian species had an alliance and he felt like the two of them being together did make it strong but that didn’t mean either was going to become biased for any reason.  “Oh I don’t pity them, I do fear for them a bit though.” He mused knowing neither would take it to the extreme but they were intense and dangerous people especially when it came to the other.

Orion knew that the way he said things was often a case of easier said than done but he always spoke from the heart and meant it. “Words tend to come much easier than actions and it does sound simple but things rarely if ever are as simple as they sound.” But at least they both seemed to be in agreement with the idea of it and that was how they seemed to be and it warmed his heart to have found something like this and someone like Sariah who was one in a million if not more. “Oh it was a very stealthy and quick sneak attack to be sure.” He teased back since she really had snuck up on him in more ways than one. “Love should never make you doubt yourself or feel like you need to change, it should make you feel comfortable and confident in who and how you are. No one should have to change the things that make them who they are for another person. It’s about building one another up opposed to breaking each other down.” Her words kept hitting a part of him that he thought had died but instead it was growing and expanding with each day with renewed vigor. “I don’t have many regrets in life but I know you’ll never be one because you’ve changed my life.” It sounded dramatic but it was the truth.

It was so easy to get lost in the conversation they were having and forget about the rare and beautiful natural occurrence they were here to witness. Truly it seemed a perfect night to him and the perfect time to have not only made his feelings known but to come to a conclusion about the relationship they had and where they wanted to take it. It was like a dream despite the fact they were awake and this was all very real. It was an amazing celestial event that was occurring and that made it a night which wouldn’t soon be forgotten even without the words between them. But what was between them was what made the night worth treasuring. “It was a good previous chapter but it doesn’t seem to hold a candle to the current one.” He wasn’t sure if it was just because it had been young love or if it was the fact that Sariah had accepted all his broken bits and pieces. When moving to Evermore he had never considered or expected to move on let along feel love again but sometimes the unexpected was for the best. Orion had always been the sort to say what was on his mind but tonight was the kind that you said what was in your heart and allowed the pieces to fall where they may. Where they landed seemed to be a good place though judging by her smile, “I’ll keep that in mind.” He said with an understanding smile on his lip since he knew this wasn’t easy for either of them. When the actual words left her lips he was pretty sure he forgot how to breathe which he didn’t realize was possible. The huge smile which spread across her face caused his heart to soar and it was like whatever walls were still remaining between them seemed to disappear. He knew that they were still going to have to take this all at a somewhat slow pace but just saying and hearing those words meant so much to him. As their foreheads touched he remained that way his eyes sliding closed as he savored the moment. “Guess we’ve made it across that tightrope we’ve been precariously trying to cross. I can’t say the safety net hasn’t been used a few times but we never gave up.” He said softly knowing there were still more challenges to come, there always were but they had at least made it safely to the other side in the first leg of the journey.

She nodded slightly, her blue hues lifting to meet his as he complimented her personality, she had always been quite proud of the person she was, even from a young age she had been quite independent and very much her own self, they always called her headstrong and that had followed her into her adult life. While she wasn’t close with her parents, she was thankful to them for shaping her and supporting her the way she needed them to “I can be pretty fun sometimes” she spoke softly as she poked gently against his side in an attempt to make him laugh, usually her humor came with funny fandom references or memes, she was very easy to amuse she supposed. “In the study of AI, a lot of scientists aim to create the perfect being” she nodded a little “I don’t think they realize quite how dangerous a perfect being might be” making mistakes and learning from them, that was part of being human, being alive, it was scary to think of a world where humans were replaced by more intelligent beings she had to admit. “Oh, I wouldn’t want to make all the other ambassadors jealous” she teased with a laugh “When I was younger my mom bought me a butterfly cape and I literally wore it for like 6 months straight” mostly because she was just obsessed with butterflies but the sentiment was there.

Hearing Orion talk about his family was really nice, especially the way he lit up like a string of fairy lights as he reminisced the times he had with his brothers, it made her a little sad she would never get to meet these people he spoke so dearly of but she definitely thanked them in her mind for helping him become the man he was today. The man she got to meet and know on a level she didn’t really take the time to learn about anyone else. “They taught you a lot about how to handle the real world then” she got the feeling the Valkyrie family had to grow up a lot faster than most people would, needing to be ready to take on the family responsibility as early as possible. Their cause was greater than just themselves, it was about protecting people and making the world a better place and it must have been pretty scary to face up against valkyr that had turned to their darker sides. “It really sucks that I’ll never get to meet them but it’s really nice to hear about them, about what made you, you” she laughed realizing the words sounded funny when she said them, but she really did like the idea that Orion trusted her with this stuff and felt he could speak openly. “Well lucky for you, my parents are rather hands-off parents, they’ll probably just want a nice dinner” she wrinkled her nose a little, she never really talked about the distance between her and her family.

“True” she spoke guiltily about what happened the night they met, admittedly she had definitely fixed her mistake, stayed around despite the valkyr trying to kick the door down and apologized profusely for her mistake, she also hadn’t doused anyone with the serum since then, though she had managed to improve the formula after the rather unexpected experiment. “Though thanking me for almost blinding you seems a little dramatic” she beamed at him because despite it not being one of her finer moments, it had become the beginning of something really positive in her life, something she never expected but had become so incredibly important. “True” she nodded her head thoughtfully “I mean don’t get me wrong I’m not doing any of this for the fame of the glory, I’ve never been the most public person” she bit her lip for a moment and shrugged “but In also want to feel like I achieved something, like I made the world even the tiniest bit better somehow” she knew there were a lot of ways to achieve that but she felt like being the leader of the organization and getting involved in righting the supernatural balance was her calling, even if it felt impossible at times.

“I think you’re pretty swell the way you are” she responded in a joking tone, he was right, she would never ask him to change who he was or be someone he wasn’t, she also knew that the city had to come first for him, the same as it did for her. In that line of thought, they were on the same side, though she knew it wasn’t that simple and their individual factions needed special attention. But they’d managed to make room in their lives for this relationship and everything that came with it, mostly evenings together either in his house or her apartment. Though now she realized they could do a lot more, go to movies together, eat out together for dinner, it was a night thought, regardless of how simple it was. “Divides are always going to be there, we could go another 100 years and there would still be someone who hates someone else for no good reason” that was the sad part of human nature, not everyone had good intentions, some people were just greedy and selfish and that’s all there was to it “But things are and will get better” they already were now that the Ailward guard had intervened and alliances were now in place, she felt more positive about it now than she even did a year ago. She laughed when he said he feared for those that went against them “Me too, they’d have no idea what they started” in that sense, they were a team and she loved the idea of that.

He was right, it was easy to say something, it was much harder to show it and to make it prove true over the test of time. She didn’t know how they would stand over time, that wasn’t something she wanted to be dwelling over or worrying about, all she knew was right now, she believed in what they had, believed it could grow and become something beautiful and strong. Right now it was a blossom, the feelings were there but she sensed they would grow as the two of them lived their lives aside one another, partners. “Imagine the human being able to sneak up on the therian, how the tables turn” she laughed softly because she was probably the least sneaky person ever, she’d probably trip while trying to creep towards someone. His words about love though, they made her go quiet for a moment, her gaze softening as she took in what he said “Love makes you stronger” she remembered her mother saying that once though she couldn’t quite recall what it was in reference to. Her idea of love had always been pretty twisted thanks to the people she associated to it but Orion gave her hope, he was truly good and there hadn’t been a lot of good in her life before now. She blushed softly when he returned her sentiment on not regretting choosing this, even if it ended in heartbreak she felt like she would be glad to have the opportunity to love him “I know how you feel” she admitted softly.

The way he spoke about the new chapter in his life feeling like a better one had her heart doing leaps and bounds in her chest, she felt a little like a teenager with her first crush all over again and yet it was also so much more than that too. For the first time, in a very long time, she finally felt like she could see the idea of love and a relationship is so much more than just something in her past or something she avoided at all costs. With Orion, she felt like these feelings were a positive thing, that made her feel better about her life and her prospects for the future. Not that she deluded herself into thinking everything was going to be perfect and there wouldn’t be disagreements and times where it hurt a little. But she did believe her and Orion brought out the best parts in one another. She had found a side of him which she was sure he had put aside for a long time, a more sensitive side that did care what the world thought of him. She imagined he had to put up a strong front for a long time in order to protect himself and also be someone his children could lean on but she was glad she could help to break down those walls a little.

She didn’t really know where exactly this meant they went from here but she didn’t feel the need to be sure about it, she was just excited to see where the future took them, to live somewhat of a normal relationship where they could do where they wanted to go and not have to hide what it was becoming more and more evident, they felt for each other. She didn’t stay there too long with her eyes closed before she turned her head so she could see the sky while still leaning up against his touch, he was warm and being close to him, tucked up under his arm like this, it felt right and it made her happier than words “You’re right, I think we both had a fear of falling for different reasons and yet here were are” she laughed as she played with his hand, her fingers intertwining over the top of his “On the other side” she nodded slightly as she watched the lights still scattering across the sky and savoring this very moment in her memory for as long as she could.

Everything about tonight had gone so much better than anticipated, where as he had feared an end, it was a whole new beginning. The natural glow of the stars and moon above them giving Sariah an ethereal appearance her hair and eyes lighter than they usually appeared as they reflected the soft lighting. The hot chocolate was delicious and better than anything he had expected and then there were the words which still echoed through his head and brought a bit of a goofy smile to his face. “You can be pretty fun most of the time. You always have your own little humor which makes me chuckle.” He said as he laughed as she poked his side. It had been a long time since he had such reason to laugh or smile so often but she brought out the lighter and less serious side of him. “The idea of a perfect being has created so much more harm than good throughout history. With technology I don’t doubt it’s possible but I can’t imagine how it would view all of us who are damaged and imperfect.” Let alone the fact that no one had ever seen perfect, would it truly be what they thought? “So no capes at the Ambassador meetings unless everyone gets one?” He teased keeping her words of a butterfly cape in his mind since he did hold on to even the little things she told him.

It was nice to be able to remember his family in a positive light and to share it with someone who truly cared. The Valkyrie family had relied on one another for survival and so they had always been incredibly close and even when they were angry with one another they would still have each other’s back. Throughout his childhood he had never been alone and it had been amazing feeling, however as he started to lose those he cared about the loneliness and pain had hit incredibly hard. He had gone from having such a large family to only having himself and his children since his nephews hadn’t come to Evermore since they didn’t want peace, they wanted revenge instead. “They taught me what they could, how to cope with lose and being alone wasn’t one of those things. It’s hard to go from being surrounded by love and support to having to be the pillar of strength when you feel like you can barely stand. But if you don’t continue on you’re just dishonoring those who came before, those who’s path were cut off.” It pushed him everyday to remember their teachings and to be the man he wanted to be and now thanks to Sariah, he wasn’t just living for the dead. “They were there for some of the most important moments in my life and taught me some of the most valuable lessons that I’ll never forget.” And that was what made him who he was. “A nice dinner seems doable.” Sariah rarely spoke of her parents which left him with a lot of questions but he knew tonight wasn’t the time.

Leaning in her nuzzled her neck as the bitterness of guilt tinted the air around them. “Hey I may have been complaining at the time but it did end up working out for us both in the end. Without it I wouldn’t know how brilliant you are, let alone how compassionate and how you’ll do anything to fix the mistakes you’ve made. It feel like it was a pretty good night all things considered.” Which was the truth since he would have respected her on a professional level when meeting her but not on the personal one they had started off on. “Everyone deserves to know they’ve made a difference, especially with as much time and effort as you’ve put in. It doesn’t have to be publicized but just seeing a city that’s no longer divide by factions and living side by side without issue that would be enough. At least for me, I don’t need or want my name in the bi-lines I just want to know I’ve helped to create that and that people have recognized the changes seen in the city.” Because this was probably one of the greatest times to live in Evermore at least to date and the future seemed bright.

Chuckling at her words he couldn’t help but shake his head, “Well you’re mighty swell yourself.” He teased since she already knew exactly how he felt. But he was glad they were both accepting of how the other was, even if there were somethings that they did that got on one another’s nerves at times. They both were getting a lot better with that though, after all a relationship wasn’t about being perfect, it was about two imperfect people that were willing to accept those imperfections. Now they truly were in this together, one hundred percent, for better or worse and willing to weather whatever storm came their way and he knew that it would because that was life. But if they could make it work up to this point, he had no doubt they could continue pushing forward even with the entire city aware of their relationship. “Have you ever thought of being a motivation speaker? Because I can definitely understand why you’re the head of the Organization and Human Ambassador.” Sariah had a way with words even if she believed that she rambled from time to time, what she said always held meaning and conviction and he had no doubt that speaking in such a way build more confidence in her than she realized within the Organization. “I rather enjoy the idea of us, a team, a combined unit.” Just saying it brought back that stupid smile that made him feel like he was a good thirty years younger.

There was still a part of him that knew things weren’t going to be easy for Sariah but the fact that she was willing to take this chance with him meant everything especially considering her past. It was so easy for people to say they loved someone and then treat them in ways which were contradictory to those words. That was something he would never do and he meant every word he said. Without even realizing it Sariah had changed his life and given him a reason to keep pushing forward and he could never thank her enough for that. “That would be rather terrifying. Though most of us unfortunately only tend to use our heightened senses when turned and hunting not so much in day to day life anymore.” Though some were always on alert, he was always acutely aware of everything happening around him. But when you came from a war zone into another one, matter if it was peace times, that mentality remained. “Love is definitely not the weakness some believe it to be. The feeling alone makes you feel much lighter, happier and all around better, and then there’s the added bonus of knowing you don’t have to go through anything alone.” There was a strength in togetherness that many ignored, it was the same with pack, family and love in general regardless if people saw them as a weakness that people might take advantage of, Orion would like to see them try since it wasn’t going to happen.

Sariah was more than Orion ever anticipated finding in life, she was more amazing than she gave herself credit for which is why he never ceased to tell her as much. Love after all was about building one another up instead of breaking one another down. And there were so many good qualities that she possessed that she always down played or avoided compliments for. Everyday she was getting better at accepting those things though and that was all he wanted because she deserved to have that confidence because it was well deserved. The steaks of light painted the sky and it was truly beautiful and made him wonder where those stars might land, it was something he had never considered before. But if you did make wishes on falling stars he had a few in mind tonight. Her words caught his attention once more as he looked down at her with an adoring smile, “I guess we’re just stronger than the things trying to hold us back, even if it happened to be our own logic and minds. I’m happy we’re here though and I’m glad for everything we’ve been through because I already know that no matter how hard things get we’ll both fight for this.” He side before laying back on the blanket and watching the night sky and holding on to tonight.  

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