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[ukan]

This is Lark Tennant, leave a message.

[Or a note, or a drop-by]

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[questionsonly]

"Did you really choose that?" he asks with a raise of one eyebrow, "or did it just happen that way, with it's ups and downs."

[ukan]

"We broke up a lot our first three years. 'A lot' is an understatement. It did get to a point where I decided I was done being the one to patch us up, done being the one to figure out how to keep us moving forward--because for the first year I was. He never learned how to be with people. He lived in a cell for twenty-two years, and when he was with people, they were people who would kill him the moment the order was given." There are so many worse details he can't share.

"Alec came out of that with such a love of life, and people, and the world." Who's smitten? Lark Tennant, with the dumbest smile on his face. "But because I was the one asking him to ignore all his training and all his very real fears and to just trust me that nothing bad would happen if he let me love him...well I got a lot of blowback. But I knew all of that, so I was patient for as long as I could be. The moment I saw him sacrifice to win me back over, I knew that was it. I chose him. And then I kept choosing him even when he picked fights or ran."

[questionsonly]

"There's some similarities there," he says with a tilt of his head. "Different context. Different... execution. Different personality expression. But there's reasons I understand why Alec and Jacobi get on. And I have... had to create that trust with him."

He pauses.

"Did he ever tell you about the locked door?"

There's a smile on his face. It's not bad, at least not to him.

"That's the day I fell in love with him."

[ukan]

"He hasn't told me anything," Lark shakes his head with a wry grin. "I don't think he likes me enough to share stories. What was the locked door?"

[questionsonly]

"More likely he's busy with his friends," which Kepler doesn't at all mind. Couples should have their own friend groups. It's healthy.

"But fact is, first mission together, things went south. As in. Experimental explosive device. in the room with us. and activated. With a timer. We? Were tasked with bringing it back with us. Or destroy it. Either way."

He smiles.

"So I point at the device. And I say: 'Mr. Jacobi, please take that thing apart, quick as you like.'" And oh, it's there, it's right there, the deep and intense and almost overpowering love that Kepler has for the man he's talking about. He's heart eyes just thinking about it. But he continues, the food in front of him forgotten.

"He freezes. Just for a second. Starts telling me how manly it would be to run." He chuckles and shakes his head. "So. I walk over to the door. I lock the two of us in. And. I look at Daniel again. Point at the thing. And tell him again: 'Go take that bomb apart.'" The softest, sweetest smile.

"And he did. Because of course he did."

He can't even look up at Lark, he's too lost in the moment, in his memory, in thinking of Daniel.

"I fell in love with him that night. Absolutely. Head over heels. I can't describe what it was, what exact moment. I know it started when he looked back after that last order. Something in his eyes. In his hands. The way... the way they itched. To do just that."

[ukan]

Lark listens with a little grin all the way through. "And when did he become as smitten as you are?"

[questionsonly]

"That," he says, "I couldn't tell you. You'd have to ask him."

[ukan]

"You mean you've never sat him down and made him explain, if only to pat your own ego? You're missing out."

[questionsonly]

He shakes his head and chuckles.

"You see... the way it works? Is I do the storytelling. And he shows me how much he loves me? By listening."

[ukan]

"I'd wager he has a few good ones tucked away by now. Loving you comes with adventure."

[questionsonly]

"He does," Warren admits cheerfully, "and one of them? Was my Christmas present."

He looks like it was the best one he received.