The kiss wasn't sudden.
It was hesitant, uncertain, born from weeks of restraint and longing. When Adrian finally closed the distance, it felt like an answer rather than a question.
They pulled away quickly, breathless, stunned by the weight of what they had done.
"This changes things," Elara whispered.
"Yes," Adrian agreed. "But maybe it's what was always happening."
Love didn't erase fear. It magnified it.
But for the first time, they chose honesty over distance.
And neither of them could pretend anymore.