Falls

Zevulun, I’m glad to see you as well.

He could not help but let his lips melt into a smile, thinking how wonderful it sounded when she said his name. Before he could speak it was Sabriel who did, confessing that just as she’d lingered on his mind, he’d lingered on hers. The honesty with which she spoke her heart softened him, and Zevulun found himself somewhat catching his breath as she continued. It was as if he was even afraid to breathe, like he might somehow miss one syllable she uttered and it would be disastrous to do so.

I couldn’t risk hurting you, she confessed, and Zevulun finally sighed the breath he had been holding. In the past he would have jumped to an immediate argument, or even a confession that he’d take heartbreak after heartbreak if it meant he could have even a day alongside her again. The thoughts sprung up in his mind, but Zevulun kept his mouth closed and let her work through the emotional unburdening she was offering. He knew it was cathartic to be allowed to speak your heart and was moved that she trusted him enough to do so.

But then she said: This is my dream. And a frown pinched Zevulun’s brows. The more she continued, the more he began to understand what was happening - Sabriel thought she was dreaming that Zevulun was only here in spirit. Immediately he wished he possessed the impossible power to make it so. That instead of intruding on her to bring these emotions to the surface, he was only here in a moonlit bathed dream where they could be free to say and do everything they wanted without any lasting consequence.

If only I had come to you whole, before my life took all the wrong turns. I think you could have loved me then — just the same as I came to love you.

Zevulun’s glacial blues met her eyes. Sabriel reached out and touched him, and he saw the moment truth clicked in her head. Rather than react, he only calmly confessed, “I love you now. For all you are, not as you were before. For every piece of you, whether you think it’s good or bad. I love it all.” He turned his face toward her to gently brush his whiskered lips against her cheek and then offered in a warm breath across her skin, “This can still just be a dream, if you’d like for it to be.”