Yourself

Being enough

Leda chuckled at his confused expression and approached the narrow staircase of the watchtower watching him venturing down first.
Before following down she just grabbed his sleeve and pulled him towards her, placing a light peck on his cheek.

She immediately let go of his sleeve, smiling softly.

"I care about you too"

Reiner froze on the place. He looked as if at the moment there weren't any words that would reach his mind - his parted lips and open, unblinking, eyes were screaming that he was shocked.

More. If only I could get another one. - was the only thing on his mind.

He took one step up to Leda and also pecked her cheek. His arms involuntarily got wrapped around her waist and Reiner, bear of a man, squeezed her way too hard, especially considering that these stairs, which seem to crack into pieces any moment, weren't the safest place for hugs.

His face relaxed and he pressed his cheek to Leda's hair.

You just stay safe - he thought of her and squeezed even tighter.

At Reiner's reaction Leda tried to giggle, but his arms strongly wrapped around her waist almost cut her off breath. Despite being a little lightheaded her hands moved almost instinctively around his body as well hugging him as tightly as she could.

His heart was beating right next to her ear and she could clearly listen to its rhythmic -slightly accelerated- bumps.

For once, facing her own feelings wasn't haunted by any fear or self doubt, in his arm, up on a dusty almost destroyed old staircase, that feeling she denied, then fought, hid, ignored, deceived and cursed for years finally found a proper place to be safely kept.

How long that hug lasted she didn't knew, all that mattered to her now was the young man that was holding her so strongly.

Reiner didn't want to pull back. He would stand there for the whole eternity, hugging Leda.

And why was I so nervous about that? It's so warm here actually - the only thought of that brought a light smile to his face.

Now he was struggling to brush off a new - really impulsive - idea. Calm down and don't do anything stupid.

Reiner finally pulled back and smiled lightly. That was a warm smile, his whole face seemed relaxed.

She's so petite, what got into me.

When he pulled back from the hug Leda almost felt disappointed, though the last ray of sun was already gone over the horizon and the night was coming closer, she really wanted that hug to last a little longer.

She knitted her brows pouting, silently protesting that their little moment of tenderness was already over.

If she would have known that a hug and an innocent peck on his cheeks was all it took to completely get rid of that awkwardness they felt around each other, she would have pecked him earlier.

"Sorry if it was too strong." - he lowered his eyebrows apologetically, hazel irises were almost shining with warmth.

If only you knew how much I dreamt of it - he almost said it and only held himself back the very last moment.

"I don't even remember what we were supposed to do" - Reiner chuckled, he looked aside, even in the darkness of the watchtower, his blush was visible.