Kiss & Tell ( Asa and Chiquita)

Chapter 24: New Names, New Beginnings

Asa's POV

It's funny how something as simple as a name can carry so much weight.

For the last few weeks, Chiquita and I have been in this strange, beautiful space — somewhere between the life I knew and the one that's unfolding before me. We don't need to have everything figured out, I've learned, and yet, we've still found ways to move forward together. One step at a time.

As we sit across from each other at breakfast this morning, I can't help but smile. The air between us is easy, the conversation light. But there's something new — something we haven't said aloud yet, something that's been growing in the quiet spaces of our time together.

I reach for my coffee, and as I do, I catch her watching me. There's a warmth in her gaze, one that makes my heart flutter just a little. It's not the way she looks at anyone else. I know that. And it's not the way she looks at me when we're caught up in the heat of the moment. It's softer now, quieter.

It's more.

I set my cup down and tilt my head, curious. "What?"

She raises an eyebrow, her lips curving into that mischievous grin of hers. "You look good today," she says, but her voice carries something else — something playful, affectionate.

I roll my eyes, but there's no hiding the smile tugging at my lips. "I look good every day, Chiquita. You just can't get enough of me."

She laughs, the sound like music in my ears. "True, true. But today... today's different."

I pause, considering her words. Different. The word lingers between us for a moment, and I realize it's more than just a playful comment. We've crossed some invisible threshold — one we never really acknowledged, but that's become clear with every touch, every word shared in the quiet of our days.

It's that unspoken thing — the understanding we have that's now more solid than ever. I don't know how it happened. I just know that it did.

I take a breath, letting the quiet of the morning settle over me. I'm not used to being this open, this... vulnerable, but with her, it feels natural. It feels like home.

"Chiquita..." I start, and the way her name rolls off my tongue is different than before. It feels familiar, like something I've always known but only just realized. "I've been thinking."

She leans forward, her eyes twinkling with curiosity. "Uh-oh. That sounds serious."

I laugh softly, shaking my head. "Not that serious. Just... I was thinking about something we haven't really talked about." I hesitate for a moment, unsure if I should say it. But then, the words come, almost of their own accord. "About us."

Her smile softens, and she nods, encouraging me to go on.

And before I even realize it, I find myself saying the words I hadn't quite prepared for. "I think... I think we should have our own call signs. Something just between us."

Her eyes widen slightly, her lips parting as though she's caught off guard. Then she leans back in her chair, a thoughtful expression crossing her face. "I like the idea. But what do you mean by call signs?"

I hesitate, unsure how to explain. It feels like something small, something playful, but also something meaningful. A code, a signal, an acknowledgment of the shift between us.

"Something we can use when we're alone," I say, finding the words as I go. "A way to remind ourselves that we're not just Asa and Chiquita. We're more. We're... something else, too."

She watches me, her gaze never wavering, and I feel that warmth again — the one that makes me feel seen, truly seen.

"Well, I like the sound of that," she says softly. "Okay, so what should our call signs be?"

I think for a moment, feeling the weight of the question. And then it hits me, as though the answer has always been there, waiting for me to find it. "You're my 'Love,'" I say, the words slipping out before I can stop them. "And I think I'm yours, too. But I want to make it something real. Something that's ours, something that no one else can take away."

She's silent for a moment, the intensity of her gaze holding mine. And then, slowly, she nods. "Love," she repeats, testing the word on her tongue. "Yeah, I like that. Feels right."

I smile, feeling something in my chest loosen, like a knot that's been tied too tight. "You're my Love, Chiquita. And I'm yours."

She reaches across the table, taking my hand gently in hers. The simple gesture is enough to speak volumes — more than any words could ever express. I squeeze her fingers, and her thumb traces the back of my hand, the contact soothing and steady.

"Then I guess you're mine, Asa," she says, her voice soft but full of conviction. "You're my 'Love.'"

The weight of the moment hangs between us, but it doesn't feel heavy. It feels light, like a promise, an unspoken agreement that we don't need to put into words because we already know what it means.

I lean forward then, my heart in my throat, and kiss her, the softness of the kiss matching the gentleness of the moment. Her lips move against mine with the same quiet intensity that has defined so much of what we've shared. And for the first time, it feels like we're exactly where we're supposed to be.

Chiquita's POV

When she says it — when Asa calls me "Love" — it's like everything clicks into place.

I've always been the free spirit, the one who floated through life without too many attachments, without too many expectations. I never thought I'd find someone who could make me feel so anchored, so grounded. But Asa does that. She does it without even trying. She doesn't need to say much. It's in the way she looks at me, the way she holds me. In the way she says my name, like it's something sacred, something meant just for her.

And now, with this new name between us, it feels like we've crossed some threshold. We're no longer just two people caught in a whirlwind of desire. We're something more. We're partners, in a way I've never known before.

"Love..." I whisper, tasting the word again, savoring the way it feels in my mouth. It's a simple word, but with Asa, it carries so much meaning. So much weight. "I think you're right. This feels right."

I pull her closer then, pressing my lips to hers in a kiss that's both soft and desperate. I feel the weight of her in my arms, and I realize, for the first time in a long while, I'm not afraid of what comes next.

Because I know that whatever happens, we have this. We have each other. And we're not letting go.

Asa's POV

Chiquita's lips against mine are everything I never knew I needed. Soft, tender, and full of something I'm only just beginning to understand.

"I love you," I whisper, my voice trembling slightly, as if the words are finally coming to life in a way they never have before.

Her smile deepens, and she pulls me closer, her lips brushing against my ear as she whispers back, "I love you too, Asa."

And just like that, I know we've found our way. We've found something real, something that belongs only to us.

And for the first time in a long time, I don't need to be in control. All I need is her.

And that's more than enough.

Chiquita's POV

"I love you, Asa," I repeat, the words tasting sweeter every time I say them. "I've never loved anyone like this before. Not even myself."

I feel her warmth in the silence that follows. And as we sit there, hand in hand, I realize that we don't need anything else. We have each other, and that's the only thing that matters.

"I'm yours, Chiquita," Asa whispers softly. "Always."

And in that moment, we know this is more than just a call sign. This is who we are now. This is our love, and nothing will ever change that.