Shells

Part 3:

Thorne squeezed Cress's body against him, using her for support as she guided him to the kitchen. "Captain?" She spoke up.

"Hm?" She tilted her head and looked up at him.

"I just..." She hesitated. "Oh, never mind. Let's go get you cleaned up." They entered the kitchen and Cress made Thorne sit on the barstool. "I'll go get the first aid kit." She ran away and soon came back with a kit full of bandages, and other medical supplies.

She opened it and began to tend to his wounds. Thorne stared at her determined face, taking in all the details and trying to memorize everything. She looked up and found his striking blue eyes studying her. A blush crept up on her cheeks, and she returned her attention onto the wounds.

Thorne smiled at the blonde girl. "Just say it Cress. Whatever it is, I'll stand by you."

"Huh?"

"The thing you were going to say earlier."

A small smile played at her lips. "Oh. I... Uh... I just wanted to say that you're the best thing that's ever happened to me." She mumbled the last part.

"What are you trying to say Cress?"

"I love you!" She blurted out her confession. Thorne froze. A smile began to grow on his lips, but he was still shocked from the confession. "I love you more than I love myself, Captain."

He suddenly forgot all his injuries. He jumped off of the barstool and pushed Cress up against the wall, kissing the stars out of her.

He kissed her so passionately, that she forgot that he was covered in blood. She kissed him back, sweetly. They parted, gasping for air. "I love you too, Cress." He whispered against her lips.

She grinned and kissed him once again. Her hands found their way around his neck as he wrapped his arms around her tiny body, moulding them together. Thorne was the one who broke the kiss.

"I almost forgot." He said, breathless. Cress stared at him with confusion in her eyes. He dug his hands in his pockets, searching for something. "Agh, I can't find it." He stumbled through the house, searching for an item he was looking for.

"What does it look like? Maybe I can hel-"

"No! No..." He raced back to their bedroom and found what he was looking for. "Found it!" He called from the room.

Cress curiously peeked into the room to see him staring at a tiny velvet box. He turned around and faced her. "Cress. I've known you for about a year now. During this past year, I didn't realize what was standing in front of me, until I lost it. It was you, Cress." He took a deep breath, and continued his speech. "I was a mess without you. To be honest, I don't know how I survived before I met you. But I do know one thing. I know that I can't live without you." He lowered himself down to one knee and stared up at his Cress. "Crescent Darnel, will you marry me?" He said as popped open the lid to the velvet box, revealing a sparkling diamond ring.

She gasped, and threw her hands to her mouth. "Yes!" She raced towards him and tackled him to the ground with a hug. He laughed and wrapped her in his arms. He kissed her, and she kissed back, not wanting for this moment to end. "I love you, Captain."