Eyes Opened

Ice Breaker

You sat across from her, the silence was straining. You wondered if you even knew her anymore. She seemed like a different person entirely. You wondered how different you both were without Kodlak. The food was delivered to you. "Thank you" You both spoke at the same time, then locked eyes. She blushed a little, which only made you stare. She was so cute, even through the awkwardness you felt.

She cleared her throat. "I suppose we still click on a certain level." She rubbed her temple as some steam wafted up from the food. "I was beginning to think we were two very different people than we were. It's amazing how much just a couple of months can change you. I should have expected that seeing how much I grew over this last year."

You smiled softly, able to relax now if only a little. "I worried that too..." You saw her smile. Muscles hit the back of the chair as you simply stared at her. You both started to eat, still feeling a bit awkward. You had cleared your throat.

She apparently felt the strain as well, unable to sit in silence. You thanked her internally. "So you tracked me down...?"

"Not hard. You've been asking about the greybreads, so I visited them. They wouldn't let me in, I was certain you were still there and they were protecting you." You paused to take a drink. "Then asked around. Not for your description anymore. Your title. You'd done so much that finding you here was easy. These people here, seem to love you." She fumbled over her spoon, looking up to you. "Hey, I'm not saying I don't get why." You cleared your throat. "So uh... you said you tried to move on and it was a disaster?"

She gulped a drink down, before looking at you. She almost looked frightened. "I..." Her eyes fell. "I missed the way I felt with you. You made me feel amazing. I tried and failed to recapture that, it just felt like a hollow imitation. Whatever magic we had together, I'm not capable of on my own." She was equating you being together to her potions, unable to make it again without all ingredients. "We just-"

You smiled softly. "Fit?" She nodded slowly. "I get it. Njada tried to comfort me." You watched her brows furrow a bit, almost glaring at you. Was she getting jealous? It was a little cute. "The gesture seemed hollow. Especially after the amount of warmth you brought to every conversation." This calmed her down a little, though her lips were still a bit pursed. You thought about how silly this was, how rigid you both were acting. You knew one another, intimately. She was still the same woman you held in your arms so many times. You were not her father, you couldn't punish yourself for the mistake anymore. You needed to make it right. You downed the rest of your ale, motioning for another. "Will you do me a favor?" She looked to you, a brow raised. "Come back with me to visit. Aela and Farkas miss you. My brother gets attached to people that are kind, you've made an impression on him."

"I..." You watched her lost in thought. After an extended amount of time she looked into your eyes. "Of course. I miss them too." You smiled happily, knowing that baby steps were still steps.

"Well alright then." You thanked the bar maid, before taking a drink of the ale she brought you. "That's cause to celebrate then. The hall seems so quiet now. Half of the circle is gone."

"Whoa..." She waved her hands to slow you down a little. "I'm not coming back to be back." You raised a brow, looking to her. It was too fast. It only dawned on you when she recoiled. "I can't come back." You looked to her, curious about her wording. With the girl you always picked apart every sentence.

"You can't come back. Meaning you might actually want to..." It was a question, one spoken with a low depressed tone, as if you'd known the answer already.

She widened her eyes, looking at you stunned. After a few tense moments, she lowered her head in defeat. "Well... I might. I miss my room. My hunting buddy, Aela... Farkas, the man that drinks himself silly with me and-" She looked up to you through her hair curled around her face. "My book club. Not many people out here read a lot, or care about history." You reached out, pushing her hair behind her ear, getting a better look at her. She blushed softly. Averting her eyes you couldn't help but study the contours of her face, admiring her. She was pouting a little, making her all the more adorable. Your palm moved to contour her jaw, caressing her warmly. Her eyes locked back on yours shyly.

"Then why can't you? I'm sorry if this is too forward... but please. Come back home with me. Give me proper time to make this all up to you."

She sighed, you noticed her eyes starting to water. It was too fast again but you couldn't help it. Looking at her like this all you wanted to do was take her home. "I... can't..." She whispered though slowly started to lean in. "There is work that needs to be done here is Skyrim. Being out here... learning from the greybeards... it's all opened a world that I didn't know was here. I was approached by a courier the other day. I'm needed... by the blades."

"The blades?" You widened your eyes, thinking about the legendary group who slayed dragons. "What do they want with you?"

You paused, looking to her. "I'm the dragonborn..." You shook your head. "I'm the ultimate dragon slayer."

"But you're a companion, not a blade..." You felt hurt, she shook her head.

"I didn't join them." She spoke almost happily. "I wear my companion title with pride. But they will need my help, I have a feeling this is so big, I can't wrap my head around it yet."

You nodded slowly, understandingly. "Then just stay for a while." She nodded.

"I will. Vilkas I'm not leaving for good but for now I simply can't come back. Please understand. But right now... right this very moment... let's just get drunk. I need it." She downed the rest of her ale, ordering another. The rest of the night was sweet, you both talked, mostly about her journey so far. It ended when you dropped her off at her room, making plans to travel back to Whiterun tomorrow morning. After she opened the door, she turned back to you. There was a moment.

She stared into your eyes, smiling happily. It was a beautiful moment you didn't want to end. Until she leaned in, on her tip toes to give you a soft kiss on your cheek. She rushed a goodnight out, then closed the door, leaving you to stand there for just a moment in shock, then headed back to your room, full spread smile on your face the first time since the night you were going to propose. You had gotten back on track, even if there was a setback along the way.