The idea unfurled in Tati's chest like something coming back to life after a long winter; which, she supposed, was exactly what it was. "Adventures," she said, tasting the word like it was something she'd almost forgotten how to pronounce. "I used to think about that when we were kids...

Edinburgh. Tati stepped out of the station and immediately tipped her face upward, letting snowflakes settle against her cheeks and eyelashes. The city opened up around them; ancient stone buildings dusted white, warm golden light spilling from shop windows, the distant silhouette of the castle crow...

"Intertwining all along," Tati repeated softly, turning the phrase over in her mind. "You know, I never thought about it that way. But you're right." She followed his gaze to their reflection in the darkening window; the two of them tucked together in the small booth, her head o...

Tati felt something warm and aching bloom in her chest at his honesty. He hadn't come back for her, hadn't even known she'd be there and somehow that made everything that had unfolded between them feel even more miraculous. Like the universe had simply decided they'd been kept apart long enough. &qu...

Tati felt the last of her tension dissolve completely as they settled into the couch together, the fire warm before them, Bishop solid and real beside her. She shifted until she found the perfect position; tucked against his side, her head on his good shoulder, his jacket still draped around her lik...

The rest of their lives. Tati felt those words settle over her like the warmest blanket imaginable, chasing away the winter chill and every lingering doubt simultaneously. She let herself be pulled closer into his side as his arm slid around her, fitting against him like she'd always belonged there....

Tati laughed softly at his warning about his ego, the sound warm and genuine against his lips. "Maybe I want you to have a big ego about this particular thing," she murmured, her fingers still threaded through his hair. "You've earned it." The image he painted: stolen moments bet...

Tati felt her cheeks warm at his declaration of selfishness, at the way he crossed his heart like making a solemn vow. The earnestness in his expression made her chest tighten with affection so strong it almost hurt. "You're impossible," she said softly, but there was no real complaint in ...

The moment his lips met hers, everything else ceased to exist. Tati melted into the kiss, her fingers tightening in his hair as she pressed closer to him. This kiss was different from the ones on the balcony; less tentative, more certain. Like they'd both realized in the span of minutes that this wa...

Tati's heart squeezed at the kiss to her knuckles; that gesture that was quickly becoming theirs , something she'd associate with Bishop for the rest of her life. Every time he did it, she felt like she was living in some kind of fairytale, except this was real. He was real. They were real. "I'...

Tati's breath caught as his arm slid around her, drawing her closer until there was barely any space between them. Her hand on his chest curled slightly into the fabric of his robes, anchoring herself to him as she tilted her head back to meet his eyes. "Yes," she whispered, her voice soft...

Tati felt the now-familiar flutter in her chest as Bishop took her hand, his fingers intertwining with hers like it was the most natural thing in the world. The gesture was simple, but it grounded her in a way that even the necklace couldn't quite manage because this was him, solid and real and choo...

Tati felt the warmth of his hands at her sides, the gentle press of his lips against her cheek, and for a moment she just closed her eyes and let herself feel it. All of it. The safety, the affection, the simple joy of being touched with such tenderness by someone who actually wanted to touch her. W...

Tati had been pacing her small apartment for the better part of an hour, second-guessing every choice she'd made. The dress , was it too much? Not enough? The simple black number hugged her curves in a way that made her feel both elegant and exposed, the fabric falling to just above her knee in soft...

Tati's breath caught as Bishop pulled out the box, her eyes widening slightly with surprise. She hadn't expected this; hadn't expected him to have planned anything beyond asking her to the ball. The fact that he'd made something for her, regardless of how the evening turned out, made her chest tight...

Tati's blush returned with a vengeance at his compliment, her cheeks flushing that telltale pink that her fair complexion could never hide. "A potato sack and bald?" she repeated with a laugh, shaking her head in amused disbelief. "That's quite the mental image, Bishop. I'm not sure I...

Tati's fingers tightened around his as he led her through the thinning crowd, her heart doing somersaults at the casual intimacy of it all; walking hand-in-hand with Bishop like it was the most natural thing in the world. Like they'd been doing this for years instead of mere minutes. She couldn't st...

The ball. She'd been planning to avoid it entirely. Hide in her quarters, claim she was on call, anything to not have to watch happy couples dancing while she tried not to think about another ball, years ago, when things had been simpler and she'd been foolish enough to think... "Bishop, I...&...

The warmth of his jacket settling over her shoulders was immediate and comforting, carrying with it the scent of him; familiar and grounding in a way that made her heart squeeze. But even as she pulled it closer around herself, the healer in her couldn't help but protest. "Bishop, you're going ...

Tatiana stirred at the gentle shake, her mind taking a moment to orient itself. She'd fallen asleep in the chair sometime after finishing the letter to Tibet, too exhausted to make it back to her quarters and unwilling to leave him completely alone. Her neck protested immediately as she lifted her h...

Tatiana remained quiet through the exchange, her hands stilling on the spine of a book when the spirit’s voice rose. She didn’t flinch this time; only lowered her chin slightly, absorbing his words with a kind of solemn acceptance. Choice mattered. Even when it hurt to witness. When the spirit finis...

The blush that crept up Tati's neck and flooded her cheeks was immediate and unmistakable, her fair complexion betraying every bit of the effect his words had on her. Her lips parted in surprise at his boldness—the wink, the implication, the playful confidence that was so distinctly him when he let ...

Tatiana busied herself in her office while Bishop read through her research, giving him space to process everything she'd just laid before him. She caught up on paperwork, restocked a few supplies, and tried not to think too hard about the vulnerable admission she'd just made. When enough time had p...

Tatiana didn’t move closer when Derek approached the dais. She stayed where she was, hands folded loosely in front of her, posture composed; studied, almost while her eyes tracked him all the same. When he spoke the name aloud, something tight flickered across her expression, but she schooled it awa...

Tati's eyes widened, genuine shock rippling across her features as his words sank in. "You've been waiting that long too?" she whispered, her voice almost disbelieving. "Bishop, I... I had no idea. I thought..." She stopped herself, shaking her head slightly as a watery laugh esc...