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Wylan didn't know what to do, which was a new feeling for him. Most of the time, partly picked up from Kaz, and partly from his own prerogative, he knew what he wanted to do all the time. He'd planned for this outcome. He knew what to do in it, but this time, he really didn't. He found himself standing still on his own, staring blankly ahead because he was struggling to understand what had just happened, let alone how to react to it.
It was Jesper's birthday. The second one since he'd died. He would have been 36. They'd gotten married when Wylan was 20 and Jesper was 21, so, they would have been married for 15 years in about three months, and two years ago Wylan would have no idea that he would be standing here right now. At his husband's grave. A bouquet of red chrysanthemums, Jesper's favourite, clutched in his left hand as his knuckles slowly went whiter and whiter. He stared at the engraving on the stone slate in front of him, the same one that he'd been to so many times since he had been buried here, and each time it would have been to comfort himself with the idea that Jesper was with him, wanted the best for him, regardless of if he was physically there or not.
Jesper Fahey. Died age 34. Loving father, husband & friend. A pair of pearl handled guns engraved under it, because Wylan had felt like it wouldn't have been complete without them, and under that, quoted in a way that Wylan had really felt like he needed, 'I'd drag you back from the depths of hell myself'.
Every birthday, anniversary, or day that he was struggling, Wylan was here. Most of the time Kaz would come with him, stand back and wait, offer quiet comfort if Wylan wanted it or needed it. He only bought flowers for this, so every time he approached the stall, the vendor handed him the same batch because he already knew what Wylan wanted, and Wylan would silently hand over the money while the vendor looked at him with those quietly sad eyes that he'd gotten a lot since Jesper had died. The pity. The sadness. How everyone must feel that he'd lost someone so close to him so young, left behind two kids, had that quietly broken look in his eyes for so long. He knew why he got it, because he would be the same if it had happened to someone else. The fact that he was a pretty prominent mercher and known somewhat for his role in the Ice Court job and the Dregs only meant that more people knew him, and therefore that he got more of those pity looks.
And for the first month, the vendor had refused to take his money, as some kind of tribute, Wylan supposed. After that, Wylan insisted that he took his money, because he felt guilty about it, but it was just one instance of how people had pitied him and his life after Jesper died. Everyone knew Jesper- maybe not well, but everyone knew of him. The laughing man who was constantly smiling, grinning, the pear-handled revolvers slotted at his hips, the red haired man who was often nearby. Used to frequent the gambling halls, not so much anymore, the one who was constantly wherever trouble was, but always seemed to be comfortable. At ease. Jesper Fahey and Wylan Van Eck, as easy was breathing.
It was how Wylan would have described their relationship- easy as breathing. Simple. Natural. Perfect. It always felt like it was meant to be, like Jesper and Wylan were just two pieces of the same puzzle that fit together and worked perfectly, and that was that. They didn't need to look any further, think about it anymore. On the occasion that they did have arguments, as any couple did, it was resolved quickly and easily because they were stressed or angry or frustrated. It was comfortable, loving, right. It was always easy. They cared about each other in a way that would always be unconditional, and the idea that Wylan would ever have to live without that smile and laugh or those jokes was so unfathomable for so many years.
His head dropped a little, staring at the soil, and he crouched to rest the bouquet of flowers at the stone slab with his husband's name on it. He felt like it should be an inherently sad place, a reminder of what he had lost from his life, but he simply couldn't think of it like that- anymore, at least. It was the opposite now; he felt like this was a place with the same kind of comfort that Jesper gave him. The safety and lack of judgement Jesper had always offered him, like this was a place where he still existed, in some capacity, to offer Wylan the same thing that he had offered him in life. A chance to think and speak and feel without any judgement.
Going into his and Kaz's relationship, he'd know that Kaz was far away from Jesper in so many ways, that they didn't fit the same way, think the same way. He was fine with that, he knew that was what was going to happen, and for the most part, he and Kaz got on incredibly well. Had very few arguments because of the way that they were truthful with each other, because it was hard to argue when someone would state their intentions and their feelings and then you could resolve it.
This time, though, it had seemed different. Like Kaz Brekker, of all people, was action irrationally.
With a stressed sigh, Wylan rubbed his hand through his hair. He rested a hand against the stone in front of him, and closed his eyes. "Happy Birthday, Jes." Wylan whispered, and pulled his hand back again. "I've been thinking about you a lot recently. A lot. I keep thinking if, you know, I make it to being old and senile, if I'll still come here in my old age and speak to you like I do now, see if Julian and Marie come with me to make sure I don't, like, kneel over here." He gave a little laugh and then shook his head, "I think I will. I don't think that I'll ever stop finding this kind of comfort in you, even if you're, you know, dead." He let out a little sigh and moved to sitting in front of it. The soil in front of his grave has soon gave over to grass, and the occasional flower, and it was hot enough today that it wasn't muddy, which he was thankful for. "Uh, Jules and Marie didn't come today because they're at school right now. I offered to take them later if they wanted to come, but I think it's harder for them than they let on, because, well, Jules is good at hiding his feelings, as you know. Marie, not so much, but I know that she's been struggling because of everything more so recently. We all have."
It was obvious why. To Wylan, at least. Jesper had always said that once he turned 36 he was going to have more riches than he could have ever dreamed of, that he'd take them all out on a holiday. Take the kids out of school, which Wylan had always protested at, that he'd go anywhere that they wanted. Jules was 10 this year, Marie was 7, and they were starting to realise what it was. That all of their friends at school had a mum and a dad and a loving home life and that their friends parents sometimes looked at him with the same pity that Wylan got. And, fuck, Wylan would do anything to take that pain away from them.
"I know that everything happens for a reason, and I know that all you want is for me and the kids to be happy, and fuck-" He tried to blink the tears out of his eyes, "And fuck, it's been great recently. Everything seemed to be looking up for so long, and everything with Kaz was going to well, and I've been trying. I've been trying so hard, for you, for Julian and Marianne, for myself. For Kaz. But I keep having this hopeless feeling like no matter what, I'm going to come back to this, to you, and that everything is going to be shit because for the rest of my life, you're gone. And that's a fact, and you're never coming home to me, and I fucking know that, but..." He swallowed hard. "I think it's hitting me again that we had so many plans for each other, for our kids, and we're just never going to get to do them. And I keep missing you. Missing that."
He dropped his head slightly, and closed his eyes. "It never gets better, it just gets easier to forget about, I guess. Not that I could ever, ever forget you." He let out a shuddering breath. Wiped under his eyes. "I've been trying to think about what you would do, roles reversed, and I would like to think that you know... you'd grieve for a while, because how could you not, but that you'd ultimately move on and find someone else. Or maybe you wouldn't, you always insisted that you wouldn't. But I think that you'd be able to, uh, deal with it better than I have. I think you'd do a better job at compartmentalising what you needed to get done aside from your feelings. I've failed hugely at that. Life goes on, right? I can only deal with that hand that I've been given, and while I wouldn't change it, there is always a part of me that just fuckin' wishes that it hadn't happened. That you weren't dead. I feel so shit saying it because of Kaz, but I can't deny that it's there. I wish you were here."
Wylan inhaled, wiped under his eyes again, and then stood up. Ghosted his hands over the top of the rounded stone. "I'll see you later, Jes. Love you." He whispered, and turned away, started walking back down the path that he'd walked up and down so many times before with different people. It was familiar. Not easy, not nice, but familiar. He shoved his hands into his pockets, stared at the ground, and thought.
The argument that he and Kaz had was fucking stupid. He'd gladly apologise for being so easy to snap, easily explain why it was because of the time of year that it was. But he had the feeling that the reason they argued wasn't really the reason why Kaz was on edge, and that meant that he wanted to know what it was that was keeping Kaz from being honest with him, because that wasn't something that he ever really did. Kaz was an inherently truthful person, something that originally stemmed from his lack of caring how it effected other peoples feeling, and now because it was something that was just quicker at solving problems. And that meant that it was fully plausible that Kaz was still angry and inclined to argue, which Wylan really didn't want to do. Kaz became more uncaring the angrier he got, and uncaring Kaz wasn't the kind that he didn't want to encounter today. He felt like that would be the last straw for him today. And he had more things to worry about.
He found a rock and kicked it as he walked along, watching the way that it rolled and left and he adjusted his path to kick it once again. Fuck. He didn't know how to dal with Kaz when he was frustrated. It was easy when it was Jesper, because he could ask and Jesper would rant and complain and get mad and then he'd realise what the actual issue was and they could work through it together. But Kaz was far more inclined to stare at Wylan with that bored, dead-behind-the-eyes look, like he didn't give a shit about anything or anyone because he felt like he was going to be hurt. It was half annoying that he refused to communicate, and half sad that Kaz left like Wylan would hurt him.
Fuck. This was harder than he wanted it to be, and he didn't want to be stuck in this limbo of not knowing what he wanted or how to help him through something he was obviously struggling with, but he didn't know how to rectify that. And he wished that he hadn't been as snappy as he had been. He just needed to say this to Kaz, but he didn't even know where to start to find him, so-
He looked up, and there Kaz Brekker stood, leaning against the brick wall that rounded the edges of the cemetery that Jesper was buried in. He was dressed as usual, all black, his shoes polished so clean you could see a reflection in them, his cane in his right hand, his hat on his head and his collar pushed up at the back. He looked devastatingly handsome, as usually, but Wylan supposed that wasn't a relevant thought as Kaz regarded him with detached eyes. It made nerves scratch at his throat, because he immediately assumed the worst, that Kaz didn't want him and was going to break up with him. He knew it was irrational, but his heart was still beating faster, because it'd been so long since Kaz had looked at him like that. Like he didn't care. Even if he knew that he did.
"Kaz," He greeted softly, because he didn't know what else to say. But it didn't seem like Kaz was going to say anything back to that, so with an anxiety-filled breath in, he opened his mouth to say something else, anything else- But the look in his eyes stopped him again. They were always softer in the morning, half-lidded and sleepy. A pliable kind of milky chocolate. But now it was like he'd put up a wall between them, a hard shield that left Wylan standing on the outside of his thoughts and feelings. He wanted to break in, but he didn't know if Kaz would let him anymore. But he knew why he was here- because Kaz was always here why he came to see Jesper. To make sure that he was okay, even now, and the thought broke Wylan's heart. Even if he was hurting like he obviously was, he was putting what Wylan needed first. Made sure that he was okay. Because that was Kaz- and how could anyone ever think of him as a bad person?
"Something is wrong." He murmured in much the same way that Kaz would when he was upset, watching him carefully. His voice was less assertive, more unsure of himself because he didn't know what Kaz wanted, but there was nothing that he could do other than try, and- "I don't want to argue with you. I don't want you to shut me out. So I think we should talk about whatever it is that is obviously bothering you, and then maybe we can come to a decision about it on how to help you."
Kaz regarded him slowly, his left hand tucked into his pocket. Wylan knew he was debating how sarcastic to be in his answer, and knew that if Wylan was anyone else then he likely would have already received something scathing. But he wasn't. And even now, Kaz was hesitant to say anything like that to Wylan. "How was your afternoon?" He asked instead, and Wylan dealt him a look that said that clearly wasn't what they were here to talk about, nor did answer anything that he said. The redhead leaned against the wall next to Kaz. "Yes."
"Yes, what?" He asked, blinking a little up at him, and Kaz looked conflicted for a moment, his eyebrows tugging downward, and then his face smoothed out again. He seemed to be thinking about it, and while he did, Wylan moved the only ring he had around his finger. It used to be his wedding ring, but he'd switched it onto his right hand for too many reasons to properly count. He couldn't bring himself to get rid of it, and he had worn it for fifteen years- hiding it away in some kind of jewellery box just didn't seem right, either. For a while he'd had it around his neck on a necklace, but that proved more trouble than it was worth, and Kaz suggested just wearing it on his other hand. He had done since.
"Yes, something is wrong." He agreed, but Wylan already knew that, so he kept quiet. Let Kaz think and speak as he would. "I don't want to talk about this here, but I suppose that there's no place else that I would rather talk about it, so." He turned his head to look down at Wylan, who raised his eyebrows slightly, and Kaz glanced away for a moment. "I'm conflicted," He admitted quietly, "Because I've been thinking a lot about Jesper recently. A lot. How he died, my role in it, the fact that I mean- everything we have is effectively because I played a big role in your husband dying. And that happening once proves that, you know, the work I do is dangerous. I could have just as easily died that day, and I could just as easily and suddenly die in the future. I saw you after Jesper died, and the thought of leaving you behind like that wrecks me."
Wylan's mind started spinning immediately. Was Kaz going to break up with him? Was he being distant because he wanted Wylan to get used to life without him? Was it just because he was worried that he was going to die and the Wylan was going to be left in the same space that he was before and this time, "No." Wylan breathed out, shaking his head a little. "No. No, Kaz, I don't- I-" He didn't even know how to word it. It felt so unreal. "Kaz. Kaz." He repeated, leaning off the wall and standing in front of him, shaking his head, "I know what you do is dangerous, and yes, of course I worry about you. Of course I do. But that doesn't mean- I don't-"
"I'm not breaking up with you." He interrupted, shaking his head. "I wouldn't dream of it. You mean far too much to me. I'm saying that I think I want to take less of a role in the Dregs. I'm not old, but I'm not getting any younger, and if taking a more relaxed role means that I get to be there for you and Julian and Marianne, and it means that I'm being safer, then that's ultimately what I want. I don't mean that I want- I don't want to step down, or anything. I'm saying that maybe I don't go on missions as dangerous, maybe I spend a little more time at home with you and the kids, maybe I think a bit more carefully about what I'm doing and when so that both you and I are less worried about things that may end badly."
"Oh. Oh." Wylan blinked rapidly, but as much as he hadn't expected this, something told him this wasn't what Kaz was upset about. Why would he be upset about something that he wanted to do? "Well, if that's something that you want to do, I'm not going to stop you from doing it by any stretch. It would make me- and you, probably- less worried, but I equally wouldn't stop you if it was something you wanted to continue doing. I know how much you love it." He cleared his throat a little and shook his head, "Is there anything else that's bothering you, though? This doesn't seem like what you were bothered over." He winced a little bit, as though he disliked that Wylan could read him as well as he did, but it only confirmed what he thought. There was something else. "Talk to me about it." He urged.
"Someone said something to me today." Kaz admitted quietly, and as he looked away, he seemed quiet. Like he was reproachful. Nervous. "Or, well, I overheard something. He didn't say it to me. You don't know him, uh, Dustin. He's one of the quick climbers in the Dregs, to be honest, I've been seeing a lot of good stuff from him recently. But he was talking to someone that I only really know of, and he mentioned you, and the other guy was just so surprised. Like it was so implausible that we were together because I'm- I'm fuckin' Dirtyhands and you're, you. You've got such a good reputation, a good name, for always trying to fight for what's right and doing what's right, regardless of the consequence, and this man just seemed so shocked that we would find each other. That you would see something in me. That's what he said, like he was genuinely surprised that anyone could find it in their heart to care about me. And I kind of see it."
"Bullshit." Wylan shook his head, "Complete and utter bullshit. That guy didn't know you. He doesn't get to have an opinion on what kind of person you are, what kind of person I am, he has no right to see or not see what it is that I see in you, because he doesn't fucking know you. How could he see what I do? He doesn't know that you wait outside of the cemetery for me even when we're fighting, just to make sure that I'm okay. He doesn't know that you take endure the endless questioning from my kids about your job. He doesn't know how hard you work to make sure that we're all happy. He doesn't see your kindness, or your patience, or your generosity, or any of the many, many good qualities about you, because how would he? He gets to have no opinion on if you're a good person or not. If you're worth being cared about or not." He reached forward and took Kaz's hands in his, pressed kisses to the backs of his knuckles. "Everyone deserves to be cared about, in my opinion. But you especially. No one who knows you, truly knows you, and truly knows us, would ever think that. And that's what really counts."
"I know, but then I just thought-" Kaz's eyes were misted over, the wall that had been between them seemed to be broken down, and he let out a long, shaky breath. "I thought about you and Jesper. How good you two were together, how well you knew each other, how much you loved each other, and I just thought that-" He closed his eyes for a moment, and when he spoke, his voice shook. "That I'm never going to love anyone else in the same way that I love you, but you already have. That Jesper was probably better for you than I am, that if he hadn't have died then I would have missed all of this because you obviously never would have looked twice at me in the face of what you two had, but-"
"Hey. Hey, Kaz, I think we're spiralling now." Wylan whispered, lifting a hand to brush over his cheek lightly, searching for something in his eyes. "I don't want you to compare yourself or our relationship to Jesper or what me and Jesper had. It's not going to end well because you and Jesper are vastly different people, in the same way that Inej and I are vastly different people, and you would never dream of comparing us. Yes, if things had happened differently, then everything would be different, but things happened this way, and I'm nothing short of incredibly happy that it did." He assured, trying to instil Kaz with that security, "But as it turns out, life is a mess of decisions that we don't usually get to make for ourselves, and this is what we got. And we got something fucking amazing. And I'm so glad that I have you. If Jesper was still alive, then no, we wouldn't have happened. But he's not. So there's no use in thinking about it, because it's just not reality. I love you. I'm so grateful for you. I wouldn't change this if I could."
He was silent for a long moment, but to Wylan's tentative comfort, he looked less like he was completely spiralling in his feelings. "Do you really mean that? If someone genuinely offered you the choice that Jesper was still here and alive and well, would you genuinely choose reality as it is?" Kaz asked, staring at him.
"Yes." Wylan answered immediately. "Yes, I would choose everything as it is." He squeezed Kaz's hand lightly, nodding his head, "Because everything happened like this for a reason. I'm a better, stronger person, and I would like to think that you are too. We're undeniably good for each other. And of course I miss Jesper, of course parts of me do wish that he hadn't died, but that doesn't mean that I wish this hadn't have happened. The opposite. I'm so grateful for this, for you, so grateful that this has happened. It hurts like fuck. I miss the fuck out of Jesper, and I still love him, too. But you're underestimating how much I love you, Kaz. How deserving you are of that love." He would say it as many times as he needed to hear it. "I love you. I wouldn't change this even if I could."
Slowly, realisation seemed to creep into Kaz's eyes, and the tension in his shoulders slackened a little bit. He was thinking. Wylan let his hand drop his Kaz's face to grasp his hand instead, because physical touch was something that Kaz had told him that calmed him down. Not from most people still, but Wylan had noticed him slowly getting better with it- and he couldn't be more proud- and he liked being in contact with Kaz, too. His touch was usually soft enough that Wylan could just melt into him, and he loved it. "I shouldn't have argued with you just because I felt... insecure. I'm sorry." He murmured, "I know today is a hard day for you and I never wanted to make it worse or harder."
"I shouldn't have been so quick to react. I'm sorry for my part in it, as well. It takes two to tango." He said softly, shaking his head, "We both could have handled the situation better, but what matters is that we're good now, yeah?" He asked quietly, and Kaz nodded his head. Wylan squeezed his hand. "In the future, if something is bothering you like this has been, I just want you to talk to me about it. The most important thing here is communication because when we don't, things go really wrong. As demonstrated today. And I don't want us to feel like we're struggling, you know? I really really want us to work out."
"I know, Wy. I want that too, of course I do." Kaz let out a sigh and let go of his hand to instead wrap his arms around Wylan and pull him closer, muttering under his breath, "And at the risk of ruining my reputation, I will hug you in public on this one occasion." Wylan laughed softly, resting his head against Kaz's chest as his arms slowly got tighter. It was something that always happened when he hugged Kaz- he'd start with his arms loosely, and then as the seconds went on, slowly get tighter and tighter until he was holding Wylan like he was never going to let him go. It never failed to be insanely comforting. "I really am sorry that we argued. I'm aware of how hard today is on you already, which is why I stayed, because... I'm always going to be here for you. Are you okay?"
He took a moment to really consider it as Kaz's hands rubbed against his back, and then sighed slightly. "Yeah. Yeah, I'm okay. It's the same way that you feel with Jordie, I assume. It never gets easier. I never feel like it hurts less or I miss him less, but it does get easier to deal with, I guess. Not ignore. I always want to say it gets easier to ignore, but it's not me ignoring it, more like- acknowledging that I'm in pain and moving past it. Because I am happy. I am happier, and it's largely due to you. And I'm really grateful that you exist. That you're here for me." Wylan whispered, closing his eyes for a long moment, "It really helps. A lot. You always help me, and fuck, I love you so much for that." He paused, and thought for another minute before shaking his head slightly, "And don't apologise, we sorted it out, and I'm not going to hold anything over your head. We're good now, as long as you think that we're good."
"I do think we're good. Every day is a good day if I'm spending it with you," Kaz's hands flattened out against his back and he let out a sigh, "I get what you're saying. It's always been like that for me. I think that you're right- time doesn't make it less painful, it just makes it easier to deal with the pain. And Wylan, if you ever need any help dealing with the pain, then you know that I would be more than happy to help you. To ease your burdens any way that I can."
"I do know that, but- the same goes for you, Kaz," Wylan murmured, pulling back and looking at him, "I know that you're inclined to deal with everything yourself quietly, and as much as I trust you to know how to deal with yourself, I also know that sometimes you don't admit to needing help when you should." Wylan ghosted his hand over his jaw and shrugged a little, "And I want you to know that you can admit that to me. I'm always down to help you. Plus, if it gets me more face-to-face time with you, then I'm certainly not going to be the one complaining about it."
Kaz laughed, shaking his head and kissing his forehead. "Thank you. I appreciate you hugely." He dropped his forehead, bending slightly so that he could do so, and closed his eyes with a soft smile. "You're the best thing that's ever happened to me. You and Julian and Marianne. I always think that- that, you know, everything I lost when I was a kid I just kind of shut it out. That I would never have this, a family, people to come home to. That I didn't want it. But it's like you proved to me that this is worth having. That love is worth putting time into, because I would put everything into this for us. And I don't know if I ever would have opened up like this if it wasn't for you, so, really, Wylan. You mean the fucking world to me. And I'm going to ask around and see what I can do with the Dregs."
"We should have a longer-term conversation about it, Kaz, but we'll do it later. I want to save the big decisions for some other time, if that's okay with you." Wylan whispered, but then tilted his head upward to kiss him softly. "I will admit. It will make me feel better about your work with the Dregs if you're doing less dangerous stuff. I trust you completely in what you do and how you handle yourself, and I would never ask you to do it if you didn't want to- but if it's something that you do want, then of course I support you in whatever you want to do."
"I know that you do." Kaz was still smiling with this kind of serene air, as though he was so completely content in himself and his life, "And yes. We can talk about this later. All that matters to me is that you and I and... and our little family, that we're as happy as we can be. That we're there for each other." He was pressing gentle kisses all over his face, and Wylan was so unbelievably happy. "And I'm always, always here for you. I love you. To the ends of this earth and the next."
"I think the next earth is a long, long way away. Theoretically out there somewhere, if the universe is as large as we think it is, but it's going to be an incredibly long way away," Wylan murmured, "Like, so far that it's not something that we can even quantify or relate to."
"My statement stands. I love you to to the ends of this earth and the next. The further away, the better, because it just proves my point more." Kaz murmured, and pulled back so that he could pull Wylan to his chest again, the smile evident in his voice, "My smart little guy, aren't you?" He whispered, flattening his hand out against Wylan's head and keeping him there, and Wylan let out the most contented sigh he ever had. "It's cute. We compliment each other like that. I've got the street smarts, you've got the book smarts. And before you spout something about not being book smart because you can't fuckin' read, you know that's not what I'm talking about. And you know that doesn't define you, or how smart you are. I think you're the smartest guy I've ever met. No one worth giving a damn about cares about it, either."
"Genya thinks it's a condition. I can't remember what it's called, but it's something they know a lot about in Ravka- where the words move around on the page, or something. Only in my case, the words don't move, I just... I don't know. I can't differentiate the letters. But it's still the same thing apparently." Wylan let out a sigh and nodded his head, "It doesn't matter to me because, you know. Whatever the condition is called doesn't change the fact that I can't read, so the name doesn't mean anything to me."
"Dyslexia. It's more common than you think it is. You just have a pretty severe case of it." Kaz murmured, and kissed the top of his head, "But you're right. It doesn't matter what it's called because it doesn't hinder the fact that you're an amazing person. Or the fact that you're the smartest person I've met. I would say excluding myself, but you can't really meet yourself." He shrugged a little, rocking the both of them, and Wylan was smiling again, as he usually was when he was with Kaz. He liked that he had that side of himself, the kind that made the quiet joke with a little kiss that he just didn't with everyone else. That side of him was Wylan's. And fuck if nothing made him happier than that.
"You're the smartest person I've met," Wylan murmured, because it was a fact. "You read people in a way that no one else I've ever met can. It's remarkable. You do, hugely, have street smarts. And we do compliment each other in that way." They stayed in silence for a moment, and then Wylan let out another contented sigh. Thanked whatever God it was that had brought Kaz to him, because- he knew that Kaz wasn't a religious man, and neither was he- but something had happened there, and he'd never stop being as eternally grateful for it as he was now. "Love you. Let's never fight again."
"Well, fighting is healthy. But if you agree to talk to me, to scream at me if you want to, to remember when you need to put yourself and your health before mine and the kids, then I'll promise to be more patient and considerate. To talk to you even if I don't think I need to." Kaz murmured back to him, rubbing his shoulders lightly, "This is a partnership we both put work into, you know? I love you too."
"To the ends of this earth and the next."