For Nathan, it was the rightness that had initially started to lull him back toward the 'asleep' end of the scale rather than toward waking to observe the significance of this event. It was right and familiar and something he wanted so badly that his subconscious latched on to the chance. The kiss was a counter to that nudge toward sleep, however, and he roused himself very briefly, albeit still not coherently. He tightened the arm around her until his grip was secure, briefly kissing her back; not with the awareness of one awake, but of one beginning what could be a very good dream, bolstered by things occurring in the land of the conscious.
Briefly was the key, though, as sleep was dragging him inexorably back, but not before one more mumble was combined with an attempt to roll onto his back and bring her with him, not atop but resting against him. "Nunc scio, quid sit amor." As he had done earlier, the Latin and English was interchangeable in a comical fashion, a result of his brain sluggishly trying to switch gears back to a state that wasn't crammed with every bit of information he thought he could possibly need. This phrase was muttered just as the legal nonsense before had been, but this time it was far more relevant to the situation. And happily, it made some sense, rather than be more law ramblings or incoherent observations about squirrels, bagels and powdered wigs.
Now I know what love is.
A great epiphany, or wires once more crossing in the attempt to say something else – it wouldn't be clear for now, as not but a few moments after he uttered it, he followed her quiet request and slipped back to sleep entirely.