Nate has never been big on “I love you’s and I love you too’s”. Nate prefers gestures. Bunny doesn’t need to tell him that she loves him. If there was any doubt that she did, he never would have asked her to be his wife. She wouldn’t have been the person he wanted to grow old with, have children with, be buried with and so when she says she loves hi, he can’t say it back. There’s too much emotion there to pack into three little words. Instead he kisses her again. This time his arms are wrapped around her little, bunny self and he’s taking the kiss, parting her lips with his tongue and swallowing up as much of the experience of having her here with him that he can.
The kiss is long and he takes his time. He’s smiling against her mouth. There are times when his eyes are open and times when the waves of feelings crash so hard he needs to shut his eyes real tight in order to get through it.
But the kiss does eventually peters out with a series of smaller pecks and he nods. “Alright…”he lingers still until he builds up enough resolve to tear himself away and jog over to the other side. Once he’s inside the truck and the keys turned and the engines roaring he reaches over to take her hand in his.
He feels sober enough now and he isn’t sure if that’s why his hands are shaking like they are or it’s just the overwhelming feeling of happiness he’s caught.
The drive to the Capitol is short. There isn’t a lot of room between them getting there for big conversations so he fills her in on some little things about his room at the shelter – the running water, the electricity, the people with poles up their asses. He paints a skewed picture.