<div style="text-align: justify;">Mariya smiled when Vitali looked at her that way. It was the smile she used to show as a child when she had been bothering her friend on purpose. She knew, of course, that he would want to be with her for a lot of other reasons. But she also knew that he would like her to feed him something nice. And she was more than willing to do so. She could already imagine them in their kitchen, talking while she cooked him a nice meal. <br/><br/>"I'm glad you still like it", she replied to his comment on loving it when she called him Viti. "Because now that you have allowed me, I will probably call you Viti for the rest of our days".<br/><br/>As he seemed to be planning a kind of floor for their home, Mariya watched as Vitali moved his hands, curious to see what he might have in mind. When he blushed, she did the same, and tried hard not to look away. It was an important question, after all. They would be sharing the home, and needed to think about it. <br/><br/>Hearing him speak about them getting married made Mariya blush. Her eyes light up, though, and it was clear she liked the idea. In both a practical and a sentimental sense, it was good to know that they might marry in the future. With a sigh, Mariya allowed herself to daydream for a moment, before bringing herself back to Earth. Images of the life she would have liked for them, with a small and cozy home, a pet, and maybe one or two little ones, still hung on her mind when she turned her attention outside again.<br/><br/>Vitali's question about going somewhere and playing a game of chess made Mariya show a broad smile. "I thought you would never ask!", she exclaimed, cheerful as the girl she had been years ago. "I would really love to. No cheating!", she completed, shaking her head. "I have not played in years, but I can still remember the rules".</div>