<span style="color: #0080FF">"Does it really need to do any of that, even if it didn't? I'm damn sure if you hadn't been cleaning up, Rhona would have had to scrap entire sections of the hull. Maybe it doesn't put money in the pot, but you keep the crew going and more. Give yourself what credit your due, because I don't think five people could have done the work you do."</span><br/><br/>Tarrok gave her a tight squeeze to punctuate all that. He hadn't meant to go on and make a speech of things. Aiko did damn good work, since the day she'd been allowed on board the Lady. It had been just as necessary as anything else that got done during the day.<br/><br/>More than that, it was a matter of self confidence. Loving him totally was great and all, a wonderful source of strength for her. He'd always believed, though, the best thing would be for her to love herself. One step to all that was making sure she didn't belittle her own work before anyone else could.<br/><br/>So when she went in for the kiss, he was right with her. Angle his neck so her hands could get every inch they could. Every one gesture was a little treasure, wrapped and given freely with a metaphorical bow. All of them mattered so much, it didn't matter how much they were gifted.<br/><br/><span style="color: #0080FF">"I promise. In the morning, the morning after that and the morning after that one. As long as you want to love me back."</span>Tarrok whispered back.<span style="color: #0080FF"> "It'll be just us, you and I. Nobody could find us right now even if they wanted."</span>