<div align="center"><span class="bbc_u"><strong>Saturday, January 11th - 8:15 AM</strong></span><br/><em>Front Yard (Edge of Estate)</em></div><hr/><div class="floatleft">(https://i.pinimg.com/564x/c3/0b/13/c30b1366f38a9c0e707227f6158d1c90.jpg)</div><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: arial;"><strong>WHO:</strong> Marley Ann (https://elliquiy.com/forums/index.php?topic=316749.msg15283294#msg15283294)<br/><strong>WEARING:</strong> White shirt + grey pants (both pictured), tan sandals<br/><strong>DOING:</strong> Talking to Kaine<br/><strong>NOTE:</strong> Tissues are recommended<br/><strong>TAGGING:</strong> Kaine | CLOSED</span><br/><hr/><span class="bbc_font" style="font-family: arial;">What they <em>could</em> have? Marley’s eyes widened as she felt Kaine crying behind her. He was crying so much that his massive body <em>shivered</em> around her in the desert heat. <em>Did he want… a serious relationship with her?</em> She wondered how much of his heart she had missed over the years. Because it wasn’t just hidden from Eric; it was hidden from everyone. It was even hidden from <em>her</em>. Eric may have been overwhelming at times, but his desires were never hidden from Marley. She knew exactly when and how he wanted her. But Kaine had never said… <em>anything</em>, and now… <br/><br/><em>Now</em> Kaine wasn’t just asking for more, he was asking to <em>be</em> more, with her. <em>He had tried to keep their relationship physical.</em> <em>Tried.</em> That word echoed through her mind, crashing through her past memories with Kaine like a god damn wrecking ball. <em>How long had he tried for?</em> Since before the war? Since the first time they had hooked up in Betty? Since they had met, over five years ago? How long had he tried to be just physical when he actually wanted more from her? How long had he felt this way and… how long had <em>she</em> made him hide his feelings? Because now the big man was crying so hard his tears were falling and staining her white shirt blue.<br/><br/>Kaine had never said anything, so it was impossible to know. <em>Was she ready for more, for what he wanted?</em> She claimed she had hidden their intimacy – Kaine’s feelings – for Eric’s sake. For Eric’s happiness. But Eric wasn’t happy. And Kaine was right, he was an adult. Eric may not have liked that she was intimate with Kaine, but knowing that Marley was, would have broken his heart, not <em>stopped</em> it completely. Eric could heal from heartbreak. Marley could have told him long ago about her and Kaine. <em>So why didn’t she?</em> She wondered if she really was coddling Eric too much, or if Eric wasn’t the issue at all. Because here Kaine was admitting how much he loved her, and yet he was still willing to <em>abide</em> by her decision, even if she didn’t chose him.<br/><br/>“Stop abiding, Darling, it’s not fair.” She wanted Kaine to fight for her, and not just in a war. She wanted him to take what he wanted, instead of tolerating what little he got. “And abiding won’t make you happy.” Marley realized that <em>this</em> was why things had been so unequal between her two men in the first place. Kaine had given her a god damn planet and he only asked for fucking shoes. Eric always asked for more when Kaine always asked for less. It wasn’t <em>right</em> that she had done as they’d asked, but it was <em>easier</em> to go along with it than to actually deal with any of her feelings. “I gave you less because you never asked for more, Kaine. It was easier than trying to figure things out between you and Eric. But now I…” Marley sighed heavily. “Now I have to figure things out, even if it hurts you, even if it hurts Eric. But Kaine…”<br/><br/>Her heart sank, weighted down by her own sudden fears. “What if I’m not ready for a real relationship, with anyone?” Eric wanted commitment, and she didn’t. She had yet to ask him, but if his behavior in bed this morning was any indication… If she gave Eric any less of her, he would leave her.<br/><br/>But if Eric wanted a committed relationship, and she didn’t, shouldn’t they break up? Didn’t Eric <em>deserve</em> someone who could give him a planet, too? But if she broke things off with Eric, did that mean she just... started a committed relationship with Kaine? <em>She wasn’t ready for that.</em> The kissing in public, and the hand holding, and the moon watching, <em>yes</em>, but the other stuff? Kaine didn’t know that their house was losing funding. He didn’t know that she had lied about Tia, and even Gia, to the IOS when they had joined the Cathedral. He didn’t know that the heat from the sun was <em>vibrating</em> and that her memory was <em>broken</em> and that most days she was <em>unhappy</em> because something <em>else</em> felt like it was <em>missing</em>. <br/><br/>She was terrified to let him know all of her secrets, to let him in that deep. But she <em>wanted</em> to be open with him. “Maybe we can each say three things that we want,” Marley started carefully, trying something new, “besides our <em>four</em> very cute <em>caramel</em> babies whose very cute <em>superpowers</em> will undoubtedly drive us both <em>insane</em>.“ Right then, she could sort of imagine it; a very real relationship with Kaine, with lots of babies, and a green backyard, and maybe a piano. Their kids should know what actual music sounded like. It was terrifying, but not impossible, or unworthy of trying. “I want you to come and wake me up when you can’t sleep <em>and</em> you’re still tired, instead of isolating yourself in the garage.” Marley continued, sniffing, but keeping a serious tone as she admitted her first desire. “And, maybe for a while, that means you <em>are</em> waking me up every night, but Kaine, your health and your feelings… they <em>are</em> very important to me. And I am <em>so</em> incredibly sorry if I made you feel otherwise over the last five years.” She had hurt him, so much more than she knew. “I will come whenever you ask, Kaine… and not just when it snows.” She latched her hands around his shaking arms, as if soldering herself to him like hot metal. He could cry as much as he needed to, she wasn’t going anywhere. “Personally, I’d like some more blue in the desert, Darling. Otherwise it’s all just sand.”  <br/><br/>She was quiet for a moment, thinking. “I think I also want you to read the letter I wrote to your mom. Even if…” Part of her letter seemed silly, especially because his mother apparently also fought in the war. “Even though…” He had also survived. Some of the letter wouldn’t make sense. “Some of it you still need to know, I think.” Even though she had made him hide his feelings for the sake of a casual, physical relationship, Kaine did mean more to her than that. He <em>was</em> her soulmate, no matter how poorly she’d treated him in the past. Hopefully he could forgive her; maybe reading her letter to his mom would help. She had kept no secrets in her writing, at least.<br/><br/>“And lastly, I… want to keep calling you Darling.” Marley didn’t know why, but it felt <em>right</em>. It felt like something small she could give back to him, for now at least. It felt like something that was only <em>his</em>. She leaned up and kissed under his chin, holding her blue lips against his warm skin for a long, still moment. “Your turn. What three things do you want, Kaine – and you cannot say shoes,” she quickly appended, “no jokes this time.” Though, if it made him happy, Marley would look for his prized sneakers in a fucking Apocalypse. She would do anything to make Kaine happy, if he would just <em>tell</em> her what he needed.<br/></span>