Chapter Text
Violet had dozed in and out of consciousness for a few hours. Gale eventually did as well, but they stayed wrapped up in each other the entire time.
At some point, they were awake and simply laying together, talking.
About everything and nothing. Violet grinned into his pec as their fingers danced. She couldn’t remember the last time she felt so damn content.
“Back in the cave…Elara called you Vyreth.”
Violet’s hand traced an invisible line up and down Gale’s chest, eyes on her hand to avoid having to look him in the eyes. “Yes.”
“Is Violet a nickname?”
Violet blinked back the burning that returned behind her eyes. Tucking her chin so she could look up at her wizard, she gave him a sad smile.
“Yes and no.”
Gale tilted his head at her, running a hand through her long locks. Equally soothing.
“My mother…she called me Violet. She said my bright purple eyes reminded her of violets. Neither she nor my father had purple eyes…they’re unsure where the trait came from. Perhaps I have human ancestry somewhere in my bloodline. I don’t know.” She shrugged. “But, I was born Vyreth. Gentle flame , my mother always said. She burns but she does not scream. ”
One of Gale’s eyebrows raised, “That’s…beautifully haunting. Arguably just like the woman herself.”
Violet grinned up at him, trying to hide the blush. “You already got me in your bed, wizard, flattery won’t get you any farther.”
Gale’s smile turned smug, “You never know.” Bending his neck, he pressed a simple but hard kiss to her lips before pulling away, leaving her breathless once more.
It took her brain a few moments to reboot and return to what she had been saying.
“When Vorn murdered Elara that night, I escaped to the surface knowing that he would hunt me to the ends of Faerun. He never liked it when something didn’t go his way. I knew that if I had any chance of surviving, I had to change my name. As far as anyone in the Underdark knows, Vyreth was killed that same evening as Elara. Violet just seemed like the logical next choice,” She shrugged a bare shoulder up to one ear, “It was always a joke, as well. My skin and eyes are bright purple. My father was a deep alabaster with red eyes and my mother was a dark blue, tinted slightly purple with bright blue eyes. Kind of like Emma, as a matter of fact. Add in my favorite color being purple and Violet just… fit. My father loved the joke, but he also loved me.”
She blinked, dragging her eyes down to her hand again, letting it dance on his chest in no particular manner. “So, I came to the surface and changed my name along with my hair. My hair used to be bright silver, almost like Shadowheart’s is now. Rare, even for a drow. That’s all Mom…she loved our hair. It killed me to cover it, but it wouldn’t do me much good if it got me killed. In the end…I prefer it black. It fits me more, I think… Vorn never knew me by Violet. Only Elara and my parents ever called me that or knew of the nickname. It was a blessing, in the end. He only knew Vyreth.”
Gale nodded, taking in all the information as a wizard does- with precision and intent. “What about your surname?”
Violet shook her head again, as much as she could with her cheek pressed to his shoulder. “When my parents were murdered, we weren’t sure who did it or why. So, when I went to the monastery, I just went by Vyreth. Surnames weren’t needed, not in the temple. When I came to the surface, however, I knew I needed one. I ended up combining both my parents' surnames with Elara’s surname. I couldn’t use just my parents’- especially since their killer still hasn’t been apprehended. And I couldn’t use just Elara’s because she was the last of her line. So, I combined them. My old surname- T’saelvir - combined with Elara’s- Sarran . The three of them were the only family I’d ever truly had. T’sarran just made sense to me.”
Gale smiled warmly down at her, “It does…will you change it, were you to ever get married?”
Violet blushed at the insinuation, but thought about the question. “I probably will add on my husband’s last name. My last name has come to represent my family, and adding another would just add to who I am, who I call family.”
Gale grinned widely down at her, but didn’t say anything else. Perhaps they both knew they were tapping too close to a conversation they had yet to have: where this was going after/ if they were able to defeat the Elder Brain.
In truth, Violet knew there wasn’t anyone else for her.
Gale Dekarios was her person, as much as one person can belong to another. As far as she could tell, Gale felt the same. The conversation this evening with Elara only confirmed that Gale had thought about it, and had planned on being in her life forever.
She just…didn’t want to assume .
If they survived the Elder Brain…Violet knew she would follow Gale Dekarios to the ends of Faerun if he asked her to.
As they laid there for another moment, Gale tilted his head at the ceiling, “The T’ prefix…in your surname…that means noble-born, right?”
Violet’s eyebrows shot up, impressed. Though, she should’ve known her wizard would know a little something about everything.
“Yes. It’s a noble or house-born prefix. Mom and Dad were relatively high up in Menzoberranzan society. But neither worshiped Lolth. Not truthfully,” She smiled a little, “Dad would help people escape out from under Lolth’s rule. Help them get out safely. In truth, it’s probably why they were killed, but it was never confirmed nor denied. And I’ve been so far removed from Menzoberranzan culture now that I’m not even sure I would know enough to find out who did it or why.”
Gale’s hand ran up and down her bare back, his brain clearly working out a plan. “Let me do some digging. I swear that the T' prefix sounds familiar. Maybe I can find out some details on your parents murder. Did you have any other family?”
Violet shook her head, eyes on Gale’s face as his eyes were focused on the ceiling.
“No. Mom’s family wanted nothing to do with her- a Seldarine drow falling for a Lloth-sworn drow. The scandal ,” They both let out a small, humorless chuckle. “Of course, she couldn’t tell her family that he wasn’t really sworn to Lloth. But, in truth, I’m not sure it would’ve mattered. Dad’s family was long deceased by the time I was born. He never would say why. I just assumed a political murder or execution. Maybe a sacrificial one. It’s hard to tell in Menzoberranzan.”
Gale finally moved his eyes down to the drow in his arms. He grinned softly at her, brushing a strand of ebony hair off her forehead. “Let me look into it. Maybe your parents' killers were caught and you just never knew about it because you went straight to the monastery after their murders, right?”
Violet nodded.
“Okay…just… be careful. The last thing we need is Lolth’s minions on our tails. We already had one murder lord’s minions chasing us around Baldur’s Gate. I’m not keen to add more.”
Gale grinned down at her, leaning down to press a kiss to her lips. “I promise I will only check the tomes available here in Sorcerous Sundries. You have my word.”
“Okay.” She grinned, leaning up to press another kiss to his lips. As she pulled back, she bit down on her bottom lip, grinning at him.
“Do you know what the rest of your surname means?” Gale asked, curiously.
“ Sael means shadow or daughter. Vir means fire or passion. Hence why my mother called me Gentle Flame. ”
“You certainly got the passion part.”
Violet’s mouth fell open in a mock gasp, red tinting her purple cheeks. “Gale!”
“What? You’re gonna tell me I’m wrong? After what just happened?”
Violet simply stared at Gale, but he didn’t let up. Sighing, Violet conceded, huffing and laying her head back on his bare shoulder. Gale chuckled, chest rumbling as he pressed a kiss to her hair.
A few comfortable moments passed before Gale spoke again.
“Do you know what Elara’s last name means, by chance?”
Violet thought back. Elara didn’t use her last name at the temple either, and Violet had never had the resources to do any research into her friend’s name- she just knew of it.
“No. Why?”
Gale grinned down at her, brushing her hair out of her face, “ Sarr can mean binding, oath or soul. Sarran could have possibly meant Oathkeeper or Soulbound. I’d say that fits you both perfectly.”
Violet didn’t even get a chance to check the tears before they started falling.
“Are you serious?” She whispered, tightening her hand that laid on his chest into a fist to keep some grounding in the here and now.
Gale nodded, his own eyes misty. “ Yeah , Vi. I did a course in languages and Tiefling surnames are often chosen. I would not have just made that up. I think this just proves that she’s not gone. You two are tied at the soul, that much is clear.”
Tired of trying to hide her emotions, Violet let her tears flow freely. As a few sobs racked her body, she ducked her head back into Gale’s neck for comfort. Gale’s arms immediately wrapped the rest of the way around her, holding her close as he pressed a soft kiss to her forehead.
Just like he did in the cave, Gale didn’t say anything. Violet knew that he didn’t need to speak to show her that he was here with her, that she wasn’t alone. He was giving her the space to work out what she needed whilst still being connected to her so that she knew she wasn’t working it out alone.
When she got control of herself enough to speak, she lifted her head, meeting eyes with her wizard. He used his large, callused hand to brush her hair off her face so he could look at her unimpeded.
Blinking, tears still falling, Violet still found a small smile growing on her face as she took in the face of the man she’d fallen irreparably in love with.
“I…I don’t think falling in love with you was an accident,” At Gale’s head tilt, she continued, sitting up on her elbows so she could see his face better. The face that held nothing but love and comfort, even if a slight mix of healthy confusion also coated his expression. “We didn’t meet by accident. We couldn’t have. You’re…too perfect. Everything I’ve never known I’ve wanted, and everything I never knew I needed. Be it by will of the gods, or the universe, or fate, or even Elara or my parents… or some other higher power… we didn’t meet by accident. We didn’t fall in love by accident. I tried so hard, for so long, to convince myself that I wasn’t falling in love with you, but, truth is, I never had a chance. I was supposed to fall head over heels in love with you.
“And honestly…I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Gale didn’t say anything, didn’t move any muscle for a few moments that seemed to stretch on forever. When he finally did, it was to use his hand in Violet’s hair to pull her down to his mouth so he could press a feverish kiss there. When he finally let them up for air, his misty eyes were back.
“Neither would I, my love,” He pressed their foreheads together, letting out a breath. “If I truly have your parents and Elara to thank for meeting you, then trust me when I say I will help you bring Vorn to justice and I will help you find your parents’ killer,”
Violet opened her eyes to see Gale thinking for a moment, before adding, with a smile, “Well, I honestly would have done that anyways. But, at least, now, I can help you find justice for your family. If they are responsible for meeting the best thing in my life…I will never be able to fully repay them.”
“Neither will I.” Violet gave her wizard a watery grin.
“You don’t have to,” Gale said, soothing his hand through her hair again. “Just loving them is enough.”
Violet gave him another kiss.
“Then loving me is enough as well,”
Gale grinned up at his paladin, both of them seeming to say with their eyes that this was it. They had found their person, and the only thing keeping them apart at this point would be death.
Violet leaned down, pressing her lips back to his. Just as things started to get heated once more, causing Violet to shift her legs together, there was a loud crash! that came from the hallway outside their room.
Before Violet could jump up out of bed and reach for her weapon, however, there was a following yell and a screech. Louder and more high-pitched. Then crashing of metal and wood.
“ASTARION!”
“I swear to the gods, I had nothing to do with it!” The rogue’s voice comes through the wall, clear-as-day.
“Then where in the hells are my socks?!” Funnily enough, that sounded like Shadowheart.
“Darling, what in the hells would I want with your socks? I have some class and taste, mind you.”
Another screech, then the sound of another piece of metal being thrown against the wooden walls.
“Oh, I don’t know, why am I asking THE ROGUE why my only pair of socks went missing?!”
Gale and Violet shared a look before both bursting into laughter. Violet buried her head in Gale’s chest as the chaos continued.
“Uh, hey, Shart-” That was Karlach. “I found one of your socks. Feathers had it in his new little nest that he made in the corner of the room…it has holes in it now though.”
Silence. Then, “I told you! What would I want with your damned socks?! Why won’t you all believe me when I say I’m innocent?”
More silence.
“I’ve never done anything wrong!”
More silence.
“Nothing provable!”
Violet laughed into Gale’s chest again, bare shoulders shaking wildly with laughter.
A delighted bark came next, followed by happy chirps and clammering of claws on the floor. Then skidding and more crashing of metal and furniture being toppled over.
Violet picked her head up, listening closely. By the delighted barks and chirps coming from the hallway and the adjoining room, she assumed Feathers and Scratch were playing a normal game of chase…combined with a wrestling match, evidently.
What sounded like a set of armor clashing to the floor, followed by Lae’zel’s irritated curse in Githyanki came next, somehow still finding its way to Gale and Violet’s ears without much trouble despite the walls separating them.
Karlach then started laughing like a maniac, cheering the animals on.
“Those beasts belong outside!!” Minthara yelled, angrily.
“Oh, cheer up, buttercup. They’re great fun!” Karlach said before they all heard heavier thumps of the tieflings footsteps seemingly join in on the fun with Feathers and Scratch.
“Hells below.” That was Astarion. “Gale and Violet! You need to have a talk with the rest of our compatriots! They’re accusing me of stealing with no basis whatsoever!”
Violet continued to laugh into Gale’s neck.
“There is literally nothing short of the Elder Brain attacking the city that will get me out of this bed right now, Astarion.” Gale called, tucking Violet into his side once more.
“That might be the smartest thing you’ve ever said, wizard.” Astarion yelled back, as footsteps shuffled on the other side of the door, heading back towards the shared suite.
“Hey, I resent that comment!”
Violet laughed into Gale’s neck, patting his chest, “Gale, baby. It’s not worth it. Leave them to their… buffoonery .”
Gale huffed, but let the comment slide, for once.
“Alright, alright. Nothing to see here, everyone back in the room,” This was Emma, finally. “Let the animals play, they’re not hurting anyone. And let’s leave our fearless team leader and her squishy wizard alone.”
Gale made a face to Violet, holding a hand out towards their closed and locked door. Violet rolled her lips inside of her mouth to keep from laughing too much, though her shaking shoulders seemingly gave her away.
“Well, love, I am the one who wears all the armor, to be fair. You’re not as… decked out as I am in battle.”
Gale frowned, tilting his chin up slightly, “But I do not need to be.”
“You’re right,” Violet grinned, “You don’t. So stop letting Astarion’s words get to you. You know he’s just trying to get a rise out of you.”
“It is one of his favorite pastimes, admittedly.”
Violet grinned, “Right. Just relax.”
At her words, Gale’s face automatically morphed into something cheeky and devilish. “Now, where did I just hear those very same words?”
Violet shrunk back a little, laying on her back next to Gale. He took the change in position to lean up on his elbow, facing her, now hovering above her. Her heart started beating faster at the sight of him above her.
“I’ll…ask Emma to control her vampire.”
Gale’s face didn’t change, he simply grinned cheekily down at her. “Please do.”
“ Em, can you please do me a favor and control your vampire? Along with everyone else? We all know Astarion is mostly harmless but Gale is in a certain type of mood tonight and Astarion’s interruptions are…uh…”
Emma’s tadpole responded almost immediately, “ Say no more, bestie. I’ll keep all the children in our room tonight. ”
“ Hells, send them all down to the tavern if you have to, just remind them that you’re my second in command when I’m not around.”
“ So…they have to listen to me…?”
Violet paused, glancing up at Gale with a slight streak of worry on her face. Gale only tilted his head at her facial expression. Emma obviously wasn’t broadcasting their tadpole conversation to Gale as well.
“Yes, but Emma, I swear to Tyr, if you cause any trouble, everyone involved is going to be on armor cleaning duty for the next tenday.”
“ Aye, aye. Yes, ma’am. I’ll get them all down into the pub. Maybe they’ll all get so sloshed they forget what you two lovebirds are doing in there. Speaking of which, stop talking to me and go fuck that delicious wizard of yours!”
“Emma!”
“What?! I’m taken but I still have eyeballs. Gale is incredibly attractive, but you already knew that.”
“Goodnight, Emma.”
“Goodnight, Vi! I’d say sleep well…but we both know you won’t be sleeping much tonight.”
“ I love you, Em. Just please, as an old friend used to say, shut the fuck up . ” Violet just shook her head, cutting off their connection. Only Emma. Only Emma.
Elara would have gotten a kick out of that conversation too, though, she would admit.
When she finally noticed Gale’s raised eyebrow, Violet let out a breath. “Emma. She’s…gods, she’s such a bard.”
“And you’re just now noting this because…?”
“Shut up and come here, amnell faern .”
Gale let out a loud laugh, giving her mouth one more kiss before starting to trail his lips down her body again.
“ Ridiculous wizard , I may be, my love. But, this ridiculous wizard needs you to come on his face again.”
The moan that came out of her mouth distracted her from the burning in her cheeks. “ Xal Tyr’zen …”
Gale’s fingers swiped gently through her lips and Violet nearly jumped out of her skin. It was only Gale’s hands that held her to the bed. Even just that single swipe of his fingers through her slick made an unmistakable wet noise echo in the room.
Gale made a tsk ’ing noise that would’ve made Lae’zel proud.
“So messy for me already?” Another swipe of his fingers. This time, they dipped inside her slightly. Violet’s mouth dropped open in a silent moan, as if her vocal chords just forgot their job. From screaming to absolutely silent- her wizard could make her do whatever he wanted of her.
“Do you hear that, love?”
His fingers dipped in deeper, but pulled back out almost immediately. Violet felt her inner muscles clamp down on his finger, to try to keep it from going anywhere. He chuckled, telling her he must’ve felt it on his drag out.
She didn’t have to look down to know that she was practically dripping. She could feel all the heat in her body rush towards that one spot.
His fingers dipped in once more, but again, pulled out almost immediately. Her walls clamped down harder on his finger, causing him to chuckle even louder now, but it didn’t stop him from retreating his finger.
Her hips twitched involuntarily on the bed.
“Gods…” Violet panted, letting out a whine as Gale used both hands to pin her hips firmly to the bed. Her muscles still tried to move her pelvis, but it was no use. And the lack of friction on that spot and the emptiness of her pussy was enough to make her scream.
Perhaps that was his idea.
One of her palms flew to her forehead, as if that would help keep her fastly arousing body under some semblance of control. But it was no use.
“What is it, Vi?” Gale grinned knowingly down at her. Her hips tried to buck up into his hands, but his strong, adept, trained hands held her firmly to the bed. “Use your words, come on.”
A whimper left her lips before she could give it permission to. Any control was truly out the fucking window now.
“It’s…” She shut her eyes, trying to sift through the fog in her brain to find the right words.
His hand left her one hip, dipping down gently inside her again. This time, he dragged his fingers on her top wall as he pulled out. Violet’s back arched almost completely off the bed. That scream was threatening to spill from her lips as she gripped Gale’s biceps for all it was worth. If she was hurting him, he didn’t say.
He simply stared down at her with an, almost, reverie. Fascinated but also incredibly smug because he knew exactly what he was doing to her.
Her thighs started trembling as the need built up in her belly, winding tighter and tighter.
“It’s so empty …” She finally was able to squeeze out, tossing her head back and forth on the pillow, as if that would distract her from the throbbing in her clit.
“Hm,” Gale hummed, sitting back on his heels as he pushed her legs apart and up so she almost looked like a frog laying on its back. Violet really didn’t care what she looked like at that moment, she just knew she needed something inside her, like, yesterday.
He settled his hips in between her legs. They both let out hungry moans as the tip of Gale bumped against her swollen clit.
“Good girl for using your words,” Gale praised, leaning down to her ear. His hot breath on her ear sent an involuntary shiver down her spine, causing her nails to dig into his upper arms once more. “But what exactly do you need from me? Do you need my tongue? Or my fingers? Or, maybe…my cock?”
At each suggestion, Violet let out a whimper, but it was the last one that had her hooking her legs around his waist to hopefully keep him in place.
Gods, she was practically pulsing for him. And she’d just had him not even an hour ago.
Still not feeling comfortable enough with herself to say the words, she simply used her heels and dug them into his ass, trying to pull him closer. Gale let out his own moan now as he felt what she was sure was an absolute mess of slick down there.
It might’ve been embarrassing how wet she was, but with Gale, nothing ever made her embarrassed. She just simply…didn’t know how to make herself do certain things yet.
Gale used his crooked index finger under her chin to tilt her eyes to look at him. She avoided the urge to look away, the feeling of such vulnerability still one she was unused to.
“You want this?” Gale checked, face serious.
Violet nodded, biting down on her bottom lip, “Yes.”
Gale’s eyes darted around her face, as if looking for something. “You’re not too sore from earlier? You’re okay?”
Violet dug her heels in again. Gale let out a hiss between his teeth.
“I’m okay. It…it doesn’t hurt tonight. I’m not sure why.”
Gale nodded, leaning down to press his mouth to hers before pulling away just enough to look into her eyes. “Alright. Like I said earlier…if it ever starts hurting or if you want to stop for any reason- just say so. I may be on top but you’re in control here, Vi. Okay?”
Violet nodded, biting down on her bottom lip. When her heels dug into his ass again, Gale finally saved her from her aches and gently slid inside her. Unlike other times, there was no resistance this time. No wince from Violet, nor tensing of muscles.
Violet kept herself from furrowing her brow in confusion.
Don’t get her wrong…it was welcome. But she’d never had this happen before- where her body actually did what it was supposed to. She supposed she was just waiting for the other proverbial shoe to drop.
On a long, single stroke, Gale buried himself all the way inside her. He let out a grunt while her back arched. The noise her mouth made started out as a gasp, but quickly turned into a blissed-out scream.
So much for being quiet this time around.
“By the hells…” Gale was seemingly having a hard time holding himself together as well. He rested his forehead on hers once more, keeping his eyes on her to watch for any minute sign of discomfort or uncertainty.
Violet knew he wouldn’t find any.
Gale let out a low cry, “ Argh! I can feel you pulsing around me…gods save me…gods, you really need this, don’t you?”
Violet nodded, unsure of what to say, if anything.
Gale grinned sweetly at her, seemingly able to hear what her eyes had told him. “Okay. How do you want me? Slow? Fast? Hard? Soft?”
He was buried inside her as far as he could get- to the hilt, if you will- but he didn’t move. Sure enough, even Violet could feel her inner walls squeezing the life out of Gale’s cock.
Violet shook her head, eyes growing with a plea, “I don’t know. I just need you. Please.”
Gale pressed a kiss to the tip of her nose, causing Vi to send him a sweet, blissed out smile. “Alright. Tell me the minute it's too much- or not enough.”
“Ok.”
With that, he was moving and Violet was a trembling, whimpering mess in his arms. She pulled him closer so his chest was pressed up against hers, her head buried in his neck, breathing in the scent that was just all Gale. More than anything else…it smelled like home .
Like this was exactly where she was meant to be.
Her fingernails dug into his back, but Gale never once complained. He tried a few different rhythms but kept with one that was slow in motion but hard in thrusts. It was the one that had Violet’s back arching, despite nowhere for her chest to go except pressing in closer to Gale’s bare chest, and her letting out screams into his neck.
The entire time, Gale whispered in her ears, praising and coaching her through it.
“There you go. Well done, love. Does that feel good? Gods, you are squeezing the hells out of me. Is this too hard? There you go- that must be a good spot right there. Go ahead, claw onto me if you need. I’m right here. You’re doing so well for me. Look at you. Those screams are so beautiful.”
It didn’t take her long at all before she felt herself beginning to crest that precipice.
“Gale…” Violet whimpered into his damp skin, muscles trembling on another level.
“You’re okay,” Gale pressed a kiss to the side of her head. “Just let it happen. Don’t run from it. I’m right here. Scream, moan, bite- do whatever you feel, okay?”
On a particularly hard thrust, Violet let out a cry against his neck, shakily nodding her head as best she could in that moment.
“Come on, beautiful girl. Come for me.”
As if her body had simply been waiting for his permission, she broke apart on a scream, digging her nails and heels into Gale as she rode the waves of ecstasy. Completely safe, in the arms of her wizard. Her entire body turned into shudders and jitters as she floated down from the high just as her stomach muscles were aching on account of how long they had been seizing. She pulled her face out of his neck to suck in air.
The room smelled like sex…like them .
Gods, she’d never tire of that smell.
And dear gods , how she never thought she’d ever say that.
A few more thrusts that had gotten gentler since her peak, Gale’s hips started twitching in a way that told Violet he was close.
“Vi, where do you want me?” He asked gently in her ear.
Her brain unable to think of words, she let out a cry at the thought of him pulling out of her just yet, and dug her heels into him once more. He let out a groan of his own.
“Inside? You want me to come inside you?”
Violet nodded, her forehead still tucked in his neck, even as she sucked for air.
“Are you sure?”
“ Ssinssrigg , if you pull out of me right now, I will literally kill you.”
Gale chuckled, putting his own face in her neck. Placing a kiss there, she could feel him smile against her damp, sensitive skin. “Fair enough.”
It only took a few more thrusts and Gale himself was shuddering, releasing himself into her once more. Violet couldn’t help her moan and the arch of her back as she felt everything he had to give. Which was, despite coming earlier, a lot more than she expected.
Gale’s arms finally gave out, and Violet let them fall to the bed, Gale still on top of her. He had a lot of his weight on her, but she didn’t mind. Perks of being a paladin, even if she was smaller in stature than Gale.
Panting, Violet felt Gale press a few kisses to her sweaty neck, causing her to shiver, before he pulled his face up enough to kiss her.
The kisses were slow, and unhurried. Reverent , almost.
When they finally pulled back, both of their chests still rose and fell in heavy pants.
“I love you, Vyreth. You showed me what it was like to live again.”
Violet’s grin almost split her face in two, “ T’telak …you brought me out of the shadows and into the light. Light that I thought had burnt out long ago. I love you. So, so much.”