28

"I know what you mean," Marlowe says with a gentle nod. "I don't know if my head is really in the right place at the moment to process it anyway, to be honest. But—it did all feel so quick. Maybe I was just too busy to really notice, but it's like we barely even got a chance to think about it. Like, a couple of weeks to think about something that might affect everybody for years? That doesn't seem like a lot."

Marlowe gives a small sigh. For a while, the two of you just gaze out to where the sun is dropping towards the horizon.

You're not sure how long it is before Marlowe breaks the silence.

"Huknock…can I ask you something?"

You turn to face them and give them a nod.

Meeting your eyes, they give you a smile—but at the same time, they bite slightly at their lip.

"I was just thinking—obviously we've both been busy lately, and I would never expect us to spend all of our time together. But I was just thinking that because, y'know, I've only really seen you a couple of times over the past few days—is…is everything okay? I mean—I guess what I just wanted to ask was—is this still what you want? Do you still want to keep seeing each other?"

You think for a moment, and you realize that while you have seen a little of each other, there have been times when you've been more apart than together. Of course, it's only normal not to see each other all of the time—but Marlowe's question stirs something in you. Is this definitely what you want?

Going forward—knowing how much things might be about to change—is Marlowe still the person you want to be with?