Silver Creek O Captain! My Captain!

The silence that sat over them was warm and comfortable. He wasn't aware that he was staring too long, lost in looking at the serene expression on her face. But after a moment her head turned slowly to meet his gaze. He too felt the connect, the way the air seemed to buzz and hop around them. Attraction, emotional connection, understanding. So for a moment they stared at each other, and though he had the mind to kiss her then and there he held himself back.

He didn't want to misread the situation, to take her gaze and the connection he felt as something more. If Spring was simply gazing kindly at him like a friend, he'd insult her to assume and kiss her. It seemed wrong too, to kiss her after she spoke of her daughter. As if he was taking advantage of her emotions somehow. So he wouldn't. Not yet. He would get to know her better, he would ease in to this tight and twirling feeling in his chest. He'd had so much taken from him before, and Silver Creek...and Spring....it felt like so much more. So he would go slow, because he'd been hurt. He would be cautious.

If the kiss he wanted to give today was meant to be, was meant to turn into mateship or more he would mean it just as much when he eventually gave it. And when he did it would not be spurred by a single moment but many. He would know Spring first, would be her friend. He would not rush her into anything, nor push her. Finally, his eyes dropped and he smiled a little, a shy grin. "You have beautiful eyes, Spring." He said softly, glancing at her once. "We should spend more time together, like this." His voice was hopeful, an upward inflection given to the end of his statement. "We can share a moment in the present together, rather than the past. Count the butterflies somewhere." He smiled again, but glanced away once more. Was it a submissive gesture, or one of bashfulness? "I want to get to know you more."