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"I long to be with you" His voice was low andwaters

"Then eren’t you? I needed you, and you bailed I lost Emma, I lost Yasuo, and you…you just vanished You weren’t here when I needed youyou needed more If you let me--"

"Cryptic much? You’re just thirsty" I stormed inside He could follow me or not

He followed "Are you not thirsty?" he asked, and he actually sounded baffled

I stopped short "Is that it? Did you come back because you craved me? Do you even like me?"

"I came back because you’re ainst me as he cupped my cheeks in his hands "I came back because I love you"

My throat clenched He’d called me love before, but he’d never said he loved me Could it be true? I peered hard into his eyes He was looking so sad, so confused

I couldn’t trust it I stepped back, headed to my dorm room "Why’d you even leave in the first place? After all we shared, all we did…" I tapered off, sudden chagrin choking me It was so hard not to be insecure about the ti? Some rookie error? Did I kiss weird? What?

He stopped ertip towithBut first you ivelike crazy now "You should go I need to change"

"I cannot bear this, Annelise Please look atat him was all I wanted to do To look at him To curl in to him I was so cold I’dto his My every sense longed for hiht it "It’s just the stupid bond That’s the only reason you came back" I made myself meet his eyes and refused to believe the bewilderment I saw there "You couldn’t take it anyot too thirsty"

He looked pained From his thirst or from my words? "I thirst for you, yes But your company is what I missed most"

Hadn’t I always credited his honesty as one of the traits I ad me He could’ve made up an elaborate lie Had he really left for a reason? "I thought you wanted to break up with o?"

"I will explain everything But it’s been so long And to have you so close…" He leaned down, touching his forehead toLet me hold you"