"Is this... a dream?"
Ethea looked back at Soren, her expression caught between wonder and disbelief.
"What do you think?" He smiled and spread his arms wide. "Or... do you want to check for yourself?"
"..." Ethea paused for a split second, then, throwing all hesitation aside, she sprinted across the grass and leaped straight into his arms. The grass brushed against her bare feet, each step sending a thrill through her legs that she had almost forgotten.
Thump.
Soren caught her easily, his arms wrapping around her as he spun her once before settling her against his chest. "It really feels like a dream..."
"Yeah..."
They hugged for a while, neither wanting to let go. Eventually, Ethea pulled back just enough to look at him, and standing this close, she had to tilt her head up to meet his eyes.
"...You're really taller than me," she murmured, as if noticing it for the first time.
Soren chuckled. "You don't like it?"
