You know, I mean to tell you all the things I've been thinking deep inside, my friend.
It had been a long day. They’d spent hours at the Ministry, giving statements and handing over Anoush to her sister. Miles knew it had to be draining for Reese. She’d only gotten back the night before, after all, but she stayed strong and kept calm for the little girl’s sake. He was proud of her. Reese had more strength than anyone he’d ever known.
Kiss went to sleep with minimal fuss that night. She’d asked a few times if her mummy would still be found in the morning, but once they’d reassured her the blonde babe pressed her face to her Mills’ cheek, and then to her mummy’s, and lay down in her bed to sleep. Now Miles sat in front of the fire, his fey friend on his lap, and they were quiet, reflecting on the day and enjoying the fact that they could sit and be close again. It had been such a long time.
Holding her close, Miles pressed a kiss to Reese’s soft hair as his eyes squeezed closed against a sudden rush of emotion. He took a deep breath to regain his composure and with a finger, lifted her chin to look in her eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t keep you safe, love. I’m so sorry,” he said softly, solemnly.
Reese’s green eyes shifted from the flame in the grate to Miles with a long blink. Her mind was tired and a bit fuzzy at the edges, but when his words settled in her, a tired smile turned her lips up. “It’s not your fault, and you don’t have to say sorry.” Reese shook her head and looked back at the fire. “It was his fault. I’m glad it happened that way. He would have killed you, and Kiss, and anyone else that he thought would be in his way. This way, it was only me, and I knew I’d be alright in the end, because Kiss was safe with you.”
“‘Only you’ is too much. I’m supposed to look after you. You and Kiss are my family.” That had been the truth for years now, but it wasn’t until Reese was taken that he realized what sort of family he wanted them to be. He’d had over a year to dwell on it since the discovery was made, and Miles knew he wasn’t the only one nursing such ideas. “I love that little girl as if she were my own,” he added with a small smile. It was the truth. Kiss was the daughter of his heart.
A happier smile turned Reese’s lips and lit her features. “She kind of is now, you know. She’s almost been with you as long as she was with me. And you got all the fun parts,” she said, face alight as it only was when she talked about her little girl. “She’s talking now, and she’s walking, and running. And she’s gotten so big! I don’t think I’ll be able to carry her much longer,” she admitted a little sadly.
She’d missed so much, but Reese could only be happy that she’d get the opportunity to see all the rest, and for that she couldn’t really be anything but glad in her heart her baby girl had grown and flourished while she was gone.
The blonde cupped Miles face. “You’re our family too. We wouldn’t even be here if you hadn’t watched out for us.” And that was truer than anything. Reese wasn’t sure what would have become of her if Miles hadn’t come into her life when he had.
Leaning forward, Miles dropped a kiss on the tip of Reese’s nose, enjoying the happy expression on her face. He’d been too long without it.
Growing a bit more serious, Miles took a small hand from his cheek and held it in his own. “I’ll always look after you, Reese. You can always count on me to be here for you and Kiss.” He cleared his throat. “But there’s something I’d like you to think about. There’s no rush to make any decisions, and no matter what, nothing will change the fact that I’ll be here when you need me.” He paused. “I’d like you to consider what it would be like if you and me and Kiss were really a family. If we raised her together. Forever.”
Reese’s brows puckered in confusion. As far as she knew, they had raised Kiss together thus far, especially given her absence the last year. But somehow, Reese didn’t think that was what Miles meant. “We are a family though?” she said finally, not sure what he was asking.
He laughed softly, mostly at himself. He’d known Reese long enough that it should be second nature to speak plainly to her, but the topic at hand had made him nervous. There was a reason Reese had been in Gryffindor and he had not. “I’m not being very clear, am I? I’m trying to ask you to consider being with me, to belong to me and allow me to belong to you. I’m in love with you.”
She understood what he meant now, but at the same time, didn’t. He loved her. She loved him too. She had for a long time. But he’d said he was in love with her, and she knew that was different. Knew that was more. His love wanted her with him always, and it was the kind of love that wanted her to have him always in return.
Her brow furrowed again and she tipped her head slightly. “I love you and I’m with you, and we’re family and we’ll always take care of each other and be together,” she said, trying to restate what she thought he meant, “but there’s more because you’re looking at me like there’s more, and your colors are swirling all over like there’s more than just what you said.”
She was going to be the end of him. He was a man who made his living standing up before a crowd of judges, defending criminals, using his words to achieve a desired result and he was going to be done in by a beautiful pixie girl because he couldn’t express himself properly.
Steeling himself, Miles prayed he wouldn’t ruin things with his actions, that he wouldn’t inadvertently cause Reese more trauma. Gently cupping her face, he met her bright green eyes intently. “There’s more.” And then he kissed her.
It was only a gentle press of lips, but Reese’s pulse sped anyway. She hadn’t expected that he wanted kisses. Miles hadn’t ever wanted kisses from her, or at least he’d never let on in any way that he did. She, in turn, had not presumed that he was a man to be kissed; he was Miles, her most precious friend, her family, her protector.
But he wanted to be Miles, her lover, too.
When he pulled back, she could only meet his eyes in surprise, lips parted at her slightly heightened breathing. “Oh.”
Miles’ thumb brushed the softness of her cheek and he smiled down at her. “There’s no rush. Just think about it, alright? I think we could be happy. I’d do my best to make sure you were, anyway.” He didn’t want to pressure her into anything, but he knew if he hadn’t said anything he might very well have lost his opportunity. They were a family, and he didn’t want to lose that.
Reese nodded slowly and said the only thing she could think of at that moment. “Okay.”
SUMMARY: Miles and Reese finally get a moment of peace after the tumult of her return. He finally tells -- and shows her -- that he’s in love with her.
Kiss went to sleep with minimal fuss that night. She’d asked a few times if her mummy would still be found in the morning, but once they’d reassured her the blonde babe pressed her face to her Mills’ cheek, and then to her mummy’s, and lay down in her bed to sleep. Now Miles sat in front of the fire, his fey friend on his lap, and they were quiet, reflecting on the day and enjoying the fact that they could sit and be close again. It had been such a long time.
Holding her close, Miles pressed a kiss to Reese’s soft hair as his eyes squeezed closed against a sudden rush of emotion. He took a deep breath to regain his composure and with a finger, lifted her chin to look in her eyes. “I’m sorry I didn’t keep you safe, love. I’m so sorry,” he said softly, solemnly.
Reese’s green eyes shifted from the flame in the grate to Miles with a long blink. Her mind was tired and a bit fuzzy at the edges, but when his words settled in her, a tired smile turned her lips up. “It’s not your fault, and you don’t have to say sorry.” Reese shook her head and looked back at the fire. “It was his fault. I’m glad it happened that way. He would have killed you, and Kiss, and anyone else that he thought would be in his way. This way, it was only me, and I knew I’d be alright in the end, because Kiss was safe with you.”
“‘Only you’ is too much. I’m supposed to look after you. You and Kiss are my family.” That had been the truth for years now, but it wasn’t until Reese was taken that he realized what sort of family he wanted them to be. He’d had over a year to dwell on it since the discovery was made, and Miles knew he wasn’t the only one nursing such ideas. “I love that little girl as if she were my own,” he added with a small smile. It was the truth. Kiss was the daughter of his heart.
A happier smile turned Reese’s lips and lit her features. “She kind of is now, you know. She’s almost been with you as long as she was with me. And you got all the fun parts,” she said, face alight as it only was when she talked about her little girl. “She’s talking now, and she’s walking, and running. And she’s gotten so big! I don’t think I’ll be able to carry her much longer,” she admitted a little sadly.
She’d missed so much, but Reese could only be happy that she’d get the opportunity to see all the rest, and for that she couldn’t really be anything but glad in her heart her baby girl had grown and flourished while she was gone.
The blonde cupped Miles face. “You’re our family too. We wouldn’t even be here if you hadn’t watched out for us.” And that was truer than anything. Reese wasn’t sure what would have become of her if Miles hadn’t come into her life when he had.
Leaning forward, Miles dropped a kiss on the tip of Reese’s nose, enjoying the happy expression on her face. He’d been too long without it.
Growing a bit more serious, Miles took a small hand from his cheek and held it in his own. “I’ll always look after you, Reese. You can always count on me to be here for you and Kiss.” He cleared his throat. “But there’s something I’d like you to think about. There’s no rush to make any decisions, and no matter what, nothing will change the fact that I’ll be here when you need me.” He paused. “I’d like you to consider what it would be like if you and me and Kiss were really a family. If we raised her together. Forever.”
Reese’s brows puckered in confusion. As far as she knew, they had raised Kiss together thus far, especially given her absence the last year. But somehow, Reese didn’t think that was what Miles meant. “We are a family though?” she said finally, not sure what he was asking.
He laughed softly, mostly at himself. He’d known Reese long enough that it should be second nature to speak plainly to her, but the topic at hand had made him nervous. There was a reason Reese had been in Gryffindor and he had not. “I’m not being very clear, am I? I’m trying to ask you to consider being with me, to belong to me and allow me to belong to you. I’m in love with you.”
She understood what he meant now, but at the same time, didn’t. He loved her. She loved him too. She had for a long time. But he’d said he was in love with her, and she knew that was different. Knew that was more. His love wanted her with him always, and it was the kind of love that wanted her to have him always in return.
Her brow furrowed again and she tipped her head slightly. “I love you and I’m with you, and we’re family and we’ll always take care of each other and be together,” she said, trying to restate what she thought he meant, “but there’s more because you’re looking at me like there’s more, and your colors are swirling all over like there’s more than just what you said.”
She was going to be the end of him. He was a man who made his living standing up before a crowd of judges, defending criminals, using his words to achieve a desired result and he was going to be done in by a beautiful pixie girl because he couldn’t express himself properly.
Steeling himself, Miles prayed he wouldn’t ruin things with his actions, that he wouldn’t inadvertently cause Reese more trauma. Gently cupping her face, he met her bright green eyes intently. “There’s more.” And then he kissed her.
It was only a gentle press of lips, but Reese’s pulse sped anyway. She hadn’t expected that he wanted kisses. Miles hadn’t ever wanted kisses from her, or at least he’d never let on in any way that he did. She, in turn, had not presumed that he was a man to be kissed; he was Miles, her most precious friend, her family, her protector.
But he wanted to be Miles, her lover, too.
When he pulled back, she could only meet his eyes in surprise, lips parted at her slightly heightened breathing. “Oh.”
Miles’ thumb brushed the softness of her cheek and he smiled down at her. “There’s no rush. Just think about it, alright? I think we could be happy. I’d do my best to make sure you were, anyway.” He didn’t want to pressure her into anything, but he knew if he hadn’t said anything he might very well have lost his opportunity. They were a family, and he didn’t want to lose that.
Reese nodded slowly and said the only thing she could think of at that moment. “Okay.”
SUMMARY: Miles and Reese finally get a moment of peace after the tumult of her return. He finally tells -- and shows her -- that he’s in love with her.