The next day.

Desmond awoke within the arms of Evelynn, as she was steadily rubbing his head, as she was easing herself into a restful calm, as she nodded away.

“Huhhh… What’re you doing?” The groggy Desmond asked, as he rubbed the muddling from his eyes. All the while, Evelynn was holding him tightly, in a surprisingly strong grip, as she tussled his hair about.

“Nothing… Just waiting for you to wake up…” As she spoke, a shroud of silence broke out, as Desmond was held within her embrace, she began tracing around his engorged form with tenderness.

Tenderness, the kind which Desmond had never experienced, and for once, he felt it, as true as it was.

As Desmond rose from the bed, Evelynn followed him, as she stayed on his back, while he was walking around the room, “You done? I gotta get dressed…”

As he begrudgingly asked her to move, she responded simply, “Nope…”

“Hehe… Cool.” And as he’d been walking around, he fell backwards on the bed, taking great care to not crush her under him, as she continued nuzzling his head.

Then, he rolled over, allowing Evelynn to move herself from the sheer weight, as he rolled back over, she leapt onto his back, as she started massaging him.

“Ohh, that’s pretty good… Where’d ya’ learn?” An inquisitive Desmond was asking her, while passively enjoying her actions, eyes closed as she tenderized his form.

And as he asked this, she stopped for a moment, before she spoke, “Well, my mom taught me…Before the Vault fell.” She resumed massaging his back, as she was solemnly silent, unable to speak further.

“Well. She taught you really well.” Desmond couldn’t bring himself to say anything else, as he simply let Evelynn reminisce in her own thoughts.

“Hmm, thanks…” A slight smile had donned on her face, as she continued kneading his back, going on for a few more minutes, before she simply laid on his back, calmly tracing her fingers across it, as she lay in the curve of Desmond’s spine.

All the while, Desmond was silent, unable to speak his mind, as he simply had his face stuffed within the comfort of the pillow, purely enjoying the pleasure that came with the massage.

Then, after nearly an hour on his back, Evelynn had soothed him into a restful slumber, as she climbed off of him, beginning to attempt to flip Desmond’s snoozing body, and after some heaving, she successfully maneuvered him to his back.

And then, as Desmond began stretching out in his nap, he pulled Evelynn into his arms, in a vice grip embrace, as she was held firmly in place, though it wasn’t to a painful degree, more so in a protective manner. An aspect she’d had no experience with in all her years, as she closed her eyes, tears streaming, but from joy alone.

What could she have expected? In any other order of events, if she hadn’t met him, what would’ve happened to her? She could’ve been enslaved, or killed for some sicko’s meal, or something much, MUCH worse…

But now? She had a strong embrace, in which she felt as safe as she’d ever felt. Even from prior to the bombs, though that was an absurdly small part of her life, too small to truly even make the comparison, but she was sure…

“I love you, Desmond… One day… One day soon.” A heavenly smile was upon Evelynn’s face, as she laid her head against his chest, hearing the rhythmic beats of his heart.

A tender thump, thump, thump, brought her so much ease, so much of a calm, as she simply listened to the ever beating harmony within his chest, taking **** care to memorize each and every thump coming from her love’s heart.