Private Finished A date is a date, even when it isn't

"Didn't think I'd end up here with anyone, to be honest," he admitted after a moment, wrapping his arms around Levina's waist and pulling her closer so that another group could walk around them to the next exhibit. "I thought I'd just... emptily go through the motions of life until I died."

"And yet here I am, enjoying myself. Planning a send off party for the people I love so that I can move on and..." He paused, unsure of how to word what he wanted to say. That was happening a lot today, he felt. After a moment though, he had it and Broen took a slow breath before finishing the sentence.

"...and love other people."

Oh shit. He'd fucked it up. Broen backtracked a bit and put his hands onto Levina's arms, keeping contact but moving back slightly so that they weren't pressed together. "Ah sorry I- I didn't mean..."

He sighed and regrouped mentally. He didn't want to push her away, either by moving faster than she was willing to or by pulling back too much to compensate for doing the former.

"I meant more broadly - like friends, family. Stuff like that, but... it does include you. I do like you, despite how wrong you were about altruism and Malthus." He smirked, trying to say what he meant but not just come right out and drop anything too heavy on her. Not here, in public and certainly not now, when they were both clearly still figuring out what they both wanted from this.

"Rougher than the other night?" he teased, grinning softly and pulling Levina along to the next exhibit. It was a ship, held up on nearly invisible glass rods that made it look as if it was floating freely in the air. There was a rope a good distance around the ship so that no one could get too close and accidentally topple the whole thing.

As they circled the rope barrier, Broen saw an alcove ahead of them and quickly dragged Levina into it, still in the exhibit but out of the way and earshot of most people. He ran his fingers gently, almost lovingly down her cheek, tracing along her jaw and cheekbone and lips with his thumb. "Jokes aside, I won't. I won't be too rough with you, and I won't let you break. If I can see something bad coming, you best believe I'll throw my ass in front of it for you."

"I don't think you get to decide who I think is worth sticking my neck out for," he shot back, keeping his voice low as he gently moved the pair of them further into the alcove until Levina's back was pressed lightly against the wall.

He couldn't think too hard about the gallery right now; Broen was too caught up in the woman in front of him. He didn't think he loved her yet - not the way he'd loved Angelo or Dina. And how could he? He'd been through hell and back with the both of them. They hadn't just known about the terrible things he'd been through - they'd experienced them alongside him.

And yet there was feeling there. A feeling that Broen didn't want to pretend he didn't feel anymore. "Do you want to get out of here? I kinda just want to... I dunno. Lay on the couch. The glass is really pretty but I think I'd much rather just be alone together."

"I know," Broen said with a grin when his lips finally left Levina's.

Taking her arm in his, he led the two of them through the rest of the gallery. He figured that they might as well get a glance at the other pieces on their way out, but he was admittedly a bit rushed. Broen very much wanted to just get home with her and relax - away from people and expectations and anything else.