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"No, Nat, I knew," she said as if the very idea of her not being a conscious liar was absurd. "I knew... I was just trying to make him happy for the moment and keep things at bay so I didn't have to deal with them. I was so afraid of losing him... and then I did, because I was being terrible and just wasn't enough."

The cheating was a complicated mess of what her ex had wanted physically, coupled with his overall frustrations in the relationship. But, not wanting to leave the comfort zone of having someone to come back to, he never broke things off until Teagan found out about his lover.

Let's play psychiatrist, she thought bitterly, but her bitterness on the subject didn't stop her from squeezing his hands in front of her.
"We were dating for awhile. A year... He wanted to take the next step, I didn't want to. But there must have been more to it. I mean, my own parents didn't want to stay with me, so no surprise overall how things turned out."

The way Teagan related the story, it was like nothing was a big deal. It was how she'd accepted the situation and her life, and nothing could change it.

"But there was something wrong with me," she pressed. "I didn't give anyone a reason to stay or try harder. Sure, they were unfair, too, but doesn't everyone see that reason at some point?"
Teagan let go of his hands and stood from the table. The grill was waiting for the chickens, and they couldn't be filled on sappy stories and kindness from each other all night.
"Thanks, Nat, but... I don't know. I'll get over it."

That night, dinner was spent awkwardly at first, but soon everything broke down in laughter. All the days that followed after that were filled with smiles, and a bond that went from emotional crutch to true friendship. there was far more than friendship for Teagan, though. At least a month went by, and she was beginning to know and fear that she had fallen in love with Nat.

Over the weeks, they'd not only worked together in their free time on their music, but in her business as well. Nat knew a thing or two about visual composition, which helped Teagan greatly. And when they weren't taking care of flowers or filling orders, they were sitting around like good friends who had settled into comfort.

It was time for Lorey's wedding soon enough, though, and Teagan was carrying boxes full of the flower arrangements. One for the main table, smaller ones for the others. One held Lorey's bouquet, another boutonnieres for the men. Everything was just as she wanted it to be, and more.

"Alright, Nat, I'm heading over with the flowers!" she called out, before heading outsie to the speeder she'd borrowed from Richard for transporting them.

---

Teagan and Nat had come home after the wedding with some kind of understanding between them. It was subtle and not spoken of, because they still weren't ready to face it. Nat did in some way like her, she reasoned. And she was falling in love with him. It had been months since they'd first met, and though they were just friends, they knew a great deal about each other's fears, goals, and overall personalities. They'd kissed and danced, cried. So, Teagan wondered. Nat would still want to leave Druis.
It was like saying none of what they'd gone through even mattered.

It left Teagan in a very sad mood that she could pass off as being tired for the night. She went off to bed, with only a little hug to Nat.

Teagan woke up to the soft smell of someone making... pancakes. And bacon? It made her sit up in bed with a groggy, confused look upon her face.
But, it did drag her out of bed and down the stairs while still in her pajamas like a child grudgingly getting ready for school.

"Nat?" she called out. "Nat, you making breakfast...?"

"Wow... Nat, this is amazing!" Teagan stole a strip of bacon from a plate and dashed around him to steal a rather small pancake he had made. Everything as delicious.
"You feeling that good about yesterday that you want to fatten me up?"

"Thank me?" she asked as she tried to get a bit of sausage from the pan he held out from her. "For what? For letting you stay with me? You've been doing so much around here, so how could I not know you're thankful?"
Teagan stood back a bit just to look at him quizzically.