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KD’d been gone for a long time, several months. At least six, anyway, at an exclusive art camp and then on a college tour. Her father was optimistic on that road trip but they came out of it knowing two things: KD was a talented artist but she was also not getting into college without some sort of small miracle. They’d come home slightly defeated, her father making a call to a mysterious Aunt Hilda, someone she’d never heard of before. Apparently an aunt a few times removed she was rich as Roosevelt and made a very large donation to the DCU art program if only her beloved niece could attend to use it.

Well, sometimes miracles happen. She clutched the acceptance letter and a painting as she drove out to Willy’s apartment, thinking only of him from pretty much the time she got back to town until the moment she was at his door, knocking like a mad woman for him to let her in.

“Westley, you there?”

Art camp had her in sort of a radio silence so short of a few texts through the summer she hadn’t said much to her boyfriend in any significant way. She was not a writer and snail mail was kind of for old people. But she had thought about him, the painting in hand designed and painted especially for him.

“Please tell me you’re not home when I’m finally able to see you! That would be THE WORST!”

She sighed and sank against the wall, ready to text him to find out where he was, if he didn’t answer the door.

Willie was sleep, just having a short nap before he had to head to work. He’d been up early done some shopping and gone to class, and now he had a few hours before he had to be to the Crystal Academy to clean the stables and take care of their horse during and after the evening equestrian practices.

He groaned when heard knocking at the door only having been sleep for something like 20 minutes. He didn’t think he was suppose to have company … not that he ever did … roommate aside. He got up pulling on some jeans, not wanting to answer the door half dressed and padded down the hall toward the door where the banging had stopped.

He opened the door and stepped into the hall, slightly confused before he saw KD and his whole face lit up. He only managed to get out a, “your back,” before he was grabbing her up into a hug.

“I’m back,” she confirmed, burying her face against his shoulder and reveling in the feeling of his arms around her. “I missed you so much! You have no idea.”

KD relaxed against him, feeling whole and happy for the first time in months. Camp had been a wonderful experience but this was better by far and she was super happy he was home. She’d almost given up, a half text draft saved that she hadn’t sent before he answered. When she got a chance to look at him she gave him a kiss for good measure, sighing happily as she did. This was better than any artwork she could make.

“I’m sorry I was gone so long. Toward the end of the school year I just wondered what the point of it all was? I want to make art and I don’t need to know the dates of wars or the capitals of foreign countries to do that. I was selfish and I…” She looked down, feeling sheepish. “I missed you.”

To make it slightly better she handed him the letter in her hand, though, saying that for at least the next four years she was going to remain close to him in Destiny City, going to college as part of their arts program. Her dad was against that, the arts not the college, but he rarely stopped her from doing what she wanted to do. And, anyway, he had hope she might change her mind if the arts didn’t pan out the way she hoped they would. She hoped he’d like that news and the peace offering that she brought that was leaning against the wall. Flowers, like the ones on his fuku. They were special to her so she’d painted them entwined with the green vining and celtic borders of her own uniform.

“I made you something, too.”

Willie grinned slightly into the kiss and gave her another on her cheek, hugging her tight. “I missed you too KD. It’s been a while, but your back now. It’s the nicest surprise I’ve gotten in a long time.”

He loosened his grip on her, but didn’t entirely let her go because he really did miss her. He listened to her explanation and shook his head, “not selfish at all … things like that happen and you’re right? You don’t need to know those things to make art … well maybe if you’re doing like I dont know … period art from another time … as far as any date would be concerned.”

He chuckled, “sorry … I’m rambling … point is, it's okay. I hope you at least had a good time all through your travels.”

He looked down to the letter she handed him and opened it up, reading it quickly and giving her a big smile. “Congratulations KD. It’s funny. I mean you have amazing timing … I’m going to be getting my associates from HITS at the end of this school year and I’ll be starting at DCU and the fall.”

He thought it was nice to get to go to college with KD. He gave a curious look when she said she made something for him, “oh what’s that?”

He moved, letting he go and motioning for her to come into the apartment, so they weren’t standing in the hall.

“Oh, that’s great!”

She couldn’t imagine her luck: him being so understanding and actually having a chance to go to college with her boyfriend like a normal person. With her car she was going to live at home through it, planning on building an art room in the backyard at some point before the semester started for a little privacy. Speaking of privacy she peeked past him to the apartment, wondering if his roommate was home.

“Is she here?”

KD picked up her painting and carried it with her inside, taking a seat on the couch before turning it around so he could get a good look at it. It was a deeply personal piece for her. She was proud of it, and the look of it, and it had taken her a lot longer than she thought it would when she started. She’d agonized, wanting every stroke to be just right.

“It won a prize at camp. They wanted to keep it, but I told them it really could only belong to one person.”

Him.

“I love you, Westley.”

Willie grinned, thinking it was really great they got to go to college. He shook his head when she asked if Eliza was home. “No, Liza has class, she’s at DCU now herself and I think she’s got work later.” He chuckled taking a seat on the couch himself, “we live in the same house, but its like we hardly ever see each other.”

When she turned the painting around he was in awe. He recognized the symbolism right away and smiled at KD. He made to say that it certainly deserved a prize, but then she said those three little words and he was a bit shocked for the unexpectedness of it. He kind of sat there for a few moment before he leaned forward and kissed her softly on the lips. He pulled back after a moment and rest his forehead again her and said with a dopey smile, “I love you too.”

He looked up to the empty space on the wall behind the couch thoughtfully before looking back to KD. “I think right there is the perfect place for it, yeah? Want to help me hang it?”

Her heart almost stopped while she waited for him to answer. It was a big one and she hadn’t come over with the intention to say those three words but they rolled off the tongue so easily and, to her great delight, were very much true. Hearing them, however, eclipsed pretty much everything she had ever experienced. His kiss was sweet, the words were sweeter, and knowing that she was loved was sweetest of all.

KD kissed him lightly on the lips, letting it linger and enjoyed the moment.

When he moved she followed him and looked at the wall above the couch. Her heart fluttered, pleased by his choice of location.

“Yeah, of course!” She was practically beaming. “I love it!”

She was all too eager to help him hang it and loved looking at it, knowing what it meant to the both of them. It was them, their lives and their relationship, bound together in color and paint. For the first time in a long time Destiny City was starting to feel like home again, instead of some place she’d always been. Her hand reached out for his, holding it with a brief squeeze.