A Kiss, Sweet Lover

"Serana...?" I whispered into the dark, hoping my voice would reach her through it, if she was even still awake.
I myself hadn't been sleeping well lately. It was all becoming too much to bear. For I had many burdens to carry in my life in Tamriel, and although Serana shared and eased many of those, there was one she could not-- or rather would not help with.
I had mentioned to her long ago, months or maybe even years ago, about where things were going for us, but it was to no avail. Serana was a fiercely loyal person, to her friends as well to her own beliefs. This made her very stubborn when she made up her mind on something. I believe her feelings, her wishes, her thoughts, had not changed, yet I must tell her. I have to. I never quite explained my feelings to her. I do not say much that goes on within myself, at least after I arrived in Helgen. Whoever I was before was buried deep within me... at least that was until I met her.
"Can't sleep?" She asks me, her voice a calming sound after staring into the night for so long.
"No. Were you asleep?" I ask her.
"Almost, but not quite," She sits up on her bedroll that lies only a foot apart from my own, her glowing orange-red irises finding my own. 'Did you need something?"
"No," I say, sitting up now as well, scanning the surrounded area once or twice before turning back to her. "I was just thinking."
"What about?" She tilts her head slightly. I believe she knew I wanted to talk, I never really brought something up if I didn't want to speak about it. Small-talk was not one of my strong-points.
"I feel I must tell you now before my heart bursts. If I wait any longer it will be too much to explain into words." I tell her, just now truly feeling the cold air on the winds that brushes against my skin.
"What do you mean? Is something wrong?" She questions, worry in her voice.
"You must know by now, Serana, how much I have come to care for you. How could I not after being constant traveling companions for so long? Looking after you has become second-nature to me." I tell her, trying hard to explain the workings of my heart.
"I... yes. I know. I care for you too. You know I do." She whispers, maybe more to herself than to me, like she is realizing the truth as the words leave her lips.
"I felt lonely for so long. I felt like my destiny had to mean I would be forever isolated from the rest of the world. But then you came along," I can't help but to smile as I continue. "And for the first time I thought that isolation might not be so bad, that these prophecies I had to fulfill would not be so bad to face, if you were by my side."
"Y/N..." She begins, but I shake my head to quiet her. I must finish telling her before I lose it all somewhere in the fallen snow around us.
"I have so many things that I should occupy my mind with, yet I find myself consumed with only thoughts of you. Each night I go to sleep with the excitement in my heart that I will awake and turn to see you there beside me. Everyday I fight so I can live to see those early mornings with you. Even if you have not changed your mind, I had to tell you. There is nothing else to me but the love I have for you. I have to try to make it real before I crumble completely-- before I feel I am nothing that will become nothing. Forgive me if this brings you toil. If this ruins our companionship, please forgive me. Forgive me..." I cannot say more. To do so would lead to my heart falling out of my mouth.
"There is nothing to forgive," She assures me, laying a hand on my own. "I thought that pushing you away would make things easier for us both... but now that I think about it it was all for me. I was selfish. I didn't want to risk losing you once I had you, yet instead I have almost made you lose yourself. You understand that I have lost much. My family, for instance; Parents and their child are supposed to be dedicated to each other, a bond no one should be able to break, yet I lost them both to a prophecy or their own pride. I suppose when you asked me about marriage I thought it would end the same. I couldn't go through losing anyone else, so I locked my heart, my feelings for you, away. I did not realize the loneliness of two in love who push that love away would be worse than even the loneliness of being the last person in the world. We have been together all this time yet so far apart. Why have I done this? If there is anything that needs to be forgiven it is my foolish selfishness... I'm so sorry."
"I had already forgiven you for anything the moment my heart chose your own." I tell her, and begin to close the distance between us.
"And for that, I'm glad." She smiles as she leans in as well.
I am so close to her that I can see the twinkle of stars reflecting in her eyes, or maybe it was the first spark of love.
I press my lips against her's, the world falling into place around us.
When we pull apart our voices collide into one as we both say:
"I love you."