Something that might have been disappointment crossed her face, but she quickly hid it. "We.. We don't have to stay.."
"No," he said instantly, jerking his head up to look at her. "No, Aspen, I don't..." He sighed slightly, shaking his head. "You're here with me and... God, Aspen, you're so pretty. You're so beautiful. I love being with you. I just..." He shrugged. "I know what it's like to be so hungry that you can't speak. You can't see. I know what it's like to be able to feel your own organs through your skin. And my experience... it's not rare, where I come from. And now we're here on the Star and we're able to eat stuff like this and not worry about it and I feel..." He struggled for a minute. "I feel bad. I feel guilty."
She observed him, her brows furrowed. She held out her hand towards him, her gaze adoring and a bit sad. "I love you, August. When the time comes, we can make a difference down below. I know we can. We can help people when we return."
He took her hand, still looking concerned. "I tried with the Fort, you know. I thought that I could make a place where everyone could live together. In a neighborhood, like you told me about. I thought... I mean... I couldn't control the fact that you left, but I could make a difference. Now, it's been dismantled and we left it. I don't know. I just feel bad."
"It hasn't been dismantled.. They'll be alright, August. They can keep things under control until we get back. They'll understand.."
"I didn't," he replied, looking up at her. "I didn't understand and I was in love with you. Every portion of my being wanted an explanation, and I still didn't understand."
She was watching him thoughtfully, her brows furrowed. "Did.. When I was gone, is that when you realized you loved me?"
“I figured that the emotions I was feeling was indicative of love,” he replied thoughtfully. “I figured that this was what you meant.”
