Chapter 172 Chapter 172

Chapter 172 Chapter 172
Aurelia

We ended up at this nice restaurant downtown. Not overly formal Just one of those places where the lighting is soft and the food is actually good instead of just looking expensive I sat beside Talon without thinking about it. Because that’s where I always sit now.

At some point during dinner, I looked around the table. Everyone talking, laughing, relaxed And it hit me again. This isn’t separate anymore. My life isn’t split between worlds. It’s one thing now. Talon leaned slightly toward me at one point.
“You’re quiet,” he said.
“I’m just watching everyone be loud.”

"Normal," he said. 
“That’s a generous word for this group.” He glanced at me. “Accurate though," he said.

I laughed softly. “Fair.” I didn’t notice anything change at first after that, not immediately. Not dramatically. It wasn’t like a switch flipped. It was just… the moment continued. Food came, conversation moved, glasses filled. Then slowly, subtly, things shifted. Nico stood first at some point, stepping out briefly. Then Mason followed. Then Luke and Gabe got pulled into some conversation outside. People started drifting. Not all at once.
Just naturally thinning the space, I remember thinking it was weird how coordinated it felt without anyone actually coordinating it.

I turned slightly toward Amy. She smiled at me too knowingly. That should’ve been my first clue. But I still didn’t connect it. Talon’s mother leaned over slightly to me. “I’ll be right back,” she said gently.
And even that didn’t register as unusual. Because everyone was moving Just in different directions Until it was just us.
Talon.
Me.

His parents are still nearby but slightly farther now. And suddenly the room felt quieter in a different way. Not empty, focused, I turned slightly toward him. “What’s going on,” I asked casually. He didn’t answer immediately. Which wasn’t unusual. But his posture changed slightly. More deliberately, he set his glass down. Then looked at me. Properly not distracted, not half present, fully focused.
And that’s when I felt it. That shift in the air My breath slowed without me deciding it. He reached into his pocket. And I froze slightly. Because I think I already knew before it even happened.

He stood up. Not rushed, not nervous in a visible way Just steady, and that alone made everything around him feel more real. He looked at me for a second. Then said quietly,

"Come here.” I stood without thinking and walked toward him. And the entire table felt like it disappeared behind sound. He stopped in front of me. And for once, he didn’t speak immediately. Just looked at me.

Like he was making sure I was actually here. Like this moment wasn’t just something passing through. Then he said it, simple and clear, no hesitation.
"Stay with me,” he said.

My heart stopped for half a beat. Then he lowered himself slightly. And opened the box The ring wasn’t loud. Not flashy in a way that screamed for attention Just… him. Intentional, Structured, and Real He looked up at me. And this time his voice was quieter but certain.
"Marry me.”

The room didn’t matter anymore; I barely heard anything around us. Just him. Just that moment. I don’t even know how long I stood there. But I remember my hands shaking slightly. Not from fear From everything hitting at once All the time All the distance All the growing All the while, I looked at him. And said the only thing that made sense.

“Yes.” I said, "No hesitation." No doubt, just yes. His expression changed slightly then. Not dramatically, just relief, real He stood fully again and slid the ring on my finger like it had already been waiting there. And I swear for a second, everything felt still. Behind us, I heard movement.
Applause. Someone laughing. Amy is probably crying, knowing her But I haven't turned yet. Because I was still looking at him And he was still looking at me. Like nothing else mattered in that moment.

Talon

She said yes without hesitation. That part mattered more than anything else. Not the setting Not the people Not the reaction Just her answer Because it confirmed what had already been true for a while. We weren’t temporary. We weren’t passing through each other’s lives. We were building one. She looked down at the ring for a second. Then back at me Like she was still processing it but not unsure, just present.

I stepped slightly closer. And said quietly, "You're shaking.” She smirked slightly. “I know.”
“Good,” I said. That made her laugh under her breath. Around us, the noise came back slowly. People approaching, congratulating Voices overlapping, but none of it reached us the same way. Because the decision was already made And for once, there was nothing uncertain left hanging between us. Just a future that finally had a name attached to it. Ours.