"I am glad of that, and shall stop complaining," Teja says, coming closer.

Pause.

"If there is nothing more to speak of, I would rather kiss you now..."

But he waits for the permission. He would give Charlie leeway for a moment's doubt, and hesitation, always. Their lives apart are different, and things may happen.

Indeed, one might claim Teja ought to tell of the vision of Adalgoth, first.-