You Keep His Shirt, He Keeps His Word.

“Small talk, he drives, coffee at midnight
The light reflects the chain on your neck
He says, “Look up,” and your shoulders brush
No proof, one touch, but you felt enough”
Taylor Swift – You Are In Love (Taylor’s Version)

I know it’s been over a month since my last post. Life has been busy though and we have time when we have time here. There was finally an opportunity to login and shoot something new for this post so here we are. Now, It is time for a brand new chapter, words are still wet in spots where our fingerprints have smudged the ink. I keep catching myself re-reading the first few pages before the next ones even start. (Literally too, I’ve re-read this post probably 1000 times since I started it.) Wild how it is already behind us and yet clinging to me like her scent on my clothes. Time stretched long and slow when I wanted to live inside it forever, then snapped past me when I wasn’t looking. Our choice of destination was perfect, and I would go back a billion times with her, that being said I would go anywhere for her.

That first hug. I wish could have stayed right there forever. Her arms around me, mine around her, heartbeat steady against mine, the sweet smell of her perfume in the air, pulling me in, in a way that nothing else has. After so much waiting, so much distance, for so long, it felt like being shipped off somewhere far away and finally being able to return to where I belong. The noise, the chaos, even my own head, all of it went quiet. I was not wandering anymore. I was home. There was no weirdness, no awkward silence, just the peace of knowing we were together, in each other’s arms for hopefully the first of many times.

The first kiss. It carried it’s own weight. More than lips meeting. It was years of patience and faith collapsing into one moment. Like knocking on a door that I had been standing outside forever and finally having it open. The lights on, the room warm, everything familiar and somehow brand new at the same time. A beginning and a continuation. Proof that love does not just survive distance, it deepens inside it. With SecondLife I would say 95% of relationships deal with distance so we’re all used to that. But, when that distance goes away it’s not a guarantee you walk in and everything feels just right. Once the distance was gone with us, it was perfect, I’ve never felt more comfortable and safe with someone I had never met in person before.

Then there were all of the “little things,” the ones a lot of people take for granted. It’s easy to do too, when/if you have them every day. But when you wait for it for days, months, years, it makes you appreciate how important they truly are. They are the ones you do not realize are etching themselves into your memory until later. Laughs that lasted ages, until our cheeks hurt and our voices gave out, like the night itself didn’t want to end, and boy, did we not want it to. The long drives, sometimes to somewhere, sometimes the scenic route because I missed an exit (or two). She just rolled with it, my perfect passenger princess. Feet tucked up, phone in one hand, Spotify DJ on duty, the other hand wrapped in mine. Even traffic was absolutely quality time.

Dinners that stretched out forever, some with friends (let us never forget the sunshine and love), and some just the two of us, with no rush to leave. Even when the check sat there, it felt like there was still something worth savoring. The silence between us was not empty, a smirk or look always filled the space perfectly. And the snacks on the fly, pit stops, chocolate, chips, sodas (or “fridge cigarettes” as we call them), they had their own glow. Proof that even the in-between spaces belonged to us. Nothing wasted. Not a second.

Snuggles on the bed, one screen instead of two. No “3, 2, 1, play” countdown, no sync delays, no miles between us. Just a single glow from the TV and her head on my shoulder, her hair brushing my arm. Quiet but full, like the world shrunk down to that room and the sound of us breathing. Then the hand-holding. God, that slipped in so naturally. Just like breathing. My body already knew how it was supposed to be. Fingers interlaced on walks, in the car, across the table. Anchors in the smallest gestures. I didn’t even realize how much I would miss it until now, when the space feels bigger and my hands feel way too empty. I miss it so damn much.

There are pieces of those days I won’t ever write here. Some things are too precious to pour onto these pages for the world to see. They are ours alone, the glances no one else caught, the words spoken soft enough for only us to hear. Her hand finding mine without thinking. The half-smile only I know the meaning of. Silences that weren’t silence at all. That is what makes them sweeter. They don’t need an audience. They are hidden threads woven through the fabric of us, unseen, unbreakable.

She is pure magic. I don’t have the words to do her justice. Every one of them feels too small or inadequate to describe her. For over two years I thought I had her mapped out. But being there with her proved me wrong in the best way. She didn’t just meet my expectations, she shattered them. Every moment felt like she was quietly rewriting what I thought love should be, what it could be. The comfort by her side was something else. Not just safe. It’s so much deeper than that. It’s like my entire being exhaled after holding its breath for years. She made everything lighter, the world quieter. Even in traffic, I felt steady. Like I could finally stop bracing for something to go wrong. With her, I was just me and that was enough.

I wish we could have stayed in our own little world there forever. I know we both felt it, the ache of wanting to stretch the hours, steal more from the clock, even more than we already had. We definitely slept a little less but the time was absolutely well spent. Then finally real life pulled us back. Distance returned. We had to pack everything from the days we had together into that final embrace. That last hug, that last kiss, so fucking bittersweet, I wish I never had to let her go. I remember it all very clearly: our arms tightening, breath against skin, tears falling, silence louder than any words. What I wouldn’t give to go back and get that hug a billion more times.

Leaving to go back home by far was one of the hardest things I have had to do. Yes it is softened by the promise that this is not the end. It never is with us. We will do it again. Every mile, every stretch of time apart is worth it. She is worth it. She always has been. She always will be. She’s my person. Now, forever. No “if” or “unless.” Just absolute certainty. Peace. Calm. Steadiness. We waited so long for this, battled through the rough patches, held on when it could have been easy to let go. We both know it has not always been easy. There were moments that stretched us thin. But this chapter tattooed our names even deeper, like ink that won’t fade. It revealed more. Layers I hadn’t seen, strength I didn’t know, love reaching further than I thought possible. That’s what leaves me in awe. Against everything, we’re not just surviving. We’re becoming all that I could ever dream of.

This time didn’t just prove what I already knew, it locked it in completely. All the late-night promises, all the words across the miles, they have been shaped into something lasting. Real. Stronger than distance. Stronger than doubt. I would walk through fire for us, stand against every single storm, because nothing compares to what we’ve built. I refuse to let anything ruin what the two of us have together. I’ll never forget the time we had together. It’s burned into me, piece by piece, like a story I will keep re-reading for rest of my life. Even the smallest bits feel like gifts. Reminders that happiness and love doesn’t have to be loud to change you. Those quiet moments stand out in a whole different way.

I came home feeling more alive than I have in a long time. Like a hole inside me was finally full. She gave me a part of myself I did not even know was missing. That missing puzzle piece that makes the picture whole. The one you search for endlessly and only know the value of once it clicks itself into place in your heart. Even now, I know her more than I did before this trip. Just when I think I have her all figured out, she surprises me with something out of left field. New depths. New colors. New light. I did not know it was even possible to love her more than I already had, to understand her more than I did. But, here I am. Still stunned. Still learning. Still choosing her. Always.

Forever and always, my love. No matter the miles or the time in between, my heart is always where you are. Presence even in distance. Thank you for every moment you made amazing, every memory that will never fade, and all of the things that we have to look forward to. I am yours. You are mine. Somehow, in a world this big and unpredictable (we damn sure know unpredictable too), I got the rarest kind of luck, a love that feels like home and a journey all at once. I carry it with gratitude every day. You are my constant, my anchor, my only. I love you. #Always

We put together some nice casual stylings for this photo. Somewhat mirroring the vibe of our time together. Casual, comfortable, us. You’ll probably notice my cute little blonde is now a brunette, and I am completely in love with the brown hair. I could have setup a scene to fit our real life sights, but this spot at Elysion ended up being perfect for the shot. I had a good feeling about it when I landed and looked around and she confirmed it when we both setup to take our picture. If it feels right, it probably is. Take the chance, you never know how incredible things could turn out to be. Credits for almost everything can be found below, thanks for reading if you made it all the way to this point, until next time.

♥L&M.

“You can hear it in the silence, silence
You, you can feel it on the way home, way home
You, you can see it with the lights out, lights out
You are in love, true love
You are in love”
Taylor Swift – You Are In Love (Taylor’s Version)

Credits:

~Mackenzie~

Head: LeLUTKA.Head.CAMILA.4.0 ~ Jaden Nova
Body: [LEGACY] (f) (1.7.1) ~ MeshBody Resident
Hair: DOUX – Yeji Hairstyle ~ Dam1710 Resident

Sweater: (fd) Casual Fall Sweater – Olive ~ Toast Bard
Tank: (fd) Casual Fall Tank – Onyx ~ Toast Bard
Skirt: (fd) Casual Fall Skirt ~ Toast Bard
Boots: (fd) Cozy Suede Boots ~ Toast Bard

Ring (L): ~~ Ysoral ~~ .: Luxe Wedding Ring Doline:. ~ Fenixdragon Rau

~Lucky~

Head: LeLUTKA.Head.NOA.4.0 ~ Jaden Nova
Head Applier: VELOUR: KALEB Skin for Evo X ~ Kiria Mama
Hair: Stealthic – Haunting ~ Stealthic Resident
Hairbase: LeLUTKA.EvoX.Hairbase.044 (BOM) ~ Jaden Nova (Comes with the LeLUTKA NOA Head)
Eyes: Avi-Glam. Prism Eyes – Pack 2 ~ Eye Daddy
Ears: ^^Swallow^^ Gauged S Ears ~ Luciayes Magic
Ear Tattoo: RichB. Ears Tattoo #08 ~ Salvy Hexem
Beard: [MAGNIFICENT] Ducky Skunk Beard & Stache – LeBarbier Alpha
Beard Layer: [MR] Jimmi Facial Hair for EvoX Heads Style 1 ~ Daniel Whiskers
Body: [LEGACY] Athletic Edition (1.7.1) ~ MeshBody Resident
Skin: VELOUR: PICASSO HOMME Skin for Legacy (FIT/TAN) Picasso Neck ~ Kiria Mama
Hand BOM: K.O.K.O.S SHOP – SEXI MAN HANDS-BOM ALL BODY. ~ Aleric Dallas
Nails: Pare.Cure Mesh Nails Both Hands [Short] – Legacy ~ Flazedo Resident
Tattoo: Boscato Vigor Upper Body Tattoo MEDIUM – Boston Blaisdale

Sweater: ColdAsh x Arcback. LEGACY M – HARBOUR Crew Sweater (Fatpack) ~ ColdAsh Resident/Arcy Halfpint
Jeans: [Deadwool] Dean Jeans ~ Masa Plympton
Glasses: :: DS :: Heath Glasses ~ Deep Static
Ring (L): ~~ Ysoral ~~ .: Luxe Wedding Ring Eliot:. ~ Fenixdragon Rau
Rings/Bracelets: *RE* Atreides Bracelet & Rings ~ Crashnoww Resident
Earrings: = DAE = SXD1 ~ Naomi Darkheart