[anna's not far enough gone to be able to commune yet, absolutely not, but she has an idea of how to facilitate it. it's stupid, it's silly. but kainé's talking to her like A2 is right here with them. maybe anna should respond in kind. maybe it's easy to acquiesce to stuff that she might otherwise think is a little silly or embarrassing when she's this close, when there's a touch along her jaw and a quiet, sincere reassurance that she is enough. she's enough for kainé and, in the dreamlike state she's in right now, that will be enough all on its own.]

[then kainé says one more thing, and the entire idea of speaking as A2 evaporates. this is more important than that. her hand moves down the back of kainé's neck and around her shoulders, and her other hand gently cups her girlfriend's cheek again, like in the catacombs. when things had felt close to right, but the circumstances were too fraught. a party where anna's been deliberately lowering her own inhibitions isn't much of an improvement to things, but at least there's no terror that either of them is going to be swallowed up by an abyss. when anna speaks again, it's still in that private tone. she'll remember this. no matter what else happens tonight, she will remember this.]

I want that to be what love is. It's what I'm good at... fighting and moving forward no matter what and showing my teeth to anyone who threatens what I have. And if that's what love is, then that's the way I want to love you.