For a moment, there was no movement.

Nothing.

An austere silence.

Then Elan closed his eyes, and slowly rose from his seat beside her, taking his arm from around her shoulders.

He began to walk towards the kitchen. After a moment, he turned to look back at her. For a brief moment anger--but unable to maintain it, his look softened to a heartbroken hurt.

The kind of look that said "I love you anyway."