Liesel's Perspective
I had never realised the extent to which Max Vanderberg was destroyed by the war. By them.
We had walked in silence to the apartment from the Ivy tree. I could tell Max didn't want to talk, but I felt like I had to comfort him. Like I had to hold him and tell him he'd be alright.
We strolled arm in arm, the closest I had been to him in a while.
I could feel his warmth. I could hear him breathing deeply and slowly. I could see his red eyes and his little grains of stubble on his jaw. These were the things that made Max human. His imperfections. For I while I think he had lost his idea of that. Of his sense of humanity. Or they had taken it away from him. I know he's better now, he can still feel deeply. Something I can relate to.
He's my Max. Flawed but always perfect.
As we approached our apartment, climbing up the plethora of steps to the door, I started to dig around in my purse for my keys. He lightly grabbed my wrist, to stop me.
"Liesel...before we say goodnight, I just needed to say thank you. Thank you for always being here. Thank you for understanding. Just...thank you."
"I do love you Liesel, you know that? You're the best thing, the only thing in my life worth living for, and I love you for that."
I smiled and looked into his deep brown eyes with appreciation, loving him back.
He bent his neck down slightly, reaching to kiss me softly on the cheek.
I closed my eyes, savouring the feeling of my bursting love for Max. Feeling his soft lips against my skin and they way he lingered a little too long afterwards. I could feel his lips curve up, smiling in the final seconds, as if to mark his happiness on my skin.
Our first kiss, even if a small gesture, wasn't going to be our last.