When he looked up, after finishing his explanation, he was dismayed to find her crying. It certainly wasn't what he'd intended - but then he thought about all the things she'd told him, about her past, and how for so long she'd felt unworthy of things. He couldn't bring himself to regret the flowers, or telling her their meaning. He meant all of it, and he knew sometimes, tears were the only way to relieve an excess of feelings.

Still, he couldn't just stand there and do nothing while she continued to cry. Reaching over, he moved her hand with the flowers out of the way, then wrapped his arms around her middle and drew her into a hug. "I love you, too," he said quietly. He wished he had the words to explain to her just how much she'd come to mean to him, in even this short amount of time, but besides I love you, he just couldn't articulate it. He finally settled on, "You're the first girl I've ever bought flowers for. I'm... kind of hoping you'll be the last."

Pressing his nose to her hair, just above her ear by her temple, he breathed out, "And I mean every one."