"Have you ever kissed anyone?"
"No," Jackdaw admitted. "I've never had the pleasure."
"I thought you would have."
"So did I." A small, self-deprecating laugh escaped him. "My romantic endeavours, back when I was breathing, weren't... terribly successful."
Imogen lowered her gaze, absently smoothing the cuff of her sleeve.
For a while, neither of them spoke. The forest was still around them, save for the wind stirring the leaves overhead. Jackdaw broke the silence first.
"...I wonder if I'd even feel it."
She looked up. "Feel what?"
"A kiss." He hesitated, as though hearing the words aloud had made them sound rather more foolish. "If a ghost kissed someone."
Imogen considered him for a moment.
"I've never thought about it."
"Me neither... until now."
The silence that followed was unlike the ones they had always shared. It stretched between them, touched by an understanding neither had yet found the courage to voice. Jackdaw looked away first.
"Forgive me, that was an odd thing to say. Forget I said that."
She drew a slow breath, gathering a courage she wasn't entirely certain she possessed. "I've been wondering the same thing."
His brows lifted ever so slighty. "...About ghosts?"
Imogen met his gaze. For a fleeting moment, she wondered if she ought to laugh it off, to let him believe she'd meant nothing by it. Instead, she said quietly
Whatever veil had been between them dissolved in that moment.
Jackdaw laughed under his breath, though there was little confidence left in it.
"...I should confess something."
"I may have steered this conversation on purpose... Because I wanted an excuse..."
He hesitated, suddenly finding the words far more difficult than he'd expected.
Imogen answered by reaching for him.
(I feel like I have to say this : Imogen isn't a 5th year here-)
This piece lingered in my to-finish pile for several weeks. I've saved, scrapped, and reworked it so many times that it's managed to consume an alarming amount of storage. I believe I'll try something a different style next... or perhaps one of those shipping sheets I've been meaning to make. 🤔
