"Maybe I want you around even then," Kennedy insisted, and she'd thought she was over it but once the words were out of her mouth they sounded a little scary... and she hated to admit it, but Tara was right. She'd never been the type to put everything on hold for a girl before, and if it came down to a choice between that and doing what she needed to do?

"When it comes down to that, we'll see where we are, okay?" she tried, her own voice a little thick. "God, I don't have to go anywhere yet. We've at least got until then..."

Three years and maybe a reality or two to the side.

"Yeah," Kennedy echoed. She used to measure their relationship in weeks, because months seemed like a long time and that was scary; when had she started measuring it in months because weeks seemed too short? "I mean, it's not like we're gonna go home and never see each other again or anything, plus I can totally come back and visit, and..."

She trailed off with a strained laugh; one of the reasons she loved Tara was that earnest optimism of hers. "And right now we have books and burgers, and I was thinking we could do a movie in my room tonight or something, and we should enjoy all of that. 'cause... now."

Kennedy turned her head to brush a light kiss against Tara's cheek.

"I think we can even pull off a mindless movie with cute animals. And chocolate, and snuggles.. Call it a date and we're good, yeah?"

"A girl's gotta have hobbies," Kennedy pretended to defend herself. "I spoil because I love. Is that so wrong?"

Kennedy grinned. "Score. So it's totally not pushing my luck to try and convince you to stay the night, either?"

Kennedy was so not counting down on a daily basis yet.

"It's only polite to ask," she countered, teasing.