X X X

"Did I ever tell you that one time Blair actually said something..well..not -ly?"

"Haha, I don't think you did."

"I was visiting you one time, but you were in the shower. So while I was waiting, Blair was ending his shift and he saw me on the way out."

"And?"

"He went up to me randomly and went, "Isn't it weird?"

"Then I asked, "What is?"

"You know that feeling when you first see something completely new and amazing? Like, going to see the Atlesian Transmit Tower up close, or the Blue Rocky Mountains up north, and you get that feeling that you're just..alive?"

"And I looked at him weird. Then he kept talking."

"Why does it make you feel so alive? Nothing really happens to you. Why doesn't it feel as good the second time you see it? You are seeing the same thing."

"Huh. I never thought about that. I get it though, the first time I went to the Blue Rocky Mountains, I was blown away. But now whenever I go there it's just, well, it's just a bunch of snowy mountains."

"Yeah. It kept me thinking, and I realized it's the same thing about you."

"Me?"

"Yeah..I see you almost everyday and never do I get tired of looking at you. It's odd and I can't explain it."

"That's love for you, I guess."

X X X

A few months later

It was early morning that Taeyeon was shaken awake by her girlfriend, who was wide awake despite the time. She turned around, rubbing her eyes, staring at her beautiful, yet exhausted, lover. Throughout the entire week, they had both gotten about 6 hours of sleep -- and they weren't spent together. The lamp lights were on, but their curtains sealed the night outside. During the war, it was a necessity to stay hidden and pretend your room was empty. The soldier stared at the clock above, before remembering it was broken.

Tiffany covered herself in dark clothing, wearing a long winter pea coat despite Spring's promises, a scarf, a pair of gloves, and old boots. "I'm going out to try to get some food." Key word try. Since the war, Atlas began to ration everything, from clothes, food, gas, and even electricity. Ration tickets were given out or sold at the black market, but with Taeyeon's old friends, they managed to get by day to day. "I'll be back." Tiffany leaned down, brushing away pieces of hair to kiss Taeyeon on the forehead. She pulled away when Taeyeon grabbed her arm and dove in for another kiss. For her, Tiffany was caffeine -- addicting and the only thing keeping her awake.

"I'll be okay." Tiffany said, barely above a whisper. "I'll be home before breakfast."

"I'm coming to." She said ripping the blankets off her and rising up. Tiffany put a hand on her shoulder, giving it a gentle squeeze. "You don't have to. I'll be fine, don't worry."

Taeyeon shook her head, reaching over to get her sweater. "I worry."

Tiffany sighed, realizing it wasn't worth arguing in the morning. "Okay. I'll go get your wheelchair."

X X X

Tiffany pushed Taeyeon on her wheelchair, talking about the things as quietly as they could to pass time. The store wasn't far, but Tiffany couldn't take some paths she'd normally take alone. The road was all broken up, cracks here and there, and would do no good to Taeyeon's wheelchair but get her stuck there. They had to go up some hills, Tiffany pushing Taeyeon as much as she could with her tired, cold, and hungry body. Taeyeon tried to help too, the muscles in her arm working as she tried to push forward. By the time they reached the top, Tiffany was exhausted and took a minute to catch her breath. Taeyeon squinted out into the dark, pointing down the hill.

"There's already a line? This early?" Tiffany nodded, still inhaling some cold fresh air. "No way. There's got to be at least fifty people down there. The store doesn't open until 7." Taeyeon frowned and waved at Tiffany. "We should hurry."

"Don't worry, I got us a spot in line." She grinned. "Plus, I know most of them."

Taeyeon raised one of her eyebrows up, giving a confused look as she pulled her scarf closer to her nose. "What do you mean?"

Since Taeyeon rarely went out, Tiffany was mostly in charge of getting food for the two of them. This was the first time Tiffany had brought Taeyeon to the ration store with her, and some explaining had to be done.

"Mornin' Tsukuyo." Tiffany bowed and made her place in line. Taeyeon looked at the people behind them, wondering what their reactions would be that Tiffany had just forced herself in line. But they didn't even turn or raise a voice. Looking closer, she noticed a wooden picnic basket sitting on top of a rock. Tiffany leaned over and picked up her basket, shoving the rock in her right pocket.

Tsukuyo, a blonde and elderly woman, grunted before turning around.

Tiffany then explained how she and her other friends shopped.

Late at night, after Tiffany got off work, she would come to the ration store where a line of baskets on top of rocks were neatly placed and do the same. It was "marking a spot in line where your fit." said by Tsukuyo, and was generally respected among the rest of the women that it was your place in line the following morning. Of course, you could move a couple baskets and sneak your way to the front, but Tsukuyo warned Taeyeon that someone had done that before, and, "That's all you need to know." ended the story. You could also go the normal way, waking up early and patiently wait in the back of the line, but fifty people in front of you almost guaranteed nothing but old bread.

In desperate times, desperate people came together.

"Of course." Tiffany said with a sad expression. "Even getting here as early as possible can't guarantee you any food. I've fought very hard to get food for us Taeyeon."

"I know." She closed her eyes and leaned back. "I know you do, and I appreciate everything you've done for me Tiffany. And I'm sorry I can't do much, but I-"

"Oh shut up you two, you're ruining my morning meditation!" Tsukuyo hissed sitting on the dirty ground. Taeyeon looked at her with an amused expression before snickering along with her lover. "As I was saying -- I love you."

Tiffany smiled and leaned down, kissing Taeyeon for the 3rd time that night.

X X X

It was