[ At his laugh, she echoes it with a wobbly one of her own, blinking away the residual tears. It's silly. She feels silly. And yet, some of the apprehension feels like it's lifted. ]

Maybe we should get a gold star. [ She says, peeking up at him with a watery grin. While Kaz had certainly not made it easy on either of them, she knows she would do it all over again in a heartbeat. Especially right now, as she comes to terms with him being an independent adult. The pride is slowly overtaking her stricken mood, filling her enough she thinks she could burst.

With her head still tilted, she presses a soft kiss to his cheek and then mouth, smiling into it. ]

If you say it, I know it'll be true. [ That said: ] I'm telling him he should bring Inej on Friday.