Leaves kept tumbling across the path in front of them, orange and brown and a little damp at the edges. Kaia walked with her hands stuffed in her jacket pockets and her shoulders rounded, like she was trying to shrink. She still had to shorten every step so Willa could keep up without hurrying. Every time their arms bumped she glanced down, then ahead again, as if she needed to check Willa was still fine being next to someone that much bigger.
"So," she said, voice lower than usual. "Is this a date?"
Willa had to tilt her whole head back to look at her. She laughed, easy and sure. "We have been dating for months, dummy. You showed up with flowers. You keep acting like the wind might blow me away. You are doing that thing where you hide your paws. Yes. It is a date."
Kaia made a small embarrassed sound in her chest. Her tail flicked once behind her. She looked at the tidy city trees and the path that never really left the sound of cars, and her ears tipped back a little.
"Sorry it is not a real autumn forest," she said. "I know you like the deep woods. This is just the park."
"We go to college in the city," Willa answered. She reached up and slid her hand through Kaia’s arm. "This is perfect, so long as it is with you." She squeezed. "A forest doesn't have a hot chocolate cart at the end of the path either. Or benches I can climb so I can kiss you without you having to bend in half."
Kaia’s ears softened. She matched the shorter stride even more carefully after that, paying attention to every place they touched. Willa’s shoulder against her arm. The way one normal step from her could pull ahead if she was not thinking. When a thicker pile of leaves had gathered by the curb Willa let go, ran forward, and kicked them into the air. She spun around laughing, scarf flying. Kaia stopped so she would not walk right into her, then laughed too when Willa came straight back and tucked herself against her side again like that was exactly where she belonged.
"You are allowed to walk normally," Willa said, bumping her hip as high as she could reach. "I won't break. And I like how tall you are. It makes the park feel safe. It makes me feel brave." She glanced up, smiling. "Even if you still get shy when I hold your hand where people can see."
Kaia was quiet for a few steps. "You are very small," she said at last. "And very bold. It's just... a lot." "Good," Willa said. She swung their joined hands and tugged her toward the next bright patch of leaves. "Now come on. I want to see if you can still look dignified with maple leaves stuck in your ears."
