One year later.
The café had new owners, but they kept the corner table for old times' sake.
Elena sat there now, laptop open, finishing the last chapter of her novel—the one she'd been writing in fragments since the day she met Mia.
Mia walked in from the back, sleeves rolled up, fresh ink on her forearm: Elena's handwriting, the words "I choose us" in delicate script.
She slid into the seat across from Elena, set down two lattes—oat milk, extra foam, the way Elena liked.
"You're almost done?" Mia asked.
Elena nodded. "Last scene. They get their ending."
Mia reached across, laced their fingers. "What kind?"
Elena smiled—small, real, unguarded. "The kind where they're still fucked up… but they choose each other every day. No cages. Just promises."
Mia's thumb stroked Elena's knuckles. "Sounds familiar."
Elena closed the laptop, leaned in, kissed her softly.
"Take me home," she whispered.
They didn't speak on the walk back to their shared apartment—two blocks from the café, one bedroom, one cat (Goblin had officially adopted Elena), walls covered in their combined art.
Inside, they didn't rush.
Mia undressed Elena slowly—kissing every inch of skin she uncovered, murmuring apologies and adoration against old bruises that had long faded.
Elena did the same—tracing Mia's tattoos with her tongue, lingering on the new one, sucking gently until Mia whimpered.
They fell into bed naked, laughing when Goblin jumped up to supervise.
No toys tonight. No restraints. Just them.
Mia slid between Elena's thighs, licked her slow and deep, like she had all the time in the world. Elena came quietly, fingers in Mia's hair, whispering her name like a prayer.
Then Elena pulled Mia up, straddled her hips, guided Mia's hand between her legs while she rocked against her palm.
They moved together—clit to clit, slick and hot, grinding in long, lazy circles. Breaths mingling. Eyes locked.
When they came it was simultaneous—soft gasps, trembling thighs, tears in both their eyes.
Afterward they lay tangled, hearts beating in sync.
Mia traced Elena's spine. "Marry me?"
Elena laughed, soft and surprised. "You're asking now? After everything?"
"I asked you every day in my head for the last year," Mia said. "Figured it was time to say it out loud."
Elena kissed her slow, deep.
"Yes," she whispered. "But only if we keep choosing each other. Every single day. No matter how messy."
Mia smiled against her lips. "Deal."
Outside, the city hummed.
Inside, two women who had almost destroyed each other had finally learned how to save each other instead.
And that was enough.
The End