As much as it pained him to watch her, his heart swelled with joy when he heard her laugh once again. She was the only person in the world who had a truly infectious giggle. The way her enchanting eyes crinkled at the corner, the way her full lips curled over perfectly straight teeth, the way she subconsciously tossed rich brown curls over her shoulder sporadically. He had gotten the chance to learn her, to understand the nuances of her personality. He knew just what to say to prompt her to spar with him; he knew exactly how far to push her before her interest became annoyance; he could tell when to wrap her small frame in his arms or when to allow her to stretch and move on her own; he instinctively knew precisely how to slant his lips over hers and when to pull away to leave her craving him. Her body was almost as familiar to him as his own, and every dip and curve in her skin had been properly documented by the slow graze of his fingers and the delicate trace of his lips. Her scent, always lavender and vanilla, had a profound effect on him. Her feisty personality was matched only by his sharp wit, and their conversations were stimulating and entertaining all at once. Without even knowing it, the two of them had balanced each other perfectly.