Persephone's heart gave a flutter as he told her those three words in his reassurance. He said them twice. It made all the difference to hear it coming from him and not overhearing the promise (for what was 'I love you' if not a promise that you did, in fact, love someone?) mentioned to her father. Persephone took a shaky breath, inhaling the scents of mint and tobacco leaves, and strangely, these calmed her. When he raised his hand to her cheek, she reached up to lay one of hers over it, and watched his gaze for a moment before leaning in to kiss him. "Thank you," she murmured against his lips after pulling back just slightly, "for your words now, and everything else you've done for me."