She and I have been flirting with each other and seen each other regularly for a while, most definitely since Pride. During the poly conference, for which we were both in the organising group, our relationship became tighter.

I'd had my interest for some time already, but being away had me delay saying anything about it... the night between Saturday and Sunday of the conference, there was a moment when someone else asked "Are you together or what?", and I explained that we weren't really at that level, that we "just" defined ourselves as each other's flirt, and then I blurted out something like "but maybe we should make our minds up?", clumsily hinting my interest...

A few hours later, in that spooky hour when daylight saving time stops, a bit before 3am became 2am, she said "I want you, I want to be together with you, if you want?"... all I said was "Yes", then we fell asleep.
The next morning, among the first things we did was to tell Charlie (who was also one of the organisers and present at the conference, of course) that we had "upgraded" our relationship and now considered us together, and she smiled warmly and congratulated us.

One of the sweetest moments later Sunday evening was when Charlie hugged Karin with the words "we are poly family now". Sweet sweet warm moment, and oh so welcoming, the memory still has me melt.

Time will tell how this new relationship forms itself... it's a new experience in itself, having two relationships like this, openly, honestly and with warmth and love, new balances to reach. In the mean time, there's the excitement of new emotions that are suddenly blooming out, as if they have waited for the permission that came with declaring ourselves "together"; there's testing fears in me that come from failed experience, years ago, or rather, having those fears quickly wiped away.

Life, I tell you, is beautiful, and I'm in love!