never had a chance

They were not the great loves of each others' lives.
Both had loved too hard already; both had been hurt too bad, seen too much disappointment, and had too much love still to give--just, right now, their hearts weren't strong enough to take such a drastic action yet.
It would last about a year, give or take, then either end in cordial agreement or dissolve of its own volition.  Either way, there would be no explosive break-up, no betrayal, no pining for months, no heartachy, sleepless nights. There would be sadness at the loss of each other's company, for it wasn't a false relationship.  Both wanted, missed, and cared with genuine affection.  Both admired each other, because they were both admirable people.
In fact, both knew how to love so well that they infused this relationship with a temporary commitment, a fierce like for each other, a camaraderie in their non-love.  When they met, he didn't want to date anyone.  She was already dating someone.  Somehow, in their not-dating of each other, they found themselves part of a couple.  They needed each other for exactly what they were.
They were attractive, smart, sharp, fun, driven people.  They were catches who had been playing catch and release for so long that they decided to just pause the game for a bit.  Each toyed with emotions for a living, and had read too many books, listened to too many sentimental songs, seen too many movies, to turn down an opportunity to try it on their own.  The goal was to add another chapter to their individual stories; neither were ready to write their fairy tale ending just yet.
Everyone tells them they'll know it when they see it.  They don't know if this is true, but they find it painfully easy to recognize when it is not around.
This doesn't mean they're bad for each other, or wasting time, or hurting themselves.  They are happy, and they are learning, and they will become one another's stories.  And to these young sentimentalists, stories are the only constant they have ever needed to know.

Funny how I wrote this about a year ago, three months into the relationship, and it came nearly true--except that the end came much faster (seven months) than anticipated.  Luckily, this chapter has closed, though with a bit more ink smeared than necessary.