Reflection (One Shot)

Reflection

Pillow traces on his skin. Eyelashes. Long. Casting shadows on his cheekbones. A strand of hair over his forehead. Deep breathing. Calming.

Moonlight touches his skin. Makes the golden tone shimmer. Back muscles play when he shifts. Tattoos cover his arms. Unspoken bond in ink.

The duvet has slipped down just below his waist. Goosebumps form on his back from the cool breeze from an open window. He will wake up if he's cold. Nuzzle closer. Steal my body heat. Icy feet between my legs. Warm breath in the back of my neck. Heavy arm around my torso. Cozy. Home.

He looks so young. Innocent. Carefree. Content. I love that. I love him. So much that it hurts to imagine being without him.

He's so beautiful. Perfect. And he's mine. He loves me. Of all people, he wants me. I'm so lucky. I have to tell him that more often. So he really knows. I think he does. I hope he does. He does, right? I fight the urge to wake him just to make sure that he knows how precious he is. How much I love him. How lucky I am.

My chest hurts. My throat closes up. I feel like crying. Silly. I'm just happy. This is our time. Here we can be ourselves. Behind this door. Between these four walls. No hiding. No pretending. Just us. In love. Happy. Lighthearted. Without the world upon our shoulders. Our closet. Our hideout. Our bed. Our home.

I follow the outline of his jaw with my fingertips. Caress his cheek softly. He twitches. I smile. He's my everything. My sunshine. My temptress. He tests my patience. Makes me furious sometimes. Makes me laugh. Makes me ache. Comforts me when I'm sad. Supports me. Always by my side no matter what. A wonderful human being.

I touch his lips this time. So soft. He gives the best kisses. They make the world stop for a second. Takes my breath away. Makes my knees weak. My heart pounding. My stomach flip. They can also be rough and demanding. When I need them to be.

He's getting restless. Turns around. Sighs. The duvet slips further down, still covering his lower part. Revealing his happy trail. I take it all in for a second. The flat stomach. The hairless chest. He's getting cold so I cover him up. Hide him under the duvet to keep him warm. To keep him safe. I want to keep him here forever. Away from hurtful words and actions from the outside world. Whispers. Accusations. My brave man. He keeps his head up. Smiles. Always so kind and caring. Pretends.

I'm the only one who gets to see his tears. The hurt in his eyes. His soul. Always so strong. For me. For us. So I don't have to. Protects me. Shields me. I just want to lighten his burden. Carry it with him. Protect him. Shield him.

My cheeks are wet. I wipe them. Not the time for tears. He stirs in his sleep. Getting restless again. Feels my absence in his arms. He opens his eyes. Blue like the ocean. I could drown in them.
"Is it morning?"

"No. Go back to sleep."

"Why are you awake? Are you crying? What's wrong, baby?"

He reaches for me. I lay my head on his chest. He holds me. Strong arms keep me safe. He kisses my head.
"I love you. That's all."

"I love you too and that's not just all. That's everything."

I trace a made-up pattern with my finger on his chest. Soft skin.
"You're perfect. I'm so lucky you're mine." I breathe against his skin. Voice trembling.  

He kisses my forehead with soft lips.
"What made you this emotional in the middle of the night?"

"I couldn't sleep. Just laid here thinking. Watching you. Sorry."

"Did something happen yesterday?"

"No. Don't worry about me. Go back to sleep, love."

"I'm not gonna sleep if you're upset."

"I'm not upset. Just completely and utterly in love with you. Okay?" I giggle.

He hugs me tighter. I can feel him smiling against my hair.
"Okay."

I can hear his heart beat faster. I did that. Me and my words. We lay in silence for a while. Hugging. Cuddling. Touching.
"I'm completely and utterly in love with you as well. Sleep now?"

"Yeah."

I listen as his breaths become even. I don't move. This is where I belong. My eyelids are getting heavy and I doze off. This is our time. Our safe haven. Our home.

The End