Missing [ST]

Twenty One

A hooting owl and crunching gravel underneath his boots, Steven's presence was detected by the porch light.

He was careful unlocking the front door because he didn't want to wake anyone, but he was already disturbing the eerily quiet night by being out and about at such an hour.

Letting his eyes adjust to the darkness, Steven slipped off his shoes and carried them upstairs with him. They were discarded in the corner of his bedroom, and then he was stripping the clothes from his body without a second thought.

He showered to rid the night's trauma, brushed his teeth, but refrained from shaving because of the red, half moon crescents around his mouth that didn't need added irritation.

Efficiency was his priority because Steven had an intention that had overwhelmed him on his drive back. He was nervous, he wouldn't deny that, but tucked into a clean hoodie and sweatpants, he made his way downstairs.

There was no rush in his movements, which was a stark contrast to the rhythm in his chest, and the closer he got, the harder it became to breathe. He was turning the key religiously in the palm of his hand, waiting, thinking, but he wasn't going to run away this time.

He knew he should wait until morning, but he couldn't. He had to see her.

That desire had him breaking that boundary he had made, and Steven could make out a sleeping figure on the floor at the other end, a sight that made his heart sing and body limp, because for the second time, his whole world had stopped.

<>

When Tom had knocked earlier asking if she wanted something to eat, Leah had pretended to be asleep. She had buried her head convincingly in her pillow and wrapped herself up in blankets and not reacted to anything he said.

What she was really doing was hiding the tears that streaked her cheeks and her trembling body. She just couldn't face anyone when she had played herself and lost at their stupid game.

Leah did fall asleep at some point, the exhaustion from silently sobbing taking its toll. She dreamed of her family, her friends, her job, everything that she could remember.

She wished she would have appreciated the smaller things in life and definitely the things she took for granted. Most of all though, she just wished for her old life back and for none of this to have happened.

It was a very strange feeling when Leah sensed she was no longer alone, because she couldn't remember hearing any noise to drift her out of sleep. She just knew there had been a shift in the air she breathed, and it was the reason she had been pulled out of her dreams.

Leah blinked in the darkness, sleepy eyelashes fluttering against the pillow that was once damp with her tears. She moved her cheek an inch or two downwards so she was at a better angle to distinguish the other side of the room, and let her tired eyes adjust.

It didn't take long to realise there was a shadowy outline of a figure in her direct eyeline, the power of darkness swallowing his features. Without a doubt, Leah figured it was him standing there, but learning about his presence wasn't freaking her out. In fact, she remained completely calm and her breathing didn't pace above normal.

She just watched him, assuming he was doing the exact same.

Eventually, she had to rub her eyes from staring and propped herself up on her elbow. Her simple movement caused some rustling which meant he must have known that she was awake.

"Do you watch people in the dark often?" Leah asked him, the courage of words bursting within her.

With the silence that followed, she sat up properly and adjusted the navy blanket that covered her legs because her elbow would soon be numb.

She wasn't scared as she settled with her back against the wall, the warmth of sleep encompassing her body. She should have been, considering she'd just woken to find she was being watched and that it was his shouting that had lapsed her memories, but she was unnerved to the bone.

Like the calm before the storm.

"I guess you won't be able to answer that," Leah continued, and even if her voice was still a bit scratchy from crying, it was doing its job.

There was a shuffle then, like he was unfolding his arms, and Leah watched avidly. He seemed to move his weight forward, and in that second, she swore she caught a glimpse of a cheekbone before he dipped back into the safety of night's disguise.

"You took your time though." She tilted her head accusingly, "Why?"

She counted eleven seconds before he moved. Not talked. Moved. Turned away, to be exact, and it snapped a gritty nerve.

"Is that it?" Leah remarked sarcastically, drawn up to the breadth of his shoulders. "You have nothing to say to me?"

Silence.

Fed up of waiting, she kicked her legs out. Standing up to confront might have crossed his mind if he did happen to look over his shoulder, but Leah lay back down on her side so she faced away, pulling blankets close to her neck.

"Get some sleep, Leah."

"Yeah, thanks."

It was angry, mumbled so he probably couldn't hear, and she was too busy squashing her pillow further under her bent arm to care about him leaving.

It was only when he was gone that Leah realised that he had spoken, and everything about his voice was so different. It was quieter, softer, and nothing like what she had heard before.

It didn't make her scared, or long to be as far away from him as possible. It made her want to know what he looked like, memorise details in his face when he spoke, and for him to say her name again.

<>

A/N

Hello lovely readers! I hope you're all well!! ❤️

It only took me twenty one chapters to write a first interaction, if that can even be counted... Whelp, on with the show ;)