Strictly Professional

55: Valentine

NIALL
Demons-Imagine Dragons

I was never the type of person that was able to sleep throughout the entire night without waking once, just for a couple minutes to roll on my other side before I'd be out again. Elle, on the other hand, was the opposite of that. She barely even moved in her sleep, never seeming to be disrupted by my constant moving around. So when I sensed movement from her side in the middle of the night, I was bound to open my eyes and look at her as she got up. I didn't say anything. I just watched her leave the room, listened to the muffled sounds of drawers opening and running water from the kitchen before she came back to bed with a half drank glass of water, groaning to herself as she got back in bed.

"You alright babe?" My whisper, no matter how soothing I aimed it to be, caught her by surprise as she whipped her head to me.

"Yeah, just a headache. Go back to sleep." She smiled ever so slightly, laying on her side to face me before pulling the duvet all the way up to her chin. I swear I saw her shiver and no matter the slight worry that tugged on my mind, telling me to stay awake and keep an eye on her, my exhaustion and already half asleep state got the best of me. The next thing I remembered was my alarm going off, internally cursing once I remembered just how early my class was today. I sat up and turned it off, glancing to my right where Elle was still sound asleep. No matter how many times I wake up next to her, it'll always put a smile on my face.

I carefully climbed out of bed, trying to not move much in the process and pulled the curtain covering the window aside, allowing sunlight into the room before I went to wash up in the bathroom. She was awake once I returned, laying on her back with a hint of a smile on her face.

"Morning lover." She whispered, that name she had for me always making my heart swell. I walked up to the bed, leaning down to kiss her forehead.

"Morning valentine." I beamed, her eyebrows furrowing at the name.

"What?" I chuckled at her confusion, getting off the bed as I began the process of getting ready.

"Did you forget it's Valentine's day? You're my valentine." I winked before opening a drawer from the dresser. I couldn't hide my excitement for today, which I knew was dumb. I'd never really celebrated on this day, never really wanted to do so. But it was our first Valentine's day we'd get to spend together. I was away for a game last year, which was our first as a couple. So I had big plans for tonight.

"Right, sorry. Forgot about it completely." She slowly got off the bed, still evidently half asleep and droopy as she pulled a fuzzy robe on, wrapping it tightly around her.

"But I'd gladly be your valentine." She smiled as she walked up to me, rising on her tiptoes to leave a kiss on my cheek before leaving the room, presumably to make coffee and pack my lunch like she always did every morning. I've never felt more taken care of from someone other than my mother. It was odd to get used to in the beginning, but even just the simplest thing of her knowing exactly how much milk I liked in my coffee as she'd make it in a thermos to take with me was something I never thought I'd appreciate from a partner.

I quickly got dressed in my usual jumper and joggers for work before joining her in the kitchen for a quick breakfast consisting of sweet rice porridge she'd made last night, the scent of cinnamon sprinkled on top strong once she warmed it up in the microwave. Her own bowl was practically untouched, barely over three spoonful's missing from the top layer coated with the cinnamon. I didn't miss the tiredness that still lingered in her more than usual and I remembered what happened a few hours earlier.

"How's your headache?" My sudden question evidently caught her off guard and there was honestly a second where I thought I dreamt it all.

"Better. I'll take another painkiller before getting started with work." I nodded at her response.