That Night

Chapter Fifteen

His hands caressed my sides in a manner so delicate it felt like butterfly wings. I looked at his face, his eyes closed, his breathing calm as he moved his hand.

I move a little closer, little guilty for ruining the moment earlier. I know he said it was fine, but that won't ease my guilt until I do something to make it up to him. His eyes moved underneath his eyelids, seemingly restless.

Is he angry? I know he said that it was fine and we could try again some other time, but, was he just trying to make me feel better? I take I his close eyed expression, wondering what he was hiding behind those eyelids of his.

"Ryu?" I say his name softly, in a voice just above a whisper.

"Hmm?" He hums, not opening his eyes.

I take in a breath and sigh before moving away from him and climbing out of the bed, telling him that I need to go to the bathroom before walking out of the room. Unshed tears burn my eyes, threatening to fall as I grab the doorknob of the bathroom, hesitating before stepping inside. Instead, I head outside, walking out to the car and lifting myself up onto the truck where I stared up at the moon, the stars hidden by the glow of the streetlight. Here, I feel the first tear escape my eye and let out a shuddering breath.

He's not mad, I know he's not, but my anxiety won't allow me to believe what I know to be true and decides to torture me instead, making me think he is frustrated because of my stupid illness. I take a deep breath, not allowing myself to fall into the depths of my already painful mind and the thoughts that plague it. Just one mentally free day. That's all I ask.

I pull one knee up to my chest and rest my head on it, wrapping my arms around my leg to keep it from slipping. Soon enough, I can feel myself start to doze off, the exhaustion coming after my episode finally catching up to me.

Just before my eyes closed completely, the soft sound of a voice calling my name broke me from my doze.

"Hey are you okay?" I look to the side and find Ryu walking around the car with a concerned expression.

"I-I y-yeah, just... thinking." I whisper the last word, look back down at my knee, picking at a stray string on the seam.

"It's about earlier isn't it." He states, less like a question and more like a statement.

I let out a small noise of protest before stuttering and, eventually, sighing in defeat with a small nod.

"I told you it's alright. You didn't do anything wrong."

"But you seemed upset. I said your name earlier and you didn't look at me. You just made a noise that sounded mad and I got nervous so I left you alone and came out here."

His hand rests on my hand, his finger stroking my palm with a touch so let yet so hot I couldn't help but take a deep breath, a little embarrassed by the way I was acting but played it off as best I could. Sadly, it didn't fool him.

"Did you want to do something that bad?" He asks, a hint of humor in his voice.

I whine a bit and glance at him from the orner of my eye. He smiles softly and lifts my head, wiping the tears from my eyes before squeezing my hand.

"Let's go back inside. I'll let you free yourself of the guilt you so obviously feel."

"Really?" I perk up a bit.

"Of course. If you still want to that is." I nod and jump off the car with a giggle.

He leads me inside as I begin to grow nervous once again. Once the door is closed again, he turns back and gives me a reassuring smile before gently pressing me up against the wall. Placing his lips on mine, he pulls me closer to him by my waist, keeping my shoulders against the wall as our hips press against the other.