Top Gun Imagines

36. Listening and Feeling (Bob - Robert Floyd)

(Published July 31, 2023) 

   It was a dark and stormy night.  Actually, it had been a dark and stormy weekend, meaning Bob and I had been trapped inside all day.  His three day weekend we had been excited for had turned our carefully thought out plans into a sloppy mess.  We still had fun, of course!  We still went to the beach on the drizzly day, since we would just be getting wet anyway.  And the night before we dressed up and went out to a fancy restaurant before walking around a quaint downtown area under umbrellas. 
   However, tonight we had no plans.  We had originally wanted to go to the zoo, but with the thunder and lightening, we decided against it.  Now we were sitting on the couch, just cuddling and listening to the thunder while lightening bolt flashes danced across the walls.  We had been that way for a long time, and now I was ready to do something.  But what to do?
   "Bob," I began, sitting up from where I had been tucked into his shoulder. 
   "Mmm?" He asked, blinking a few times as he turned his attention to me. 
   "Wanna play a game?" I asked, an idea forming in my mind. 
   He nodded.  "Sure.  Battleship or Scrabble?"
   "Not that kind of game," I quickly clarified.  Normally I'd jump at the chance to play either of those, but I was tired of sitting tonight. 
   "Then what kind?" He asked, genuinely confused. 
   "A blindfold game."
   "Uh, gonna need more details than that, baby."
   "You wear the blindfold and try to find me in the house by listening and feeling." I clasped my hands under my chin, now a little excited. 
   He raised an eyebrow.  "You do realize I'm probably going to break every lamp in attempt to find you."
   "No you won't," I giggled.  "C'mon, it'll be fun."
   "Oh boy," He shook his head with a small grin. 
   He hadn't said no, so that meant he'd humor me.  Beaming, I hurried to the bedroom to retrieve a handkerchief that we could use as a blindfold.  Skipping back to the living room, I sank onto the couch beside him and glanced at his still grinning face. 
   "Ready?"
   "Ready as I'll ever be," He chuckled.  
   He pulled off his glasses and set them on the coffee table.  Leaning forward, I tied the handkerchief carefully over his eyes, not that I was too worried.  Without his glasses, he couldn't see much.  Once it was somewhat secured, he took hold of one of my hands as I sat back.  Grinning, I stood and let my hand slide out of his grip.  
   "No cheating," I warned playfully.  
   "I can't, not without my glasses." He stated, also getting to his feet.  
   "Good." 
   Scooping up his glasses, I tucked them safely in my t-shirt pocket.  Then, I quietly moved around the coffee table towards the doorway and left the living room.  As softly as I could, I stepped across the tiled hall into the kitchen, turning to see if he was following.  He was carefully making his way around the living room, checking the couch and chairs with his hands before moving on.  He had a small grin on his lips, so I knew he wasn't too uncomfortable with the game.  Breathing a soft sigh of relief, I walked over to the pantry and pulled the slatted door half closed in front of me.  I waited quietly for a few minutes, listening closely to hear if he might be coming. 
   "Bella?" 
   I peeked through the slats to find him slowly entering the kitchen.  A giggle escaped my lips before I could catch it and I quickly placed my hand over my mouth.  He had heard it already, though.  
   "You are in here." He began checking the table chairs and the space between the refrigerator and the wall with his hands.  "I'm going to find you, baby." 
   I watched, grinning silently under my hand.  He made his way around the room very slowly and with almost slow motion steps.  I wondered if maybe he was trying to hear if my bare feet were moving around the kitchen floor to escape him.  His socks muffled his steps, making it easier for him.  Finally, he paused.  He was only a few paces away from me, so I held my breath and tried to not move a muscle.  Still, he had calculated in his head the last spot I could be in and made his way towards the pantry.  I waited, not really having a way to escape and not really wanting to.  I wanted to see what would happen when he found me.  
   With a quick tug, he opened the pantry.  Moving fast, his hands darted out and found my shoulders easily.  I released my mouth, letting the giggles escape now.  He chuckled, using one hand to pull the handkerchief up to his forehead.  Then, his hand moved to my shirt pocket, plucked out his glasses, and placed them on the bridge of his nose.  He blinked several times, his blue eyes twinkling in the bright kitchen lights.  
   "How did you know I had your glasses?" I asked, tipping my head to the side.  
   He shrugged.  "I know you.  You wouldn't make me try to hide from you while being blind." 
   "True," I went up on the balls of my feet to kiss his nose.  "Your turn, hun." 
   Grinning again, he pulled the handkerchief off of his head and untied it.  Wrapping it around my head, he managed to tie it without getting my hair in it.  Then he adjusted it so he was sure I couldn't see.  I kept my hands on his chest, letting him position it the way he wanted.  I could still see a little of the floor out of the bottom of it, but that couldn't be helped.  Once he was satisfied, he stepped out of reach.  
   "Don't go too far now," I told him.  
   "I won't," He assured me.  "And I'll stay out of the bathroom and laundry room." 
   That was my Bob, always being considerate.  There were too many obstacles and possibilities to stub your toes in those rooms.  I smiled to myself at his thoughtfulness.  
   I had to strain to hear his socked feet walk away.  When I heard him hit the squeaky spot in the hallway, I stepped out of the pantry and moved carefully around the kitchen table to the doorway.  If he hit the squeaky spot, that meant he was either going to the bedroom or the study.  I nearly stubbed my toe on a kitchen chair, but fortunately it slid across the floor when my hand accidently hit it as I tried to feel my way around.  
   The study came first, so I made my way into it's narrow doorway.  Making my way carefully around the room, I checked the empty corners, the chairs, and the one bare wall with my hands.  If he was there, he was hiding really well.  Since I hadn't concealed myself too cleverly, I figured he'd try to be fair and wouldn't hide out of reach.  So, I left the study and moved across the hallway to the bedroom.  
   Once inside, I swept the perimeter with my hands.  The vanity chair was empty, the closet was completely closed, and he wasn't in my grandpa's rocking chair that sat in the corner.  Frowning slightly, I could only think of one other place he'd be.  Slowly, I made my way to the bed and ran my hands over his side of it.  He wasn't there either.  Reaching a little further, I crossed onto my side of the bed and brushed up against what felt like a t-shirt.  There he was!  
   Suddenly, two arms pulled me gently onto the mattress and into his embrace.  
   "You found me." He whispered softly.  
   "Why are you on my side of the bed?  Don't you have your own?" I teased, reaching up to pull the handkerchief off of my eyes.  It took a couple times of blinking to clear my vision again.  
   "I do," He acknowledged.  "But your side smells better." 
   I laughed, sitting upright on the comforter.  "I disagree.  I think your shaving cream has scented your pillow very nicely." 
   "It's alright, but I prefer your shampoo." 
   He grabbed my hands in his, entwining our fingers.  
   "I like it, too," I agreed.  "That's why I use it." 
   He snorted.  "Oh baby." 
   "What?" I replied cheekily.  
   "You're awful cute." 
   "Mmm, ditto." 
   That made him blush, which made me smile wider.  Seeing this, he groaned.  
   "Don't make fun of my uncontrollable blushing!" 
   "I'm not!" 
   "I saw that smile." 
   "I'm not making fun!  I think it's endearing." 
   "Hmm, you're biased."  
   "Maybe, but so are you." 
   "When it comes to you, always." 
   I laughed again before leaning forward to press a quick kiss to his lips.  "I love you, Bob." 
   "I love you back, Isabella."