moments ♡

leaves ♡

She pressed a warm mug of cocoa into his hand and a sweet kiss on his cheek. "Hi, Handsome."

He grinned, turning to meet her lips for a real kiss. "Hi, Beautiful." He sank to the ground with his mug of cocoa and patted the spot next to him for her to join him. He slipped his arm around her and pulled her close as they drank their hot chocolate in silence, surveying the yard he was mostly finished raking.

"The yard looks good, Babe." She cuddled closer to him - his warmth in his delightfully worn flannel shirt.

He pulled her close, tucking her into his side. "Thanks, Babe."

She couldn't help but snuggle closer to him as they sat in the sound of animals scurrying and leaves falling and kids playing in the distance. This was their yard. This was their home. This was their life.

"I sometimes wonder if I'm dreaming," he said quietly.

She met his eyes, reaching upward to rest a warm hand on his cool cheek. "I was just thinking that."

"How can anything be that beautiful? The leaves in our yard falling to our grass? My favorite girl bringing me hot cocoa after I rake the yard in my favorite shirt?"

She leaned forward to kiss the tip of his nose. "My favorite guy leaning on a rake and looking glorious in the sunset? Homemade hot cocoa with said favorite guy?"

He brushed his lips to hers, and goosebumps erupted over her arms. This must be real. Dreams couldn't be this good. She rested her hand on his neck and kissed him for real, not caring if the neighbors spotted them. All they'd find is a young couple in love anyway.

When she pulled away, the first thing he noticed was a glint of mischief in her eyes. "You're gonna do it, aren't you?"

She nodded, setting her empty mug aside and standing up messily before breaking into a sprint as he set his mug aside and leapt into a sprint beside her. Part of him was annoyed, but a larger part of him reverted into the beautiful child inside of him, and he took her hand. They dashed hard into the massive pile of leaves into the middle of the yard.

With a high, hard jump she shattered the mountain of leaves he had worked so hard to create. He had jumped right behind her, creating a smaller explosion of leaves, catching them in his hands, soft and crunchy, and tossing them around confetti. She did the same, tossing handfuls of leaves around them and giggling her heart out like a child.

What was not like a child was the way that once the pile of leaves was obliterated and the stars had come out, he drew his girl in and kissed her - making her realize why they called the season "fall"...

because every day as they played in the leaves, she seemed to fall for him all over again.

Author's Note:
Please vote and share and follow and stuff if you want, and and I hope you get to step on some extra-crunchy leaves today! Love you!!