How Many Ways

Connection

A/N: So this chapter... I will just say in my defense, it was an especially emo day for me. Plus I probably listened to "Heavy" by Linkin Park & Kiiara one too many times today.

Anyway, I hope you like this one.

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He had been staring at the text message for about two days. How could something so sweet and innocent cause this much turmoil inside him. He had told her because she was the only person, he cared about knowing, her reply back had been simple but all the same painful. He shouldn't have been surprised that was how she reacted, at least in the text message. That's just the person she was. He had secretly expected for her to call him every name in the book, to lash out and be angry, and maybe she was, but her four-word response back to him, had cut him deeper than any curse uttered out of anger. He looked down at the words on the screen one more time.

<That's great news. Congrats :)>

He clicked his phone, so the screen went black, tossing it on the cushion next to him. He leaned back to rest his head on the couch pillow behind him. Looking up at the ceiling, wondering how to get this excruciatingly painful feeling to ease. He took a sharp breath in and grabbed at his phone again, clicking the home button, he quickly brought up his text messages. He clicked her name and sent her the only reply he knew how.

<I Miss You.>

The phone dinged and she was brought out of her thoughts and back to the present time. She brushed a hand over her face, looked over and picked her phone up off the bedside table. She looked down at the screen and her breath caught in her throat. There was a text message, a text message from him. She could feel the tears already welling up in her eyes, she fought them away and clicked his name. What she saw there almost destroyed her. Three words, three little words. The tears came freely now, hot and wet, streaking down her cheeks. Through blurry, tear-filled eyes she looked back down at the phone, her fingers hovering over the letters. She didn't know what to say. Did she tell him? Did she tell him how much pain she was in, how nothing seemed to dull it? She wiped her face with the sleeve of her sweater and typed a simple answer.

<You can't>

She clicked the phone off and set it back down. Her body and soul ached from the emotional exhaustion of the last two days. Stripping off her sweater and leaving her cami and yoga pants on, she laid down on the bed, resting her head on the soft pillow. Her eyes heavy and sore from crying, she closed them willing sleep to take the pain away, even for a few minutes.

***

He had received her reply, but he was already sitting in his car, parked outside her house. He didn't remember how he had driven here on his own, his body coming here out of instinct. He needed her. He needed to see her beautiful face, he needed to lose himself in the depths of those chocolate eyes. He needed to feel her skin under his fingers. He needed too, at least one more time. He closed his eyes, swallowed the lump in his throat and quickly, before losing his nerve, got out of his car and to the front of her house. 

Her house was dark and quiet, almost peaceful. He easily found his copy of her house key and let himself in, all the lights were off except one, it was dim and coming from the slightly opened door of her bedroom. He walked quietly through the door, his eyes sweeping over to the bed. What he found there took his breath away. She was laying on her side, facing him, asleep. She had her hands tucked up under her head, her hair falling beautifully around her face, lashes resting against her cheeks. As he drew near, he could start to make out the dried trails of tears that had fallen down her perfect cheeks and down to her chin. A sharp pain ripped through his body, to see the evidence of what he had caused on her face. He stood next to her and continued to watch her sleep, her breaths coming in and out at an even tempo. She really was the most beautiful person he had ever seen, what was he thinking. He reached a finger out then, and gently touched her jaw, then traced it up her face, over her cheek until he touched her hair, pushing it slightly away.

The contact caused her to stir, her eyes fluttering open. She could see a dark figure standing in front of her and her eyes shot up. He was here, in her bedroom, standing in front of her. Before she could think about a reaction, tears spilled out of her eyes and she let out a soft cry. The pain seeping out of her pores. She tried to curl herself into a defensive ball, to protect herself from him. But he was there, placing strong arms under her shoulders and knees he picked her up, spun himself around, sat on the bed and placed her onto his lap. Her one arm draped over his shoulder and her head on his chest, right above his heart. Her other hand clung to him as she sobbed into his shirt. He started to rock her back and forth, placing a soft kiss on the top of her head to try and soothe her. She allowed herself to give in to the calming effects his rocking had on her. She took a shaky breath in rubbed her face with her hand and gently pushed away from him, untangling herself she stood on shaky legs. She held onto one of his hands, not ready to fully break their physical connection. Her swollen, red eyes searching his face, looking for a reason why he had come. But all she saw were her own feelings, reflected back. She noticed then, the wet spot on his shirt, from where her face had just been. The fingers of her other hand tracing over it.

He reached a hand up and wiped away the last of her tears. His fingers lingering on her face. She closed her eyes briefly, relishing in the contact. She tugged at his hand and he stood up, she didn't even back up, letting him invade her personal space. She pulled at him gently and lead him to the bathroom, dropping his hand once they entered, she walked over and turned the water of the shower on. Turning back around, she didn't say a word, telling him everything he needed to know with just her expression.

They removed their clothes in silence, their eyes locked together. Completely bare in front on one another, she turned her back to him and entered the hot steamy shower. He followed her, allowing the steam the envelope them. He stood in front of her, their bodies a few inches away from each other. He watched as she dipped her head back and let the water cascade down her body, washing away some of the pain the last two days had brought. He saw her body shake slightly, and he moved forward, taking her in his arms. She left herself fall forward, resting her forehead on his chest, hugging him to her, her fingers digging into the shoulder muscles of his back.

They simply held each other, while the hot water washed away their worries. They let themselves be consumed by the feeling of the other in their arms. He brought a hand up to gently stroke her hair, resting his head against hers. They stayed that way until the water ran cold and forced them out. He wrapped a towel around her petite frame, then one around his waist, he took her hand a lead her back into her bedroom and over to her bed. They both climbed into the bed and under the covers, immediately drawing themselves toward each other. Her head tucked under his chin, her arms around him. His arms around her waist and their legs tangled in each other. She placed a chaste kiss into his neck, pulling herself closer to him, if she could she would crawl inside his chest and live there forever. They fit together like two long lost puzzle pieces, their even breaths lulling them into sleep.

***

The early morning light filtered through the bedroom window and danced on the wall above them. They hadn't moved from their positions all night, completely content to hold each other in slumber. 

He started to bush his hands up and down her spine, enjoying the warmth her skin radiated. She ran a hand up his side to rest on his neck. Even with the emotional events of the past couple of days, she could and would always feel safe in his arms. He kissed the top of her head, and she squirmed slightly, bringing her leg up to rest on his thigh. He pulled her closer to him, bringing his head down slightly, he rested his lips just outside her ear and simply whispered:
"It will always be you."

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Tissues anyone?

I told you, I was in quite the emo mood.

Love you all <3