𝙲𝚘𝚖𝚏𝚘𝚛𝚝 [𝚜𝚊𝚎𝚛𝚊𝚗 𝚌𝚑𝚘𝚒]

Chapter three

Rays of sunlight came through the large windows of my bedroom, the sun spilling its warmth onto my pink bed sheets that were still tightly wrapped around my frame. My stomach grumbled again as I placed my phone on the bedside table, taking a moment to look at the Polaroid photo that was posed there besides the rococo lamp.

He looks so pretty there.
He's holding a blue flower from the garden, a small smile on his face, his cheeks blushed ever so slightly. He looks like he wants to make his presence known but isn't too sure how too after such a long time of willing himself to be swallowed by the air around him. His hair is ruffled and he looks a little out of breath. I loved that photo. After I took it, he gasped a little, and then the tiniest giggle left his mouth. Even thinking about it now, two weeks after it happened, I can't help but feel my stomach flip. It was the first time I heard him laugh, even though it was so demure it still gave me hope.

Without him this place would be a lot more bleak.
My stomach churned again, and on queue a gentle knock came from my bedroom door. There was only one person here that knocked so timidly.

"Come in, Ray," I spoke just loud enough for him to hear, my throat still sore from sleep.
The door opened and there he was, hair messed up a little more than usual, the bags under his eyes visible from across the room. He must not have slept last night. Honestly, what had I told him about this? Poor Ray. I felt my chest ache a little looking at his exhausted state.

"I'm sorry, I saw you were on the messenger so I thought it'd be okay for me to bring you breakfast... I mean, is it? I'm sorry,"
"It's okay Ray! I promise! Thank you so so so so so much," I cut him off, not being able to handle any more of his apologies. It made me hurt so much when he second guessed everything he did, always seeking validation even from the littlest things.

His cheeks flushed a peachy pink and he placed the silver platter on the little table in the centre of my bedroom, it had two slices of toast and scrambled egg on both pieces. He somehow managed to make it look fancy.
"Wow! Thank you so much Ray!" I smiled brightly and sat down, motioning for him to sit with me. "Are you sure it's okay? Please, i don't want to intrude..." He whispered, eyebrows furrowing.
"Ray, will you please sit with me? It makes me super happy when I get to spend time with you." I looked up at him with pleading eyes and a pout, hoping that'd be enough to persuade him.

"I'm not sure if I deserve to... but you're too cute to deny any of your requests." He choked as the words came out, looking as if it was an accident.
I laughed, and shook my head at his cuteness.
"You're the cute one Ray!" I blushed, looking into his tired blue eyes. He smiled a little bit and that was enough to make my day.

"Oh Ray, have you ate breakfast?" I asked, already knowing the answer. He shook his head hesitantly.
"Please eat three meals a day. Please?"
"I can't promise you that I will... it's not that I want to go against what you want, I promise, it's just not physically possible.... and I don't deserve to anyway...." He mumbled the last part.
I reached over the table and caught one of his gloved hands in my own. He flinched and I wondered if this was okay, if maybe he wasn't comfortable with contact, but he settled into it and gave me a gentle squeeze which certainly caught me off guard.

"I- Ray, please... you deserve everything... please understand that. Please take care of yourself."
"Saviour needs me to do my work, so that has to come before trivial things such as eating."
Saviour.
It felt like poison to my ears hearing that name. I could taste it on my tongue, it burnt my sinuses and the back of my throat.
"Eating isn't trivial. It's essential. Ray, how would you feel if I stopped eating?"
That caught his attention. His head whipped up, his eyes meeting mine. He looked although he might cry. I didn't mean to push him to that-

"I would be ridden with guilt... I'm supposed to look after you like a princess..." He whimpered, biting his bottom lip. I squeezed his hand back. He didn't flinch.
"And I'm supposed to look after you like my prince, okay Ray? So please eat your meals."

I pushed one of the slices of toast to him and signed for him to pick it up. He did, hesitantly.
I ate mine as quickly as I could, my stomach thanking me. Ray took little nibbles, his eyes glancing between his legs under the table and my eyes, his face quickly becoming red whenever we made eye contact.

"Wow! Yum! Who made that? It tasted so good!" I sung after I ate the last bite, rubbing my stomach for emphasis, hoping that it might let me hear another of his cute giggles. He had nearly finished his own piece and he took the last bite, smiling softly as his cheeks blushed.
"I did. Did I not tell you? I make all your meals now. I couldn't stand the thought of you eating something someone else made..." His eyes looked down as he said that. He said things like that sometimes that would be easily passed off as him being cutely jealous because of how inherently insecure he was, but he wouldn't ever look me in the eye when he was like that. Maybe he was just super embarrassed to admit he got jealous?

"Oh, I must go. I'm sorry. You should check the messanger soon." He stood up, taking the platter into his hands but then setting it down again, he then took a step towards me and leaned down, his cheek brushing against mine- his breath was hot against my ear,

"I hope I'm still your favourite out of them all."

I turned red, a nervous laugh leaving my mouth. He smiled and lowered his eyes, but then looked back into mine for reassurance.
"Of course you are Ray. Always."
Then, he giggled. And everything was perfect again. I was living in a fairytale again. I noticed how soft and pink his lips looked, how the sun made him glisten so subtly, how his hands were nervously interlocked, how his full body was turned to me giving me all of his attention. I sighed. Everything was perfect again.

"Don't leave me yet Ray, you just got here!" I whined, grabbing his sleeve. He sighed gently, and raised a hand, placing it on my cheek hesitantly.
" I'm sorry my princess, if time allows it, and if you think I deserve it, I'll come visit you again today."
"Please do."

He left then, cheeks still pink, eyes still tired. My room was still again. The energy gone. I laid down on my bed, sighing blissfully.
Ray
Ray
Ray
Ray
Ray
He consumed my thoughts.

That's right, he told me to check the messanger . I will.