The rain is coming to a stop outside. The angry downpour that pounded on the roofs outside the room’s window has mellowed to a lullaby. Still, the sky was still gray, promising a repeat performance later on. She does not mind, though, as instead of the usual disquiet she feels whenever the skies open up, today she is enveloped by a contented warmth, the kind that starts from your chest and ends in your upturned lips.
Shifting her gaze from the window and the world outside, she turned her eyes to the left side of the room. This part has always fascinated her. It’s a wild collection of things – toys, books, papers, a standee, anime trading cards, curious keepsakes, most of which she does not fully comprehend. She yearns for enlightenment: “What is this for?”, “How do you play this?”, “Who’s this character?”, “Have you finished this book?”. To her, these mementos are a portal, a black hole – she wants to understand, she wants to know. She wants.
A slight movement removed her from her thoughts. This time, she turned her gaze to her side. Her smile, already on her lips, travelled to her eyes. He was snoring slightly, though she does not mind at all. His lips are slightly apart, his long eyelashes emphasized against the slight purple of his eyelids. She frowned at the dark circles under his eyes; he isn’t sleeping well again. She would ask him if anything has been bothering him lately.
His arms are draped over her body, making her afraid to move. She doesn’t want to wake him. Still, she stared at him: he was easily the most beautiful person her eyes had seen. He doesn’t believe her whenever she tells him though, but it’s okay. She will never get tired of telling him anyway.
She closed her eyes for a bit, as she was feeling drowsy. A realization dawned: she had never let herself feel sleepy – heaven forbid, sleep – around a man. She looked at the arm half-hugging her torso: nor has she ever let a man touch her like this. An understanding settled in her eyes: she trusts him. She feels safe and secure in his arms. She laughed inside – a year ago, this would’ve been a miracle.
She will tell him all these thoughts later. For now, she burrowed herself closer to him, inhaling his scent. He drew her closer, kissing the top of her head. For now, she will have this moment, praying it will last forever.