LOYALTY

Bloom

The axis of their relationship had tilted slightly. Akira wasn't able to pinpoint it but ever since the party Jaison's behaviour had changed. Not in a bad way though but in a way that could give her a mild heart attack every now and then. He had become more expressive, more.....clingy.

The kiss they shared that day still made her heart flutter in ways she never knew she could feel. She would get random flashbacks of the heart melting kiss and her brain would stop working for a few minutes, her eyes would get wide and her entire system would glitch. Jaison's new behaviour wasn't helping her either.

She still remembers the way she wasn't able to look him in the eye even when they returned back home. He tried to make her face him and talk but she was too flustered. She pretended to feel sleepy and quickly layed down on the bed, curling away from his side of the bed.

What he did next made her feel a zoo in her stomach. He layed on the bed and wrapped his arm around her waist pulling her closer to his frame, her back hitting his chest in the process. Its not like they never hugged each other to sleep but that was only when they were unconscious. Neither of them made a conscious effort to have any kind of skinship. They just used to sleep on the further most end of the bed and witnessed their bodies entangled in the morning.

"Breathe." He whispered into her ear.
She realised that she had been holding her breath all along. His body heat gave her warmth and made her feel fuzzy. Unlike what she thought, she actually fell asleep in no time and had the best sleep of her life.

She woke up in the morning and was startled by his fully awake eyes staring into her soul. He intently watched her sleep for who knows how long. It could become a potential hobby for him.
"Y-you scared me." Akira kept her hand on her chest as she sighed heavily." What are you staring at? Do I have something on my face?" She asked as he wasn't saying anything and simply stared at her without blinking. He shook his head as a responce." Okay?" She trailed off. She tried to sit up on the bed but was blocked by his arm still around her waist. She gestured him to take it off by raising her eyebrows. He shook his head again tightening his grip as he nuzzled into her neck.

"Sleep." He spoke into her neck sending vibrations down her body.

"I h-had enough sleep Jaison. D- don't you have office today? You'll get late." She gripped his arm as she tried to lift it up.

"Don't." He warned." And I don't want to go right now. I'll go later." He lifted his head to look at her reaction.

"Huh? YOU don't want to go. A workaholic like-"

Smack!

She stared at him wide eyed. Did he just kiss her? He gave her a quick peck making a smack sound.

"Are you done? Now sleep." He hugged her and put his head into the crook of her neck like nothing happened. Like he didn't just make a girl speechless and dumbfounded by his actions.

She remembered another time when he was having a hard time while working.

She observed him from afar as he sat on his desk in his office space with his face scrunched. The light from the laptop screen illuminating his beauty stricken face. He took his spectacles off and rubbed his eyes. His body radiated stress.

She approached him with slow steps without making her presence known. He pinched his nose bridge and huffed. He unknowingly flinched when he felt her fingers entangle in his hair.

His body calmed down realizing her presence.

"What are you doing?" He asked as he sat back into the chair.

"Shh. Just close your eyes and relax." She softly massaged his scalp. He hummed in satisfaction, his body visibly relaxing.

She drew various patterns on his scalp and gently combed his jet black hair.
"Feeling better?" She bent forward to look at his face.