Oblivious

Chapter 11

I woke up in a tangle of limbs, warm and comfortable. A thin sheet covered our bodies from the chilly air inside the room, and it was just enough. Perfect. A perfect moment marking the end of four days of nothing but each other. We had skipped classes and meals, forgetting everything but the feel of skin against skin. We'd lived in a cocoon, shielded from the outside world.

Opening my eyes, I saw rays of faint sunlight filtering in through the curtains, casting everything in a cold autumn glow. Ayden was breathing behind me, soft and even, blowing soft little puffs of air onto my neck.

Again, I wondered how I could have been blind for so long. He was there all this time, every step of the way from when I was a boy until now. He knew me inside and out—he had been my solid rock who stood by me as my world had fallen apart over and over again while I grew up. How had I missed that he and I could be more than friends?

I must have stirred because Ayden came alive behind me. "Is it morning yet." His lips touched my skin as he mumbled, and it felt like all the little hairs on my neck stood right up response.

"Yeah, I believe it is."

"You're still here," he continued as if he hadn't thought I would be. I smiled and then snorted out a soft laugh.

"That's such a cheesy comment. And we've been here for the last four days, you'd think I would have left before that."

Ayden started to chuckle behind me, the vibrations traveling from his chest into mine.

"I guess you're right."Ayden's fingers grabbed around mine, pressing lightly. He kissed the sensitive skin just below my hairline, and I melted into his touch.

I turned to face him, struggling to keep my limbs underneath the covers in an attempt to avoid the cold air. Our chests aligned and I kissed his nose, then his mouth.

"So, who's making breakfast?" I asked.

"You," he said, pinching my butt while grinning like a fool.

"Aooow, what was that for?"

He continued to smile and surprised me by pushing me out of the bed. I landed with a crash on the cold hardwood floor, growling out a string of profanities.

"Ayden, I will kill you." I sprang up and jumped onto the bed, pushing him down into the soft mattress. Straddling him, I wiggled my butt over his crotch. I wasn't even aware of doing it until his eyes rolled backward; his lips releasing a strangled moan. I stepped off of him, snatched the sheet and wrapped it around my body.

"Hey, that's my sheet," he complained.

"Well, you kicked me out, so deal with it. I'm making breakfast." I sauntered out of the room while Ayden rolled up in a little ball to shield himself from the cold.

* * * *

We were sated. For now. The day wore on, evolving into something akin to normal. We ate our first proper meal in days, we cleaned the apartment, and I went shopping for groceries.

Walking down the street, seeing the sun, watching people—it seemed different. Every little item told a different story, every face looked brighter. It felt like someone had shaken me awake, like my awareness was sharper. It was odd, but it kept me smiling. Even the tedious task of going through the store was bearable.

On my way back, I saw couples sauntering about, hand in hand or just together. Young, old, some with children, but not one of them were two women or two men. I had never thought of it before. Unease crawled its way into my chest, gnawing at the fragile emotions that I so recently had become aware of.