A Fort-Night

Chapter 1

It was the soft pitter patter of rain against the windows that had lulled me into a peaceful nap, the ambience of the cold and gloomy day enough to help me drift off as soon as my head hit my pillow. Though, unfortunately, not for long. It was the loud cracking that had initially woken me up, the bright slivers of light illuminating the otherwise dark bedroom. Of course it had to be today of all days. Another crack of lightning brightened the room as thunder rumbled furiously up above, momentarily dampening the drumming noise of rain against the windows and balcony furniture. A heavy sigh took over the silence as I stared at the ceiling, my bones aching for more down-time and a hot bath.

Plans, plans, plans – more plans to cancel now that the rain has decided to show up out of nowhere. Well, not out of nowhere necessarily. I knew the rain would show face today, I just didn't know they'd bring lightning and thunder along. But who was I honestly kidding – I loved that I had a solid, second reason to cancel. I mean, how many more probing and honest-to-god nosy questions could I – well, we – handle at these bi-yearly family get-togethers?

"Gained weight again, Anouk?"
"Planning to get married yet?"
"You should try this new face cream for those blotches on your face."
"Thought about kids yet? The clock's ticking, you know."

Blah-blah-blah and some more agonizing blah to get through. Every single time, no matter what I do or say. I would rather face my grandmother and tell her that I was 16 when I lost my virginity to my next-door neighbor, Robby, in his car of all places. Yes, I would rather hear her preach about the sanctity of marriage and sex, and waiting for your spouse when it comes to popping your cherry. Okay, maybe that's a stretch. I would very much like to skip both of those, thank you very much.

The heavy downpour, however gloomy and dull it may have made someone else's day, only brightened mine even more. Rain is lovely, it truly is. I felt calm whenever rain fell on earth, so to have it be a valid excuse to miss the get-together from purgatory made me love it even more.

A wet cough broke the silence in the bedroom, followed by the rustling of sheets and grumpy groan coming from the big lump underneath the heavy covers. A few more seconds of wet coughs and some more groaning followed afterwards, before the lump under the covers decided to make a different kind of noise. "Fuck, my head," a low sounding voice rumbled from beside me, hoarse from all the hacking earlier. I felt a heavy, warm weight settle on my lower stomach, rubbing small circles against my hip. Slowly, I turned my head to the grumpy lump's direction, my other even-better-than-rain excuse keeping me at home.

"I take it that nap didn't help much?" I asked softly into the darkness, my own hand nestled on top of the one now pulling me closer to a furnace of a body. Heat seeped through my thick clothes and warmed my own body. Another groan filled the room in response. Gently, I turned my whole body to lie on my side, the warm and heavy hand shifting with me, finding its place on my hip. "Do you want me to make you some tea, sweetheart?"

Another groan came from the lump in front of me before, finally, another voice, though much lower and raspier, joined my own, "If I say yes, you'll make that nasty tea again." Another groan rumbled out of my personal and portable furnace, followed by more coughing.

The corners of my mouth curled upwards as a soft laugh escaped past my lips. "Don't be such a baby, Joshua. Herbal tea is good for you."

More groaning, but this time followed by his hand pulling me closer, flush against his sweater and sweatpants-clad body, his head now in the crook of my neck. Soft lips met my warm and slightly sticky skin. It may have been raining furiously outside, but sleeping next to Josh was enough to get me sweating. Slowly, he breathed in and out. "But you said I am your baby," he mumbled against my skin.

I rolled my eyes playfully, even if he couldn't see that, but positive he could feel it radiating off of me. "Please?" I begged him, throwing my leg over his hip as my arm snaked under his, my fingers finding their usual place at the back of his head, softly stroking his short cropped hair. "Just one more cup and you'll feel better."

"Can't I just stay here in bed with you? It's cold," he mumbled hoarsely, "and you're warm." I felt his warm hand squeeze my hip in an attempt to win me over, to spend some more time snuggled up next to his warm, warm, warm body.

"I'll bring the tea to you." I tried to compromise.

A grumbled 'ugh', followed by, "But then you'd be gone for at least 10 minutes."

"Throw the covers over you like a cape and cling to me, we'll make it a three-legged stroll to the kitchen," I said jokingly, my voice laced with amusement. I redirected my hand to cup the side of his face, his stubble prickly against my skin. "Come on, my sweet big baby," I said softly, knowing for sure he'd follow, before I placed a butterfly-light kiss on the corner of his mouth. "Up, up, up."