BUBBLE

11 - late birds

Morning had come in assured, a tiring one for many, each to a reason of their own. Some had the entertainment of the lights. Some had the fascination with capturing the aurora borealis. Some had a bit too much hot chocolate before bed and surely could not blink to even consider sleep being something to happen at all. And then there were the pairs of lovers, each enclosed in their warm and isolated igloo bubbles, rediscovering the joys of being wrapped in embraces, or those who simply rediscovered they were undeniably inseparable.

The day was already on its start, noticeably going into a later start than the day before had. This morning, the light had already broken. The sun was already a striking pierce through the clouds, but interestingly not angled to disturb the snoozing blonde woman who was on her side and covered with blankets right up to her shoulder. She was deeply asleep without the slightest idea of anything else than the comfort she was in. It was different from the man beside her, already awake and on his side. He'd not made a move out of the bed when he had awoken, being already quite delighted with watching the one he loved peacefully sleeping. He'd witnessed it hundreds of times, but only today had he considered what a fool he was to have taken a moment this blissful for granted the last few years of their marriage. He knew he never would again. He feared the idea of it never being repeated. It made him upset just as easily as the sunlight made him need to sneeze. He tried to keep it as quietly as he could to not disturb her, and with a caring touch, Björn set his hand above her head, but it was too late. She had stirred, and holding his breath got him nowhere. She had opened her bright blue eyes observingly, blinking blurriness away. In return, he greeted her with a dazzling smile. Her stretches and eye rubs had fulfilled a need and helped her wake a little more.

"You have not been watching me all this time, have you?" she asked, conscious of herself asleep, lazy, and heavy-eyed. Her hands wiped the corner of her lips, worried she might have drooled.

"Not long," he told her, sinking a bit lower to give her a kiss while his hand stroked above her head, and then stopped just before he did to say, "Just long enough to hear you have conversations in your sleep." He snickered as her face flattened and then he had taken a peck of a kiss from her lips which he loved so much to taste first thing in the morning.

"You're kidding."

"I am kidding," he assured, and thought one kiss was not enough. Her hand stopped him before setting another. She moved back, putting her hand to his mouth and nose. "What?"

"You're not kissing me again before I brush my teeth."

"Agnetha," he laughed. "Don't be silly."

"Absolutely not. I bet I have morning breath. You won't."

"Do you think I care?" he mumbled behind her hand, which he kissed until his hands pulled hers away, and gripped her other wrist. He grinned as she writhed, biting on her lip and neither could hide there was excitement between one another. He had no shame in wanting to wrap himself with her. Björn's mouth was placed at her jawline as he chuckled, a hand of his reaching down to her leg to bring it around him and there it began, an embrace that was playful, passionate, and loving.

"This is the best morning I have had since..."

"Since..."

"I can hardly remember," he laughed.

"Since we startled each other yesterday," she suggested, adding from her experience.

"Something like that." His warm hand felt up beneath the white robe that she had lazily thrown on just before they'd fallen asleep. Björn's action brought out the fire that became elicited in her eyes.

"Don't start," she whispered, attracted by the direction his hand was taking.

"I can't. I don't have it in me," Björn answered. "And there's not one reason that makes me think why–"