Always, Tulip

▫️Forty

My head stilled and I blinked away the tears that threatened to fall and listened. It was quiet, my ears might have heard it wrongly but I hopefully looked up.

"Grey,"

I whispered his name and stood up then ran over as soon as I saw him standing a few feet from me, a sob escaping me.

He dropped his bags in the process and rushed over to meet me, his arms effortlessly picking me up.

"I missed you Grey," I hugged him tight, my legs wrapped around his waist as I tightly held my arms round his neck.

I missed him so much, even for those three days.

"I thought of you every single time," he softly caressed my hair as he rested his head into my upper chest, his arms on my back.

After resting into his touch, I pulled back to cup his face, his grey eyes shining up at me as if to tell me that he was fine.

I assessed him once again and then leaned down to capture his lips, a satisfaction coursing through me when our skins touched.

He pulled he tighter and kissed me like his next breath depended on it as he expressed how much he'd been craving this.

We relaxed into each other's arms, the fear of not seeing each other disappearing like it were a memory.

"I was so scared when you didn't arrive earlier," I continued to caress his face, relieved that he was truly okay.

"I'm so sorry my tulip, our leader wanted my report immediately so I got help up for a few hours." I nodded at his explanation.

"Is that why you were waiting in the cold?" His hands felt for my bare arms and upon feeling the goosebumps on my skin, he hugged me to himself and carried me inside while mumbling that he was sorry.

Grey carried me to his room where he picked out one of his hoodies with me still wrapped against his front.

He carefully placed me at the edge of the bed and knelt down in front of me then dressed me into the large hoodie that had more of my scent than his.

Satisfied that I was warmer, he pecked my lips and leaned down to rest his head on my lap and hugged me by my waist.

"I feel so lucky to have you home waiting for me," he sighed when I ran my fingers through his hair.

"You know I'll always wait for you, every single time." He lifted his face to look up at me and I saw his eyes flash with a foreign emotion.

"I love you so much Ginelle, I'll always love you endlessly." He dropped his head and snuggled into my stomach as I told him that I too loved him dearly.

I almost forgot that he was still kneeling down until I looked at his attire and realized that he hadn't changed yet.

"This must be uncomfortable, let me get you a change of clothes." He stubbornly shook his head and continued to hold onto me.

"You'll help me put them on?" He peeked up at me and gave me a childish look though I just gave in to his request.

No one would ever know that this large and quiet man was so playful and cuddly despite the cold mask he posed to everyone out there.

Grey followed me as I chose out his clothes knowing he was comfortable with whatever choice I went with.

I then helped him out of his work clothes, his eyes never leaving my flushed cheeks when his bare skin came to view.

I performed the routine check I usually did on him when he came back from work. I would inspect each part of his body for an injury.

This time there was none, not even a single graze so I kissed him as a token of gratitude because I knew he'd been extra careful.