Celina glanced up from her task, a small smile playing on her lips as she met Zayn's gaze no longer feeling nervous. "I just want us to be comfortable with whatever we are, without the need for labels." She replied, her tone gentle yet resolute.
Silence engulfed them for a moment, the only sound being the slight bubbling of the tomato sauce on the stove. Then, Zayn spoke, his voice soft but earnest. "I like that. Just us, no labels, no expectations. Just... you and me."
A warm feeling spread through Celina's chest at his words, a sense of contentment settling over her like a comforting blanket. "Exactly," she murmured, meeting his gaze again with a soft smile. "Just us."
Zayn's eyes filled with adoration and admiration as he stared at her as if she were a rare and exquisite rose amidst a field of ordinary flowers. Stepping closer, he closed the distance between them, planting messy kisses against the soft skin of her cheek in a gesture of tender affection.
"Gross!" She shouted, but despite her attempts to ward him off with a playful hip bump and a push to the chest with her free hand, it only served as fuel to his determination, his laughter intertwining with hers in a symphony of joy and shared intimacy.
As Celina's giggles echoed throughout the kitchen, she felt the warmth of Zayn's arms wrapping around her from behind, "Thank you," he whispered softly.
His head came to rest upon her shoulder, his breath warm against her skin with his eyes closing slowly in solace as Celina felt a surge of gratitude and affection welling up within her at his touch. It had only now just clicked how much she had missed his touch. She settled into his touch, leaning her head onto his and resting her hands on top of his. She felt a sense of peace settle over her, a quiet assurance that in his arms, she was home.
