Breathe Me

4. Temple Kiss

Charlie's P.O.V.

I suddenly become aware that I'm no longer asleep. My eyes flutter open slowly.

It's so warm in here, why is it so warm?

Wait, where is here?

I look around, taking in my surroundings slowly. What I notice last surprises me most and that's when everything comes rushing back to me. Last night, all that happened.

"Aiden?" He's curled up around me with my back against his chest.

"Good morning, Sweetheart. How are you feeling?" He looks exhausted. He's still in the clothes from yesterday too.

"I'm okay, I'm used to the pain. Have you been up all night? And why are you in bed with me?" He looks like he hasn't slept in ages. And I don't mind that he's laying with me, I feel safe with him whether I'd admit it to him or not.

"Yeah, I've been taking care of you all night. I figured you'd rather your stitches while you were asleep." He gestures to a few deep gashes that are closed up with black stitching. "Just when I was going to go to sleep, I heard you whimpering and shivering. So I came over and placed my hand on you, softly. Then you quit
moving and snuggled into the pillow. That's how I ended up laying next to you."

"Why didn't you sleep?" I asked.

"Every once in a while you'd whimper again so I would have to try and calm you down in your sleep. Every time you whimpered, I had to lean up and kiss your temple so you'd snuggle back into my chest and sleep peacefully again." He says his as if it's nothing, but he kissed my forehead. He kissed me. HE KISSED ME.

Maybe not on the lips but still. I must be blushing furiously because his hand reached up and softly strokes my face. He doesn't speak, just looks at me. His fingers brush over my lips, and back to my cheek making me wonder if he's thinking about kissing me too. During all of this, his face had gotten closer to mine till we were inches away. I close my eyes, taking in the moment. I can feel his warm breath on my face. It smells slightly of smoke and something else, which in my mind is like heaven.

Just when I think he's about to kiss me, Sam, the little boy, walks in.

"Aiden, we're out of Lucky Charms!" He's distraught in tears.

Aiden chuckles, removing his hand from my face, making me frown slightly. "You know there are other kinds of cereal, right Bud?"

"Yeah, but I wanted Lucky Charms!" Sam stomps his foot down and begins bawling.

Aiden rolls his eyes and begins speaking, "If you eat another kind of cereal instead without anymore complaints, we can get ice cream at the parlor today."

"Okay!" Sam's gone without another word, racing down the hall.

"You know today is a school day, right?" I look at Aiden, confused.

"Sam's homeschooled: I don't really trust the public school system with him. He's got ADHD and can't focus on anything without medication so he'd end up exactly like me. That's the last thing I want for him, constant detentions and a bad rep. I have ADHD as well, and I don't take medication, hence why I'm worried about him. He has medication but I don't always make him take it since he hates it and I know how to handle a hyper kid with no attention span. Hell, I am a hyper kid with no attention span." So Aiden teaches him?

"So you're his teacher? What about your parents?" I can tell I struck a nerve.

"My mom is dead and my dad, well, he's in jail. But yeah, I'm his teacher." He says solemnly.

"Aiden..." I hug him, that must be awful. "I'm so sorry..."

Then I realize I just willingly hugged him. Just as I was about to pull away and apologize, he returns the hug by pulling me closer and burying his face into my shoulder.