𝐰𝐡𝐲 𝐝𝐨𝐧'𝐭 𝐰𝐞 𝐢𝐦𝐚𝐠𝐢𝐧𝐞𝐬 [✓]

5. Your Presence

It was about four o'clock and I was heading home from work when I got the call. I answered it on Bluetooth (Be safe and don't look at your phone in the car, children). Jack's slightly panicked voice came through. "Oh thank god. Are you headed home?"

"Yeah, why?" I furrowed my brows.

"Dani's all worked up and I can't seem to get through to him. I need help."

I nodded, even though I knew perfectly well that he couldn't see me. "I'll be home in about five minutes."

Jack sighed in what I thought was relief. "Thanks, y/n."

***

Both boys were sitting out in the backyard in bathing suits and t-shirts, notebooks and pads of paper scattered around their table. Dani was furiously writing something into one of the notebooks, although his face was screwed up so much that I hardly thought it was going anywhere. Jack looked on, chewing his lip. He sent me a grateful glance and got up once he saw I was approaching. I set down my purse on the ground and smiled a bit to Jack, indicating that I had it from here.

I approached Daniel almost cautiously, making sure I was in his line of sight. "Daniel?" He grunted in acknowledgment. "You're kind of worrying us. Do you want to tell me what's wrong?"

Daniel looked up and sighed, tossing the book on the table and running his hands across his face.

I crouched down between his legs and placed a hand on each thigh. "Baby, are you alright?"

He shook his head almost numbly.

"Can I get you anything, baby?" I rubbed my thumbs over his thighs, craning my neck to try and catch a glimpse of his face. "Daniel?"

He just shrugged and pulled me up into his lap. I straddled his hips and rested my head on his shoulder, running my hands through his hair. "Baby boy, what's the matter? What's stressing you out right now? You can tell me."

Daniel nuzzled into my chest, breathing me in. I caressed through his hair, massaging the tight knots in his neck. He already seemed calmer, maybe happier too. "Today was just stressing." He mumbled.

I pulled away slightly. "Do you want to go for a swim? Get your mind off?"

He nodded. "I'll put away some of this stuff while you change."

***

Daniel was sitting at the edge of the pool, dangling his legs in when I arrived. He didn't jump when I sat down beside him and kissed his bare shoulder, so I assumed that he heard me coming.

He glanced up and smiled at me, taking in my favorite simple one piece. "You look really nice." He smiled, slipping into the water and taking ahold of my hips. I slid in after him, letting him support me under my thighs as I wrapped my legs around his waist. I looped my arms around his neck and looked into his eyes, searching for any discontent or stress. There was none.

"Thank you." I barely whispered. I leaned down and captured his lips with my own. He slid his tongue into my mouth and stroked it across my own, sending a shiver down my spine. I closed my eyes and tangled my fingers into his hair. Daniel gently pressed my back against the wall of the pool, running gentle thumbs over my thighs.

I pulled away, nipping at his lower lip. "Do you want to talk about today?"

My boyfriend chewed his lip nervously.

"Daniel?"

He took a deep breath. "Yeah. I don't know. There was this song I was working on and nothing was going right. My fingers also felt stiff and I think my brain was just overworked. Plus..." He trailed off.

I cupped his cheek with my hand. "You don't have to say anything if you-"

"I missed you." He pressed into my hand as if that contact was the only thing keeping him content. Then he turned his head and kissed my palm. "I missed you and you were gone before I woke up and I couldn't hold you and I just wanted you."

I leaned forward so our foreheads touched. "I'm sorry I wasn't there when you woke up. I know how much you like waking up with me. On the plus side though, we get all day together tomorrow. And if you want, I could try to help you catch up with the music stuff."

Daniel smiled and pressed our lips together. "That sounds good, baby. As long as you're there."

***

Okay.