Changing You ✦ The Sequel

Chapter 5 {R}

~ ☾~

I turned on my side, facing him. He gazed back at me, letting his eyes linger, almost as if he was trying to mesmerise every part of me.

For awhile we just looked at each other like that, thinking it all over with soft smiles on our faces.

His features were clammy, a few strands of hair sticking to his forehead. His cheeks were painted brightly red, his lips a little swollen.

I could still feel them on my skin, together with the feeling of his hands as they caressed every inch of my body.

"So much for Maths, huh?" He said with a smug look.

I chuckled. "Well, I liked this a lot better."

He leaned forward to kiss me, yet his lips ended up somewhere between my jaw and cheek because he was too tired to land them properly.

I rolled into him, nuzzling my head into the crook of his neck. He reached down to place the covers on top of us before draping his arm around my waist.

Closing my eyes, I released a breath of comfort. Our legs were tangled together, ankles hooked around one another, chests still heaving. I smiled at the feeling of his fingers as they trailed down my bare back, tracing lazy patterns.

When he pressed a slow kiss to the top of my head, I looked up, meeting his loving smile. He opened his mouth to say something, then closed it again, frowning slightly.

"What is it?" I chuckled at the confused look on his face.

He shrugged, an innocent grin beaming on his features. "You're so beautiful you actually made me forget my pickup line."

I felt my cheeks grow hotter than they already were, making his amusement add on. "You planned that," I mumbled against his collar bone as I hid my head in his chest. 

"I swear, I didn't!" I felt his chest vibrate as he laughed. "It turned out even better, though."

He moved onto his back so the shield I used to cover up my blush was gone. "You're cute when you make that face."

I covered my face with my hands. "I love you, but you really have to stop making me blush."

I saw him smirk through my fingers. "Why? It looks good on you."

Pressing my hands to my ears, I started lalala-ing as well, mocking his actions from before.

Joining him in his laugh, I rested my head on his bare chest, cuddling closer to him.

As he gently ran his fingers through my knotted hair, down my shoulder blades and over my arms, my eyes settled upon the lines that marked his body.

The scars that covered his chest were like tens of silvery pink snakes. They zigzagged in every direction, some short and small, others broad and rough. Some were still freshly coloured, others were more faded and pale. They all had one thing in common, though: by the looks of it, the injuries had never been stitched or treated.

Whatever, or rather whoever, had caused these old wounds, had aimed for the most vital spots of the abdomen; had meant to kill. Maybe for the pleasure of it, maybe out of defence.

I swallowed, tracing my fingers over the ridges and around the jagged edges of every single one of them, as if my touch could heal them. Meanwhile I wondered, coming up with stories that could have happened. I didn't like the thought of any of them, so I quickly pushed them away.

"Have you ever considered getting a tattoo?" I asked after a few minutes of silence.

I could tell I had taken him by surprise. "It's crossed my mind a few times, yeah. Why?"