Understanding - Repkyle

one

Song: Cigarette Breath
by Charli Lucas

(unrelated to chapter)

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Rogelio's POV

Kyle always tells me stories about his day, about what's going on in the world, what havoc Imp has been wreaking across the Crimson Waste. He tells me how much he loves me.

I can't respond the way he can.

I listen to his voice, the voice that calms me down after a panic attack, the voice that grounds me when I feel as though I could kill somebody with anger, and then he waits for me to speak. It warms my heart, how although I can't speak with words, he'll place a hand on the side of my face and give me that smile that tells me to open up.

And so I'll tell him how I'm feeling with a look, or I'll show him how much I care about him with a kiss, or I'll place my hand over his to make sure he stays. But the times that seem to really warm my heart are the times when I try to speak to him, and he tries to understand.

He's been learning how to understand my way of communicating from Lonnie, and I appreciate it in ways that I can't even begin to describe, but there's something special about telling him a story and seeing him smile even if it was terrible in reality, or watching him blush when I tell him I love him because it's the only phrase he can understand. For now, it's wordless whispers, small grunts that he's free to decipher in whatever ways he wants to.

I guess that's why as I lay with him in front of me, curled around his body with his back pressing against my stomach and hugging him with my tail, I'm reminded of the fact that he loves me, and I love him too. For once, nothing can take this away from us.

He nuzzles into me and the tough skin on my chest tingles where his soft hair brushes against it. He smells like fresh fruit. His hand reaches up slowly like he knows I'm awake, and he both gently and blindly runs his hand down my cheek and along my jawline. I can feel my stomach squirming.

This always happens. He touches me, or looks at me, and my entire nervous system seems to collapse. That's quite admirable, given that he's an anxious wreck who cries when I 'look at him funny' and I'm not usually so open to emotions that make me feel vulnerable.

"Hey, Ro."

He yawns, turning his head slightly to see my face. I smile at him and open my mouth, but hesitate. I don't want to ruin the moment. We're both wearing sweatpants, but our bare abdomens brush together as we breathe.

Kyle rolls over completely so that we're face to face, his finger tracing circles on my arm as I hug him tighter with my tail.

"It's so early."

He says. His smile is so sweet, so genuine, that it makes my heart ache every time. He looks behind me and out through the tiny gap in our 'curtains' that's really just one of my t-shirts hung on the window frame. We don't exactly have the luxury of living in a castle like others do.

If I was to guess, I would say it's around six.

The sky is an orange colour and white streaky clouds can be seen above the horizon. Or room is still cast under a shadow, considering theres no room for light to get in through the curtain. Not much places get light in the Crimson Waste.

I shrug and bow my head so that our foreheads touch, and even in the dark I see his cheeks flush pink. He kisses me suddenly and I pull him closer, feeling like maybe I won't ruin the moment by trying to say something-