Jason & Darius |Craving Yours| ✔

43.Oceans & Sentiment

Jason Maddison

The feeling of Darius' fingers combing my hair back was calming especially when accompanied by the dull thrum of voices from the tv. I hummed with a certain degree of satisfaction I didn't know was possible with Darius, as I enjoyed the feeling of doing nothing except laying across his lap. His fingers grazed my scalp every two seconds with a sort of unofficial rhythm massaging me in a gentle caress. Comfortable silence, I thought to myself.

I hadn't had that in a while. As much as I enjoyed my trip away from home. I hadn't managed to find a place I could just silently exist. And silently existing in Darius' arms was a magnificent welcome home. A dream I had never dared to dream because Darius' always seemed to be tense whenever we were together. But not anymore. Now he seemed more relaxed than he had ever been. 

"I want to show you something," Darius whispered as he lazily arranged the strands in my hair.

I opened my eyes to gaze up at him. He looked down at me with an uncertain look in his eyes.

"Yeah?" I lifted my hand and gently pulled out his bottom lip from the space between his teeth before replying him with an even gentler tone, "Show me."

The weather was warm outside, not too hot and not too cold. The perfect day to laze around.  All the windows were open and we were just lounging on the couch like a pair of homebodies. But if Darius had something to show me I wasn't against getting up to see whatever it was. 

"Okay," he said gently pushing me off his lap "Get dressed."

"I am dressed," I answered looking down at my loose t-shirt and sweats.

"Not for where we are going." He answered walking off to his bedroom.

"Oh, you mean to dress up for a date!" I exclaimed trailing behind.

"Yes, Now come on." He answered.

After dressing up ‘For a date’ Darius drove us to The Golden Tree. A popular tourist spot in Burberry. The place was well known for its cuisines and outdoor activities. Two things I hadn't bothered knowing about. Something uncertain shifted in the pit of my stomach as Darius eased the car into the parking lot. Hopefully, it wasn't another hike up Mount Death.

Darius turned to me slowly with an uncertain smile plastered on his face. I watched him shift around as I tried to keep my reservations to myself. If it turned out to be another Mason centric thing I was ready to leave.

"Okay." He said as he scratched the seam of his shirt with his thumbnail, "So I know its not the same. And if you don like it. You can tell me...I found you a new place."

I silently stared at him waiting for more context or more information on this new place but he didn't say anything. He just sat there watching me. I didn't speak mostly because I was confused. But I also didn't speak because if he was going to prove my fears correct I wanted him to say it himself.

"Okay. You are quiet. That's not new. That's not helpful either so I don't know what to say?" he finally said after a while.

"A new place...?"

"Um. Yeah. Well, our place. I was... I was hoping that. If you like it. I was hoping that... I was hoping this could be our place. I know its not the same as your quiet spot but its..." Darius stopped talking and looked at me with his bottom lip held between his teeth.

"Is this it?" I asked gesturing at the busy parking before staring back at him.

"Oh yeah. Uh okay. Hold on." He got out of the car then stomped around outside muttering curses under his breath.

"Are you okay?" I asked stepping out of the car and joining him on his side.

He let out a huff and a humourless laugh under his breath then with a shaky hand he pushed his hair back, "I used to be smoother than this."

I laughed and took his hand in mine, "Yeah, I know."

He smiled at me before gripping my hand tight, "Come on, this way."

I followed him past the reception and across several people enjoying themselves on the island-shaped tables. Darius took us through a thick forest past what looked like a death trap into a small pathway.  I followed him silently watching as the vein on the side of his head pulsed from all the concentration.

"This is the place." He said silently when we reached a large clearing that was surrounded by clear hot springs.

The place was misty and looked like a fairytale island come to life. A large old tree branched out and grew right in the centre of the spings providing shade and shelter to most of the space. Under the surface of the water, colourful shrubs sprouted protruded through the surface of the water in random places. But despite the picturesque environment and the many plants and flowers that decorated it. What made it beautiful to me was the silence. No bugs creaking, no birds chirping and no people too. It was perfectly silent. I could hear my brain think without straining anything.

"Yeah," I whispered glancing at him.

"Yeah?" He asked unsurely.

"Yeah," I said pulling his body towards mine.

"Yeah." I repeated before kissing him slowly savouring the moment, "Our place is perfect."

Darius smiled against my lips and pulled me even closer to deepen the kiss. My heartbeat accelerated because this meant that he was finally putting an effort. And the effort was directed at me, alone.

"So," I whispered against his lips, "How did you find this place."

"After you left I started going to random parks, beaches and outdoor sanctuaries at night. I was hoping I would see you in one of them...But, I never did." He said squeezing my hip bones gently while dropping his head in the crook of my shoulders.

"Now you can," I Whispered placing my lips against his cheek in a chaste kiss. I closed my eyes and held Darius tighter while still wondering if the dressing up was for the quiet spot or the famous food at The Golden Tree.