Ariana felt like sun-soaked sheets. That was the first thought you formed when you woke up, though not in those exact words. You lay still, relishing in the feeling - her soft breath on your collarbones, the weight of her body against yours. After having those few quiet moments for yourself, you decided to get up and prepare breakfast for the both of you.
You untangled your limbs from hers as carefully as possible, deciding to brush your teeth at the kitchen sink to not wake her up. You pulled the duvet up her neck before heading to the fridge.
After brushing your teeth, you opened your fridge. You found some items that you were sure weren't in it before. You found a recipe online that was perfect for Ariana's dietary preferences and hangover. Selecting everything you needed, you get to cooking.
When the food was ready, you placed them on a tray along with some water and painkillers. You returned to the bed.
You weren't sure if it was the click of the door or the aroma of the food that woke her but Ariana sat up when you entered the room. It took a minute for her to register your presence.
"I made some pancakes with the blueberries you bought." You spoke softly, "How's your hangover?"
"Not too bad." Ariana yawned, rubbing her eyes. When you placed the tray in front of her, she motioned you towards her. You leaned down and were greeted with a kiss on your cheek. "Thank you, baby."
You couldn't hide your smile even if you tried. "You're welcome, Ari."
She moved a little to make space for you. You slipped back under the covers in response. The two of you spent the rest of the morning eating and resting in bed while a TV series played in the background.
After lazying around for two hours, you decided to start going through your to-do list. Being a month away from home, there were chores you have to complete. You told Ariana exactly that. "You can sleep off your hangover in the meantime. When I'm done with everything we can do whatever you want." You saw her eyes light up.
"Good. I'm going back to sleep now." Ariana shimmied down until her head rest on the pillow.
"Do you want me to draw the blackout curtains?"
"Yes please, thank you."
After you did so, you left Ariana to her devices in dreamland.
-
Ariana found you near the washing machine two hours later. You had been doing your laundry after unpacking your luggage. She announced her presence with a back hug, almost catching you by surprise. You felt Ariana let go of you so you could turn around. Noticing she was wearing your shirt and shorts, you asked. "Do you want me to wash your clothes too?"
"Okay." She took your hand as the two of you made your way to your bedroom. You found her clothes sitting neatly on your chair. You pick them up and put it in a laundry bag. After, you started removing your bedsheets too, knowing that there was enough space in the washing machine for them. Ariana noticed what you wanted to do and helped out.
"This is easier with two people." You commented to yourself when the both of you pulled off a corner each. Ariana agreed with a hum, removing the duvet cover while you carried the bedsheet and pillowcases back to the laundry area. Everything loaded neatly into the washing machine and you started the washer.
Moving on to the next chore, putting on clean sheets on the bed, pillows, and duvet. It was completed quickly, with two sets of hands instead of one. You laughed when Ariana plopped onto the newly made bed, moving her arms like she was making snow angels. You decide to take a short break by lying beside her.
As if the both of you had telepathy, you turned around to face her when she did so. Even your smiles materialized in synchrony. This is what peace feels like, you thought.
Wordlessly, the space between the both of you disappeared. You watched her head rise and fall with each breath you took and you wondered if she could hear your heart.
Eight minutes felt like an eternity. You would be happy to spend every second with her, in this position, but your stomach decided to interrupt the peace.
You felt your cheeks heat up as she giggled. "You must be hungry."
"It's close to lunchtime." You said. "Want to get some food?"
"Yeah. Are we ordering takeouts?"
"I'm thinking of making something. Since you stocked up my fridge."
"Well you gave me your key, might as well put it to good use." Ariana carried the breakfast tray as you two headed out of the room. She washed the plates and forks while you riffled through your fridge again.
"What do you think about a rice bowl with some vegetables and tofu?" You asked. "I could make some kind of soup too, maybe seaweed?"
"Sounds perfect," Ariana replied.
With her agreement, you set to work. You sit her down at the kitchen counter, not wanting her to help since she was a "guest", an argument she couldn't refute.
Back to the task at hand, you mixed vegetable stock, seaweed, tofu, and water into a pot and let it sit on the stove to boil. Next, you washed the rice and placed it in the rice cooker. After that, you prepped various vegetables for a stir-fry. When it was done, you plated it before checking on the soup. You dipped a spoon in for a taste. Walking over to where Ariana was, you let her take a sip. "How is it?"
"Mhm, it's good!" She complimented, "Can't wait to eat." With her approval, you added a little seasoning and garnish. Given that it was a simple meal, all the dishes were ready in less than thirty minutes. You set them on the counter before grabbing utensils and napkins. "Thank you for the meal."
"You're welcome." You replied, before moving the stool to the opposite side of the counter.
The two of you spent the time savoring the food instead of talking, so you were caught off guard when she spoke up. "You know, I don't know how to feel about you having a picture of a naked woman, now that we're together."
You almost spat out your rice. While Ariana was deadpan, the amusement twinkling in her eyes assured you she was just joking. "Ah, well she's been a good company for years." You said after swallowing.
"What if I recreate it for you? A new picture for your counter."
You gave it more thought than you should, and settled on an answer. "You are already doing it for me. And I rather keep it all in my head."
It was her turn to blush. The two of you resumed eating before the food got cold.
"Can I have a second serving?" Ariana asked. You were surprised at how quickly she finished her food and were glad that she enjoyed every bite. While your cooking skills had definitely improved over time, it was still nerve-wracking to cook for someone else, especially one as important as her.
"Of course." You grabbed both of her rice and soup bowls and refill them. You returned and placed them in front of her.
When the both of you finished your food, you stood up and cleared the bowls. They were practically cleaned, so all you had to do was load them in the dishwasher, which Ariana insisted to do. The two of you decided to rest and let the food digest before continuing with the chores you had left.
"So, what other chores do we have to do?"
"Mop the floors, clean the stove, and dry the laundry when they're done."
"Okay, let's do it."
The both of you decided to mop the floors first since the laundry was still being washed, and the stove should be cleaned after dinner if you decided to cook again. The task was easily completed since you have a roomba to help. However, to speed things up, you wielded a mop while Ariana refilled the bucket with clean water.
With that checked off your list, you start on the next task: drying the laundry. You set up the drying racks in your backyard while Ariana checked up on the washing machine. When you were done, you headed back in. Upon seeing Ariana dragging a basket full of clothes, you went to help her by lifting it together.
You were fortunate that the weather was good that day - sunny with a little breeze. Everything would dry quickly. The two of you spent the rest of the afternoon lining the clothes on the rack.
Evening rolled by and you decided to order takeouts after a whole day of doing chores. You get to splurge and treat yourself to food both of you loved.
This time you two sat in front of the TV so that you could watch something while eating. You felt a little bad for asking Ariana to help out with chores instead of spending time doing things she wanted. So you let her pick whatever she wanted.
From the opening scene of In the Mood for Love, Ariana was hypnotized. You observed her as though her face was a projector screen, reliving the love story through her expressions. For a film filled with scenes of food, hers remained untouched. For a moment, you wondered if you should bring her back to reality, but you decided against it. Instead, you moved the takeout boxes before her tears dripped into them.
"Why didn't they get together?" was the only thing Ariana asked as she sniffled when the film ended. In place of an answer, you placed her food back in front of her after heating it up, nudging her to eat. You smiled inwardly as she polished it off, clearly famished.
Ariana turned towards you, still waiting for an answer. There were many in your head, but you settled for the simplest: circumstances. "Their lives didn't allow them to." You said, "Even so, they didn't dare to themselves."
She went quiet for a moment, before saying, "Good thing we did."
While it was your fifth time watching the film, the tragedy of it still tainted your emotions greatly. You couldn't help but feel, making it the perfect time to address the issues that have been plaguing you.
She has never been with a woman or in a relationship that caused people to stare just cause she held hands with her lover. She hasn't faced homophobic microaggression or blatant hate. So everything is new and exciting and surreal until it was not. And when that happens, she may call it a mistake, call it quits.
"It is a good thing." You started off, continuing from Ariana's words. "But that doesn't mean we don't have our own circumstances to navigate through. It's inevitable that people will find out that we're together, or at the very least, start rumors about you being with a woman. It's not all fun and games and pride parades. If or when you do decide to come out publicly, haters, and homophobes will use your sexuality against you, just because they can." You could tell she wanted to say something but held back so that you could finish. "I would protect you from all these things but it's impossible. I'm afraid that it might affect our relationship, or worse yet, you, negatively." You took a deep breath. "And... you might come to push me away."
Ariana doesn't let you pull away, keeping your hands in hers. "Don't you ever think that. I'm more than aware of the things you point out. It's sweet that you're looking out for me but you don't need to protect me, just be by my side when shit goes down. And leave the rest to my PR team." She took your hand, "If it makes you feel any better, I know how to keep things under wraps for a long time. So do the people around me."
You bowed your head in pure relief, feeling your worries dissipate. "I just want to be with you peacefully."
Ariana pressed her forehead against yours. "Then that's what you'll get, baby."
AN: thank you for the #1 in 'Ariana' tag again! (28/1/23)