Short Story: Sleep Tight
Sleep Tight
The sweetest lullaby was the silence of six thirty in the morning when Axel woke up to see Roxas beside him.
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No. The alarm clock had yet to ring. All that echoed throughout the flat was silence. And yet, to Axel, it was sweet music to his ears. The peace of six in the morning, when the sky had yet to fully brighten and the sun barely above the horizon, was something entirely beautiful. Though what made it so beautiful was the blonde sleeping next to him. Axel knew, and forever shall know, that he didn’t want to give this up. It was strange and completely unfounded, but then in that perspective it made sense. Because with Roxas, nothing had to have a point. Everything was just what it was. The simplicity was what had been keeping Axel’s head steady for years. It was what bound his love. Not in the sense of chains and restriction, but because he felt like he fell right into a state of normality, as if everything fit perfectly. His life, his love - it made sense.
Shifting carefully on the mattress, Axel lay quietly on his left side to stare at his lover. His Roxas.
It was weird that the term “his” didn’t sound at all possessive coming from him. To Axel, it was just what it was. Natural.
Smiling lightly, he stroked Roxas’s blonde locks, touching them where they shimmered from the light pooling in from the vertical blinds of their bedroom. He relished in how soft it was, letting the gold threads pass gently through his long fingers. From there, Axel let his hand caress Roxas’s cheek, feeling the smooth skin against his.
Every morning, an hour before Roxas awoke, Axel would touch him like this, carefully, slowly. Like they both had all the time in the world. It was unbelievable, really, simply impossible, that that the two of them had managed to stay strong for years. Axel had once been very cynical of the human ability to love unconditionally. But with Roxas, his opinion had to, without a doubt, change.
They both gave each other so much, and yet nothing was asked in return. No internal conflict, outer influence, or materialistic desire made it possible for their love to diminish.
To Axel, he need not breath, need not have his heart beating, or enjoy the haze of sleep to keep himself alive. Roxas held his life, and would forever keep it. And he felt like he did the same for the younger man.
The mutuality of their love was something admirable. And as Axel stared lovingly at Roxas, he felt grateful. Grateful for these little moments where he could just lay in silence with his other half. He was grateful for having the feel of Roxas there, to be able to touch him and hold him. He was grateful for the fact that when Roxas woke up, he would smile, seeing Axel awake then lean over to kiss him good morning. Axel was grateful for having somebody love him and be able to love back in return. These were things too much to hope for. And yet he had them.
It was funny how Fate could be so cruel at times, yet at others so incredibly kind. Axel felt lucky. In fact, he could say that he was among the happiest of men. Probably the happiest of them all.
His green eyes went to meet Roxas’s lidded ones, waiting patiently. And then there was movement. The fluttering of gold-tipped eyelashes.
Roxas woke, his shocking azure eyes directly meeting with Axel’s. Slowly, surely, they both smiled. The blonde leaned over, chastely connecting their lips. It lasted for mere seconds, yet the feeling would carry on after a lifetime.
Pulling his love close and tight, Axel felt their connection in their warmth. As if their heat flowed right into each other.
Wordlessly, they said …
I love you.