Eternal: Chapter Two, Part 3

It had been a couple of nights since I had fallen, and I decided I wanted to take Drei with me. I wasn’t sure if he’d be willing, but during the day, after I was sure Valetta and Mitchell were asleep, I slipped into the living room.

“Drei, can we talk?” I whispered, sending the words on a breath of air to his ear. He stirred in my mapping, carefully leaving the room so he didn’t disturb Mitchell.

“Yes?” he asked, standing before me a moment later.

I wrapped my arms around him, burying my face in his shoulder for a moment, breathing him in. It wasn’t until then I realized how much I did miss him—his faint flowery scent, and, when he held me closer to him, his touch.

Kissing the top of my head, he murmured, “You wanted to talk?”

“I miss you;” I didn’t want to let him go for anything.

“I miss you, too,” he said slowly, sadness lacing his voice. “I did not think it would be appropriate for us to—”

“I don’t care what Valetta said to you; I don’t even care if she supports us, Drei.” I held his faintly violet eyes with mine. “I love you, and that’s worth everything.”

His lips found mine for a moment, leaving me breathless—quite a feat considering I didn’t have to breathe anymore.

“I want you to come flying with me.” Drei gave me a look that suggested I hadn’t had enough sleep or enough nutrients or something. “I’m serious. Will you?”

“I am not sure that is possible,” he said, kissing my forehead.

“You can leave like you always do, but come back after an hour and they should be gone. Then we can go. They won’t know,” I promised, practically begging. Now that the question was put forth, I wanted him to say yes; I wanted him to promise we could do this together after he had left alone and hurting for the past week. “Say yes, please.”

He smiled wryly. “I spoil you too much.”

“You don’t spoil me nearly enough,” I teased, kissing his lips.

“Tonight, then?”

“Of course.”

“You should sleep now. I am not sure I want to fly with you exhausted,” he said, smirking.

Nodding, I left his embrace, feeling better but still somewhat empty without him near me. I had spent nearly a year alone with him, falling asleep in his arms. This broke habit, and he was a wonderfully terrible addiction.

“Abriel,” he called from his bedroom door. Turning back, I widened my eyes at him questioningly. “I cannot wait.” We smiled at each other, joyous and secretive, before parting for the rest of the day.

Sliding back into bed, I decided my next request of him would be about switching our sleep schedules so we’d be awake during at least part of the day. After all, you can’t run a movement in the dark. Then no one knows what’s going on.