𝐈𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐚𝐥𝐞 𝐌𝐨𝐨𝐧𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 ༊࿐ ᴀᴏɴᴜɴɢ x ᴏᴄ

21.

⋆｡˚⋆ฅ^𓆝୨♡୧𓆝ฅ^⋆˚｡⋆ Aonung POV ⋆｡˚⋆ฅ^𓆝୨♡୧𓆝ฅ^⋆˚｡⋆

When I wake, the first thing I realise is that we're still intertwined.

Kai'wä's nuzzled into my chest, tucked carefully under my sheltering arm and one small, cool hand resting serenely over my heart.

For once, she isn't up at the crack of fucking dawn. 

I think she might be rubbing off on me, because now I'm stuck awake this early in the morning with a very adorable, beautiful girl sleeping peacefully practically on top of me.

It seems like some sick parody of a soppy love story.

We're lying against the soft white sand, and my face is tilted so I can see here without moving and running the risk of waking her.

I don't even know what we'd do when she eventually wakes and finds us cuddled around the other.

Kai'wä looks more relaxed than I've ever even seen her; lips parted slightly, long lashes fluttering lightly every now and then.

When I accidentally move a little, she nuzzles closer into my chest like a cute fluffy animal would do.

Shit.

I have to admit, in all my time spent with girls, there haven't been many mornings after.

I haven't really needed to stick around, to wake up in a position like this.

It seems so much more daunting and intimate than anything I've ever done, even though all Kai'wä and I have ever done is kiss.

Kai'wä too has never slept besides a guy, let alone with one, yet she seems to have no problems with making herself perfectly comfortable, which apparently turns out to be tucking herself as close to my body as she can get in her sleep.

Eywa knows she would never do this if she was awake.

It's taking everything inside me to stay still so she doesn't wake, just as it took everything in me not to just grab her and kiss her yesterday.

In the pale moonlight, with her eyes full of sincere concern and lips parted perfectly as she spoke the most comforting, beautiful words anyone had ever said to me.

Maybe it was just the sound of them coming from her mouth, but now I feel like no one else would ever be able to console me now that Kai'wä's done it.

It just wouldn't be the same.

No one else could make my heart freeze and all my worry fly away if they took my hand like she did.

No one else's gaze could ever hold me so silent and unmoving.

But then she'd brought me back to harsh, vicious reality.

I, stupidly, had forgotten that this arrangement would end, that once she got Ta'ru, she'd have no reason to interact with me ever again.

No more beach walks and taunting playfully while we spar. 

No more being able to kiss her under the pretence of proving our relationship real.

I knew Ta'ru well enough.

He was a player, careless and promiscuous, and I have no fucking idea how Kai'wä would have ever fallen for him.

I must have tensed at the thought of them together, because Kai'wä moans softly and I feel her stir.

I quickly let go, not wanting to think anything wrong when she wakes up.

Kai'wä blinks sleepily up at me, then her eyes widen as she realises her face is nestled comfortably against my chest.