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“Coffee?”
“Hm, yes.”
Alex took the coffee from Farah’s extended hand, eyes lingering on her for just a moment too long.
It was night in Urzikstan, though dawn would be coming soon. Small patches of light lit up the city they were in, but still yet, it was dark. There was not much light on the rooftop Alex was guarding—to make it harder for the night watch he was a part of to be spotted.
There were two others on night watch with him, and they were focused on their posts at other corners of the rooftop. Farah had been downstairs; she looked like she had been sleeping, her hair slightly mussed and her clothes in slight disarray.
Farah’s hair was down and out of its usual braid. It was hard to see much very clearly on the dark rooftop, but the one or two lamps they had lit—plus the moonlight— was enough for Alex to see Farah.
He took a sip of the coffee, and turned to look out on the city, Farah following suit. She sipped at her own cup of coffee.
She was standing close, now, right beside him. A piece of her hair brushed his arm.
Her hair being down was a rarity; she almost always had it braided—out of the way. She could only very rarely afford to be vulnerable, he knew. He knew this small thing, even, was a luxury for her.
Alex stole a glance at her from the side as Farah tucked a piece of hair behind her ear.
He thought she looked beautiful, standing here with only small lamplight and moonlight shining on her. The shining sun always made her look glowing, he thought; but the moonlight—in such stark contrast to how her days were spent?
Alex reasoned that it showed her beauty in a different way. Relaxed, vulnerable—but Farah always looked—always was—strong, no matter what state she was in. Always ready to take on the world.
They both kept slowly sipping on their coffee for a bit, watching the moonlight over the city.
Within a few moments, though, he felt her coming even closer to him, and—was she leaning on him?
Alex almost flinched when he felt her leaning on him. It’s not that he didn’t want her to touch him, not at all—just… aversion to touch was becoming ingrained in him.
He looked over at her, with more than a side glance this time. She was still casually sipping her coffee, looking out at the city while she leaned on his shoulder.
Alex took in a barely shuddering breath, then took another sip of his coffee.
It’s fine. This is fine. Don’t make a big deal of it, you’ll make her uncomfortable, Alex—
Another few moments passed by, and Farah had set her coffee cup down on the fence edge surrounding the roof. After she set the coffee down, she took his cup from his hand in a rather fluid motion, and set it down beside hers.
“Hey, I was still—”
Farah stood up a little taller, almost on her tip toes, and put her lips on his. Alex didn’t react immediately, but just as he relaxed into it, she pulled away.
“I—I’m sorry, Alex. That was, um—that was inappropriate of me. I’m sorry—”
Alex cut her off with a kiss. Her eyes closed almost immediately, and she relaxed into the kiss quickly.
He gently put his right hand in her hair, resting his hand on the back of her neck. Farah wound her hand through the back of his hair, pulling him closer.
She slipped her tongue along his bottom lip. Alex let her take control of this; he didn’t want to push her into anything—he especially didn’t want to push her away.
Alex copied her movements, drawing his tongue across her top lip, just a little deeper than she had.
Farah grabbed at his hip with her free hand, and Alex grabbed at the waist of her pants, both of them pulling each other closer.
Alex finally pulled away from the kiss, breathing heavily. Farah was breathless, too, but there was this wild look in her eyes, meshed with calmness. Serenity.
Alex flashed her a smile, and reached out to tuck a piece of her hair behind her ear. Farah leaned into his hand, closing her eyes for a moment.
She’s amazing, Alex thought blankly.
Farah opened her eyes, softly gazing at him. Alex knew how lucky he was, to have this moment. Farah had known hardship her whole life, and to be this vulnerable, this open with him—He didn’t take it for granted.
She put her hand over his, then looked down, chuckling a nervous laugh. Farah gently pulled his hand away from her face, taking it in both her hands, and moving them to the small space between her and Alex, near their waists.
“Was that too much, Alex?”
“Absolutely not, ma’am.”
Farah’s eyes shot up to glare at him with a look that held no threat.
Dawn was starting to rise across the horizon, dashes of pink and orange casting more light onto the rooftop, and across the city.
Alex traced his thumb along the top of one of her hands, folded over his hand. His gaze, which was previously staring back into her eyes, wandered to stare at their hands clasped together.
“I’ve wanted to do that for a long time, Farah.” He said softly, his eyes returning to stare sharply—but not roughly, not harshly—into hers.
She smiled, just a half smile; a corner of her mouth coming up at one edge.
“Me too, Alex. Me too.”
Farah dropped her hands from his hand. She reached up and gave him a gentle peck on the lips, and his eyes fluttered closed. He opened them slowly when she pulled away quickly.
She nodded her head towards the horizon. “It’s morning, Alex. I must get to work, Habibi. You and the rest of the night watch should rest, yes? You’ve been up all night.”
“Habibi?”
“You know Arabic, Alex. You are not stupid.”
She smiled, but this time, it was starting to be tinged with something else. The beginnings of her reverting back to Commander Karim, the leader. The fighter.
She’s steeling herself.
Farah put a hand softly on his chest, then turned away. Her hair flowed over her shoulder as she turned. Alex watched her go, enjoying every moment he could get to see her like this.
She was almost at the stairs, ready to go down into the building from the roof, before she called back over her shoulder.
“See you soon, my love. Be safe.”