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It’s been a while since Kieran’s apartment had only belonged to him. Lauren had taken a liking to the small place and its practical layout, the small, green couch and wide windows with heavy blackout curtains. She’d been almost apologetic, at first, when she’d begun taking over his space. They spent most of the week together in this tiny space, but Kieran never once complained about having her over. He looked happy they did, in fact. When he cleared out a drawer for her clothes, he did so with a smile, and when she bought extra toiletries to keep in his place “just in case”, he practically snatched them out of her hands to give them a spot in the bathroom cabinet. He even encouraged her to bring over things for her comfort, which prompted Lauren to often joke about how much he liked to play house as he cooked or as they snuggled together to sleep.
She'd have to admit she enjoyed staying with him as much as he did. They'd walk there after work and spend the evening in tranquil domesticity, sharing meals and reading together and speaking in whispers as they got into bed. That night she had helped herself to his lap as he drew to his heart's content, only making occasional commentary when she wasn't half-asleep on his shoulder.
“We should go get ready for bed,” she murmured against his neck.
“You can go ahead, love,” he replied, still drawing. “I'll wash the dishes and then join you.”
Lauren begrudgingly abandoned his warmth, knowing he’d scold her if she didn’t try to get enough sleep hours in, and kissed him quickly as she made her way to the bedroom. They had changed the sheets in the morning, so she simply grabbed her towel and a change of clothes before making her way back. Kieran was still focused on what he was drawing. so he didn’t see her walk past the door of his art room as she padded her way to the bathroom.
Not five seconds after she’d stripped down and turned on the shower, the door squeaked open, and in came Kieran, grinning like a fool and undoing the ribbon holding his ponytail together.
“Kieran!” Lauren glared at him and used the curtain to cover herself. “What are you doing here?”
“Taking a shower,” he replied simply, already pulling the shirt above his head.
“ I'm showering.”
“ We're showering.”
“Oh my god,” Lauren laughed, the surprise fading quickly. “You’re incorrigible.”
Kieran winked at her as he worked his trousers off. “But you love me like that.”
“Mmm, true,” Lauren snickered, pushing the curtain aside. “Alright, get in.”
Kieran released a silly little noise of celebration before stepping inside, right behind her.
It wasn’t the first time they showered together. They'd taken a liking to it, especially Kieran, who would take any chance he had to feel her smooth skin against his ragged one. Sometimes, they would get distracted with each other until the water turned cold and they had to speed through the washing portion of the shower, and other times, as was the case that night, they simply enjoyed the intimacy of their bodies pressed together under the warm spray of the shower.
Lauren was the first to reach for the soap, starting to lather herself up before Kieran stopped her, grabbing her wrist gently and taking the bar from her hand.
“Let me,” he said, and Lauren let him work the soap over her skin. He traced gentle circles all over her back before doing her stomach, chest and arms, and once her upper body was thoroughly cleaned he worked his way down, lowering to his knees to do her legs. Lauren smiled down at him, loving the reverent way he touched her, his hands never venturing to suggest something else should happen. He was happy to wash her body and ask for nothing in return, and it made her tangle her fingers in his wet hair, pulling him in for a kiss when he was back to his feet.
She took the bar from his soapy hands, murmuring against his lips: “My turn.”
She worked the same way all over his body. It took her longer to do so, both because she didn't want to step out of his embrace and because he was bigger than she was. She reached her arms around his broad chest to lather his back before doing the front of his torso. All while he distracted her with kisses planted wherever he could reach without releasing her.
“Stop it!” She giggled as he dipped to kiss her again, this time landing on her right eye. “We're never going to get out if you continue.”
“I would gladly stay here forever,” Kieran replied, smooth as butter, as he nuzzled her cheek with the tip of his nose. “With you.”
Lauren furrowed her nose at him. “You are such a sap.”
Kieran laughed, pressing her close to himself, brushing his nose to hers. He looked so utterly content that she couldn't find it in herself to be annoyed at his clingy nature, and instead paused her effort to soap him up to return his hug. Noticing her reciprocity, Kieran bent to burrow his face in the pit of her neck, not paying any mind to her soapy skin as he kissed her there. Lauren sighed as he did, tightening her own hold on him, and they revelled in the silent embrace, enjoying this moment of peace they could pluck out.
She remembered how he'd said a long time ago that he wanted a simple life. Calm and simple , that's what he'd said. She wondered if this is what he meant, these moments of peace after a long day of work in the arms of the person you loved, in a place that felt like home.
She asked him as much, voice low, and he unearthed himself from her neck to look her in the eyes, forehead against forehead.
“Yes,” he replied with unwavering certainty, and Lauren could tell he'd thought about it before, to be able to say it with such sureness. “This is what I always wanted. You are what I always wanted.”
Lauren smiled at him, letting the loving words fill her soul with beautiful warmth and mould her body against his until not a speck of dust could get between them.
“I love you,” she said, and it was simple, it was true.
“I adore you,” he replied, and it was a fact as irrefutable as the blue of his eyes, as the red of her hair.
She finally forced him to break contact so she could finish soaping him up, not without him giving her a comical pout as the rapidly dispersing fog replaced her in the space she'd occupied against him. She worked as quickly as she could, eager to return to his arms, and when her task was completed she turned on the shower for them, both working quickly to rinse the suds out of their bodies.
She didn’t even touch her shampoo before he did, rubbing his hands together before spreading it all over her scalp. He worked carefully, not wanting to cause her even the faintest of pain if he tugged it by accident, so he massaged it with gentle fingers. Lauren sighed, leaning her back against his chest, and although that position made the task a little harder he didn't spot her. He simply planted a kiss on her damp shoulder as he finished with it. She did the same for him, a pleasant purr raising from him, as he loved it when she played with his hair.
“Let's rinse,” he instructed once they both were ready, turning on the shower again. Lauren let him work the product off, his fingers combing through her long auburn hair. Unfortunately, the moment was broken when in between two blinks a bit of shampoo rolled right into her left eye, and she cursed under her breath, separating from him as she rubbed at her eyes and turned her body around.
“Sorry, that went right into my eye—”
She was interrupted by Kieran pulling her in and kissing her firmly. She tried to open her eyes, but it only made the sting worse so she yelped and uselessly batted at his shoulder, to try to get him to release her. He did so laughing, cupping her face, and she could imagine his shit-eating grin, even when blinded.
“You look adorable when you furrow your face like that.”
Lauren grumbled, annoyed.
“Some help would be nice, White.”
He laughed again and grabbed her wrists to stop her frantic rubbing, holding them still with one hand, and she heard him collect some water in the palm of his other hand before he wiped at her left eye carefully. She blinked her eyes open, looking up at him, admiring the way her new stark clarity and the white light of the bathroom made him look almost angelic.
“Beautiful,” he whispered, almost to himself, and she grinned at him as she looped her arms around his neck again, standing on her tiptoes to reach his face.
“You're not so bad yourself, handsome,” she whispered back, pressing a quick kiss to his lips. She started working her fingers through his hair, rinsing out his shampoo. “I like you like this.”
His brilliant smile was the only warning she got before he was pulling her flush against him, nearly scooping her off the tile floor. She squealed a little as he did, wrapping her legs around his waist for support. However, he'd slightly miscalculated the movement, which she found out as the top of her head knocked against the shower head.
She yelped in pain, reaching a hand to rub at the spot before she burst out laughing. Kieran flushed down to his ears, immediately uttering in the most apologetic tone possible:
“Oh god, sorry, are you okay?”
He accommodated to evade any further similar incidents, his hands grabbing her thighs instead to hold her steady. Lauren laughed until she couldn’t anymore, somehow finding the situation exceedingly hilarious, and when she'd tired out her chuckles, when he was looking up at her like she was the sun, the moon, more precious than all the celestial bodies combined, she gave him a dopey smile, pressing her nose to his and letting him lean into the touch of her palm with a blissed out look in his gorgeous eyes.
“Never better, love.”
Perhaps calm and simple did suit them.
Art by the inimitable bookswithjackie