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You were confused when you woke up and the room was still dark. You reached out looking for Steve, but his side of the bed was cold. Concerned, you sat up looking around. The room was empty. That wasn’t a common occurrence anymore.
You uncovered your legs and stepped onto the cold wood floor. You lightly padded your way to the stair. Not seeing Steve in the living room, you go down the stairs. You turn toward the kitchen, seeing the light on. You shivered at the cold draft making its way in from the ajar door. Grabbing the blanket from the back of the couch, you head toward the open door. With the blanket wrapped around you, you step outside.
You easily spot Steve sitting on one of the pool loungers. You walk up to him, noticing the moonlight reflected in the tears streaming down his cheeks. You gently sit down beside him and put the blanket around his shoulders too. You feel his shiver slightly against you. His breath puffs out in clouds, mingling with yours.
You don’t say anything as you hug the arm closest to you. Steve sighs at your touch, leaning closer to you. Pressing your cheek against his shoulder, you look up at the stars. Steve’s breaths were ragged.
“How are you?” Steve quietly asks.
“Sleepy,” you admit. “I had a weird dream.”
Steve hums at your reply. “What was the dream?”
“I don’t remember. Just woke up feeling weird. Does that make sense?”
“Yeah.” Steve’s breathing steadied the more you two talked. “Where it was weird enough to have you remember it being weird, yet normal enough to have you not remember what happened.”
“Exactly.”
Steve took a deep breath in. “I had a weird dream, too.”
“Yeah?”
Steve nodded. “My parents didn’t argue all the time. They were actually home, and we were happy together. It was a really good dream. Until I woke up. The happy feeling lingered, but it didn’t last. I just remembered how warm this place felt in the dream. And how different it was from reality.”
You squeezed his arm tighter. Your heart ached for him, knowing how much he wished his parents were more involved with his life.
“But,” Steve’s voice was steadier, “it wasn’t the same warmth that’s now in the house. That you’ve added into my life.”
“You’ve made my life warmer too. Like my own ray of sunshine,” you poked his cheek.
Steve laughed at your antics. He lent his head against yours, bending the arm you clung to. He held your hand that poked him.
“Thank you,” he kissed the back of your hand.
“Always,” you promised.
“You don’t even know what I’m thanking you for,” he nudges you.
“Doesn’t matter. I’m always here for you.”
Steve tugged you to stand with him. He wrapped his arm around your shoulders while holding onto his side of the blanket. The two of you made your way back inside. While Steve locked the door behind the two of you, you returned the blanket to the back of the couch. The both of you made your way upstairs again, cuddling in bed once more. Gradually, the two of you fell asleep together.