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One time he said to her, “I’d have to agree with you, it’d be the people with too much time on their hands training here…” or something like that. She couldn’t remember, it’d been too long since then. A small giggle ruptured inside her chest as a closed smile curved on her mouth. It’d been years since they had met. She sat while her legs sprawled out on the entire couch in his small home.
Her arms reached upwards to the ceiling as she stretched, and she closed her eyes. Perhaps it’d been time for an afternoon snooze? Suddenly, she heard the front door open, and his evident steps came across the floor. She hadn’t fallen asleep yet, instead she decided to pretend sleeping while guessing what he was doing. First, he walked towards what she assumed was the kitchen, after a minute he came close to her, standing behind the couch. She felt his person stare down on her, and promptly a blanket laid over her body.
She snuggled into the covers with a pleased smile, which triggered a chuckle from his lovely voice. Her mind slowly relaxed—his presence had induced a comforting sense of security, and she now noticed herself actually lulling to slumber. All the wonderful things about him flooded into her thoughts, all the little selfless and considerate gestures, the gentle caresses, the beautiful words, and just who he had become to her.
He came around to the front of the couch, moved her legs up as he sat down, and placed them on his lap. His soft hands tenderly grasped her free left hand, stroking the back of it. She began to fully drift away in absolute bliss. Their story unfolded in a supercut as she reminisced, and how their love transpired. She had come into his life and took all that free time away, or rather, they found they only made free time for each other. No matter where business had called him, or what she had to do, they discovered ways to be free together.
In any case, this moment, such as the one they lived now, was normal. It was something usual and often, and his tiny home on Iron Island would always be the default meeting place. The idea had struck her once that maybe she wouldn’t meet him anymore, or his home would be locked one day. But in this moment—such valuable free time—while he stroked her hand with his fingers, she croaked quietly in her half-asleep voice, “Riley, I love you.”
The stroking stopped. Her heart pounded, she had never said that before to him. She now worried about her situation, and could not fall back asleep without his gentle touch. Her eyes still hadn’t opened, but she could tell he’d been moving around on his side. Finally, he settled back into his previous position. His other hand propped up her fingers, and onto the penultimate one he slid something cold… he slid a ring.
The young woman slowly sat up in surprise, wondering if the reality before her had been the opposite. He smiled, brushed hair behind her ear, and brought her forward into a kiss. She would never have to worry about his home being locked, or never visiting him again, because it had become their home. And they would now have free time together forever.