in contrast - warmth.

Her body is confused. Bare flesh exposed to the chill of the heated room,
She sleeps hard but light. He’s up still, unable to fight his body’s schedule to fall asleep in her arms.
But she understands - and she sleeps through his awakening.
She tosses and turns, ignoring the existence of anything else but his flesh against hers.
Her eyes falter open and recognize immediately his face welcoming hers - he is protecting her.
He kisses her gently, and she falls immediately back into sleep. He does not move from her,
He stays by her side, holding her - he stays still as she falls in and out of sleep.
And when the demons of her past come to haunt her, he wakes her and holds her steady -
Telling her it’ll be all right as she flings herself to him - and when he falls,
She welcomes him, and she remembers in the morning
That everything he is, she adores.


The buzz of the computer fights against the silent breath of their sleep.
Warmth seeps through the blankets, past their flesh - and into their souls.
Domestic simplicity has always met them halfway.
Their love has been fought over, tried and conquered - remembered and forgotten.
But in this moment, in this half-awakening sleep of hers, all is well.
She recognizes the fact that even in their sleep - as always - they’re holding each other.
As if letting go for a minute would allow the other to slip away.
And she wakes to the feeling of his flesh, to the recognition of their awakening.
It is light outside, but in their haven, it is always their night.
She knows she should get up - that she should pass out into the responsibilities of life.
But instead, she turns over and feels him move to accept her flesh against his.
And they sigh together, inescapably, and nestle back in to escape the day.