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Whatever they had was more than unorthodox. Their so called 'relationship' a proverbial question mark. Nothing was set in stone, and for the most part; their circumstances made them live with it. Their beginnings were quite random. Seemingly never at a good time, but it always felt right. They were like opposites sides of the same twisting, turning coin.
Their nights together began with her showing up unannounced. Perhaps a small note letting him know of her “scheduled” presence. But he was never really sure when he would see her again. It was always on her terms, and he was okay with it for the time being.
Passion filled nights ended with a peaceful slumber. And in the morning she'd already be gone. Sure, he wanted nothing more than for her to be there in the mornings with him. And on the off chance, she’d still be there. Those were special mornings.
But each time the painful reality of her always leaving began to take its toll.
The hurt Leon felt for some sense of normalcy was excruciating at times. The quiet longing for her was the most painful in the mornings. Waking up cold and alone. With only the memory of her. And the only physical reminder; her kiss print on neatly folded letter.
His early morning body subconsciously yearned for more, always feeling for the ghost of her. The first few moments of consciousness, he could still smell her. That sweet scent was still engulfing him and torturing him as if she were still there.
But it would fade as the sun would rise. It was the softest reminder of her, one that he would always be afraid he’d forget.
Soft jasmine and dark cherries. Sweet, musk and floral all at once.
Her kiss still stained onto his skin and lips. Feeling it like her kiss was only just there. He’d only wish it would last longer. The soft tingle he felt in his bones at the memory of her kiss.
His only sense of self preservation for his emotional state was that each time the longing for her grew too painful for him; he'd delude himself. That she was just a figment of his imagination. That she wasn't real.
The truth would only be more painful each time he'd remember that she was real. Tangible and actually real, standing in front of him each time she’d arrive unannounced.
Again.
//
Days turned to weeks, sometimes months before he’d see her again. The moments in between sometimes felt too long and arduous. On occasion, their meetings would never seem to work.
More than once he’d find himself shaking his head in frustration. Angry at himself on the times she’d shown up at his home and he wasn’t there. The signs of her were always apparent. Another note left on his nightside table. His home tidied somehow.
The faint scent of her perfume.
He would’ve been stuck on a plane somewhere, caught between missions, or it was simply just the wrong place at the wrong time. It wasn’t like he would be able to seek her out. The fact of the matter was, if she didn’t want to be found; she would not be found.
But more often than not, Leon simply being someplace was enough for her to show up. On the odd occasion of him needing a desperate solution to something, Ada would be there. Helping him in the shadows, saving his life more times that he would even know.
Other times he would base their chances of meeting purely on luck. But he swore sometimes if the weather was just perfect. The night air cool and crisp. Moonlight bright with twinkling stars.
Somehow, she’d always show up.
He’d want to be there to see her. Always.
-
He quickly made his way back into his home. Hitting the threshold of the front door and wanting to head to his bedroom immediately. But he noticed it. His eyes narrowing at his surroundings as he examined everything slowly. His somewhat basic townhouse apartment. Government agents tend to be secretive in different ways than one would assume. An inconspicuous apartment was easier to ignore than a luxury condo somewhere. Although the idea of retiring to one in his later years was something he’d think about.
The idea of a white picket fence and wife with two kids was a fantasy to him at times. His lifestyle never letting him have it all. He had retired that dream long ago.
So here he was, returning after a mission to something… off about his apartment. It felt lived in, despite him abandoning it for a few weeks. That soft fragrant scent filled his nose. A note with a rich red kiss mark on the soft parchment was left on his night table.
He’d wondered how long she had waited for him. Thoughts running endlessly in his head. She had tidied his home. A single plant she had left there once was watered and pruned. She gently scolded him when he talked to her about the idea of a dog. And suggested him to take care of a plant before doing so.
‘It wouldn’t be fair to the dog if you can’t even keep a plant alive.’
He had kept the little potted plant alive despite his lack of a green thumb. Housed in its little terracotta pot speckled with little dots of neutral colours. The stem of the plant popping little green leaves, more bright and vibrant looking. A small pink bud even seemed to be forming near the top. The blankets on his bed were made and scented with her, like she had been sleeping there. Waiting for him before she would inevitably decide that he wasn’t going to be here this time. The soft sheets were folded neatly against the mattress, his pillows fluffed up and tidied with a feminine touch that Leon couldn’t ever replicate.
The very ghost of her haunts him.
Wanting and dreaming and thinking about what could’ve been. What made her decide to visit him this time? How long had she waited? How had she been? Was she alright? Had she taken her time to settle in while she waited? Did she try to cook in his kitchen? His exasperation and resentment fizzled into more thoughts of wandering, wanting and longing for her. Thinking of all the missed opportunities they could’ve had in the span of a few seconds.
“Looking for someone?”
His head snapped towards the sound, only then did he notice the dim amber glow of a candle in a short saffron colour glass jar as it burned on the kitchen table. The air that left Leon was heavy and weighted with something more than relief. As if the breath was burdensome.
“Ada,” he finally spoke after he straightening himself out. His body less tense from the intrusion, and eased up at the sight of her. His tired blues lingered and stuck on her as he took the time to memorize her again. Her hair had seemed longer, just a bit, maybe a fraction more as it hit a different part of her neck. Maybe she hadn’t had the chance to get it trimmed yet. Her attire was more casual as well, although he often was not as one to memorize her outfits. Somehow this time it seemed more out of style for her. Then again, did he even really know what her style was?
He hadn’t bothered to wonder how she’d gotten into his apartment this time. It wasn’t difficult for her to break in. And he never made the efforts to strengthens his homes security since the first time she managed to get in.
“When did you get here?” He asked, somehow still distant from her. He’d only just returned home, still a bit tired and jet lagged.
A shower was desperately needed.
“A while ago. I wasn’t sure if you were going to be here or not. Your flight was delayed, wasn’t it?”
Leon raised his brow before chuckling softly to himself, a grin growing on his face quickly, “it was,” he answered simply. How she had that knowledge he hadn’t bother to question it.
“I can leave if you want me to,” Ada gently tilted her head to her shoulder, seemingly noticing how exhausted he was. She wasn’t sure to ask him, wondering if anything went wrong either. She could often read him like an open book, yet he seemed somewhat closed off tonight. Like a page dogeared for another time; she didn’t want to stay any longer if she felt undesired. As if a respite was needed without her.
“No, you can stay, I just. I reek,” he exhaled a laugh through his nose, his hands finally loosening up as he dropped off all of his things hastily against the couch nearby. His keys falling between the couch cushions as they always somehow seemed to do so. Calloused fingers played with the tight tie wrapped around his neck, his fingertips getting stuck on the silk trying to loosen it.
Ada had rarely seen Leon with a tie on. Even at the White House working with the president, the most he had worn was a dress shirt and a suit. She silently wondered the change but didn’t mind it. The vision of it was alluring. His fingers picking at the silk fabric, struggling with it still. The idea of him returning home and meeting her. Gathering him up after a long days work and settling in with him for the night.
“I think I can decide whether or not you reek,” she reached over towards him, closing in the few steps in between until she was situated in between his wide stance. She angled her head, Leon’s height still staggering above her as she dragged one of her manicured fingers against his jawline. Watching as his skin pebble against her touch. Smiling softly to herself, she gently pried his fingers away from his tie and quickly undid the knot, unthreading the tie from him and letting it drop against the couch. The thin fabric dropping on top of his other scattered belongings.
Leon remained still, watching her every movement. Wondering if she was still here somehow. The very notion of her being here, like she were waiting for him after a long day at work. The house made and her here, just doing the simple act of removing his tie. It was a fantasy. It left him wondering if it was an act. Even if it were, he’d live in it just for the moment.
Her fingertips grazed against his chin again, pressing against the soft stubble against his jaw.
“Still think I need to take a shower?” He finally broke the silence, his words more nervous sounding than he wanted them to be. His tone shaky despite how hard he tried to think of the words before actually saying them.
Her eyes locked with his, “Are you asking me to shower with you?”
“I wouldn’t be opposed to the idea.”
//
In his haze to memorize the image of her in front of him, she was doing the same to him. Watching him as she took her time to strip him down to nothing as the water jet steamed behind them. The water never seemed to warm until it had run for a few minutes. Wasteful, but a warm shower was one of the only things he wanted right now. The other standing in front of him.
The tiny apartment shower had led to more than one rendezvous before, the close quarters making little wiggle room for much else. But he had seemed too tired, and she could feel it. His muscles ached, and were tight in her hands. His complexion a bit too colourless for her liking. The only thing that somehow remained intact was in fact his hair.
Once he had been stripped down to his bare bones, he almost stood awkwardly, watching her stripping down as well. A wide neck oxblood coloured top was lifted over her head. Her bare breasts underneath was a bit of a shock, as he was expecting another layer underneath. The image of it had Leon flushing. A simple knit pencil skirt hugged her hips as she shimmied it down her thighs, knees then ankles. Her panties going along with it. He was fixated on her as she gathered their clothing and left them on top of a hamper that was unceremoniously shoved into a corner.
“Well, are you going to just rack up your water bill? Or are you getting in?”
He finally shook his head, “after you,” he snickered and helped her into it. The warm water filtered through the little shower head and rained onto her. Her dark hair matting against her forehead before she wiped it away, letting the rest of the water splash down onto her. Stepping in behind her, he finally took the time to press his hands around her waist, not only for some intimacy but to also partially situate the both of them so that they were both underneath the falling water.
“So you wanna tell me what happened or are we just going to ignore it?”
As the steam filled the tiny shower, Leon swallowed the small lump in his throat and felt the water soaking up his hair, his ears ringing a bit as he did so. The heavy fringe in front of his forehead grew more weighty until he felt her fingers combing through them. Delicately carding through his tresses until she could see him again.
“Ignore. For now,” he finally answered and grabbed one of the soft plastic bottles of body wash and a small body towel. Lathering it up in his palms until it was filled with suds. It was a more musky scent, sandalwood and eucalyptus, one that contrasted the soft sweet scent of her. But she didn’t mind it, it was one of the few reminders of him for her. While Leon also enjoyed the idea of his scent lingering on her.
Ada nodded, small droplets of water cascading from her hair as she grabbed the towel to drag along his body. Washing him up gently and delicately like he were made of porcelain. New blooms of reds and blues littered his skin, the capillaries bursting with blood from impact. No open wounds though. At least he was left mostly unscathed. Relief filled her body after completing her thorough check, finding just the small myriad of bruises on him. Ones that would fade in a few days.
“What are you thinking about?”
“Honestly, I’m too tired to really think. I wasn’t expecting you. But then again, I kind of never do,” he replied, not initially noticing the venom that passively stung in his tone of voice. But she was perceptive enough to catch it.
A droplet fell from her dark lashes, one that Leon didn’t miss. Not knowing whether it was from her or the shower frustrated him. Whatever feelings she had, he still felt cheated. As if this was a joke. She came here unannounced, she had no right to be angry about whatever state he was in. He half expected her to do retort or snap at him. But grew less frustrated as she responded with silence.
She continued washing him up just the way that he liked it. The warm water growing hotter just a degree. The steamy mist filled the shower and the room, obscuring their visibility of everything except each other. She finishes cleaning him up and the water was shut off, the sound loud as the water made its way through the pipes. The two remaining large fluffy towels were hung on a nearby metal towel rack and Leon was quick to grab both, wrapping one around her and the other around himself.
Ada held it tightly against her body, her hair still sopping wet and dripping as her fingers gently pressed it against her neck, trying to get the excess water out. Without much thought, Leon grabbed another smaller towel and wrapped it around her neck, letting her ends of her tresses fall into the folds of the towel.
“I didn’t mean for it to sound like that,” he murmured with a sigh. His lips were tempted to press a kiss against her bare shoulder. The reflection of them in the mirror was slowly growing clear, the image of their two profiles less blurry like an apparition emerging from the mist.
“I know what you meant,” she finally responded, neither confirming nor denying anything. A question mark still lingered in the air as he continued to dry her off. Not focused on anything else as he gently turned her around and finally faced her. His fingers traced along the dark black strands that framed her face, then gently tucked both behind her ears. His hands cradling her head to turn her gaze towards him. Yet she remained focused on his chest, her lashes heavy and shielded her eyes from him. Grabbing the smaller towel wrapped around her neck, she pressed it gently against his hair, folding it in between his locks and drying them softly. Her fingers carding through them again to let it dry in the same parting he’d always had it in. Her gaze never reaching his eyes the entire time.
Very little words were said to each other after they left the bathroom. The candle that was left unattended prior was snuffed out and darkness filled the apartment. The blankets were pulled from the bed. They laid in his bed, wearing little underneath the sheets. Ada dressed in one of his large t-shirts. Leon in one of his boxers. The bedroom window was cracked open a sliver, mixing in the cool air from the night with the warmth that filtered through from the bathroom to the bedroom.
In the darkness he watched her as she gently closed her eyes, her chest raising softly with each breath. Her lips parting a bit with each exhale. Despite how tired he felt, his eyes wouldn’t close. If he were to close them, the idea of tomorrow would come too soon. Dreading to see the empty bed next to him in the morning. His body inched closer towards her, his arm propped up to support his head as he watched her. Time passed, his eyes adjusting to the darkness as she appeared more clearly. The moonlight from the windows came in through a sheer curtain, lighting his entire bedroom in hues of blue.
Ada stirred, a more audible sigh leaving her. “Are you going to sleep or keep staring at me?” She finally opened her eyes to see Leon fairly close to her, just inches apart. Her eyes had already adjusted to the darkness fairly quickly, seeing the halo of the light from the window shining against his dark blond fringe. Casting an heavenly glow to him. A sight she wished she could see more often, just like this, every night. After everything was said and done, and they only had each other and nothing else.
“I don’t know. Will I see you in the morning?”
She thought about her answer and closed the gap between them, her lips ghosting along his warm soft lips for a brief moment before they pressed together. Neither was sure who made the move first, the very action of the kiss causing all other thoughts to quickly dissipate. Leon was always the more affectionate one. The second he felt her kiss, his hands shot towards her, grasping her towards his chest more desperately than he intended. The sudden warmth of Leon’s embrace caught her off guard, a slight exhale slipping from her lips from the jolt in movement. His kiss was more longing than normal, one that lingered and felt like he craved more. His warm palms caressed and cradled her closer, while hers remained still against his chest. His heartbeat always spiked whenever she was near him, the rush of thumping against her open palm as she caressed his sculpted bare chest. Delicately moving upwards towards his neck. Her fingertips played against his throat, drawing little lines upwards towards his jawline.
Leon’s actions grew more desperate, not one of a man who was in desperate need of sleep.
“I thought you were tired,” she breathed out, her voice low yet smooth. Her tone piquing his interest on how he should respond.
“I was, not anymore,” he quickly blurted out between kisses and raised himself up with his forearm pressed against the mattress, hovering above her while she situated herself onto her back. Her legs pressed neatly together between his.
She fought back for each kiss, although much gentler, as if in response to his hasty change of course. His perceptiveness caught on it and he gently brought himself back to reality. Leaning backward after his lips left hers.
“Unless you don’t want to,” he swallowed his words, the lump in his throat suddenly apparent as he gazed down at her trapped underneath him looking like a helpless fawn. Her hair haloed around her head against the soft pillow. His large shirt engulfing her figure and letting her legs look bare and thinner in comparison.
Leon watched her as she mirrored him, eyes flickering between each other, gauging each others silent thoughts.
“Let me?” She asked more tentatively and gentle than usual. Her delicate fingers pressed against his chest, his weight growing lighter as she easily manoeuvred him underneath her instead. The bed shifting and expelling noises as they switched positions. The slightest bounce of the bed making it seem like it was vibrating as she got comfortable on top of him. Legs spread over his strong thighs while her fingers now danced along his bare chest. Tracing little lines and shapes on the crevices of his muscles, doting little scars, moles and spots.
He expelled a sharp exhale at her touch, his chest flushing with warmth as a tingly sensation resonated inside of him.
“Ada wait-" he grunted softly whilst her hands worked on peeling down the top hem of his briefs and feeling him through the fabric.
“I don’t think I can-"
“I said, ‘let me,’” she repeated, her hand leaving him and grabbing the bottom edge of the top she wore. Leon fisted the sheets underneath him, possessed by the image of her as she stripped in front of him a second time tonight. The moonlight illuminated her her in all of her glory. Her thighs spread above him as she bared all of herself to him. She wasn’t shy as her fingers slid down in between her legs and teased herself in front of him. Her fingertips glistening with her essence as she gazed down onto him, eyeing him quietly. A whimper escaped every few moments from her, while Leon’s own breaths filled the room as he watched her. Entranced by her, and the smallest moments where’d she lose herself to the pleasure. Every whine and whimper slipping from her lips bringing his cock forward. Pressing against the inside of his briefs and growing more uncomfortable by the second.
He longed to touch her, touch himself, touch anything. Her hand anchored herself against his thigh behind her. In a few swift movements she moved her hand and dragged his briefs down, finally exposing him to the cool air of the night. Another desperate groan left Leon, his body jolting forward before his mind could stop himself. The fistfuls of sheets unravelling from his fingers quickly and grabbing at her hips, bringing her closer to him.
She entertained his desire for more, “so desperate, aren’t you Leon?” Her warm drenched fingers slipped from her core. Leaning forward just a bit to press the same fingertips against his bottom lip. He took them graciously, his warm tongue pressing on the appendage and licking them up. His eyes closing as he did so. Her other hand palmed at him, eliciting a whine from him. Her hand stroking him up and down from tip to base. Coating him in his own slick, more of him leaking by the second.
He had half the mind to nip on her fingertips still against his tongue, his eyes opening to watch her stroking him slowly. Too slowly to get him off. But he reconsidered on the idea as he watched her situate herself on top of him now. Pressing the head of his cock against her slit, slowly easing down onto him whilst his head pressed harshly against his pillow. His mouth agape, a loud chest and throaty whine echoed from him, her finger finally slipped away from his lips and pressed onto his chest. Her other hand meeting to support herself on him.
His hands still desperately grabbed at her hips, wanting to force her up and down onto his cock. His fingers kneading the flesh each time he felt her moving her onto him. Leon’s eyes darkened, watching himself slipping in and disappearing inside of her each time she brought herself back down. More slick coated his cock each time she raised herself back up just to slam back down. She brought her speed up, the motion of her hips stroking every inch of his cock as he remained still. His thighs twitching to thrust up into her, catch her off guard maybe. Make her as desperate for him as he always felt for her.
Finally he felt her lose herself. Her heavy lashes closing, a desperate call for his name and her hands turning to fists against his chest momentarily. It was a warning. Her hips rutted into him, feeling her pressing herself deeply onto him and feeling all of him inside of her. The warmth from the both of them was almost too hot now, sweat growing on each other’s bodies.
He took over immediately. His much more powerful movements allowing them to thrust in tandem at a more passionate speed. He already knew he wasn’t going to be able to take much more. Watching her above him as she lost herself to her climax. A pleasure filled smile growing on her face as her hair swished from the motion. Her full bouncing breasts on display for him. Her thighs twitching and her warm velvety walls convulsing wildly around him brought him over the edge. Filling her deeply, his hand slid from her hips towards her lower then mid back. Lowering her to so they were chest to chest. Her head tucked underneath his chin, her body still twitching and moving against him with each airy whimper.
Now spent, his body and mind completely exhausted from any movement or thought. He felt her gently easing off of him, spilling their combined essence onto him. He remained mostly motionless, only his chest raising and lowering as he caught his breath. His eyes half lidded, seeing the blurry motion of her and the sounds of the top drawer being opened and the shuffle of fabrics. Ada watched as he twitched, the towel pressing against him as she cleaned himself up then herself.
What felt like a few moments later, the bed dipped with her weight. Ada fixing him up by tugging his briefs back onto him. The soft cotton of his t-shirt was adorned onto her smaller body again.
Still sleepy, now even more-so he grabbed at her; cuddling her into him and kissing her goodnight. Lazily smiling while knowing the possibility that she wouldn’t be there in the morning. He held her tightly, not wanting to let her go, not wanting to think that he’d wake up alone and cold in the bed. His eyes shut tight at the thought.
She wasn’t sure if he’d hear her, whispering a simple, “sweet dreams, Leon,” before she closed her eyes and felt herself comfortable enough to drift off to sleep.
//
His body felt heavy and warm, like one would feel after waking up from a midday nap. Unsure of what time or day it was. The sun peeked through the sheer curtains; neither blinding nor too weak to indicate what time it was. Blinking lazily he looked at the clock on his nightstand, the numbers still blurry.
He hadn’t wanted to feel the bed next to him, sensing that it was empty. He didn’t want to believe it. If he’d see it, then it was more real.
He didn’t want to feel it again.
Instead he noticed the bright red on the nightstand. The letter from earlier that Ada had left behind remained untouched.
His vision clearing, he reached for it whilst still laying in bed. His fingertips grazing the kiss print on the parchment as if it her her own lips. The little grains of red lined in the paper, stamping each little crevice of her lips. Fumbling with the opening of the letter, he unfolded it. Not wanting to read it yet simultaneously desperately wanting to see it. Folding open the third partition of it, he almost had seen the smallest amounts of her delicate handwriting before he heard a sound from the kitchen. A clang sound, akin to a metal pot or pan. Or was it glass against the counter?
Letter quickly forgotten he laid it back down and twisted himself and his feet onto the carpeted floor. His legs taking him quicker towards the sound. The rest of his apartment was brighter, curtains partially drawn open. Passing the couch towards the kitchen, he’d notice his things from the couch were cleaned up. Even his keys were pried from in between the cushions and laid on a glass table nearby. Ada had already made the mental note to leave him some sort of dish or a wall hook for him to use.
Reaching the kitchen he finally saw her. The back her at least, as she fumbled with the mechanics of his espresso machine. She was still wearing his t-shirt from last night, her feet now wearing a pair of his slippers he’d accidentally packed from a hotel he had stayed at. A pair in which he felt so guilty about taking, he tried to pay back the hotel to only realize they were complimentary.
“You know, you should invest in something better than this, the milk frother on this doesn’t even work properly,” she snickered, her gaze stuck on the machine as she turned it on properly this time. “They’ll get cold too fast if the milk isn’t hot enough.”
“I’ll remember that for next time, since you’re the only one who drinks lattes,” he smiled and walked towards her, his arms wrapping around her tightly. His embrace longing and filled with warmth. No longer nervous, he pressed a kiss against her exposed shoulder. His lips parted from her shoulder as he quickly whispered, “you stayed.” His tone hopeful and light.
Ada felt a flush suddenly, her cheeks warming. “I didn’t have anywhere else to be. For now,” she said with a tilt of her head towards him. With a smile, her focus went back towards the espresso machine as she tried to pull a shot from it. The dark brown espresso filled the tiny glass, slowly pulling from the machine and filled nearly towards the top. Satisfied with the pull, she laid the glass onto the counter.
“I guess you never read my letter. Now why do I bother leaving you with such amazing penmanship,” she smirked and turned around in his grasp, facing him as she pressed herself into his chest.
“I’m sorry-,” he exhaled a laugh, grin on his face growing while he admired her in the morning light. Her cheeks flushed with a bit of pink, lips in a bitten red colour somehow. Hair not pristine in style but effortlessly her. Still embracing her, his hand raised to gently part her hair from her face, tucking it against her ear, “- I promise to read it, but-“ he paused his words.
“Think you can give me a warning the next time you decide to stop by?” He finally asked, his hand still cradling her face.
Without saying a word she closes the gap between them, her tiptoes pressing onto the flooring and raising her up to press a kiss against his lips. With a smile on her lips she whispered against his lips, “now you really should be reading my letters,” she giggled warmly, her laugh sweet and smooth like rich honey.
Leon’s head quirked to the side, very much like a puppy. His brow raising for a second while her words lingered in his head.
Had she been leaving a clue in her letters this entire time?
“Um- would you mind making me a cup too? Please?” He released her from his grasp, her height lowering as she stood back flat on her feet. She hummed a simple ‘mmhm,’ and turned back around to work with the espresso machine, making herself a latte with the half working frother and starting another one for Leon.
He made his way back towards his bedroom, taking the time to grab another t-shirt from his closet and throwing it on before grabbing Ada’s letter again. His eyes narrowing at her handwriting and flipping the sheet back and forth. Quickly looking at the open doorway, and hearing Ada still working in the kitchen, he slyly opened the bottom drawer of his nightstand and lifted a fake bottom from it and revealed a small stack of Ada’s letters, all signed in her signature way. Gathering the most recent one from the top layer, and the one she’d left on the night stand. He had a look at them intensely. Not seeing anything unusual at all. Nothing to indicate a date of any sort. Frankly there were no numbers he could see.
He had always looked over at her notes, often times on the days that he had missed her. Unable to meet with her; he would hold them just to read over her writing. Wishing that he was able to see her again. Checking the empty doorway again, he looked back inside the drawer and gathered the next one on top of the recent ones she had left him. Flipping the paper over, he felt the edges of the parchment and flipped it a few times. Not bothering to read it as he had already done so many times with that one. Only then did he notice it.
Faint scratch marks on the top left corner of the page. How could he have not noticed it?
He had the idea. Taking the last two letters she had left him and laid them on top of each other until he noticed the scratch marks on the same spots on both letters. Folding back up one of the letters, he felt the scratches and finally saw the matching lines.
Yesterday's date. Written in roman numerals.
Exasperated he grabbed the newest letter and did the same, folding it back up and matching the lines.
Another date. A few weeks from today.
Her footsteps were quiet, but her leaning herself against the door frame gave off a creaking sound.
Startled, Leon quickly turned, her letters feeling like they were on fire in his hands.
“So you finally figured it out, huh?” She exhaled a few short giggles to herself, both of her hands full with two mugs of a steamy hot latte.
“Why?” He said somewhat amazed.
She walked over towards the bed, taking a seat on the edge of it as she handed him his cup, “I’m not naive to the complexities of our ‘lifestyles’ Leon,” she paused to take a sip from her drink, both of her hands holding the mug as it warmed her hands.
“I didn’t want to feel like I wasn’t giving you some sort of clue. But I also didn’t want you to be waiting for me either. I tried to make it work. Sometimes it didn’t. But even if you weren’t here, I was okay with it,” she paused to take another sip. As if she needed a pause after her confession. Only realizing now how vulnerable she was being with her feelings, a warm flush painted on her cheeks.
“But I was starting to wonder when you would figure it out,” she managed to say as confidently as she could.
“You always were telling me when you'd be coming,” he finally blurted out, the realization dawning on him that he just never put the pieces together. Literally.
“Your latte is going to get cold,” She replied with a grin, her lips still on the edge of her mug.
Exhaling a large sigh of relief he quickly discarded his mug onto the night stand, his other hand faster to grab hers as well and do the same. A shrill laugh slipped from Ada as Leon nearly threw her back into his bed. Neither of them caring about their lattes growing cold.
//