Lovebirds

twenty-seven

A kitten purred against her leg as she sat outside under a starry night sky. The glimmering dots were speckled against a dark canvas of midnight blue. The luminosity of hope glowed back at her, a crescent moon smiling at the hardships she'd overcome and the path she walked on. 

A gentle breeze whisked around her, causing a few ripples against the fabric of her hijab, her lavender dress following with the whispering wind. She patted the wrinkles down, patting her lap to Jax, who eagerly jumped. 

Once he settled his small paws underneath his, he purred even more, rubbing his button nose against her. Naira smiled, fingers stroking his onyx coat. They sat outside on one of the company's balcony as the boys finished their rehearsal for the day. 

Given the late start due to appointments, Naira thought it was best to take away their distractions and have her own time of reflection and peace. Before her eyes, the city she grew up in came to life. Colored lights flickered from buildings as tall as skyscrapers, towering above her in an intimidating stance. 

Funny how she once feared the weight of responsibilities, feared losing her identity to a sea of capitalist schemes. Her parents escaped the claws of greed, and she believed she could too as long as she stayed true to her roots. 

Because no matter how far evergreen branches stretched, their roots stayed the same and buried under the enrichment of life.

"Kind of lonely out here, don't you think?" a deep voice mused from behind, startling her.

Naira looked at the voice in question, releasing a sigh of relief when she saw Rayan leaning against the sliding doors, an ankle crossed over the other and his hands resting within the pockets of his sweatpants.

His playful smile shined with the moonlight, brightening the darkness with only his presence. He was dangerously handsome with his strong jaw and the shadow of a stubble. Shadows heightened the crevices of his features, a soft glow to mocha skin.

"You finished rehearsal this early?" she asked as she turned back to the small kitten on her lap. Jax whined when her attention from him faltered. "There, there," she soothed.

Rayan shrugged, walking over to the empty seat beside her and taking a seat, visibly exhausted from the day. His eyes were trained on Naira and Jax as his expression softened at the sight.

He sighed. "If by finishing rehearsal you mean Kyle and Wesley arguing enough for me to leave the room, then yeah. We finished."

Hearing this made Naira frown, her eyebrows scrunching in distaste. "Arguing? Do I need to step in?"

He shook his head, running his fingers through the knots of his curly hair. "I don't think that's necessary. Sometimes it's better to let them fight it out in rehearsal and get it out of their system."

"Why were they fighting?"

"Different opinions on our dance number," he muttered. "Kyle was just being a dick and Wesley was impatient. They'll work it out themselves. I say give them an hour at most."

She stayed silent, pondering if Kyle's therapy appointments were starting to take a toll on his work. Naira made a mental note to check up on him later before she left.

"Jax really likes you," he said softly, rubbing the kitten's head. "Don't you, little guy?"

Jax released a cute meow, making both Naira and Rayan laugh. Even with his owner near, Jax refused to leave Naira's lap and made himself more comfortable as he stared up at her with starry eyes.

The moment of peace was so blissful that she almost forgot about the pile of work waiting for her. Naira let out a slow breath.

She had to relax. With so many people depending on her for stability, she had to be cautious of her own limitations. After all, a good leader knew when to pull the brakes and ask for help.