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Sweet things didn't happen to Cliff Booth.
His pa... the war... his wife... life fucked him over more times than he could count. Sometimes he wished life would grow tired and leave him alone. Cliff numbed the pain with pain. Hurt slowly became the norm— a sickening regularity that seemed to affect him less and less. It got to the point where he didn't want it to stop simply because he wouldn't know what to do with himself if it did. What was life like when all worry left? When heavy eyes filled with sorrow slowly morphed into bright globes of gladness? He hadn't known until this moment.
Cliff awoke next to the girl of his dreams. As the steady beams of light traveled through the thin curtains of his home, he readied himself for disappointment. He was prepared to see her gone, only because life didn't bring something this good without taking it away. But there she was... her warm, tussled hair draped over her shoulder like shreds of cloud. Soft snores left Lucia's rosy lips. Her sun-kissed cheek was pressed against Cliff's tan chest, an arm wrapped tightly around his torso. As for Cliff, he held her close... a palm secure against the soft skin of her lower back.
His steel blue eyes traveled as her thick lashes began to flutter open. She released a whine of protest as soon as the realization of waking up hit. Cliff's lips shot upward in an enamored smile as Lucia shifted in her spot. She buried herself into his shoulder before reluctantly cracking her eyes open, tilting her chin up to look at him.
"Good morning," she whispered.
Cliff lowered his head so that his nose nudged her own, "It is a good morning, ain't it?"
Lucia chuckled breathily, drawing her palm up his chest so that she could cup his stubbled chin. Her hazel eyes— a beautiful mix of green, brown, and blue— studied the expression on his face.
"What are you thinking about?" she quietly asked, letting her fingers dance across his cheek.
"I ain't thinkin' at all... just lookin' at you."
Lucia rolled her eyes at his unfailingly suave ways, yet couldn't help but fall prey to his words. They captured her... enraptured her until she became a mess of blush and affection every time. And when Cliff ran his fingers through her hair while staring with those eyes of his, you bet your ass she felt her heart melt. Just as she raked her palms up his back to rest upon his shoulders, drawing him in for yet another of countless kisses shared, they were interrupted. A scratching sounded from the other side of the door, followed by a series of pitiful whines.
Cliff let out an exasperated groan and dropped his head upon Lucia's chest, "I forgot to let Brandy out last night. Poor girl needs a piss."
