Purposefully Coincidental ✓

77. Shock

Josephine

I stare at Leo. He's here in the flesh.

I think I'm in shock. No, I'm definitely one hundred percent in shock. I'm a nurse and I'd know. It feels like my entire world is spinning on its axis—screw the axis, it's going off course.

I'm trying to blink to make sure this isn't a dream, but I can't blink, afraid I'd lose the sight in front of me. My lips are parted, eyes wide.

I'm not even breathing at this point, yet my heart is beating wildly against my ribcage. Like it wants out, it wants to escape. Go outside. To where it belongs. To the person standing in front of me in the flesh.

Leo.

My  Leo.

He's here.

Few feet before me.

I hit the slo-mo button in my life to make this moment last forever as I engrain him into my brain. His hair is the longest I've ever seen, almost reaching his shoulders even. It's pushed back and behind his ears. Under his right eye, there's purple and yellow bruising. Like an old and a new bruise got mixed up. Something so horrible shouldn't have the right to look so beautiful. For the first time ever, he has a full beard. As though he hasn't seen a razor in a few months.

My eyes trail lower towards his lips. Those lips that tell me such sweet things. Those lips that I felt trailing up my shoulders every morning. The same lips I love kissing so much. Dried blood from a busted lip is on the corner of his mouth.

He's still in his army uniform. This green camouflage pants and jacket that makes him look like a total badass. I see his knuckles are also busted and cut open. His left hand has gauze wrap around it.

But with all his injuries and cuts, he's still the most beautiful and breathtaking man I've ever laid eyes on.

He's here.

He's here.

Hitting the regular speed again, my lungs expand with the biggest inhale I've taken in the last nine months, his familiar scent invading my nostrils and filling me with comfort.

I leap at him and jump. My arms and legs go around him.

He's here.

I'm hugging him.

Is this real?

I bury my face in his neck as he does the same. His body relaxes as his hands tighten around me. I feel his facial hair tickling me. It's a different feeling than his stubble I'm used to.

Yes, he's very much real.

I feel his fingers fisting my shirt, his entire body shaking against mine.

I can't believe I have my Leo back.

A strangled choke leaves my lips and I try to take deep breaths, but it's difficult with how tightly I'm clutching him, afraid he'll vanish if I so much as loosen my grip on him.

I hear him sniffing, one hand going up to palm my nape.

That gesture, very familiar and very comforting, a gesture I missed so much in the past nine months.

Nine months...

He's finally here after nine months. But it felt like a lifetime before I got to touch him again.

I vaguely sense him moving further inside my apartment. And I feel my brother Roman quickly grabbing his shoes before he closes the door behind him, giving us our much needed privacy.

Moving back so I can gaze into his eyes, I cup his cheeks. He's really here.

He still looks the same, but at the same time, he doesn't.