Like Minds - To my beloved Maraclea

Chapter 21 - Enlightened

Nigel:

---- Next morning

The sound of a flash wakes Alex up. But it takes another flash to make Alex open his eyes. When he does he is greeted by an old-fashioned photo camera, and Nigel's ever-so-serious face behind it.

"Good morning, Jack." he mumbled, taking another picture of Alex' face before he lowered the camera. "Did you sleep alright this time?"

Alex:

'No you don't, you're right. I understand exactly what you mean.'

I sighed and nuzzled my cheek against his again, lightly pursing my lips as I pressed his body closer to mines. Even though I felt extremely warm, I had it extremely cold. Very annoying.

As he pulled his head a little bit back to look at me, I swallowed, glancing from his eyes to his lips a few times. When he slowly came closer to me while muttering, I closed my eyes already, knowing it was going to happen soon - me falling asleep. As his lips touched mines, I slowly drowned into a dreamless sleep. I had to be honest, I was very grateful for that, the dreamless part.

The next moment I slowly opened my eyes - disturbed by a flashing noise and light. I groaned lightly, looking around - not knowing what was happening. I heard Nigel his voice and saw his appearance slowly waving next to the bed. I just woke up, so my view was practicably blurry.

'M-moring...'

When I realized what he was doing, I pressed myself lightly up while frowning my eyebrows.

'What are you doing? Why those pictures?'

I rubbed my eyes and nodded slowly.

'Yes, yes. Thank you for asking...'

Nigel:

Nigel took the pictures with a polaroid camera. The one that makes the picture and then immediately prints the result. Nigel pulled out the last photo and the corner of his lips lopsided lightly.

"Too bad you woke up.." he mumbled absently and then he put the photo's away, looking back at Alex.

"It's for my red book.. The one you refuse to read."

He smirked and then stepped off the bed again. Whatever needy, boyish creature Nigel became in the night seemed to disappear almost entirely by morning.

"Breakfast starts in 12 minutes, though, so you have to hurry if you don't want to be late and suspicious."

He dropped something on the bed then, before Alex feet.

"I took the liberty of fetching you some clean clothes."

Alex:

I frowned when I saw him putting the photo's away, and pressed my back against the wall to pull my legs up afterwards so I could wrap my arms around them.

'For you red book, huh? So it's a scrapbook? Isn't that something for girls to do?'

I lifted up one eyebrow and tilted my head as he mentioned the fact that it was a pity that I woke up.

'I'm looking awful while sleeping, probably. I bet it's better when you'll make pictures when I'm awake.'

I tried to pull the camera out of his hands, and as I succeed, I pointed it to his face to make a picture afterwards.

'There you go,' I muttered as I gave it back. 'Now you have an other picture for in you red scrapbook thing.'

I grinned boyish and dropped my head gently at the wall he mentioned that the breakfast was going to start soon.