Convalescence

XXV.

~ song of the chapter and it's so cute I can't

"I never knew what love was until you came into my life without a hint, unexpectedly" - Unknown

Niall's POV

He couldn't seem to wipe the stupid grin off his face, starting from the moment he watched Lili peel her lithe body from the mattress, dressing herself after spending what felt like hours melting away in the clouds of his bedsheets.

She was absolutely captivating - an angel in corporeal form.

It was a shame that she had to go home. Why couldn't she stay with him all day, every day? It just wasn't fair.

Sure, they'd only just started dating, but Niall wished they could live together, even part time. Imagine how good life would be if he got to wake up next to his angel more than one day at a time.

He loved seeing her move; she was the picture of grace, even when doing such mundane things as pulling socks over her feet.

He admired her from the bathroom, where he leaned against the doorframe.

Her exposed skin was perfectly sunkissed - a golden goddess sent down to earth to share her beauty with the mere humans lucky enough to catch a glimpse of her.

Her hair cascaded down her back like a charcoal waterfall, and he loved the way each strand flipped into a subtle little curl at the ends. It was incredibly endearing and one of his favourite things about her.

And even after the delicious events that had just transpired, leaving them sweaty and breathless, she was still the picture of perfection. Regal, like a queen. She couldn't possibly be real.

The ghost of a satisfied smile crossed her lips as she dressed, sliding her shirt over her head and pulling those gorgeous locks out of the hem. She was painfully beautiful.

"Hey, where did you go?"

Lili was standing in front of him, now fully clothed, waving a hand in front of his face with a concerned look on her face. "You were staring at me," she continued.

He hadn't realized he'd zoned out. Niall blinked a couple times and looked down at her, focusing his eyes on the emeralds in hers.

He hadn't even noticed her walk over to him. He smiled, licking his lips.

"What, I can't admire you?" he asked, reaching forward to grab her waist and pull her in close.

Immediately, her body relaxed as she fell into him, curves molding perfectly against him. Two puzzle pieces that had been made for each other.

She shook her head, smiling softly. A hint of a blush coloured her cheeks. "Of course you can."

Lifting herself up on her tiptoes, she kissed him, and the warmth of it spread all the way down to his fingers. "Stare away, my love."

She giggled quietly and pulled away, heading back over to where she'd left her bag.

All Niall could do was smile and blush, thankful she couldn't see his face. God, he loved when she called him that. It made him feel young and giddy.

He watched as she turned towards the exposed window, a slight frown crinkling the skin between her eyebrows.

The sun was setting behind the trees in his backyard, draping the room in a warm, bright orange glow. But she shined even brighter than any damn sun ever could.