𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐥𝐢𝐠𝐡𝐭 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 || Cillian Murphy ²

six

Cillian arrived to his house the next day, very early in the morning. Having not slept on the plane, Cillian was exhausted. Dawn was on the horizon and the streets leading up to his house were nearly deserted apart from a few stragglers making their way home from the pubs. It was a quiet and crisp Spring Saturday, and he took a deep breath of the Dublin air before stepping into the threshold of his house.

It was dark when he entered, though that wasn't unexpected. No one had exactly lived in its wall for the last two months. Cillian did notice, however, as he walked through the living room towards the hall that led to his room, that there were indications that Auden had stopped by to check on things. One of her cardigans, which she left on accident, was thrown haphazardly about his couch and a glass halfway full of water sat on the coffee table.

He smiled to himself, the image of Auden occupying his couch warmed his stomach. His fingers grazed over the short threads of cardigan's material, before picking it up and bringing it to his nose. It felt like velvet against his skin as the faint smell of Auden filled his nose, causing a feeling of sadness to settle in. He just needed a few hours of rest, then he would go see her.

Suddenly, out of the corner of his eyes, he thought he saw a small black shadow dart behind the couch. It startled him causing the cardigan to fall from his hand and back onto the couch. Cillian paused as he did a double take. He waited for a moment, but nothing happened.

"I'm so tired that I'm hallucinating," Cillian mumbled before pausing again, "And I'm talking to myself."
Shrugging, he made his way back to his bedroom. 

The door to his bedroom was shut. He jerked it open quickly, his eyes barely having time to register the fat cat that darted between his legs simultaneously. He let out an audible scream just as Auden's cat Beans howled in irritation at Cillian's foot on-top her tail. To avoid falling backwards, he gripped the doorframe in an attempt to balance himself.

"What the—," Cillian exclaimed, gasping, "Beans?"

The cat hissed in response, darting under his bed in protest. Cillian heard a small intake of breath as his eyes traveled from under the bed to the person lying on top of it. He locked eyes with a pair of green ones so familiar with his that he could visualize them in his dreams.

"Auden?" Cillian said, almost breathless at the sight of her. She was propped on her elbows, sheets tangled between her legs and staring at him wild eyed, her chest rising and falling rapidly.

He could tell that she was still trying to register that Cillian was in the room as her eyes, full of sleep, squinted intensely at him. Her dark russet hair was wildly untamed from his pillows, but Cillian hardly noticed. He didn't care that Auden was here and not in her own bed. The pure unguarded sight of Auden caused happiness to swell in his chest so much that he thought he would burst.

"My girl," Cillian murmured, just as a giant grin formed across her face. Auden leapt from the bed, her feet padding across his carpet quickly as she barreled towards him. He barely had enough time to react as she jumped into his arms, her legs wrapping around his waist tightly. Cillian used one hand to grip her bottom, and the other to steady her back as he buried his nose into her hair, the strands tickling his nose. She smelt just like he remembered — like sweet sandalwood and amber.

"I can't believe you're home," Auden whispered in his ear, kissing his cheek before wrapping her arms around his neck harder. She was holding him so tightly, like she was expecting Cillian to dissolved in mid-air and this would all be a dream.

"I can't believe you're here either," Cillian chuckled softly.

She pulled back to meet his gaze, the tip of her nose just barely touching his, "I'm sorry," she replied sheepishly, "I just couldn't stay in my apartment last night."