you stared down at tyler, whose head rested in your lap as the both of you laid on the sofa in the dim light of the living room. you were running your fingers through his soft brown hair, and his eyes were closed in content. he looked like a sculpture, so beautifully crafted from the curve of his nose to the shape of his jaw. you couldn't help yourself from dragging your fingers from his hair down to his face, his stubble surprisingly smooth against your skin.
you wondered if he knew, if he knew just how breathtakingly gorgeous he actually was. you had told him many times, though you weren't sure he believed you. he tended to brush off compliments regarding his appearance as if they were nothing, as if he didn't quite understand the truth to them. but he was beautiful, and you thought that he deserved to know it.
"ty?" you called, your fingers traveling to his nose. there, you carefully traced the slope of it, marveling at how perfect it was.
"hm?" his eyes fluttered open, and he looked up at you.
"you're so pretty it hurts," you told him with a slight smile, pinching his cheek.
"don't be silly," he said, offering a smile in return. "you're the pretty one here."
"this isn't about me. i'm talking about you," you replied, your hand going to his ear, where you began fidgeting with it.
"and i'm talking about you, pretty girl." he reached up, his fingers slipping along your jaw. the soft touch was enough to give you butterflies, but you had to ignore it for a moment. this was about tyler being pretty, and you were determined to make him see it.
"get up, ty," you ordered.
"why?" he complained, but after a second, he did as you said and sat up despite the fact that he was perfectly comfortable on your lap. he gazed at you expectantly now.
you placed your hands on his jaw, cupping his face so his attention would be focused solely on you, on your words. he was looking at you more intently now, his chocolate eyes clouded with the slightest bit of confusion. "you're beautiful," you said, brushing a wave of dark brown hair from his face. "i just want you to know that. because truthfully, you are so, so pretty. and i know i've said this before, but i don't know if you're understanding the extent of it. i'm honestly amazed at how pretty you are. sometimes, i just stare at you because you look so good and..." you trailed off, noticing the sheepish smile he was attempting to hide.
"and what else?" he asked.
"i guess that's enough," you said, about to pull away, but instead he grabbed your wrists and held them in place. he laid back on a pillow, tugging you down with him so that you rested on top of him.
"no, i want you to tell me more. something about me looking good?"
you laughed, hovering over him so you could get a better view of his face. his lips were curved into a smile, making his dimples visible. if he wanted you to continue your rambling about how pretty he looked, you decided that this was the perfect place to start. "i love these," you told him, poking your finger into the small indent in his cheek. "they're part of what makes your smile so beautiful."
"and what's the other part?" he asked softly, his eyes watching you so very carefully.
"the way your cheeks lift up and your eyes crinkle together. it's so cute that sometimes i can hardly stop myself from smiling too," you explained, swiping your thumb over his cheek. then you shifted your attention to his eyes. they were brown, brown like melted chocolate and pools of honey fused together. upon closer look, their brilliant color became even more extravagant, appearing something like a goldmine.
"and your eyes, too. really, i could say so much more. i could say something about each and every feature you have, every inch of skin. it's all so pretty. do you understand now?"
"somewhat," he said just above a whisper, his hand taking hold of your jaw, guiding you closer to him. ever so slowly, you followed his lead, your lips just a breath away from his. he tried to close the gap, but you kept your mouth just shy of his, not allowing him to get what he wanted unless he gave you a proper answer.
"it's a yes or no," you replied teasingly.
"yes," he stated. "i understand." you gave him a pointed look, aware of the fact that he was just saying this to make you happy, and that he wasn't giving it much thought. but that wasn't enough for you.
"hm, i think you're lying. you need to admit to me that you're pretty, and that you believe it."
"i'm pretty," he finally said, his lips brushing yours now as he spoke. "i'm very, very pretty, okay?" you answered him with a kiss, your lips melding together as he wrapped a hand around your back, pushing you down closer to him.
