WMMAP - [S2] Shelter You

35: Secret Lover

"This is... Harder than I thought," Athanasia sighed from exhaustion, wiping the splash of ripple from her face with her sleeve.

She looked at the piles of freshly washed dishes on the drying shelf, then glanced down at her hands.

"Maybe I should have used gloves next time..."

The prolonged exposure to water and soap made her fingers all wrinkled. Regardless, she felt a swell of pride inside for completing the task.

"Lucas made it look like a walk in the park."

Speaking of that name, she jolted slightly. It was getting too quiet for her liking.

"Lucas," she called his name, but there was no response.

Feeling uneasy, she walked out of the kitchen with a handkerchief in her hands, drying the water.

To the living room, she walked to. There she saw her man and her dog, both fast asleep on the couch.

Sensing approaching footsteps, Raven's eyes opened and his head rose, tail wagging slowly once his alert radar had identified who it was.

Athanasia pats her dog as an acknowledgment. Yet her eyes laid on the sleeping man.

Lucas' head slightly slopped to the side. His usual wicked and playful demeanor was nowhere to be seen. Rather, he looked defenseless.

The golden sunlight of the high noon outlined his attractive face.

In the quiet slumber, Athanasia would trade anything in the world to keep that particularly gentle and peaceful expression on his face.

Athanasia quietly walked toward him. Her hand combed his bang which covered his eyes away.

And he stirred.

Athanasia froze.

"Your... Highness..." he sleepily mumbled out two words. His eyelashes fluttered as he breathed.

Athanasia thought he had woken up, but that was not it. He was just talking in his sleep.

What kind of dream was he having? Was it her who he was referring to? Athanasia pondered.

Suddenly, his breaths became shallow and shaky. His body twitched and so did his fingers to the point where Raven scrambled away from him.

Then he spoke again, the exact same words. His voice turned deep as if it was a whimper from the deepest part of him.

Looking at Lucas' shifted expression, the guilt she managed to shelve away started to crash down again.

Only this time, she had the resilience to wake him up from the nightmare.

"Lucas," she cupped his cheeks. Her warm hands embraced his face as she gently planted a kiss to both of his eyes. "Wake up, Lucas."

His eyelids quivered as they opened. Despite his half-slumber state, Lucas' red embers shone with radiation, a mirage-like sheen.

"Ah... I fell asleep again? My bad..."

"It's good that you're taking a nap. But are you alright?" She asked; her long golden hair tangled with his dark strains.

He smiled at her question.

No. That wasn't really a smile. It was just a forced movement of muscles. There was no emotion behind it. Or rather, it was as if he was mocking himself.

"Why... Wouldn't I?"

"Because you're just a bad liar."

He hesitated for a second, then said, "Just a little... Headache."