Echoes|| König x Reader x Ghost

♧8 A New Day

The smell of eggs and waffles permeated the air, it's a crisp fall air in Vermont. I look out the window to see the thinnest layer of frost on the blades of grass. I look out the window to see Simon walking back from his morning jog, both dogs following suit.

"Mornin' Love," Simon said as he entered the house walking over the cool rural air clinging to his skin. He wraps his arms around me and places a kiss on my cheeks.

"How can you go on a run so early in the morning?" I ask.

"It's only 5 am you used to get up at that time."

"Yeah, back in my early twenties!"

"You're still in your twenties." He corrected me, I was nearly 30, and my body was already crumbling. I look at him, the bags under my eyes say a lot.

"You act as young as I feel as old," I grumble handing his plate to him. He takes it and sits down, waiting for me.

"Do you want to go to old town?" He's back on leave and. It is a little hard to live by yourself with such a demanding dog who needs constant training and discipline. As a musician it's easy to bring your dog with you, it's hard to hold concerts with Poppy. I'm not sure why Simon named her Poppy, but the name grew on me. She's loyal to us, but far more loyal to me than him, exactly what Simon wants.

"Anything you want love," Simon said as I sat down next to him.

"Are you still thinking of retirement?" I ask him. He stops eating for a second and looks up. It's been a while, and he was considering retirement... I know it's for us.

"Yes, I don't want to die on you." I nod and take another bite of food. "Is there anything you want at Old Town?" He asks a small smile on his lips. I can tell Simon has a great fondness for doing regular daily tasks, such as trash, recycling, and walking the dog. He really likes holding my things, the books I get.

There's one thing Simon did pick up from me, book reading. His favorite genre is slice-of-life romances. I never thought he liked that, but it brings him great joy. Cheesy, lame, and frivolous... A way to distract himself.

He did read one of my dark romances, I have never been side-eyed so hard. He said nothing, he didn't have to say anything for me to understand, the disappointment in my eyes. It felt like catching your son watching porn.

ᔕᔕᔕ≼∴≽ᔕᔕᔕ

The night air was brisk and cold, today I could not sleep. I felt like shit and my emotions stir inside me. Even though I try not to dwell on it subconsciously my body never lets me sleep on his anniversary.

Creak!

I look over to see Simon walking out his bare chest glistening in the moonlight. He sat down next to me wrapping an arm around me. I lean against him. All these years and I still be haunted by my youth.

"Can't sleep?"

"Today is the day," I sigh. "How do you handle the day you lost everything?"

"I work out and try not to focus on it," he tells me honestly. We have very similar coping mechanisms and distractions, but there is no way I can forget about this. I turn skyward and let out a long sad sign.

"You can't run away forever..." I whisper out, I don't want to run from the truth forever that seems far more insulting than letting the pain bulldozer you over.

"I know... One day I will handle it."

"One day... I wish one day would pass me, let it be the pass and not drown me."

"Growth and recovery are not that nice." I nod to his words and crawl into his arms.

"You can't be healed from your trauma you can only survive and maybe one day thrive, but I don't think that's for me." I hate to be a killjoy, but I know it's the truth. I feel Simon's chest heaves against my back and his head resting on mine.