Ablaze The Heart

Midwest Indigo

Clancy reclines on the couch, adjusting his position to get more comfortable. I return from adjusting the temperature in the kitchen and discover Clancy peacefully dozing. I'm at a loss for what to do. Carefully, I retrieve one of the spare blankets and gently cover him. I finish my tea, recline on the adjacent couch, put in my earbuds, and lose myself in the melody as Clancy finally drifts into a deep slumber. The storm outside appears to ease before intensifying once more. I find solace in watching the rain cascade down, stealing glances at Clancy now and then. While I consider relocating him to a more comfortable spot, the thought of his weight and the risk of accidentally injuring either of us dissuades me. He slowly awakens and gazes at me. I can feel my cheeks flushing. "Are you okay?" he mumbles, his voice thick with weariness. Caught off guard, I stumble over my words. "Y-yeah, I was just checking on you, making sure you're okay," I hastily replied, averting my gaze. I muster the nerve to ask the question that's been on my mind. "So, uhm...do you want to move somewhere more comfortable?" My face flushes intensely as I await his response.

He turns back to look at me, raising an eyebrow inquisitively. "Are you sure? I mean, I don't want to intrude. I also think I've relaxed enough," he hesitates. His tired eyes and dark bags underneath tell a different story, making it evident that he hasn't had proper rest for days. "No, no. I insist," I assert as I swiftly rise and approach him. "A-are you sure?" he questions, sitting up and narrowing his eyes at me. "Don't make this weird on me... I just want to make sure you get some sleep. You seem like you haven't in days," I express, gesturing toward the evident dark circles under his eyes. "Fine, fine. I'll go somewhere more comfortable," he grumbles. Clancy slowly stands up and stretches, his shirt lifting slightly to reveal a glimpse of skin. I glance at his stomach, then quickly shift my gaze to another spot in the room. I notice him looking at me, but he seems too exhausted to respond. "Where's the bedroom?" He turns to me, wiping the fatigue off his face. "Oh, follow me!" I stand up and lead him to the guest bedroom, which is conveniently located right next to mine. As he slowly walks in, he carefully observes every inch of the room. "Seems safe to me," he remarks. His words puzzle me. Did he think there was going to be danger in here? "Well, yeah. There's nothing in here that's going to hurt you," I assure him.

As Clancy glanced in my direction, I could sense that it was time for me to leave. "Oh, right, I'll go. Take some time to get yourself situated," I said with a light laugh as I slowly walked out. As I prepared to leave, with the door slightly ajar, I couldn't help but notice that Clancy had removed his shirt completely. My eyes were drawn to the tattoos that adorned his chest and arms. Quickly clearing my mind and throat, I left before he could notice me standing outside his door. Wanting to distract myself from the image of Clancy shirtless in my house, I made a fruit bowl for both of us. After I finish cutting all the fruit, I put them in a little bowl for Clancy to enjoy in his room. I walk over to his room and slowly open the door. Clancy is curled up under the blankets, holding a pillow close to his bare chest. Oh my god...he's so cute like that. I gently and quietly place the bowl on the nightstand next to his bed. I look over at him and he seems to be genuinely asleep. Quite peaceful. Just as I'm about to leave the room, Clancy stirs, reaches out, and pulls me towards the bed. Woah now, hold on. He gently tugs me and pulls me into the bed with him. I could fight back, but that would wake him up. I settle next to him in the bed, mind racing with questioning thoughts of what is happening right now. His arms slither around my waist, gently pulling me closer to his chest. I guess this is a sign that I should sleep as well. I smile and close my eyes, trying to fall asleep with him. No other sounds other than our light breathing, the night's rain, and the gentle air fill the room. 

As the morning approaches, I slowly open my eyes to see that Clancy is gone. I quickly sit up and get out of bed, searching for where Clancy could have possibly gone. For some reason, panic fills my brain and my heart. I finally found him after scanning the whole house for him. Clancy is sitting on my roof from where my room is. I crawl out the window onto the roof with him. I sit next to him. "Good morning," he says gently. "Good morning. What are you doing out here? It's really cold," I ask, looking over at him. He turns to look at me and then back at the sky. "Just watching the sunrise is all. I haven't gotten to see it fully like I've always wanted to as a kid because of the fight to stop Nico." he sighs. I glance down at the roof at his words and then I look up at the sky with him. "It's quite beautiful, isn't it?" "It sure is. I love how the sky fills with many different colors. Like indigo." He says, looking over at me. His gaze continues to be on me as I scan the sky and take in all the colors. Clancy clears his throat, shakes his head, and looks back up at the sky. "Kind of reminds me of the Midwest," I raise an eyebrow at his statement. "What do you mean by that?" I turn my head and put my gaze on him. He looks over at me. "What I mean is that it's consistently cold over there and with this sunset and other people I meet, there's always warmth surrounding it." "Oh, so you're looking for warmth? Or something like that?" I ask, starting to understand his mind. "Exactly. It hasn't always been the best, but with you," he trails off.