Whispers in the Dark [LingOrm]

"I just want to be your baby"

orm's pov

"I'm home," I called out as I stepped into the house, expecting to hear Ling's familiar voice welcoming me back. But the silence that greeted me was thick, almost unsettling. I frowned slightly, setting my bags down as I headed toward the bedroom.

When I pushed the door open, my heart melted at the sight before me—Ling, fast asleep, hugging a pillow as if it were a lifeline. The soft rise and fall of her chest, the peaceful expression on her face—it was a sight that made the week away feel like an eternity. I've never felt so jealous and envious of an inanimate object in my life. Without thinking, I approached her, gently pulling the pillow from her grasp and replacing it with myself. The shift caused her to stir, her eyes fluttering open in confusion.

"What the—Orm!" she exclaimed, her voice thick with sleep, before she threw her arms around me, holding me tight as if afraid I might disappear again.

"Hey, I'm back home," I whispered softly, pressing a kiss to her temple. The relief in her embrace was palpable, making me realize just how much I had missed this—missed her.

"How was it when I wasn't here?" she asked, her voice still laced with sleep, but there was a vulnerability there too, like she needed to know she wasn't the only one who had felt the ache of our separation.

"Fine, the same," I lied, trying to sound nonchalant. But I couldn't keep the charade for long, not when I saw the slight frown on her face, the way her lips pouted in disappointment.

"Oh, so you didn't miss me?" she asked, her voice tinged with sadness.

"I'm just kidding," I finally admitted, my voice softening as I met her gaze. "I missed you more than you could imagine."

Her expression softened, and she buried her face in my neck, her breath warm against my skin. "Me too," she whispered, her voice barely audible.

"But I also missed something more," I said, my eyes wandering down her body, my hand slipping under the hem of her shirt as I teased her.

"Stop, naughty girl," she chided, though there was no real heat in her words, just a playful smile tugging at her lips.

"Come on, I deserve a prize for being away from you for so long," I teased back, my fingers lightly tracing patterns on her skin.

"I deserve a prize," she shot back, her tone half-serious, half-teasing. "I haven't received any message or call, and I messaged and called you every day."

I couldn't help but smile at the memory of her persistent texts and missed calls. She was right—I had been distant, trying to keep my mind focused on the work at hand, but the truth was, every moment apart from her had been torture.

Ling leaned in to kiss me, but I held up a hand, stopping her just inches from my lips. "Can I shower first?" I asked, giving her a sheepish grin.

She chuckled and nodded, "Alright, go ahead."

...

The next morning, I woke up to the smell of something cooking, the sound of soft clattering coming from the kitchen. I blinked the sleep from my eyes and sat up, the bed feeling far too big without Ling beside me. Throwing on a robe, I made my way downstairs, the scent growing stronger with each step.

"Ling?" I called out, but there was no answer, just more clattering. I found her in the kitchen, a determined look on her face as she tried to cook. She looked adorable in her apron, her brow furrowed in concentration as she flipped something in a pan.

"Hmmm, cooking?" I asked as I approached the kitchen counter, a smile tugging at my lips.

"For you. You need energy," she replied, placing something on a plate with a proud smile. "Here, taste it."

I took the plate and tasted the food, trying my best to hide the grimace as it tasted more like cardboard than anything else. "Delicious," I lied through my teeth, smiling as I held out a bite for her to taste.

She took the bite, her face scrunching up in disgust. "Liar!" she exclaimed, spitting it out. "How can you cook? It's impossible!"

I chuckled and pulled her into my arms, pressing a kiss to her temple. "Hey, come here. You don't have to cook. You have so many other qualities."

She narrowed her eyes at me, "If you say my body is one, I'm going to kill you."

I couldn't help but grin mischievously, "At least it's delicious."

"Orm!" she huffed, giving me a playful punch on the shoulder, but I could see the smile tugging at her lips.

"Okay, I'm sorry, but it really is," I said, laughing as she rolled her eyes at me.

...

Later that day, as we lounged on the couch, I found myself thinking back to something that had been bothering me. "Ling, I was wondering, what about you and Win?"

Her expression faltered for a moment before she answered, "I broke up with him a week ago, when Dad woke up."

"That's good," I said, relieved. "But I was talking about something else."

She sighed, knowing where I was heading. "That again? Yeah, we fucked. What's up with that?"

"But didn't you say you didn't love him?" I asked, trying to understand.

"Yes, what's the matter?" she replied, her tone even, but I could sense the tension in her voice.

"How can you do that without loving the person?"

She shrugged, "I don't know. We just did it, and I acted like I was enjoying it because I was trying to convince myself I loved him."

"I get it," I said quietly, trying to process her words.

"It never happened between you and Bright?" she asked, her tone casual.

"We already did it, but it was when we still loved each other," I explained.

"It's not that I didn't love Win," she said, her voice softer now. "But I just loved him like a friend, so it was very awkward."

"Was that time with me also awkward?" I asked, worry creeping into my voice. The last thing I wanted was for our connection to feel forced or uncomfortable for her.

Ling's expression softened, and she leaned in to kiss me gently. "It was incredible, my love," she whispered against my lips, her words washing away any doubts I had. The sincerity in her voice, the warmth in her touch, made my heart swell with affection.

As we lay there, holding each other, I knew that no matter what happened in the past, what we had now was real. And that was all that mattered.