Aurelia [h.s.]

thirty-two

"You two are so cute." Anne comments as she walks through the living room to see her son and his wife cuddled together on the couch and covered with a good number of blankets.

It saddens her to know that the joy that he's been expressing since he reunited with her will leave with her when the horrible cancer takes her away from the world. He's changed so much since she came around and she's not sure where he'd be without her.

Aurelia's such a joy to be around, her mind is creative and very thoughtful despite what physically plagues her, and she certainly makes a difference everywhere that she goes. Anne's proud to be her mother-in-law and she's so happy to have had the chance to be influenced by her.

She watches with a smile as Harry presses a kiss laden with so much love to Aurelia's cheek and how Aurelia responds with a giggle and a bright smile before she playfully tells him to stop. She doesn't like to be super affectionate in front of his family because she feels like it's improper and impolite. It's so respectful and Anne really appreciates that, although, she doesn't really mind as long as it's not excessive and as long as it makes her son happy.

Harry mumbles that he loves her into her hair and Aurelia says it back in a tone that's near a whisper, her cheeks a deep pink and a smile on her lips. She knows that his mother's moved to get whatever it is that she needs in the kitchen and that she's gone upstairs already because she heard the light footfalls as she ascended.

"Why can't I shower you with affection when my mum is around? Or anyone in my family for that matter? You know that they don't mind because you aren't one of those girls who find it necessary to suck face all the time."

Aurelia finds herself biting her lower lip for no real reason at all. "It's rude and you're that type of guy, so it moderates you."

Harry laughs lightly and playfully scoffs, "I am not."

Aurelia laughs vibrantly despite how much it irritates her fresh stiches and hurts her ears. "You most definitely are."

She's been in and out of the hospital for two days now and it bothers her how suddenly things are so much louder than they were before. It's probably the medicine that she's on, and the fact that she's been away from loud sounds for so long, but it still irritates her.

Harry's kind enough to speak in soft tones and keep everything around them at a moderate volume if he can. Hell, he's even sleeping with her on the couch because walking up so many stairs makes her feel dizzy and she's refused to let him carry her.

"How so?"

Aurelia smiles to herself because she already knew that he was going to ask that in return. "For one, if you are ever given the chance, you will kiss me for hours and physically steal my breath away in doing so. Two, you're the clingy one in this relationship. Yes, I am too, but more so because I rely on you for my sight because I hate using my stupid cane. And three, I know that if you could, you wouldn't ever stop kissing me."

Harry laughs and brushes her hair behind her ear. "But are all of those really bad things?"

She's fighting back her smile because she knows that they're not. "Don't patronize me."

Harry's lips meet with her neck and Aurelia's smile is set free. Somehow, his lips always feel like silk and they always, always set her skin and her soul on fire. There's no doubt in her mind that he knows exactly what he does to her with just the slightest brush of his lips.

She can feel his smile against her skin and it's a wonderful thing even though he's only proving her point.

His breath warms her skin as he speaks against its smooth surface, "Can I love you instead?"