Oneshots and Short Stories

It's Been a While

Damon was already sitting in front of the TV when Asvoria walked in. Dressed in only an old t-shirt and excercise shorts, she plopped down next to her boyfriend, snuggling up close to him and hugging a throw pillow to her chest.

"What're we watching?" she asked.

"I dunno," responded Damon, still flicking through channels. "I hadn't made a desicion."

The pair sat in silence for a moment, the only sound the faint buzzing of the television screen and the sporadic chatter from Damon's incessant channel surfing.

"I like your new house," quipped Avy, looking up at the ceiling.

Damon laughed briskly. "It's not my house, it's Skippy's. I'm only staying here by her grace. If not, I'd be on the streets."

"You could always come to live with me."

"Live with you? Again? I wouldn't be able to control myself. You're just too cute."

Avy gave a small half-smile and leaned closer. "Too cute, huh? Well, how come you're managing to keep your pants on here?"

"Other person's house. As soon as I told them about you, Skippy gave me this big long list of things not to do with your significant other."

The young woman laughed, the high, joyous sound warming Damon's heart. He hadn't seen her since she had left four years ago, and they had only seen each other two days ago. He was barely sure how to react around her. He still loved her, that was for certain- he right now had a strong urge to kiss her as hard as he could, and never let go. But Avy had changed.

She was taller (not by much) and her hair was longer, but past the physical changes were the mental ones. Asvoria had grown up. She seemed more sure of herself, more positive, more confident. She knew who she was, who she was going to be. Damon wasn't sure how he would fit into that. He didn't know if they were right for each other anymore.

He knew if Avy had stopped being attracted to him that it would break his heart. The first month after she left was hard, but Damon had thought that time was beginning to fill the hole where his girlfriend had been. He thought he had moved on.

But now, with her so close to him, with her beautiful burnished skin and glittering icy eyes... He hadn't wanted anything this badly for a long time, not in the way he wanted Avy now.

"Hey, so you know I run my own store now?" said Asvoria exitedly, brightening.

"Yeah. You sold art supplies and stationery, stuff like that, right...?"
"Mm-hmm. But I earned enough to be hiring some helpers!" quipped the cheerful woman.

"Oh. That's great!" responded Damon, leaning in to place his chin in Avy's chocolate hair. "I'm proud of you, Avy."

"Thanks!" she said, smiling. "One of the girls who works with me is pretty hot, too."

Damon jerked back, feeling his hands tighten on the TV remote. Inside his head, he was panicking- the onrush of fear roaring so loudly in his ears that even the Narrator was blocked out.

"What is it? What did I say? You know I'm bi, right?" Asvoria leaned over, but Damon moved his eyes away.

"Y-you're attracted to someone else." He heard his voice crack, but he didn't care. Despair swamped him. "Am I not good enough anymore? Have you... stopped loving me?"

"Damon..." whispered Avy, and he could hear the shock in her tone. "Of course not."

"It's been four years, Avy. Don't lie to me, please."

"I'm not lying." Asvoria's voice became suddenly steely. "Look at me, Damon. Look at me."

Hesitantly, Damon met her ice-blue eyes.

"You were scared I had stopped loving you? Stopped being attracted to you?" Avy sighed. "Damon, every time I looked at that girl and thought 'oh, she's hot,' I immediately thought of you and how much hotter you are just in the morning. How much I missed you and how incredible your kisses were. I couldn't stop loving you if I tried."

"How come you never tried to contact me before, then?" asked Damon, leaning closer.

"I was scared that you'd stopped loving me. You seemed so easily able to get over anything, so emotionless, that I was afraid that you'd forgotten about me. It took me four years of gathering my courage to ask if I could see you again."

He stared at her, warmth flooding his heart. She loves me!

In fact, he was so overwhelmed with gratefulness that he cradled her head in one hand, her waist in the other, and kissed her.

The contact sent an electric shock through his body, filling him with heat and a feeling of joy that he had not felt in a long time. Avy threw her arms around his neck and kissed him back, and soon both of them were lying on the couch, unable to stop.

"I love you..." he heard her murmur, just before he kissed her again. And he stopped, feeling the warmth of her body against his, the nape of her neck cradled in his palm, his head in the dip between neck and shoulder, and he had never been so happy.

"I love you too, Avy," he whispered back.

And then she kissed him again, and he was gone.