Can't Sleep... Love? (Mavi)

Morning Forty

When I wake up in the morning, I am alone. The space where Avi would usually lie is empty. I sit up and look at my clock. It's only 7 am, quite early since we're only meeting up for rehearsal at 9.30.

I slowly get up and out of the bed. "Avi? I say half loud, needing to know where he is. He has neither left a message on my phone nor something on the nightstand. I check the bathroom, nothing. Maybe he's somewhere else in the house. Quickly I grab my bathrobe and throw it on, then exit my room, bumping into Alex as I do so.

"Sorry, early meeting. Didn't want to wake you up, though" he apologises.

"Never mind" I shake my head. "Just looking for Avi."

Alex raises an eyebrow quizzically. "I saw him strolling around in the backyard when I was getting ready in the bathroom. Seemed to be in deep thought."

I sigh. "Thank you" I return. "Good to know he's here."

"Did something happen? Did you fight again?"

I shake my head once more. "No, no fighting, although it would definitely be easier to handle. Esther called yesterday, they lost their Grandma" I explain, my throat tightening as I utter those words.

Alex gasps. "Oh no, that's horrible. How is he holding up?"

"I don't really know." I shrug my shoulders. "But he cried a lot yesterday, which is understandable. Then we fell asleep together. I made sure to fall asleep before him. Well and then he apparently got up somewhere while I was sleeping and left. I don't want him to be alone unless he really feels that he needs to be. He's always so sensitive, you know?"

Alex nods, worry and sadness evident in his face. "You should go out and see about him. Find out what he needs from you and try to give it to him. I'm so sorry for him" he says and hugs me in a comforting way. "I need to head out, though. I'll see you around, bye Mitch."

"Bye Alex, thank you" I return and make my way down the stairs and then out to the backyard spotting Avi almost instantly. He's sitting on the ground as far away from the house as possible and looking into the sky where the sun is still rising. I quietly walk up to him and sit down next to him, not saying anything. I'm just there for if Avi wants to talk or wants me to hold him.

"I like the clear morning air" Avi says after a while. "Everything is so quiet, even in the city. It always reminds me of home, of the mountains."

"It is really peaceful" I return, taking a deep breath. "And even on the hottest days there's still a fresh breeze."

"Do you think it was peaceful for her? Do you think she was in pain?"

I look over to Avi, study his face. It is still thoughtful, yet sad. "I don't think so. You told me she fell asleep on Saturday. She probably didn't feel a thing. She slept."

Avi nods and I can see tears glistening in his eyes once again. Softly I lay an arm around his waist and pull him in. He rests his head on my shoulder and stays still, crying silently. When he starts sobbing after a while, I get up and on my knees to be able to properly hug and console him. My thighs start to burn after a while, but I don't care. The only thing of importance is my man. He's hurting and needs me to be there.

"Thank you, Mitchie." I only notice that Avi has calmed down when I hear his raspy voice. Slowly I release him from my death grip and smile at him.

"Whatever you need, Babe. Just tell me."

But he just shakes his head. "You are more than enough." He takes another shaky breath. "I've been thinking, Mitch. About her funeral and you."

I raise an eyebrow, not knowing what he wants from me. "Come again, please."

"Esther, Darien and I are going home for her funeral and I didn't know if I should take you. I mean we wanted to tell them, but maybe it is not the right situation-"

"Shh, Avi" I effectively silence him by putting a finger on his lips. "You do what you feel is right. Just tell me and I'll come or stay here with my phone on stand-by for when you need me."

Avi sighs. "What do you think is right, Mitch?"

"Although I don't want you to go alone, it is probably better if you do and we stick to the usual plan with telling your parents" I muse. "But it is your decision."

"You're probably right. There will be so many people who don't know about me and I don't want it to be like that. I want it to be only you, me and my parents" Avi agrees.

I smile at him encouragingly. "You're making the right decision, Babe. I'll be only a phone call away. Whatever you need, I'll give it to you."

Avi smiles back and although it is only a weak smile it is great to see it. "Thank you, Mitch" he says once again and then take a deep breath and leans in, connecting our lips softly.

I didn't expect this kiss to happen, yet I am glad to feel his familiar, soft lips moving in sync with mine. The kiss is slow and simple, yet so much more to us.

"We should go inside and get ready" Avi says after we've broke apart.

"You don't need to go to practise if you're not feeling up to it. Everyone will understand."

"I'll be okay. Plus I'll be gone for her funeral and we definitely need to get some work done." Avi gets up and holds out his hand to pull me with him.

I hiss as the blood flows back into my former numb feet and wait until the nasty tingling sensation subsides before following Avi back into the house.

~~~~~~~

A/N: well, another sad chapter, unfortunately. But I hope you liked the fluff.

I have good news: I just finished my first termpaper. The linguistic one aka my mortal enemy. I'll have some more time to work on writing during the next week until I need to immerse myself in "Persecution of Jews / the rhineland massacres during the first crusade in 1096". But since I'm actually interested in this topic (and writing in my mother tongue), it'll be a lot easier :)