Seventeen: Before the World Wakes

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The sun hadn't risen by the time I woke up. I yawned and closed my eyes, trying to go back to sleep, but after a while I realized it was a futile attempt. I rolled over under Eddie's arm to face him. He had managed to stay asleep, despite the fact that we had just returned to New York after being in London for a few months, and our jet lag was taking a serious toll. Eddie's eyelashes (which were annoyingly longer than mine) were spread across his cheeks, his bare chest softly rising and falling under my fingertips as he slept. Behind him, a grey early morning light shone through the blinds. Careful not to disturb Eddie, I climbed out of bed to look out the window. Lifting the blinds, a soft smile found it's way onto my lips as I realized it had snowed last night. In London it only ever rained, but late December in New York City meant that Central Park, which stretched out below our apartment, was coated in a thick white blanket. Snow was heavy on the once green trees, weighing down their branches. It was too early for snow ploughs or people to have come through, so the snow remained untouched. With a content, dreamy sigh, I slipped my feet into my slippers and went to the kitchen where I made two cups of thick, rich hot chocolate. Going back into the bedroom, I set one by Eddie's bed. He was never one to sleep in, and considering it was 10 a.m in London, he would be up before it grew cold. I turned the small radio we kept on the windowsill on the lowest volume, which played old, jazzy Winter songs and made me feel warm inside as I cupped the hot chocolate and watched the world out the window again.

I almost dropped my long-ago empty mug when I felt a head rest on my shoulder from behind, before realizing Eddie had woken up. He wrapped his arms around my waist as he nuzzled into my neck. "It's still early, love." he whispered. I could feel the light tickle of his eyelashes on my neck as he closed his eyes, pressing his lips to my pulse.

"I know. I've been up for a little while. Jet lag's a bitch." I replied, not turning away from the window. "I made you hot chocolate. It's on your bedside table." Eddie pulled away, and immediately I missed his warmth and shivered. I could hear him behind me taking a sip of the hot chocolate. I turned just in time to see him grimace.

"It's cold. How long ago did you make this?" he asked, an eyebrow raised as he put it back on the table. I furrowed my eyebrows.

"What time is it?" I asked. Eddie tilted the alarm clock up to read it, and looked back at me.

"Nearly quarter-past six." he replied. I paused, not realizing that I had been staring out the window that long.

"Um, an hour ago." I said. Eddie let out a gentle laugh and made his way over to the window beside me. "It snowed last night." I said, watching Eddie's amber eyes take in the sight, growing with each passing second. "Isn't it beautiful?" I said, watching him as a small smile grew. He turned to look at me, visibly softening at the sight of my in my matching flannel pjs that he'd gotten me for last year's Christmas Eve, favourite mug clutched in my hands.

"Yeah." he sighed happily. I wrinkled my nose and took a few small steps forward to kiss him.

"That was corny." I said after pulling away. Eddie smiled.

"Sorry, love." he replied.

"No you're not." I corrected him, putting my mug beside his on the bedside table and crawling on all fours to the middle of the bed. With the remote, I turned on the fireplace across from our bed. Looking over to Eddie, he was watching me with a faint smile, almost a silhouette against the brightening sky behind him. He had flannel pyjama pants on, which were patterned with small cartoon reindeer, but no shirt, which made me cold (but like, also hot) to look at. I reached onto the floor to grab his discarded navy knit sweater, and threw it at him. He caught it and grinned as I pat the bed next to me. "The world hasn't even woken up yet. Why should we?" I said, snuggling into the abundance of pillows we kept. Eddie grinned, throwing on his jumper and crawling into bed. With a blur of movement, I felt his hand swoop around to my lower back and pull me flush against him, and his warm lips against mine. My insides melted. When we pulled away, he kept his eyes closed for a moment longer, a wide smile on his face before he blinked his eyes open again, looking at me endearingly.

"I'm so happy, love. I never want to get out of this room or this bed or this morning with you ever." he said earnestly, eyes flickering between mine. I giggled and kissed him again, pulling him down onto the pillows.

"Then let's not. Like I said, Eddie. The world isn't awake yet. Let's just stay in bed." I said softly, melting into his deep, loving eyes as our foreheads rested against each other's, my hand making it's way to the side of his neck and his arm draped across my waist.

"Ok." he blinked, easing into a smile. "I love you."

"I love you too, Eddie."

I feel like I do so many lazy morning fics tbh. I love them. I love lazy mornings. I love Eddie. Also I made this all Wintery and festive because I'm listening to Bob Dylan's Christmas album and I couldn't help myself. Hope you enjoy ily xoxo

update: sweet jesus that's one beautiful human

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update: sweet jesus that's one beautiful human. appreciate this image. that is all. 

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