Agape (book 2)

Chapter 2

   "Victor you didn't fall asleep, did you?" Yuri asks softly. I peek from beneath my lashes and see his face hovering over mine as he stares at me curiously. "You woke me up so early just to fall asleep a few hours later." He grumbles. I smile and I hear him gasp a little at the sudden action. My eyes slowly open and I glance up at him with amused eyes. His face is a light shade of red as he hovers over me with an uncertain and embarrassed expression. My teeth lightly bite into my bottom lip as I fight to hold back my laughter at his adorable expression.

  "You know," I murmur as I slide my hands around his waist, pulling him down on top of me. He gasps in surprise at the sudden lack of space between the two of us. "There is a vast difference between closing one's eyes and falling asleep." Yuri grumbles to himself and I simply smile as I cradle his cheek in my palm. "You're lucky that you're cute." I whisper softly, bringing his face closer to mine slightly. Our lips are mere centimeters apart when he closes his eyes and suddenly my face is covered in fur and saliva. "M-Makkachin!" I gasp as he licks at my face, his paws digging into my chest. I can hear Yuri laughing as he slips free from my grip and I can't help but feel a little bitter at the loss. I love my poodle with all of my heart, but he couldn't have chosen a worse time to pounce on me.

Makkachin is yipping and licking at my face and I gently have to push him off. Yuri is watching me with a face pink from laughter and Makkachin continues to bump and lick my hand. I pat his head roughly before sitting up, wiping the drool off of my face.

"It looks like you won't need a shower anymore." Yuri says teasingly as he leans against the arm of the couch. "And you look very awake."

"Yuri." I whine as I look at him pitifully. He smiles at me and slides off of the arm and onto the far couch cushion. I reach my hand across the couch and extend my arm just enough that it wouldn't reach him, coaxing him to come closer. Yuri rolls his eyes before scooching a little closer. I smile as I fall into his lap.

"Victor come on, you need to get up now." Yuri groans as he tries to push me off of his lap. I wrap my arms around his waist and burrow my face into his stomach. He whines at the feeling of my breath on his skin, his fingers digging into my hair and shoulder. "Victor!"

"Just hold me Yuri." I murmur into his stomach. He shivers from the vibrations of my voice and I can't help but smile before planting a gentle kiss on his exposed skin. "You never cuddle with me Yuri."

"That's not true." He protests, his arms relaxing, accepting my presence. I snuggle into his stomach and his fingers run through my hair gently. "You're such a little liar." 

   "I am not." I whisper. "You never hold me for as long as I would like you to." He sighs and I look up at him lovingly. Even when he is trying to give me a stern look he still is the most handsome man that I have ever met in my entire life. My heart flutters as our eyes meet and I struggle to keep eye contact as these jitters slowly begin to overcome me. "If I could I would have you hold me all day." 

   "But then nothing would ever get done." Yuri says with a small pout. "If nothing gets done then I can never win gold and our engagement can never end." 

   "Are you that desperate for it to end?" I ask playfully as I roll over in his lap, my face looking directly up at him. Yuri leans over slightly, blocking the few rays of morning sunlight filtering through the window with his head. I touch his face gently and he covers my fingers with his own while the other gently slides over my hair. 

   "Aren't you?" 

   "I just want to be with you, regardless of any title." My eyes slide shut as the warmth of his hand lulls me into a overwhelming state of bliss. If only Yuri knew just how much his touch affected me, but of course I would never be able to admit that to him in a moment such as this one. Yuri is still very hesitant and easily flustered in our relationship, I don't want to scare him off. Truly scaring him once is more than enough for me. "I just want to be with Yuri." 

   "Why do you have that sad look on your face?" Yuri asks with a concerned expression, his eyes narrowing slightly. I say nothing as he leans over me more, his dark hair hanging loosely around his face as he looks at me.  He really is so handsome. "If this is about the cuddling thing, I promise that I'll do it more often." I smile as I gently trace circles on his cheek with my fingertips.

   "Don't worry Yuri. You don't have to change a thing." He blinks in confusion and continues to look at me with an innocent and unaware face. Yuri doesn't need to know just how much that moment haunts me, how the guilt claws at me like an animal. "You're perfect just the way you are my dorogoy." His cheeks color slightly from the use of my little name for him. There are already enough anxieties residing within his beautiful mind, I shouldn't be the reason for another scar on his conscience.

   "I don't like it when you make faces like that." He says softly. 

   "I'm sorry." I slowly shift my weight so I can sit up but Yuri grabs onto my shoulders and pushes me back down. He frowns slightly as I look up at him in confusion. 

   "J-Just stay like this...for a little while longer." He mumbles as his cheeks color slightly. 

   "I'll stay here as long as you want." I sigh in contentment as he places a gentle and innocent kiss on my forehead. Waves of warmth wash over me, pulling me into the undertow of true love and bliss. I wish that I could bottle up the warmth and sincerity of his touch just so I can always have it with me. I'm sure that if I could bottle up the warmth of Yuri's being it would glow like sunlight in a bottle, pure and life giving.

   "There, keep this expression." I glance up at him curiously as he smiles at me. "I want you to always have a happy look on your face Victor." My lips curl into a smile as I look up at the man that I love with all of my heart. "I know that  is probably unrealistic but I would like to try and keep you happy forever."

   "You are already doing a very good job." I whisper as I look up at him with hooded eyes. He smiles in response and we fall into comfortable silence as he runs his fingers through my hair making me forget for a brief moment just how selfish of a lover I really am.