Beautiful [Alien!Gerard]

13.

When I woke up beside Peyton, I swore she wasn't real. There was no way she could be. She was asleep, the morning light that poured into the window cast dramatic shadows over her bare torso. Her bare torso naturally flaunted the subtle curves she had. I loved admiring her. She was the most gorgeous woman I had ever met.

I couldn't help but touch her. I needed to feel her skin under my hand. I needed to know she was real. Her parted lips released a sigh, her eyes fluttering open. She stretched a little, looking over at me.

My fingers continued to wander, close to intimate places, but never being suggestive. My fingers wandered up her soft stomach, over the gentle swells of her bare breasts, eventually settling to cup her defined jawline. Her lips curled into a smile, looking like a newborn rose.

Tendrils of her ocean blue hair fell in her eyes, sticking to her eyelashes. I didn't move the hair. It didn't seem to bother her. I wondered what her real hair color was. By the looks of her brows and lashes, I assumed it was dark.

"Hi." She whispered. Even that early in the morning, her voice was like syrup in a melting pot. Sweet and warm.

"Hi." I replied.

She scooted closer to me. I kissed her softly, my arm wrapped around her waist. She snuggled her face into my chest, smiling.

"We should go out today." She murmurs in my language. It always sounded so natural coming from her.

Even though my language was choppy and lifeless, she somehow made it sound good without modifying it.

"Okay." I replied quietly in her language. My language. I've grasped enough of it, surely it was mine too. I always felt out of place. I had a strange accent, I wasn't used to wearing different clothes every day, my habit of hiding behind Peyton a little whenever we went out. . .

She sat up, stretching. The shadows shifted, and I couldn't help but reach out and touch the new ones. She smiled at me, letting me. I ran my fingers over each shadow for a few seconds before letting her get up. She put clothes on, much to my disdain. She pulled me up, shoving a pink sweater and black jeans in my face.

I chuckled, putting them on and following her to the kitchen. I was pulled out of my reverie by Peyton's gentle hand on my cheek. "Eat your breakfast before it expires." She said, kissing my nose.

I chuckled, eating it quickly. It wasn't like the food she usually made. It was processed, and not nearly as good. I didn't mind, though. She took a seat next to me, smiling at me for a second before checking her phone. I pushed my bowl away, taking her phone and pulling her into my lap. She giggled as I kissed all over her face. I took the time to kiss over each freckle on her dimpled cheeks. She let me, smiling still.

Words couldn't describe how I felt in that moment. It was like someone had set me on fire, but I enjoyed it? It seems strange to say, but it's all I could think of. Love was such a foreign concept to me. She smiled at me, kissing me softly. I knew she was a little confused as to why I was acting like this. Of course I always like touching her, but this was bordering on cheesy.

I kissed her back, pulling her close. We both jolted apart when we heard a banging on the door. Peyton paled but then relaxed, getting up and softly brushing her fingers through my hair as she passed me. She answered the door. A short guy with enough tattoos to cover a house frantically ran in. The minute he saw me, he paled completely. He started shouting at Peyton, but she didn't seem hurt or even offended by what he was saying, so I stayed in my seat.

She sighed and sat down, taking my hand. As she spoke, her voice sounded sad and defeated. He looked at me.

"You shouldn't have come here." He said.

I blanched, surprised that he spoke my language so fluently. I looked at Peyton, but she shook her head, making it clear he wasn't like her. She pressed a finger to my forehead. My mind was filled with images of little green men, big bulky computers, hats made of cheap metal, and satellites.

Strange.

The guy sat down too, talking frantically. "They're after you!"

Peyton suddenly slammed her hand on the table. "Stop freaking him out! He knows nothing about our government and he sure as hell wouldn't be able to grasp the situation."

Suddenly I could understand everything they said. And I could speak English too.

"I'm not an idiot, Peyton." I said, my voice still accented.

She looked at me in surprise, gaping a little. She looked down at her hand. The man cackled, pointing at her and nearly falling out of his seat.

"I told you! You've been holding yourself back!" He said.

Peyton waved her hand and he fell out of his seat. She stood up, smiling softly at me. "We have to leave, sweetheart." She said.

Sweetheart. What a strange name. But I loved it, I loved the way it sounded coming out of her mouth. She walked to our room, packing up my clothes and her clothes. She handed me the bag, going into the bathroom.

I thought she was packing our stuff, until I heard sniffling. I walked in, setting the bag down. She was curled up by the sink, crying into her hands.

I sat down, pulling her clothes. "Why are you crying. . .?" I asked, cupping her cheek.

"This is my home. . . I don't want to leave it." She said, her voice tear-filled and shaky.

I understood her immediately. As much as I hated my planet, it was still home to me. I loved my parents, and the occasional anomaly in the government's perfected way of life. The rain, the unavoidable accidents.

I rested my forehead against hers, whispering to her. "I can be your home."