A Writer's Aesthetic || Short Stories

¶ Intimacy

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There are various types of intimacy.

Of course, the one that appears in most minds of the young and old is the kind that requires no clothes and shortened, heavy breathing from pleasure. What isn't understood, is that there is much more to intimacy than just sex.

Intimacy was knowing.

It was knowing every bit there was to a lover. Knowing that scheming look, knowing when they were hiding something with a smile. It was knowing their favorite spots to be kissed, their favorite coffee. The act of being intimate never had to be physical.

Being intimate was hearts and souls intertwined with one another. Feeling what the other felt, being so in step with one another you just knew  what would be said. It was never having a doubt. It was them holding every secret close to their hearts as if it was their own.

Intimacy, in short, was much more than just sex.

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There was hardly ever a morning in which Sparrow would wake up earlier than nine. She needed sleep, thrived off of it. Needless to say she was usually very cranky when deprived of her sleep.

This time was different.

What had stirred her had been what felt like a feather brushing against her bare shoulder. Light. She thought that it might have just stuck out from one of the old pillows and simply moved a little away from it.

Then she felt it again.

And again.

And again.

Oh. They were kisses.

Sparrow's smile finally grew on her lips even if she had failed to properly open her eyes. The sun was far too bright and cheerful for her on most days, but then then she heard it. The spund of rain hitting the window quite hard. It was as if someone were just throwing endless amounts of pebbles at their window.

Eric's lips had moved from Sparrow's shoulder to a spot he knew by heart then. In the hollow of her neck she had a soft spot that would definitely give away that she had awoken. Just the lightest kiss there made her make a noise halfway between a squeal and a laugh. The very moment his lips had barely pressed a kiss against her skin the bright noise had left her lips, followed by laughter, and her own groan as she hid her face in the pillow.

"I knew you were awake," Eric mumbled with a bright sort of smile.  Sparrow felt his arms wrap around her waist to hold her protectively once more, despite the lack of proper clothing. It only caused her to smile more, just relaxing into him, into his very touch. It was amazing to her at times to just see how in tune they were. The slightest touches were a chain reaction of emotions. He knew her favorite spots to be kissed. He knew of sensitive spots she didn't even know she had. He knew she loved it when her scars were traced just as she did with his tattoos.

She couldn't ever truly say she knew all of Eric like he seemed to know her. There was always new things she was finding about him even after three years. She loved the way he seemed dazed after a kiss, no matter how light or how passionate. She knew he loved it when she traced random shapes onto his skin; when Sparrow would trace down the intricate black designs of the tattoos on his arm. She knew when he was awake those moments when he faked sleep. It was always when she played with his hair in those late hours, always when he would smile even if he tried not to.

"Oh really? And what gave me away?" Sparrow countered in what was a softer morning voice. A tad bit rough from sleep.

"Lucky guess?" He offered in a raspy morning voice of his. Of course, he had simply known she was.

Not buying into his words, she turned around to face him,pulling the blankets up to cover her up to her shoulders. While he was very comfortable, and very warm, she knew it wouldn't be long until the others woke up. The moment they did Sparrow and Eric would have to be at their beck and call. The moment she was facing him, his hand had reached for her curls, gently pushing the messy bunch out of her face with a sleepy smile.

She loved those moments. Those soft moments where there was nothing to be demanded of them. Those moments when their legs were tangled, and no space left to separate them as he held her close. She simply brushed her fingers lightly against his bare chest, happy to hear the soft sigh of content leave his lips. On mornings like that, they never had to wake up.

"We are going to have to get up soon before they do," he pointed out to her in a soft whisper. With the warmth from his breath ticking her ear she had only laughed softly, shaking her head in response to him.

"I don't think we should ever get up."

"And when they find us like this?"

"They'll know how much we love each other," was her retort as she smiled cheekily up at a still barely awake Eric. He only chuckled, shaking his head at the woman he called his wife, gently kissing her temple in a sweet gesture. Most days, he didn't have a reason for the kisses. Nothing more than the pure fact that he loved her. And she adored him.

Truly, in that moment, Sparrow was sure that she wouldn't ever had to part with him. That was until she heard a rather loud clap of thunder and two sets of footsteps starting down the hall. That was enough to tear the two lovers apart as the scrambled to at least look somewhat decent. Clothes were then being thrown to each other in such a haste that it was easy to mix everything up. His sweatpants towards him, an old t-shirt of his towards her, a plain white shirt towards him. The moment they were decent, Sparrow and Eric made another quick scramble to get back into bed again as the footsteps neared.

They were right there by the door, and then being so damn close only made Sparrow want to laugh. Instead Eric pressed a finger to his lips, closing his eyes as if pretending to be asleep as he held her close once again. She could hardly contain her smile as she closed her own eyes, curling close to Eric as she inhaled the scent of lavender once more.

The door opened.

Sparrow listened carefully as the two sets of small feet had shuffled into the room. She heard something else move and almost frowned. What on earth were those two doing? Soon enough, the bed dipped just a bit as Odell helped Edith up, then used the box for himself.

The two toddlers were in short, absolutely terrified by the storm Sparrow loved.

It wasn't much longer until the four year olds wriggled their way between the two, acting as if they had been there the entire time as the pulled the blanket back up. Sparrow just couldn't help it, she had smiled brightly which Odell surely hadn't noticed. The twins could sleep for years on end with no exceptions. Even then, Edith and Odell were already trying to go back to sleep in the safety of their parent's arms.

"Are they asleep?" she asked Eric quietly after a moment or so which only resulted in a small hand going to cover her mouth.

"Go to sleep, mommy," Edith complained with her eyes screwed shut.

"Well someone is grumpy," Eric said, an air of amusement in his time that just made Odell groan and pull the blanket up more.

His blue eyes met her dark ones and for a moment, she was just breathless. Then again, Eric always made her feel that way. Warm. Like there was no one else but them and the small life they built for themselves.

Their kids.

The twins were quick to call back to sleep, curled up close to them without a care in the world. Sparrow and Eric were still tangled, though it was much looser than before. They had to reach across the twins to hold each other somewhat, but she didnt mind. She never did. Especially as they fell silent, his fingers brushing against the back of her hand gently. Those soft moments had cause sleep to pull at Sparrow once more with a lazy smile. Eric wasn't too far behind either.

Placing a soft kiss on the top of both of the twins' heads, she finally settled in.

Her family. Her love. Her life.

Sparrow had finally closed her eyes and sleep capture her once more; Eric had never let go.

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