radiance | baekhyun

54

21:03.

baekhyun slept on the sofa that night.

roma slid into where mia had already fallen fast asleep, lifting the covers, her bare arms and legs curled in on themselves, chest heaving. she'd watched the slumberous sighs tumble from mia's mouth, her nose breathing heavily, asleep beside her. pretending. dreaming.

still so many unspoken words left to say.

counting breaths. eyes shut.

merely observed with heavy and clouded vision.

but roma didn't sleep at all.

even though she could hear baekhyun's light snores from the other room, other side of the door, and she knew how easy it would be to get up and go and lie down next to him, and how much more restful her sleep would be, she chose to stay where she was. perhaps, to prove a point to herself, or something.

slowly, slower than she desired, the blazing sun arose from where it had been submerged by the darkness of the horizon. the morning. roma had gotten up, feet firmly grounded, slipping through the bedroom door and past where baekhyun was asleep, hoping that her putting the kettle on wouldn't wake either of them.

leant against the counter, staring at nothing, waiting. waiting.

made coffee, and then she gently treaded across the living room, quiet as she went past the sofa, and pulled open the balcony doors, letting the sunlight flood in. past events. when baekhyun had slept on her couch before, when she hadn't even known him. and now, here they were.

the same sunlight had patterned his skin, traced across his muscles, tousled through his hair.

now it didn't reach him where he was lying, and she turned over her shoulder, mug in her hands, to see him sleeping beneath a shaded area, obstruction and hiding.

the balcony was warm and pleasant, and gave her a gorgeous vista of the winding, parisian-style, sun-lit streets.

lyon was beautiful. particularly in the sunlight. but it also reminded her of the deepest darkness, the darkest memories she could remember, despite the morning sun shining like there was no tomorrow.

things change.

mia had acted odd when she finally woke up, glassy eyes and bedraggled hair, eyeing baekhyun as if he was a total stranger. roma didn't understand. she wanted to. desperately.

but it was difficult to get mia alone, although it was their flat and their space. she left at around midday, claiming she had some shopping or something to do in town, and then she didn't come back until the late afternoon, looking more exhausted and still feigning that same, non-convincing expression.

baekhyun had suggested taking them both out for dinner, an attempt to lighten the mood, to which roma had glanced over at mia with a hopeful sparkle in her eyes, but to which mia thanked him profusely and said she was tired and was going to stay in tonight.

so roma and baekhyun went instead.

roma found it difficult to articulate her confused thoughts to baekhyun.

he also seemed on edge. seemed as though he was only taking in what she was saying blankly, mind elsewhere.

the restaurant was secluded and would have been perfect, if the tangible current resting thickly in the atmosphere hadn't have been present. couldn't be helped, she supposed.

"i wish..." roma began, then sighed, circling a finger over the rim of her glass of red wine. the liquid was dark scarlet; romantic and menacing.

baekhyun lifted his head up slightly, expression and interest piqued.