Iridescent

Reading my eyes will say it in many ways

(A/N- Thank you again for reading the story and also "Hello" to my new followers!)

"Stop trying to cheat, Shinoda," Mila told him sending him a glare as he walked close to where she was sitting at his dining room table.  She once again, for the third time in 20 minutes, flipped her sketch pad face down as he walked by her citing the need for a certain marker that was in the case behind her on the island.  Before that it had been a beer and an eraser.  "You came up with this challenge and you're trying to cheat!"

Mike laughed grabbing what he needed before heading back to his seat across the table from her.  "I don't know what you're talking about.  This marker is my favorite and I needed it."

Mila turned her sketch pad over again shaking her head.  "I'm sure that beer is also your favorite."

"It is delicious," He agreed keeping his attention on what he was working on.  It was about two weeks following Mila accepting to be with him again minus the titles and things were going well.  Progressively they have begun to spend more time together and fallen back into the swing of being together.  Mila knew right now it was easy because he was home and that when he left again in two weeks it would be completely different.  Their relationship would be primarily by phone and Skype rather than being able to physically be with one another.  She knew it would be a real test for their relationship but also for him to show her that he was serious about wanting to be together.

Mike felt Mila's foot graze his leg multiple times as she tried to put her feet onto his lap.  Scooting  his chair in a bit more, he found one of her calves with a hand and placed it where she was looking to put it.  He looked up briefly receiving a smile from her in 'thanks' and went back to drawing on his pad.  These were the nights he had missed.  Something as simple as giving a prompt for a drawing challenge, in this case a caricature of the other, and just drawing together.  The fact that she had similar likes and could just go with the flow of a night spent in made being with her easy, even if it had only been a couple of weeks.

"Okay, mine is done," Mila laughed looking over the picture she had drawn.  "I think it's the best yet."

Mike noticed the smirk tugging at her lips and could only imagine what was on the other side of the paper as he groaned.  "I really should pick better challenges.  You always roast me so good when I pick this one."

Mila laughed loudly placing her pad face down taking her feet off his lap.  "I really thought you would have learned but here we are."  He watched her walk over to the fridge taking out another beer for herself opening it like a pro.  Mila smiled at him as she caught him watching her.  Within a couple of steps she reached him as he pushed his chair out to accept her onto his lap.  "That's not a caricature."  He smiled as she leaned back against his chest as he shaded a couple of different areas on the sketch he had done of her while placing a kiss to her shoulder.  "This still counts as cheating."

"No way," He chuckled wrapping his left arm around her waist. 

"No, you're right.  It's a forfeit because that isn't a caricature," She said placing her beer next to his on the table.  She stood up just a bit learning onto the table to grab her sketchbook, her t-shirt riding up a little showing a bit of skin on her back.  Without thinking twice, he placed his hand just underneath her shirt rubbing the area of skin that was showing.  Mila gazed back at him causing him to look at her as he suddenly stopped his movements. 

"Sorry," Mike said removing his hand from where it was on her skin.

Mila sat back down on his lap turning sideways.  "You don't have to apologize for touching me."

"I just don't want to push you too fast or do something you aren't okay with."

She smiled leaning in pressing her lips to his keeping them there until his eyes closed and his body was less rigid.  His tongue ran along her lips prodding them open with a gentle nudge as she closed her eyes inviting him into her mouth.  As the kiss deepened further, his right arm went to her waist as his left hand went to her thigh.  It wasn't until they were both out of breath that they pulled away.  Mila rested her forehead against his for a second before moving to rest her head in the crook of his neck while he held her close.

Mike leaned his head onto hers hearing her sigh as he did so.  "Tired?"  Mila hummed her response.  "I don't suppose I could talk you into a purely innocent sleepover?"  He felt her shaking her head 'no'.  "I didn't think so."

"Before you leave for tour  I will," She replied lifting her head from where it was.  "Will you accept a snug sesh in place of the innocent sleep over?"

"Snug seshes are the best.  Lead the way, beautiful," He said holding onto her waist as she stood up to walk to the couch.  Mila waited for him to get comfortable before squeezing herself between the couch and him sighing contently as he wrapped his arms around her holding her close.  After a couple of minutes Mila turned her head up taking in the sight of him.  He had his glasses on, no hat and his eyes were closed.  He looked relaxed and possibly asleep but she knew he really wasn't.  "When you mean snug sesh you really mean just silently staring at me.  You do it every time."

"I think you're handsome and like looking at you," She replied moving her body to lie on top of him being careful not to hurt him.  "You're also wearing your glasses and know how much I like that."

Mike smiled opening his eyes finding himself looking directly into hers.  "Says the woman with the world's most beautiful and unique eyes."

"You've been saying that since we were fourteen," Mila said smiling remembering the first time he ever told her that and caught her off guard.  Most people when she was growing up always commented on her eyes in a negative way which made her hate them so much that she wore colored contacts.  He was the first person to ever find her eyes beautiful rather than freaky and it might have taken a couple of years, but she ended up liking them.

"It's the truth.  With those eyes and that smile," He shook his head.  "I never stood a chance."

"You've always had a way with words," She replied shaking her head running a hand through his hair massaging his scalp as she did so.  Mila watched as his eyes closed and a soft hum was heard.  "So you're nervous about what I consider slow?"

"I've missed you bringing up things minutes later after your brain processes them," Mike said causing her to smile.  With a slight, but cautious movement, he turned them to be on their sides facing one another.  As his eyes opened he found himself staring directly into her eyes at a close range thanks to the couch.  If this had been years ago he would have leaned in and kissed her knowing what it would lead to.  The way she looks at him had always been one of the things that got him in the mood and right now he knew that wouldn't happen nor would he try.  "Yes, I am nervous about what you consider not slow.  I don't want to fuck this up especially when we aren't completely official yet."

"I don't want to stress you out about this," Mila told him placing her left hand onto the side of his face.  "My version of slow means kissing, holding hands and being affectionate but not sex or sleeping over, not yet.  If you want to put titles to us then we can it's just going to take getting used to."  Mike sighed turning his head kissing the palm of her hand.  "Out of your head, Mike.  I can tell you're poking around in there."

"I'm fine," He replied earning a look of disbelief.  He chuckled thinking of how the look she gave was one he had seen so often.  "I'm not going to ask you to be mine officially on the couch during this conversation.  I want to do it better than that."

Mila chuckled shaking her head.  "You're asking me to be your girlfriend not your wife."  She saw the change in his eyes when she said that.  They turned soft and almost dreamlike.  "Okay, definitely no asking me to be your wife yet.  That would be a for sure 'too fast' move."

Mike laughed nodding.  "I am aware of that.  You can't blame me for thinking about the future though."  Mila looked at him surprised.  "What?"

"I don't think we ever talked about our future before.  It's just surprising to hear that you're thinking of it."

"Are you saying that you never thought of us getting married and me being your husband?" Mike asked giving her a skeptical look.

"Obviously I have.  Not recently, but I have.  I'm saying that we never talked about it out loud before," Mila said poking his side getting the laugh she knew she would due to him being ticklish.

"Well, it's different this time.  I've already been an idiot and lost you once there is no way I plan to lose you again."

Mila was taken back by his words.  She realized then that even though she was still nervous, that she may have made the right choice.