Blue Skies: Sean & Kaycee | Short Stories

Wherever You Go

Warning: heavy topic (maybe?)

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Kaycee woke with a start, her heart in her throat as her eyes flew open, quickly taking in her surroundings. Recognizing the familiar space she exhaled in relief, shutting her eyes against the soft light streaming through the windows.

She dragged a hand through her tangled curls, breathing steady and slow through her nostrils; just like her mom had taught her when she was a little girl. Kaycee would curl up between her parents, shaking from her nightmare⁠—in which the four-eyed monster would snatch her from her bed⁠—as her mom gently coaxed her from her terror. The nightmares hadn't stopped, but she could handle them on her own now.

As Kaycee's body slowly relaxed, she sat up, letting the sheets pool around her hips.

It was the third night in a row she'd had this particular nightmare. Each morning she was startled awake, her mind replaying the terror over and over.

She glanced over to where Sean was sprawled next to her. As usual he was taking up most of the bed. Kaycee smiled as a soft snore reached her ears. She loved waking up next to Sean in the mornings. His hair was dark and tousled against the white pillow case; his face peaceful and smooth. Usually she would snuggle closer to him, trying to steal some of his limitless supply of body heat⁠—the boy was like her own personal heater⁠—and Sean would wrap one of his tanned arms around her, burying his face in her hair to hide from the rising sun.

Kaycee's panic eased as she looked at him.

"Someone's staring," Sean murmured, his voice deep and gravelly with sleep.

He cracked an eye open to peer at her, a faint dimple appearing in his cheek.

Kaycee rolled her eyes.

"You were snoring," she retorted.

But it was true; she could stare at him all day. When they had first started dating—unbeknownst to them—their friends would play a game timing and guessing how long the new couple would spend gazing at each other. Kaycee had blushed and Sean had burst into laughter when Julian finally let slip as to why they kept calling out random numbers when they hung out.

Sean rolled into his back, stretching his arms over his head as his eyes roved languidly over Kaycee's upper half.

"You know, I can get used to this view waking up."

She looked down, realizing she was naked from the waist up, the sheets still bunched around her hips. She rolled her eyes again, swinging her legs out of bed so her back was to him.

"You have crease lines on your face," she threw over her shoulder. 

Kaycee pulled her hair to one side, running her fingers through the tangled strands. As much as she was tempted to curl into Sean's side and doze in each other's arms, there was no way she would be falling back to sleep after that particular dream.

As she started twisting her hair into a loose braid, she looked out the floor-to-ceiling windows of their room, taking in the view. It was a beautiful morning. The lake was sparkling and calm; she could barely make out the small ripples making their way across the surface. There were clouds gathering in the distance, promising an afternoon shower. As much as she loved to travel, and as much as she loved exploring new cities and countries, this would always be her favorite place.

Goosebumps appeared on Kaycee's skin as she felt soft kisses making their way up her spine, and she sighed as Sean's fingers skimmed over her hips and waist. He rested his chin on her bare shoulder when he reached her neck, and she couldn't help but lean back into his touch.