Nightswan

NaNo - Day 30

- Alessio -

Vasilisa seemed happier the last few days.  She'd been taking Dash out on runs and to the dog park, and Alessio decided on a Saturday morning it was about time he joined her.  He needed to step away from work and from the Flight for a few hours.  He rolled out of bed and dressed before Vasilisa had even woken.  Alessio was making breakfast for them both when his wife emerged.  Her hair was disheveled, eyes glazed over from just waking up, and the long t-shirt she wore almost covered her down to her knees.  She rubbed her eyes and blinked a couple times.  Alessio didn't think he'd ever seen her more beautiful.

"Good morning, sunshine," Alessio said, pushing a spatula through the eggs scrambling on the stove.

"Hi," she muttered.  She walked into the kitchen to stand beside him. "Do I smell bacon?"

"I just pulled it out of the oven."

"You make bacon in the oven?" one of her dark brows rose.

"It's some pretty special stuff," he said with a tease. "There's pepper and brown sugar and maple syrup on top of it.  Baking it just works a little better."

"I can't say I've ever had bacon with sugar and syrup."

"Prepare to be amazed," he said with a smile. "Do you like cheese in your eggs or no?"

"Cheese?'

"It's something my mom used to do for me before she died.  I'd only eat the eggs if cheese were melted into it."

"I like cheese."

Alessio nodded and added a heavy helping of shredded cheese to the mixture.  A few more pushes and pulls of the spatula, and everything was ready.  He dropped the eggs into a bowl and carried it and the container of fresh biscuits over to the table.  Alessio also poured them each a glass of orange juice.

"Is there a special occasion that I missed?" Vasilisa asked, a look of worry in her eyes.  He wanted to kiss away the creases on her forehead.

"No, not at all.  Just wanted to do something for you." Alessio put an arm around her shoulders. "I thought we'd eat then take Dash back over to the park."

"I'm sure you'd like that, wouldn't you, Dash?" Vasilisa smiled at Alessio then at Dash, who barked once.

"That's a yes," Alessio said.

They ate in silence.  Vasilisa eventually left to get dressed herself while Alessio fed Dash and got him into his harness-and-leash contraption.  The dog was very wiggly up until he gave him a firm "heel" command, at which point Dash went still.  Alessio had just finished packing a couple bottles of water and a portable bowl for Dash into a lightweight backpack when Vasilisa reemerged in jeans and a purple v-neck t-shirt.  Her hair was pulled back in a simple ponytail, and she had on almost no makeup.  Alessio didn't know what she'd done differently on her face, but this was simple, pure Vasilisa, and he loved it.

"What?  Is this not okay?"

"No, it's perfect." Alessio smiled. "I was just thinking you've never looked as stunning as you do right now."

"You can't be serious."

"You always look so put-together.  Like the President of the United States may walk through our door any moment.  I like this more relaxed Lissa very much.  You don't need the makeup and curled hair; I hope you know that."

"I've never really thought about it." Her hands came up to grip her upper arms.

Alessio offered her a hand, which she took.  She seemed to relax when he squeezed her hand, and he led her out the door with Dash trotting along at his side.  In the elevator, he didn't even need to ask Vasilisa to move closer, for she did it herself until her chest was pressed up against his side.  Alessio kissed her hair, which smelled of some sort of flower.  Why couldn't they have had shampoo that smelled like this while deployed?