The soft sound of his guitar filled the room. As he played another cord and it resonated in the otherwise quiet facility she continued painting. The strokes of her paintbrush became more rough and more textured as they kept hitting the canvas that already had a mixture of colours onto it. When she lightly dipped her brush into the cup labelled "for painting" rather than the one labelled "for drinking",a common mistake that happened one too many times, I started a new paragraph for my notes on human behaviour that I had to have done by tomorrow.
"Can you move a little to the left? Please?" she asked stalling her movements of the brush. "Which one?" he asked with a light chuckle. His voice soft as ever yet slightly raspy from not talking for a while. Dark messy brown hair not shining in the sun anymore due to the shift in light. "You! I'm trying to do something over here for you and you're not making it any easier for me! " she whines at him faking annoyance. "Okay, okay. I'll move" he says, gripping his guitar in one hand by the neck while moving to the right. "No! Not there! To the left! Ugh!" she continues whining, earning a laugh from both of us. "Fine! Don't have to be so demanding, Jeez." he mumbles, moving back to his initial place. "Not there either! Do I have to come move you myself?" she starts whining louder and stomping her feet like a little kid. "I mean... You can try."
He laughs again as she puts her paintbrush into the cup labelled "for drinking" by accident and moves to get to him. I watch closely as she approaches and is suddenly pulled onto the bed, his calloused hands gripping her waist tightly pulling her flush against his chest. I let out an airy laugh at their banter, going back to my work, trying to ignore their laughter as he most likely starts tickling her. "No! Sto-" she's interrupted by her own laughter. "Stop- Stop it!" she repeats between laughter "Help! Plea-" she shouts at me. "What's the magic word?" I tease her while looking over my shoulder at the two of them. "Pleas-" she tries again. " What? I didn't quite catch that." I joke observing them and laughing at their goofyness. "No one can save you!" he shouts, imitating an evil laugh. "No one?" I ask sarcastically. "No one!" he repeats, continuing his attack. "Well then I guess I'll have to prove you wrong." I say right before jumping on him and trying to pry him away from her. We ended up holding down each one of his hands while he started kicking his legs and trying to escape. "No one?" I repeat and giggle. "Fine, you guys win. Now let me go!"
This is how most of our nights go. A continuous amout of laughter and dumb jokes between the three of us. And I wouldn't have it any other way.
It's late. Later than usual. I can tell by the fact that she already has left for bed. She normally goes to sleep last. Yet I'm still writing my stupid essay that's due in a few hours. "Angel, how much do you have left?" I suddenly hear a raspy voice from the other side of the room. He sits on a chair. A leg tucked under the rest of his limbs. The guitar put away. It startles me at first. As if I haven't heard this tone before. When in fact I knew it as if it's second nature. A slightly worrying fact that the tone is so familiar, because it isn't his usual voice. It's this slightly condescending sound laced with a hint of disappointment that I knew all too well. Too many times did he stay up with me just so I could finish another assignment I left for last minute. Again.
"Almost done,I promise. You can go to sleep." I dismiss immediately and I'm met with a tut and an even more disappointed head shake. "We've done this too many times for it to not be a routine. And you already know what I'll say next so I won't bother repeating it." he rebuttals as he stands up from the chair and walks towards me. I watch curiously as if I truly don't know what he's about to do. As if my memory is cloudy and I can't remember what happens next. As if this isn't a normal occurance. I stare at him as if he holds the entire world. Or rather, as if he's my entire world.
I feel a pair of lips on my forehead and the vibration of a hum before I actually hear the hum. But nonetheless it still has an effect on me. I hear a whispered I love you and I'm flooded with emotions. I let out a sob as tears fall down my face. I'm used to nights like this. Yet the realisation that he'll stay awake for me, once again, and the weight of my task is suddenly pushed onto me and I'm left with no choice but to submit to my feelings. "Hey. Hey. Baby, look at me. Breathe. I'm here. You'll be alright. I know you will. Breathe in and out for me. In" he draws out the "n" as he demonstrates the action and takes a deep breath as the same time as me. "And out." he continues. Making sure that I stick to the technique I've been taught. "I-I'm alright I promise. It's not a panic attack I'm just so... I-I don't know? Emotional?" I try to explain through countless tears. He shushes me and cradles my head as if I'm a baby. He tangles his fingers through my hair and plays with it before telling me "It's alright." and planting yet another kiss on top of my head.
I love you too. I whisper. My words slightly muffled by his chest.
