From the Ashes

[34] Tag

I walk down the hall in front of Roman, rounding the corner of the upper balcony on our way down onto the strip to go eat breakfast in the lower cabin. Roman gave me one of his zip-up hoodies to keep warm in, and I swim in the thing.

“We’ll have to keep our relationship on the quiet side,” Rome says as we climb down the spiral staircase. I glance back up at him before he continues. “I’m not sure how pleased my mother and family would be with us sleeping right across from each other, knowing we’re... romantically involved,” he laughs, “She thinks we’re nothing more than school partners. She trusts me.” I nod, tugging up the over-long sleeves of the dark grey hoodie.

“Makes sense,” I agree, turning toward him once we reach the front door. He reaches around my head to tug the hood up snuggly, before kissing me.

“It’s drizzling outside,” he chuckles into my lips. I wrinkle my nose at him.

“Thanks, Mom. Now I won’t catch a cold.” He snorts in amusement, and leads the way into the unseasonably chilly and dreary summer morning to go eat breakfast with the rest of the family.

Eggs and home fries are on the menu this morning, made by our usual cooks, Roman’s uncles. We find Sage and sit with him to eat, and he mentions the same thing Roman did about hanging out at Mazie’s camp with her and Bennen tonight. Rome confirms it.

We burn the dreary, chilly hours away in the lower cabin, down in the basement where the den and game room is. I sit curled up under a soft blanket on a couch, watching Roman and Sage play an intense game of air hockey. One of the little dogs is curled up in my lap, a grey pomeranian-maltese mix named Gizmo. We’ve been here for a few hours, and I figure it must be around noon as I lean my head back against the arm of the couch and close my eyes. I scratch Gizmo’s feather-soft ears as I listen to the loud, monotonous clacks from the table game, Roman and Sage both laughing and crying out periodically as they play. I give a silent grunt, not feeling like moving a single muscle in my body as I think about how amazingly comfortable this freakin’ couch is. Our late night must be catching up on me.

I guess I dozed off into a sound slumber, because the next thing I know, I start to wake up to the sound of relaxed conversation.

“-you weren’t in there when I got up this morning,” the sound of Sage’s low and laughing voice reaches my ears, “and the bathroom was free, so I assumed that’s where you were.”

“Can’t fool this one, huh?” My heart flutters at the sound of Roman’s rumbling voice, hushed to a whisper like Sage’s. “Yeah, I was with Allie.” The two fall silent for a beat, and I strain to pick up more of their conversation.

“Did you guys...”

“God, no. No, I went in to check on her last night. She was a human popsicle, so I slept in her bed. No, it’s way too early for that.” I feel my cheeks heat up with color at Sage’s suggestion as Roman continues. “I asked her out today,” he whispers softly. The sound of Sage’s airy chuckle reaches my ears, and I peek open my eyes to see that I’m lying flat on the couch, on my side facing the back.

“What did she say?”

“A very sarcastic yes.”

Sage chuckles.

“I like her the more we get to know her.”

Roman laughs lightly at that.

“You and me both.”

I can’t help but smile at the back of the couch. Every time I remind myself that Roman and I are together, my very soul skyrockets with such excitement and head-spinning disbelief. I’ve never felt this way about anything before, let alone anyone.

I am Roman’s. Roman is mine.

The thought makes my heart swell with unbelievable happiness. It’s all I can do to keep still, and stop myself from leaping off the couch and tackling my boyfriend.

I haven’t gotten used to saying that to myself yet, and I take heart-pattering pleasure in using that title for Roman. But even now, that word seems strange in the way that it doesn’t really do justice in describing what he is to me. My boyfriend... He already seems more than that. That word, to me, sounds like such a misused understatement. It doesn’t describe the bond we shared even before we started this relationship, the one that snuck up on me and rooted itself deep within. The one coaxed by the project, sowed by this camp, amplified by the tournament, and blossomed by the cold night we shared. He was more of my partner, than my boyfriend. And now that I’ve gotten to know him, and spend time with him, I have faith in the strength that we’ll develop.

Lost in my head-spinning thoughts, I am drawn out of them when the couch sinks with another’s  weight.

“Alright,” Roman’s voice whispers behind me, “I’ll be up in a few.” Footsteps sound on the stairs that lead up to the rest of the cabin, and I close my eyes back shut when I feel a hand trail lightly over my shoulder before the blanket is tugged up over it. The cushion of the couch sinks further as a body leans down over me, and Roman’s lips touch my temple lightly. My eyes flutter open, and I turn my head toward him.

“Hey, darlin’,” he says softly, still leaning over me to kiss my forehead. His tender, relaxed smile fills my chest with warmth, and I close my eyes with a sigh as he runs his fingers through my bangs as he smooths them back.

“How long was I sleeping?” I ask, my voice a scratchy whisper.

“About an hour. Lunch is on us today, are you getting hungry?” I rub my eyes and think about food for a second. When nothing happens, I shake my head.

“No, not really. What about you and Sage?”

“A bit. We’re gonna grill hotdogs. Do you want to come up, or stay here and keep napping?” he asks, touching his forehead down on mine as his other hand comes up to cup my face. I smile into the gesture, reaching up to touch his face too.

“I think I might stay here, I dunno... Naps make me really drowsy for forever,” I groan with a chuckle, and Roman kisses me lightly.

“Up to you, sweetheart. You still look really tired,” he says between kisses, and my hand finds the soft hair on the back of his neck. I love it when he refers to me by pet names. I can’t even believe how sweet he is. I sigh into the next kiss, as they gradually grow deeper and fuller, and Roman’s hands continue to stroke back my hair and caress the skin on my cheeks.

“Mm, if I stay here,” I mumble into his lips, “I’d want you to stay and cuddle, and I’d never stop being drowsy. All day.” Roman’s warm lips spread into a smile against mine.

“I love cuddling.”

“Me. Fucking. Too,” I groan with a grin, as Roman pulls away slightly to nuzzle his nose on mine.

“I need it to live,” he laughs, and I frown up at him.

“Stop copying me,” I glower, and he plants a huge kiss on my lips.

“You’re fucking adorable,” he grins, peppering my face with kisses that trail to my neck. I give a high-pitched screech, squirming beneath his grasp as the tiny kisses tickle me.

“That... tickles! God damn it! Cut... it out!” I manage between snorts and laughs as I try to wiggle my way out of his hold. He stops suddenly to chomp down on my neck, holding the bite for a few seconds before I shoo him off. I wipe his saliva off of my neck as he grins down at me. I glare up at him, smearing the drool off on the front of his shirt.

“What was that for?” I growl. He beams evilly at me.

“Tag, you're a zombie.”