The Daylighter Apprentice

Chapter 24 - Mornings Are For Coffee And Kisses

I’m woken up with a gentle shake and open my eyes to see Matt standing over me, holding a plate of toast and a cup of coffee. I smile sleepily at him and sit up against the pillows.

“Good morning.” He smiles back, passing me the cup and plate. I take it gratefully and watch as he joins me under the covers. The sunlight streams in through the now open curtains and birds sing in the trees outside.

“You didn’t have to make me breakfast.” I take a bite of the toast. Matt chuckles.

“No, but I wanted to.” He counters, snuggling up to me and resting his head on my chest. I kiss his brunette hair and sigh happily.

It’s a strange feeling to have Matt in the house without fear of someone seeing him and freaking out. Life feels somewhat normal for the first time since I’ve moved here. If you ignore the anxieties surrounding the whole Ashton situation, I’m actually really happy. In such a short time, life has given me a gorgeous boyfriend, 3 great friends, a new job and a new beginning in a new town. There’s part of me that can’t help wondering if this is all moving too fast - whether I should slow down and take a minute to breathe. But why should I? If I’m happy, surely that’s what matters. It’s clear as day that Matt is the one for me and I love the new responsibilities my job has given me but it has forced me to grow up a bit faster. Most people my age are fooling around in university and here I am, somewhat committed to a lifestyle I didn’t know about weeks ago. I frown, furrowing my brow as I sip my coffee.

 

“What are you thinking about?” Matt asks, breaking the silence and brushing a toast crumb off my cheek.

“Us. Our future. Life.” I put the plate and cup on the bedside cabinet and put my arms around his slender form. He’s dressed more casually than I’ve ever seen him before - grey lounge pants and a faded blue t-shirt.

“Then why were you frowning?” There’s a hint of nervousness in Matt’s voice and I feel it through our bond. I shake my head.

“I’m not frowning because it’s a bad thing. I’m frowning because it’s hit me how fast things have moved in the last few weeks.”

“Oh.” Matt sounds upset so I take his hands and press my forehead against his.

“But I could get used to this. Waking up beside you, having breakfast in bed and spending the day cuddled up together. It’s nice.” I press a quick kiss to his lips which quickly turn into a smile.

“I’ve spend centuries looking for someone like you, Dominic. I can’t believe I’ve finally found you.” I feel my cheeks flushing at the compliment.

“Did you even try dating before me?” I ask and Matt hums.

“Yes. Some lasted, others didn’t. But nothing felt special. I dated guys and girls - always vampires though. My last relationship lasted 3 years until he broke it off because he found his soul mate. I gave up searching after that. I resigned myself to the fact that I’d probably never find the right person for me.”

My heart aches for him and I can feel his sadness but I want to know more. I want to understand more about him.

“Did you worry you’d made a mistake when you bonded with me?” I ask quietly and Matt’s eyes flash like he’s replaying the events of that night. I wince, wishing I’d never brought it up.