Billboards and Benches

Chapter 22

March 3rd // one year together

"Dylan?" He hums. He lay awake almost all night with sheer anticipation. He hasn't ever celebrated being with anyone for a whole year. She's his first.

"Yes?" She parts her lips barely enough to slip her tongue through. He doesn't allow her the chance before his lips press against hers.

Though today is one year mere months ago they celebrated one year of meeting, and one year of his homecoming. She doesn't let any occasion go unnoticed. He finds it admirable the way that she's been able to remember all of those dates that seemed random and abnormal. Today is the one date that he managed to remember and he won't forget it. This day one year ago he made the best decision of his life and has spent the better part of his year getting to know a kind and gentile woman who lets him walk around naked. He's gotten to know the sweet woman who has only ever asked him for hugs, or for his hand to hold. He's gotten to know the sweet gentile woman that makes up the supermodel that the world knows. He's learned that she isn't the diva the magazines make her out to be. He's learned that she's gentile and down to earth and volunteers at a soup kitchen whenever she can without letting anyone report it. He's learned that she likes to show her boyfriend to the public so she'll call the paparazzi just so that they can get cute pictures of her and her boyfriend making out on restaurant chairs. He has learned more about this woman than he thought he ever could. He though she was simple, she turned out to be everything but.  She is easily the worst cook he's ever met but that doesn't mean she doesn't still try and learn. She's easily the most annoying person in the world to try and do household chores with but that doesn't mean she won't get them done. She is the most hardworking badass woman he's ever met and this day one year ago he learned how important that is to him.

"Happy one year baby girl." He moans onto her teeth. Her smile can't easily be hidden forcing her boyfriends mouth off of hers though he would've kept it there if he'd thought possible.

"Happy one year." She moans her response. She lets the words linger in the room for a moment before she even dare open an eye. She has yet to look at him.

He flicks on her lamp hoping to soon have her attention. Though he didn't do much he brought in a card that he wrote for her and some balloons because she thinks they're strange. She doesn't understand the appeal to floating latex, that being said she finds nothing more adorable than watching children play with them. She can't contain her excitement when she has the opportunity to give a little one a balloon just to watch them smile.

"You taste like cherries!" She giggles pressing another soft kiss against his lips.

It took her a while to notice how he avoided the fruit. She had a cherry lip balm she used to keep on the nightstand and when they became official it disappeared for a while. He hates the flavour so much that so much as the mention of it normally makes him nauseous.

"I know! I ate one this morning by accident." He giggles back.

She watches his hands fold together as he sits next to her almost as if he's worried he might do something he shouldn't. He keeps them clamped together tightly looking out the open curtain.

"The sun is rising." He smiles angling himself towards the window. With little movement he convinces her to fall in between his legs allowing her a perfect view of what she wants to see while he gets to stare at his idea of perfection.

"It's beautiful isn't it?" She smiles leaning back into his chest. Melting into the steady rising and falling of his chest.

"Perfect!" He smiles staring down at her. She can almost never tell when he stares at her. Everyone else points it out but she never notices and he keeps it that way.