Complementary

thirty

wait - M83

zayn

"It's difficult to believe we have spent time apart, now that I think of it." Carlie says softly, her touch tracing down my arms.

"I agree," I reply. "We are right back on track despite my previous desire to take things slowly."

A ghost of a smile toys at her mouth ends. "I think that wish went down in flames when we slept together right after we made up."

I laugh shortly, dropping my gaze down the expanse of her body. The red gown is still adorning her figure, hugging every inch of her. She must be uncomfortable in it, seeing as we have been back at my apartment for about a half an hour now, but we have been too immersed in each other to change out of our dress clothes.

"Make up sex," I finally comment, a nearly wistful undertone to the statement.

I do not entirely regret having sex with Carlie the day we reconnected and fixed things. I simply regret the fact that I gave in to my own selfish desires. I want to do this the right way, not rebuild a relationship based with personal issues, only to try and remedy those issues with sex. Especially with Carlie's history of loving and leaving.

"You look sad." She observes.

"Not sad," I mutter. "Just thinking."

Our fingers absently twine together, interlocking between the spaces. "What about?"

I shake my head, attempting to dismiss the question. We always seem to end up in such serious banter. It can be quite draining at times, taking its toll on both of our mental states. If Carlie is more internally fragile than I had initially believed, then I do not want to burden her with my own regrets and worries.

"Zayn, tell me what's on your mind," Carlie urges. "You're not the only one who can try and help."

I look down at her, pulling her into my lap as we sit on my sofa. "I just don't want to lose you again, love."

She turns her body to look at me. "What is sparking this ludacris thought?"

A bitter chuckle escapes my lips. "The fact that we had sex right after we agreed to try and do this the right way. Sex doesn't fix things."

Carlie frowns. "I know that. We were simply expressing our love for each other, Zayn. We were expressing the fact that there was no love lost during our time apart. Make up sex is just a casual way to describe it."

I sigh deeply and hold her tighter. The words she has spoken do not necessarily distinguish the constant burning fire of worry in my head, but they have done a bit to subdue the flames.

"I love you." She speaks again, as though she is reminding me of this. "Through it all, got it?"

I nod, kissing the top of her head. "I love you, too."

"Good. I'm going to go run a bath and change out of this dress, and you're going to join me in five minutes. Does that sound nice?"

Smiling, I feel a bit of a weight lift from my shoulders. "That sounds more than nice."

-

Warm water swirls around my aching limbs, dulling the exhaust of the long day I have endured. Carlie sits in the other side of the tub, our bare legs tangled together in a comfortable manner.

She has pulled her hair up from her face, tying it in some sort of messy knot on the top of her head. It is rare that I see her with her hair up but I quite enjoy the sight in front of me. I can see all of her features clearly, which are now stripped of that heavy make up she had so strategically applied for the party. Only a bit of eyeliner remains, though it is smudged under her light irises.