Michael Gray: Better Man

Something New

Olivia was still half asleep when she felt that something heavy was draped across her torso. And when she finally fluttered her eyes open, the first thing she saw was a wallpaper that definitely is in her apartment, but definitely wasn't the one in her room.

The body beside her slightly moved, and that's when the events the night prior finally came back to her.

Turning to face Michael, he appeared to be still sound asleep. She took the opportunity to just look at him. It bothered her that him sleeping shirtless still had the same effect on her.

Seeing him like this brought her back to mornings when they chose to stay in for a little bit longer in bed; Either being intimate, just holding each other, or just being playful - only to be disrupted by Tommy's booming voice entering the house, threatening them both that they'd better be decent when he comes in, and that they're already an hour late.

Because no matter how he tried to act unbothered from seeing John and Esme before, he once let it slip to her in between drinks that it scarred him.

Keeping herself from laughing at the memory, she decided to look at Michael's sleeping face. She had always told him before that whenever he was asleep, he still looks like the same innocent kid when he first came to Birmingham. But looking at him now, she doesn't think that the same could be said.

He's gotten a lot more handsome, there's no room for argument on that, but he also has this air around him. Kind of the same one you'd get around Thomas.

But thank the heavens that Michael still knows how to smile.

"There's no old man behind me you're staring at again, right?" Michael asked in a deep voice, smirking at her with his eyes still shut.

"No, but its bold of you to assume that I was staring at you when you haven't even opened your eyes yet." She reasoned, trying to sound smooth.

Finally opening his eyes, his blue orbs in a still slightly dimmed room were now looking back at her.

"Hi." He smiled at her, arm still on her waist.

"Hi." She replied shyly. "How was your sleep?"

"The best one I had in years." he answered, tightening his arm around her waist to pull her closer. "You?"

"Eh... I've had better." She teased.

"Of course, you have..." he yawned. "Still was with me though." He smirked at her.

"Michael it's like 7 in the morning. You shouldn't be this arrogant." She said, making him laugh.

Shaking his head, he raised his arm from her waist and touched the ends of her hair.

Looking at his knuckles, she took notice of how some parts of them had little light scars, possibly from old cuts.

"Have you been fighting a lot back home?" She asked him.

"Bigger business means more danger." He answered, still touching with her hair. "Your hair is still the same length from two years ago." He observed.

"I did cut it above my shoulders when I got here." What she said got his full attention.

"What are the chances I'd see it in the near future?"

"When I'll feel like it... Which won't be that long from now." She smiled.

She has been thinking of getting it shorter again. She just couldn't be bothered to style long locks every day.

Loud knocks were made on Michael's door.