The First Steps (A Hunter Hayes Fanfiction, Book 1 of the Hardships Saga)

Chapter Eighteen

❝wife (pronounced wʌɪf or wahyf
a woman in a marriage; a woman willing to make a lifetime commitment.❞

A month later, Hunter woke up on the couch to hear someone shuffling around in the kitchen. Feeling sleepy, he listened for a moment to the noise, then sat up and saw Lilly walking around.

"Lilly? Why're you awake?"

"Fire..." she said, her voice slurred. "So much fire... save yourself, Hunt..."

"She's sleepwalking again," Hunter said himself quietly. He had woken up to this before, but usually, she was back in bed before two minutes were up. It had been at least fifteen now. Lilly muttered something else, then walked away, going to a wall and walking straight into it repeatedly. Hunter took her arm gently. He wasn't sure if the story that waking a sleepwalker could result in heart attacks or brain trauma were true or not, but he didn't want to find out. "C'mon, petal, let's go back to bed."

"No... fire..."

"You're safe, Lilly-Pad, c'mon."

She allowed herself to be lead by Hunter back to his double bed (he had let her sleep there every night, despite her refusal) and with a little help, she lay down on the bed. Hunter tucked her in and gave her a friendly kiss on the forehead before going to leave the room. But before he could, he heard a voice.

"Stay..." she mumbled sleepily. "Stay, please..."

Hunter walked back to the bed hesitantly. "Me?"

"Stay... Hunter... stay..."

He bit his lip, smiling slightly. "Alright, I'm here," he said, climbing into the bed and lying down a fair distance from her. But she rolled closer, snuggling into Hunter's chest with a small sigh of content. His arms immediately made their way around her, almost automatically. He gulped, feeling nervous and amazingly ecstatic all at once.

"That's better," she said sleepily. "Too cold otherwise. Feels like a polar bear's feet."

"A polar bear's feet?" asked Hunter, trying not to laugh. "Why not a penguin's flipper?"

"Because penguins are your thing!" she exclaimed, still sounding drowsy, and Hunter chuckled.

"Are you awake?"

"Yep," she said. "I'm wide awake. Be safe, Hunter. For science."

"Of course," he said. "That makes perfect sense."

She nestled closer to him. "I love you, Hunter. Make me your wife someday."

His eyes went as round as dinner plates and his heart rate accelerated frantically. "I love you, too, sweetheart," he said quietly, letting his imagination spin out of control for just a moment.

He waited for more to come out of her mouth, but she stayed quiet, still in his arms. He looked down to see her sleepwalking self apparently gone, leaving behind a young, innocent, red headed girl. Her body was the perfect size, Hunter thought. Not too big, not too small, perfect for cuddling. And she was so warm, too. Absolutely wonderful for a cold October night, like this one. He found himself smiling to himself slightly, thinking of how maybe this could be a possibility if he and Lilly ever did get married.

They would wake up together every morning, Hunter told himself. They would wake up together and just talk. Then while Lilly was getting ready for her classes, Hunter would make her breakfast, and they would eat it together as well. He'd kiss her goodbye before going to the studio, and when he came back, he would get her a bunch of flowers. They would spend the evening hanging out together, maybe go on a date or a walk, and then they would spend the night just enjoying each other's company. And that would be every day. Every day, if Hunter could just say that he was in love with her.