A/N: Originally posted to my Tumblr a little while ago, now edited and re-posted here.
He can't stop looking at her. Her hair glows in the warm light of the sun, drifting behind her in the gentle breeze, eyes dancing with sheer joy. She is beautiful, always, but she has never looked as beautiful as she does now, profile framed by the endless water.
She's waxing poetic about the beauty of the shoreline, and the little shells she has collected in the bag slung over his shoulder. The shells are beautiful, yes, and so is the sea, but none of it can hold his attention with her walking beside him.
Soft melodies waltz through his mind, fingers itching to play shades of violet and gold and azure, the sparkle of her eyes, the gentleness of her smile, the sand between her toes. She senses his yearning and squeezes his hand tight, pressing a kiss to his cheek. "You look very handsome," she murmurs, laying her head against his shoulder. He slips his arm around her waist and pulls her closer, laying his cheek against her hair.
"How can you tell with the mask?" His own voice is low, too, as if the wonder of this hidden cove demands it. The gentle lapping of the waves, the cries of the gulls, segue into his secret mental melody, leaving a stamp on it with her as the centrepiece. Tonight as she sleeps he will piece it together, a gift with which to surprise her. She deserves every gift that he can give her, but now, now is the time to simply exist with her, here.
"It's my job to." She sighs and nuzzles his throat, breathing deeply. "Thank you for bringing me here." Her words hum through his blood, pulling at his heart as he inclines his head and softly presses a kiss to her forehead.
"It has been my pleasure, darling."