Disclaimer: Don't own them. Sucks to be me.
A/N: This is set after my story How to Marry an Entomologist. You don't have to read it first but I'd appreciate it if you did.
The Long Road
Prologue
Sunlight filters through the partially closed blinds, streaking the room with alternating bands of light and shadow. The heavy comforter has fallen off the end of the bed and throw pillows are stacked neatly in a corner. The side tables hold lamps and pictures and the detritus of the two people who spend time relaxing in the room. The walls are a cool, pale green. She chose the color because it made her feel calm. He agreed because it was easier than arguing. After much debate and much consideration given to furniture placement, the sleigh bed is set against a wall away from the windows in order to avoid the brightness filtering into the room.
The quiet hum of the air conditioner is the only noise, save the gentle breathing of the people entwined on the bed. They sleep deeply, skin to skin, spooned together in the middle of the big space. Hearts beating together in the rhythm of true soul mates. Her skin is creamy and smooth. Her hair splayed across the pillow in a sensual tangle. She snuggles a little closer, absorbing his warmth. He is a perfect foil for her. He is dark to her pale, large to her small, unruffled to her uptight. His curly hair is mashed flat, his lips parted in sleep. His arm, draped over her waist, tightens to pull her closer. His morning erection presses against her softer flesh. How many years were wasted in the senseless pursuit of other things, other people? How much time passed, alone and unhappy, that should have been filled with the simple pleasure of sleeping next to the person you love?
As the alarm clock begins its annoying beeping, a slender hand reaches out and slaps at the offending object. In the resulting silence he places a light kiss on the back of her head; another little ritual they share whenever their days off coincide. A smile spreads across her face and she mumbles a good morning. He chuckles and the vibrations against her back cause her to laugh too. Rolling to face him, she tangles her legs through his and pushes the hair from her eyes before wrapping her arm around his shoulders. In the half-light of the bedroom, green eyes meet green eyes and a new day begins.