The cold chilled his bones as he waited on the porch. A half finished cigarette hung loosely from his lips. The sun was gone and snow littered the ground in patches. The day had been cold, but the night bit into his flesh, but still he waited, occasionally taking a drag from the drug in his mouth and taping it on the brick railing, causing the ash to slowly float down. Soon the cigarette came to and end and he dropped the butt onto the stone floor of the porch and squished it out with the toe of his shoe. His arms moved quickly to bundle his trench coat closer around him as he turned and knocked on the door. A warm light issued from within as the door opened and a thin brunette opened the door.
She stepped aside as he moved in, taking a seat to remove his shoes. She watched him quietly as he removed his coat and hat, setting them below the table near the door. He felt the warm plush of the carpet below his feet as he rubbed his arms. His feet, sore from a long day of work, were relieved by the soft carpeting that so easily comforted them. He relaxed on the couch and his soft brown eyes slowly drew up the young lady's figure. She was dressed in a close fit pair of jeans and a dark t-shirt with a band label on it. Her hair hung loosely on her shoulders, just at the edge of her black framed glasses. A soft smile accompanied his eyes as his met with hers. For a moment, neither did a thing, but gaze at one another. A small smile soon formed over her lips as well as she sat down with him in the chair. It was a squeeze to fit them both, but she soon threw her legs over his and leaned in on his shoulder. Their eyes closed as the two of them felt the much needed comfort of each other once again.
It was as simple as knowing the other was there and so close to themselves that made all the difference. The long day passed swiftly from his mind and was soon overwhelmed with the scent of her hair and the feeling of her hand now entwined with his. His thumb comfortingly rubbed along the inner track of her thumb and she curled tighter against him. It was obvious that she enjoyed the feeling of his firm body against hers, something living, solid and steady, dedicated in those few precious moments just to her. A single tear glistened as it rolled down her cheek. She felt his finger roll along her jaw-line, catching it. Her heart beat just one beat faster then, his touch in soft a loving matter making a warmness sprout in her chest.
A few more moments passed before she pulled away and looked down at him. As she did this, his arms slipped casually around her slim waist, his hands passing each other so that the rested on each of her hips. A half smiled rested on his lips as she bit her lip and glanced again at his unshaven features. His eyes seemed to show a kindness behind his thin framed glasses that everyone who knew him acknowledged, but so few had seen it like she had. His moustache, which was the only neatly trimmed thing on his face, had always tickled her nose when she kissed him, sometimes to her dismay. A scraggily bear issued from his side burns, down his jaw and met at his chin, but reached no further than that, leaving his cheeks all but blank and smooth. He thought she was beautiful, and she thought he was the cutest dork she had over met, but he was the only one he said those words.
A soft sigh issued from the young lady's lips, but she waited, letting him take the lead in the conversation.
"I missed you," he said softly, his voice barely above a whisper.
"Not enough to avoid a cigarette before coming in," she muttered as she scrunched up her nose.
His eyes brows lowered, not menacingly, but in a feeling of remorse. "I'm sorry sweetie," and it was obvious by his voice that he meant it. He always meant it when he apologized for it. She minded, but not enough to draw him out further than that about it. She had known from the beginning, and he had made pretty good progress until the winter cold had come in. Her parents had smoked, so she knew the smell well enough. They both knew that neither would get a kiss until he either chewed a piece of gum or took a swig of mouthwash, and even then not for a few minutes. The strength of either taste of mint could easily ruin a kiss as quickly as the taste of the cigarette itself.
"I know," she replied sweetly as she leaned forward and kissed his forehead. It was usual for him to do that, but she did it on occasion, and it always brought back a feeling of innocence to him that he often left behind during the day.
Outside, in the cold hard world, he was kind, strong, and ready to work. She had seen him broken though, at his worst, and it was by her alone that he had found someone to hoist him out of the now past darkness. Many had tried before, and some had made a change, but he had gone for a time to another state, and while gone and when he first returned, his will power had all but left him. All he had in his life had been work for so long, and he had all but shut himself up in it. Of course he had liked her then, known his feelings, and leaving her had made him close himself up just a little. What had really hurt him was that when he returned, so much, and yet nothing important had changed. She was still only a friend, and he had still not found a place where he felt at home. Only a few months had passed and the change in him had become obvious, his moods had brightened and he had gone back to his habit of singing again.
Now, he had promised her a night alone together, and she still wasn't quite ready to go yet.
"I promise I will be done in a few more minutes," she whispered to him.
He kissed her cheek and told her to take her time, and that he didn't mind being inside.
They were headed to see a movie that night and to stop somewhere for dinner. He personally wanted to go to Eat'n Park, and since she still didn't drive, she really didn't have a preference. Then again he didn't really have a preference either, it was just commonplace for him to go there for coffee, so when he visited that area, that is where he went. Tonight was to be no different, unless she decided she did mind and selected where they went. The night was about spending time away from their usual hangouts, which consisted mostly of each others houses. Then again most of the time all they did was play a few games and watch television. It had been idea to change it up and go to the movies, since they rarely went on dates yet.