"Are you alright?"
He stayed silent, his hold around her waist tightened and his leg swung over hers to hold her even closer. He buried his face between the back of her neck and her shoulder.
"Roy?"
He let out a sigh, lifted his head a placed a soft kiss on her bare shoulder. "I miss you", he said simply.
"I want just lie in bed like this. Just holding you. Let's just lie in bed", he said and he placed another kiss on her shoulder.
They laid in silence, the only sound heard was their steady breathing and the cicadas outside.
"Thank you for the flowers earlier", Riza said, wanting to break the stillness. "Which ones?" he asked. "The ones on my desk, the ones in my locker, the ones in the car, the ones in my apartment and the ones you gave me when I got here. Did I miss any?" she said with a slight humour in her voice.
"No, I think that counts for about 5 bouquets", he replied.
"What did you do with the rest?"
"I gave them to two other beautiful blonds and a brunette", he said. She turned to face his smirking face. "Trying to make me jealous?"
"I doubt you'd be jealous, they each only got one bouquet".
"Are they well? I haven't had the time to visit them".
"For the first time, Elicia didn't scream 'daddy' when I rang the doorbell. Gracia told me she stopped doing it since the last time I went to visit them", he said sadly. "It's just 'uncle Roy' now".
"I think she has finally accepted that her father wasn't coming home".
Riza snuggled closer and tucked her head in his neck.
"Yes. I suppose she has. But she still asks stories about him whenever I come over", Roy replied as he shifted in bed for a more comfortable position.
"I wish we could give her a friend to play with", Riza said offhandedly.
"What?". Roy pulled back to look at Riza. "Do you…?" unsure of whether she had said what he thought she meant.
Riza smiled at the startled look on her lover's face.
"I never knew you wanted children".
"Do you?" she asked.
He pondered for a moment before he replied, "I do".
"But we can't can we?", the smile now a ghost on her lips. "Not now. Maybe one day. Maybe not ever". She evaded his eyes but he saw the solitary tear that slid down her cheek.
He wiped the tear and kissed her cheek. "I never knew you felt this way", he said. "I'm sorry".
"No. Please don't say that. Do what you must do Roy. I'll always be behind you. Normalcy is something we sacrificed a long time ago. A marriage and a family is not something we can have. Not now. I fully accept that but I am, after all, a woman. Maternal wishes I suppose".
"I wish I could give you more", he said. His forehead leaned on hers.
"Just love me as I love you. I do not ask for more", she said.
He leaned in and kissed her gently. "I want to give you more".
"One day Riza", he kissed her again, more passionately before he held her close once again.
"One day".