"Good morning, Baatar." Kuvira rested her elbows against the bed and hovered over her man, bowing down to kiss his collarbone.
"Mm-" his eyelids opened impulsively and she watched his eyes dart around the room before focusing on her. He blinked three times and narrowed his eyes, trying to make out her shape. He drew his left arm out to the side and felt around his nightstand.
"Here." she slid his glasses onto the bridge of his nose and traced the tip with her right index finger.
Baatar smiled warmly and slid his glasses into place with his right index and middle finger. His eyebrows relaxed, "hey."
"Hey." Kuvira smiled down at him, "how are you?"
He reached his left hand up to her right shoulder and squeezed it gently, "I'm fine, how are you?"
She rested her left cheek inside of her palm and moved her right hand towards his ear and traced around it, "I'm fine."
Baatar closed his eyes and laid still, "you're lovey today."
Kuvira didn't respond but continued to feel his skin, "my lotion is working wonders on you."
He laughed under his breath, "think so?"
"Mhm. I can't kiss dry skin. I refuse to." she whispered and lowered her chest down onto the bed, then ran her lips along his right earlobe.
Chills spread through his body, "what did I do?"
She moved her right hand up and over his chest and grabbed a hold of his shoulder, nuzzling her face inside of the crook between his jaw and neck, "you love me."
He slid his fingers into her hair and rubbed her scalp, "of course I love you, Kuvira."
"You've never hurt me."
"I never will."
She lifted her head and stared at his cheekbone, "have I hurt you?"
"...no, Kuvira."
"If I ever did would you tell me?"
He nodded.
"Hold me."
Baatar wrapped his arms around his fiancée and laid her head against his chest. He rubbed her right arm, "talk to me."
"I feel good."
Baatar listened and stared across the room at Kuvira's vanity dresser.
"We're getting what we've wanted for so long, Baatar."
"Love."
"Love." she repeated, "yes. Something so simple manifested itself in such a complex way."
"It's heavy, Kuvira."
"It is heavy." she agreed, "it makes my chest hurt."
"It makes my stomach feel sick."
She hovered her hand over his stomach and slowly curled her fingers under her palm as she stared through the open bedroom door, "good pain."
"Do you ever think about the love we've lost for this?"
"Everyday." she looked back down at him.
"We gained an empire."
"We help millions of people. Millions of babies get to eat because of our love for our nation."
"It's worth it. I'd do it again."
"As would I, Baatar."
They laid together in silence for a few minutes.
"What do you want, Baatar." she spoke into his bare skin.
"You."
"I'm here. What else do you want."
"Whatever you want."
She reached her right hand up to his chin and stroked his stubble, "I want you to shave."
He chuckled, "I will. And I want you to marry me."
"I will." she closed her eyes, "in time I will."
"How much longer?"
"As long as it takes."
Baatar smiled to himself, "don't get mad when I ask you this."
"Oh boy." Kuvira braced herself.
"Imagine if we had babies or something...wouldn't that be cool?"
She raised her head and stared at him, "this empire is our baby, Baatar. We created it together. We love it together."
He didn't make eye contact, "yeah. I know that." he pinched pieces of his tousled hair, hardened with gel, "I just thought we'd be good parents, is all."
She thought for a moment, "we would be."
Baatar moved his hands onto his abdominal muscles and intertwined his fingers. He looked down at them.
Kuvira wrapped her right hand around his nervous fingers, "is that what you want, Baatar?"
He looked at her, "hm?"
"Is that what you want from me?"
He nodded.
"Okay. After the wedding."
The corners of his lips upturned, "Are you serious?"
"Yes. We'd make beautiful children. Just look at us." she turned her head to the right and looked into her vanity mirror. "We're excellence."
He grinned and bit down on his bottom lip, "excellence" he repeated to himself.
Kuvira smiled at him then ran her right index finger along her waterline. She rubbed her finger against her thumb and stared at the black residue. "How bad do I look right now?"
He pressed his right thumb against the faded black wing on the corner of her eye then tilted his head, "hm...pretty terrifying." he joked.
Kuvira pouted and struggled to hold back her smile. She wiggled her right fingers and ran them up his bicep, "ooo is little baby Baatar scared?"
"Nah." he leaned in closer to her face and pursed his lips.
"No." she covered his mouth with her hand, "brush your teeth."
His eyes widened and he retracted, "I'm...so sorry."
Kuvira sat up and crossed her arms at her chest, "it's fine."
He covered his mouth, "is it really that bad?" he whispered.
She cracked a smile and shook her head.
Baatar relaxed and kicked his legs over the side of the bed and stood up. He headed for their bathroom.
Kuvira flopped down onto her stomach and watched him, "ooo! Look at that booty." she teased.
Baatar straightened his back and ran into the bathroom embarrassed, covering each butt cheek with a hand.
She laughed and planted her face into the white comforter.
Faucet water began to run, "Kuvira, you know what?"
Kuvira raised her head and looked in the direction of their bathroom.
"I love you more than anything on earth."
She leaned her head against her right palm, "don't lie, Baatar." she knew he was being genuine, but she wanted to hear it again.
"I mean it. More than anything."
Kuvira was silent.
"Even more than the empire."
She closed her eyes and lowered her face back down onto the bed, pretending she hadn't heard what he just said.