-two months later-

I had recently begun to accept Ivan's tendencies to crawl into my bunk on those lonely evenings. His fingers threaded through my long hair, twisting it around like he was trying to spin gold. I would lay on his thick chest, longing to feel the beat of his heart but finding an empty silence instead. Since neither of us were the talkative type, when boredom reigned we would fill the void with light and soundless kisses. However, some nights the atmosphere thirsted for something more than soft caresses and we dared to roam past the innocent touches.

I rolled over to face Ivan and his vivid purple eyes. I traced hearts on his forearm with my finger and he pulled me closer. Our warm breaths intertwined and his lips found their way to the delicate skin of my neck. The kisses started off clean and harmless, but with every noise of pleasure I released and every approving squeeze, the kisses intensified. Slowly the kisses mingled with a bit of sucking and a pink tinge rose to my flesh; not like I minded. A few more of those and Ivan was out of breath, laying back down beside me.

"We should go to sleep, da?" he suggested. I glanced at the wall clock and read the time as half past eleven. I shrugged. He grasped the corner of the comforter and pulled it on top of him as his eyes fluttered shut. The yellow light from the dimming lamp on our nightstand twinkled against his blonde lashes. It was something only someone paying a great deal of attention to this man's appearance would care to notice; but I did, and to me it was another thing on the endless list of things that made Ivan beautiful. I whispered a barely audible "good night" and fell asleep with an arm draped over his heart.

The morning sunshine gleamed through the curtains a few hours later. I yawned and popped a few bones climbing out of bed. Over the years I had grown into a morning person. It wasn't so much of a choice, rather that when I still lived with my parents and I had rambunctious siblings hollering at the top of their lungs at barely the crack of dawn, I adapted to embrace the start of each day. Now that I'm an adult, work was an inevitable factor of my life. I had to be ready at the counters of the Silver Swan Eatery at no later than seven o'clock sharp to serve our customers. In all honesty, I don't dislike my job; some of the patrons weren't exactly to die for, though.

I kicked the side of the bed in an attempt to wake up the slumbering Ivan. Not even our obnoxious alarm clock could ever awaken him, so eventually I took it upon myself to do so. He slowly sat up and stretched, rubbing his eyes and howling out a yawn. Locks of white blonde hair tangled about his head and stuck up in all the wrong places. His bedhead sure was cute. I slipped on a button-down shirt and discreetly gazed at him stumbling and fishing though the dresser for clothes. I swear, when he first wakes up he looks more drunk than when he's chugged a load of vodka. He dressed himself and slinked his arms around my waist. I had noticed a few bruises had appeared on my neck as a result from the night before, and Ivan seemed to enjoy that. He smiled down at me and reached up to straighten out the collar of my shirt. I glanced down at my watch with a subtle blush rising to my cheeks.

"I've got to go, I'll see you tonight, aru!" I unwound myself from his gentle grasp and waved goodbye, placing the hairbrush back down on the vanity and walking out. I hopped into my car and drove a few blocks to the restaurant. I arrived ten minutes prior to my scheduled shift, which meant the place was even more deserted than usual. Well, who really eats Chinese food at 6:50 in the morning, anyway?

A co-worker of mine brushed past me. "Oh, hey!"

"Hello Jaime," I responded.

"What's with your, er, neck? Someone get a girlfriend?" he said with a sly, knowing smirk.

"Well, uh, not exactly..." I rubbed my palm along the marks and bit my lip. I knew his reaction to my relationship with my male roommate wouldn't be accepting.

"Aw, come on now. You certainly didn't do that to yourself," he pressed.

"Never said I did," I replied shortly.

"Kid, don't try to play innocent. I know a hickey when I see one," Jaime said.

"I never said it wasn't a hickey," I looked down at the checkered tile as I spoke.

"But you said you didn't have a gal," he questioned. He was such a nosy fellow.

"I don't," I assured.

"But then-" his expression changed as he realized what I was saying. "Gross, man."

I walked away without another word, slightly embarrassed and insulted. As the first few customers began pouring in I continued my shift like normal as the day went on, and left the place hours later. Thankfully, I ended up not having to speak again to my rude acquaintance.