(Setting: 2022, Romance/Slight Angst, Light M)

. . .

City Lights

It's not exactly a peaceful night, but when is it ever? Manhattan is crawling with people from dusk to dawn, always echoing with car horns, sirens, bass thumping, someone yelling. There can never be a true moment of silence. Regardless, it feels serene right now.

She towers above the streets, gazing out through the glass and resting her hands on the windowsill. Her eyes slowly roam around to absorb the setting before her. It truly is a beautiful sight - all the lights glistening throughout the skyscrapers, contrasting against the darkness of the night. At this angle, the city appears to never end.

Even though it's clear overhead, the stars are still hidden against New York's luminosity. She can only pick out a few of the exceptionally radiant ones stretching across the sky. She never thought much of it when she was younger, that there is an endless galaxy out there and she's barely had a taste. The moon, however, is large and brilliant, casting a shimmering reflection against her skin. The moonlight outlines her nude body with the precision of an artist stroking a paintbrush. And she might as well be a work of art framed in a museum.

A faint whisper resonates to the side of her. "Liv?" She hums in response. "Baby, are you okay?" His voice is drowsy, but still has concern outpouring at her absence from his bed.

"I'm okay," she says softly, staring out at the midnight world. "Just enjoying the view... I stopped appreciating the city's beauty a long time ago," she admits.

He sits up on his elbow, resting his face in the palm of his hand. His eyes wander down her figure, marveling at the way the moonlight dances upon her. It swims through her brunette waves, glowing across her shoulders and breasts - absolutely ethereal. "It is the perfect view."

She turns her head, seeking out his eyes with the limited light cascading from outside, but he has already tossed the covers aside and is climbing out of bed to join her. "I'm sorry I woke you," she whispers as he approaches behind her.

"You didn't," he responds, placing both of his hands on her shoulders. He rubs down her arms and back up a couple times. "Did something wake you?"

Anytime his hands touch her skin, she's entranced by the sensation. She closes her eyes, momentarily focusing on nothing other than his hands now smoothing down her bare back, then trailing back up. "No, nothing in particular." He sweeps her hair over to one shoulder and leans down to kiss her neck.

"You wanna come back to bed?" he asks, placing light kisses in a line up to her jaw.

She sighs contently at the contact of his lips on her skin. "Yeah," she breathes. "Shortly. Just, be with me here for a moment," she requests. She smiles at the barely visible reflection of the two of them in the window.

"I can do that," he whispers in her ear, then straightens back up. His arm wraps around her torso, and he pulls her against his chest, then lightly rests his chin atop her head. They stand in silence for a moment, indulging in the comfort of their embrace, taking in the city before them.

"It's just," she begins with a solemn tone, "it's so hard to see anything good out there anymore. The shit I see daily..." she trails off.

"Liv," he whispers, turning her around to face him. He places his fingers under her chin and tilts her head up. "You are what's good out there." She gives him a partial smile. "And I'm so sorry I left you alone to deal with all of-"

"El, we've been through this enough. It's fine," she says tiredly.

"It's not fine, Olivia. It never will be," he insists, cupping her cheek. "But I promise you that I will try to make it up to you every day." He presses his lips to her forehead for a quick kiss as she wraps her arms around his waist.

She looks up at him with an honesty in her eyes. "You are." She stands up on her toes and pecks his lips. "I love you," she whispers, then steals another brief kiss. "So much."

His thumb strokes her cheek, and he has a soft, blissful smile on his face. "I love you, Liv." His other hand grabs the side of her face, and he pulls her in for a passionate kiss, which never fails to send both of their heartbeats into a marathon.

She chokes out a tiny whimper when his tongue connects with hers, swirling in her mouth slowly and sensually. He kisses her ruthlessly - devours her - always making her weak for him, her whole body warm and flushed. "El?" she asks against his lips.

"Hmm?" he mumbles, peppering her cheek and jaw in feathery kisses.

"Someday," she rasps, still reveling in the feeling of his lips all over her. "Can we leave the city and just...just look at the stars?" He lifts his head to see such an innocence in her deep eyes, and his lips curl upward slightly.

"Anything you want." He strokes her cheek, then runs his hand through her hair, lingering there.

"Okay," she smiles, glancing down for a second then finding his eyes again. "Good. And right now," she traces her fingertips down his chest. "I want you." There's a gleam of seduction in her expression, and he smirks at her.

She reaches up to capture his lips, but he pushes her back, earning a puzzled look from her. "It's my turn to enjoy the view." He drinks in her body, against the vibrancy of the city. She watches his eyes flickering up and down, all over her.

Her line of sight falls down to the effect she has on him, and it boosts her ego. She tilts her head to the side. "Satisfied?" she smirks.

"Always and never," he responds huskily, grabbing her shoulders and pushing her to the bed. She tumbles back with a laugh at his sudden urgency. He hovers over her and brushes some hair away from her eyes. "Always, because you're mine. But I can never get enough of you."

"Never," she agrees, and the two of them fall into a familiar rhythm with the city lights and very few stars as their witnesses.