Sandy looked out the window, watching the water cascade off of the lush green plants outside. It was a dark, dreary night and the storm was really starting to pick up. He was lost in his thoughts until he felt familiar arms wrap around him.
"Whatcha thinkin' about?" Jeffrey asked, even though he was afraid that he already knew the answer.
"Stormy… Darkness…" Sandy replied, leaning back into Jeffrey's embrace.
Jeffrey held Sandy tighter. "This isn't going to change anything, Sandy. You're still perfectly safe here…"
"I know…" Sandy said. "I mean, most of me realizes that, but there's this small part of me that can't help but wonder…"
"You don't need to wonder…" Jeffrey said.
"I just… I'm over it… I've been over it… And then… Well… It's today… I mean… Three years already… It's just…" Sandy trailed off. He knew that he was rambling, but he just couldn't get the words quite right.
"I know it's hard…" Jeffrey said.
Sandy sighed. "Maybe I just need some sleep…" he said, pulling away from him.
"Well…" Jeffrey said. "We do have to be getting up bright and early tomorrow morning…"
"Yeah…" Sandy said, smiling softly. "My mother will never forgive us if we're late…"
"There…" Jeffrey said. "Now that's what I like to see…"
"What?" Sandy asked.
"That beautiful smile…" Jeffrey replied.
Sandy smiled brighter. "You always know just what to say…"
"That's because I love you…" Jeffrey said.
"I love you too, Jeffrey…" Sandy replied.
Jeffrey took Sandy by the hand. "Now come on…" he said. "It's late. We might as well try to get some sleep…"
Sandy followed Jeffrey into the bedroom and quickly crawled underneath the covers. "Jesus, it's freezing in here…" he said.
"It's alright…" Jeffrey replied. "I'll keep you warm…" He crawled into bed next to Sandy and wrapped his arms around him.
It didn't take very long for Sandy to fall asleep, and for quite awhile Jeffrey was content just to watch him. For the longest time it had seemed that a peaceful night's sleep would be too much to ask for him, and Jeffrey had been worried that today might've brought some things back. He knew that Sandy was worried, but a part of him had expected much worse. He silently chided himself for underestimating his lover's strength. "You never cease to amaze me, Sandy…" he whispered, kissing him softly before drifting off to sleep himself.