"All right, "he said, angered instantly as I surprised him, "you have thirty seconds to convince me-"
I cut him off, trying to do the only thing I could think to do; make him remember that he loved me. I poured everything I had into that moment, giving him my entire soul in one desperate kiss. I prayed that it would be enough, for at least the short while, enough for him to let me make up for the past.
I had only wanted to stop his tirade, never thinking he would respond to me. Though we had had our share of kisses in the past, this was incredibly new. I felt his emotions swirl through me; the initial anger brightening into a shocking intensity that held the strong undertone of someone who was badly bruised, all the while screaming an immense relief that stayed ringing in my mind. I broke off, knowing I owed him a lot more, and turned away, trying to regain my voice.
As I expected, when I faced him again, he was waiting for me to explain, though an explanation was by no means a pardon for what I had done. I took a deep, shuddering breath, suddenly more than ever aware of what I had to lose, looked at him with sorrow in my eyes, and started.
"I'm sorry. Sorry for all I put you through. Sorry for overacting, and sorry for making you think you weren't good enough. Sorry for making you doubt yourself. It really was the exact opposite. You were the best thing that ever happened to me. I-I-I didn't know what to do or how to think. THAT's why I acted the way I did. You were so perfect that I couldn't help myself. I lost track of the truth and couldn't find the way back. I couldn't sort through the delusions that hid reality. But now I can. Now I realize what I love about you. Your humanity."
"Marah, I-"
"Shhhh," I murmured, putting a finger to his lips, "Just listen. Listen to my heart beat with yours."
With that he consented to lie down on the couch, wrap me in his embrace, and hold me 'til the sun came up. I refused to relinquish this moment to sleep, afraid that it was all a lie, and I'd wake up alone and unforgiven. He too was awake, but not from uncomfort. He must have felt my tension, and for all that I said I was still very much afraid. I slowly relaxed, feeling in his feather light touch across my hair, the love he had promised to me.
It was this simple act without words that prompted me to speak again before I lapsed into dreams.
"Dustin?" I voiced softly, slipping away into softness.
"Hmmnn?" came deep the reply from above my head.
"Love you" I breathed, snuggling into his body, and slowly giving in to fatigue, but not before I heard him whisper "Love you too Mar."
There will be more, but I am working on dividing chapters and such. Thanks for reading!
