Rain

That day was gray; it seemed that a storm was coming soon. Mei and Lars were completely oblivious to that fact. They were cuddling in the couch, she got closer and he put a kiss on her head, then other in her cheek and other on her lips. They kissed slowly. Then she interrupted the kiss.

"Lars, I'd like to ask you something"

"What?" he said, kissing her neck.

"Wait, Bunny, please, I want to talk" she said calmly, pushing him away softly.

He looked at her, waiting for her question, he hoped that it was something simple; he was a bit tired and wanted to take a nap with her. She took his hands between hers and started talking.

"We have been together for more than two years, now tell me, have you thought about our future?" she asked seriously.

"We live together already" he shrugged.

"I know, and I am happy with it, but…"

"But what? What other thing you want?" he said a bit defensive.

"Have you thought about what are we going to do later? It is not necessary to get married, but you know, other couples make plans…"

"We are not like other couples; I thought you were happy about the way we live"

"I am. I like our life as it is, but also I'd like to make plans. Because I need to know if…" she suddenly stopped.

He got serious.

"If what? If you are not wasting your time with me? That's what you mean?"

Mei shook her head, she knew she was about to say something really hurtful, even though she hadn't never thought about it. Lars seemed annoyed, waiting for her answer. She didn't know what to continue. Why he was so stubborn and jump into that conclusion.

"Mei, look, I told you I wanted to go slowly, without pressures. I like our present; I thought we agreed about going step by step, why do you think about the future?"

"Lars, please, don't get mad, I just want to know if we want the same…"

He moved away from her. He had that awful feeling, and remembered why his other relationships finished. He didn't know how to answer to that and after a long pause, he said:

"Probably not"

She got a lump in her throat. They remained quiet for a few seconds; he stood up and took his jacket, walking to the door. She wanted to stop him.

"Don't follow me" he said, his voice had a lightly tremble, but he didn't look at her.

When he closed the door behind him, she felt her heart breaking in thousand pieces. She rested there, looking at the door, and finally could hear the rain and the thunders.

Lars tried to hold back the tears; he wasn't going to cry, no, he had promised himself he would never cry, and less for a woman, but Mei wasn't just a woman. He was out of the apartment, but he didn't go anywhere, he sat next the door.

Very deep in his heart, he hoped she opened the door and wanted him back, but that didn't happen. At the same time, Mei wanted to follow him, but the way he told her 'don't follow me' paralyzed her. Where did he go? She wondered. She sat in the floor and covered her face to cry.

Lars wanted to think clearly, he felt as a coward to run away instead of talk with her as he used to do, but this time, he didn't have the answer she wanted. He knew since the beginning that she was different, that this time everything will be different.

His past relationships were based on just the mutual attraction and having a good time. With Mei there was passion, love and tenderness. There was something on her, something that made him want to protect her, to don't ruin it as he always did, don't run away when things got serious or difficult, being there for her.

Mei had always been there for him, when she took care of him when he was sick, supporting him in every decision and loving him. She was the only one who tried to understanding him, and she found the heart he thought he didn't have. She made him feel loved and important.

And now, he was there, outside their apartment, just because he didn't know how to respond at a question that seemed important for her. He wanted to return with her, but he needed time to think.

Mei wiped away her tears, her heart hurt so much. This was the first time they argued in that way. She walked around the house, as if she could find him there, but she knew she was alone. She found his shirt and took it, it smelled like him, and she hugged it.

Why she had to be so stubborn and ask him that? She kept his limits in mind; she knew he wanted to go slowly, so she was surprised when he asked her to live together. They had already talked about his commitment issues, and she respected that, so she didn't pressure him, the only she did was promising him to love and take care of him.

They were happy living together without pressures, without doing what everyone expected. Their love was the only thing they cared about. But lately, she had been thinking about their future, if that could last forever as she wanted. She didn't want a ring and a big wedding to prove it; she just wanted the commitment of a future together.

She loved him more than anything, so she wanted to spend the rest of her life by his side. And she wanted to know if he thought the same.

Lars felt confused; he said all that because he felt the pressure. He had never thought that maybe she was wasting her time with him. But he was afraid that she repeated those horrible words he had heard before.

Of course he wanted a future with her, he couldn't promise her to have a big wedding and then having children together all of a sudden, but he could promise to love her forever and being by her side. That's how he truly felt. And that's what he tried to let her know.

He looked the rain failing, it was cold. He wanted to return to the apartment and tell her all the things he felt about her. He wondered if she would want him back or if she would think he was a coward. At least, he wanted to see her, and apologize.

She stopped crying. She needed him, and she was ready to go out and look for him. She opened the door and she saw him, standing in front of her, as if he were about to open the door.

"Lars?"

"Mei…?"

Mei felt into his arms, crying and repeating his name. She made him enter the appartement and took his hand to take him to the bedroom. So both lay in bed, covering themselves up with a blanket, as if they were hiding from a nightmare. They cuddled.

"Forgive me for being such a coward. I didn't have to take your question in that way" he said, hiding his face on her chest.

"You are not a coward, Lars. We are going to figure this out together, ok?" she said, caressing his hair. "For now, I just want to feel you close to me"

"I love you, Mei, I love you so much" he told her, holding her closer.

"I love you too, my Bunny" she said, kissing him.

With that, both knew they were fine.

They rested there in the dark, hearing the storm out there, and feeling safe. They talked a few hours later. They wanted to enjoy every moment of their relationship as they did, and also they promised to love, take care and being there for each other. Actually, it wasn't that hard to decide it. Everything was easy because, after all, they wanted the same.

Note: This one was planned as a drama, I hoped I did a decent job.