Midnight World

Girl rolls over and while still in her sleep, absent of any thought and as natural as drawing her next breath, to reach for her soul mate seeking everything she could ever need to be complete all in simply feeling his touch to snuggle against. Her hand falls flat on the cold spot where Guy was last she saw him or rather didn't, she had fallen asleep with her head in his lap while he rubbed her back tenderly and jokingly told her stories and other crazy things Girl loved so much. Guy's absence shocked her awake leaving her still feeling groggy and thoughts fuzzy from the sleep that was still clear on her face. Not believing what she felt, Girl rubs the dreams from her eyes and looks around the room absently, stopping to smile at the television when she recognized the singing of a particular man-eating plant meaning after Girl dozed off in contempt Guy had continued to stay with her. Keeping her company rubbing her back and she had no doubt singing along to the music of one of his favorite movies.

Girl wormed her way slowly over to the edge of the bed, swung her feet over and slid off until she was standing there looking for more clues as to where her Street Rat could be. She sighed as she checked her phone finding no messages from her missing counterpart, figuring he had possibly moved to the other room to avoid waking her. The girl stepped off to find Guy already grinning just at the thought of surprising him with her presence so late and at the thought of seeing his inevitable smile. Walking into the spare bedroom he had long since converted into his "study" although Girl always teased that Guy was never studying anything when she caught him in there. As Girl pushed the door slowly to avoid noise and tipping off Guy, her body tensed up with anticipation and excitement only to reveal an empty room warmed by the glow of the multiple screens. The guy always had multiple different programs and shows and documents displayed on like her mad scientist… only now the lab was empty. The girl frowned with obvious disappointment shifting her weight at her hips changing her stance, and while she thought about where Guy might be instead, the image on the screen changed. Following its preset timer, the monitor changed but so did everything before her eyes...

Girl instead was standing watching herself walk in to find Guy typing away like a madman with words appearing on one screen so quick it was as though they were already there and he was simply wiping away the blank wall and revealing them. On another screen was a cartoon family in their family-owned diner battling their social awkwardness with love and comedy, even as he worked it was possible to tell Guy was following them because he chuckled without looking away from his screen or even pausing at the remarks from a small girl wearing what appeared to be green bunny ears that she never took off. The girl didn't get the chance to look at the third screen before Guy startled her by speaking.

His voice saying, "Ya know with any luck this is exactly what our family will be like one day."

The girl blinked astonished at what had just happened before realizing that the man sitting in front of her never ceased to amaze her.

She brushed it off and answered Guy, "Haha and if that's true then if they're anything like their father then that little girl will be even more sarcastic and cunning."

Guy stopped typing, finally swiveled in his chair to face her with that goofy display of teeth she'd come to know as her favorite smile so contagious that she couldn't help but waltz over slowly, place the drink she had brought Guy on the corner of his desk before she slid into his waiting lap and open arms fitting better than any puzzle piece did in the big picture. Guy wraps his arms around her, tight in the way that she knows he will never let her go.

He says, "Well that's alright because as Daddy's little princess she can have the world if she wished it and I would have no choice but to make it happen."

Girl rolls her eyes dramatically letting out an exasperated sigh as she performs a perfect facepalm. Head still in her hand she turns slightly towards where Guy is watching her while kissing her neck repeatedly as though he knows what comes next.

"So she'd get away with anything. Just like her father… we cannot have a girl that you'd do nothing but spoil her and she'll hate me," Girl relays speaking out loud.

Guy laughs heartily while resting his forehead on the side of Girl's neck. Sensing it is a topic he can't win at the time, Guy's eyes, shifty as always, dart around looking for anything to distract his queen when he picks up the drink she brought him, sniffs it, then takes a large gulp.

Charmingly he asks, "And what exactly is this love???"

Girl sees what he's up to but gives in and responds with a quick grin, "It's something sweet I got for the sweetest person I know."

After another long gulp of it, Guy smiles wide kisses Girls shoulder.

He seals the deal by saying, "Well… I like it."

Eliciting a shy smile from Girl that she tries to hide as she kisses the arm wrapped around her and returns with, "Well, I like you"

...On the screen illuminating the empty room is the exact frozen moment where Guy had paused the show for that conversation. Perfectly stationary was the bunny-eared girl finger raised and mouth open the way Girl could tell this was not just a paused show but Guy's way of preserving something special they shared just like she had. With Guy's extra room revealed to be empty, Girl moves on dragging her feet down the hallway silent to the world but deep in contemplation when she looks up seeing that she had subconsciously walked to the kitchen. The light already on she realized Guy had been here at some point as well, so Girl scanned every detail she could for a hint or clue until she saw something that halted her. A tupperware container sat alone almost perfectly hit by the dim light from above the oven. The container was opened with half the contents still inside meaning Guy had been interrupted during his midnight snacking which didn't warrant special attention in the least. Guy had always been one to wander and she always silently made his unfinished business disappear as if by magic to him. What drew Girl to the situation was what was in the container...

As she started again she watched herself making sweet slices of apple in a sugary syrup for Guy to surprise him when he snuck up on her wrapping his arms around her waist and snuggling up tight to Girl.

"Whatcha doing???" He whispered teasingly with a serious hint of curiosity.

Girl smirks and pushes against him putting her finger to her lips without looking away from her task at hand.

She responds saying, "Shhhh I'm making a surprise for someone very special. I want to show them that I care and love them more than they can imagine. But they're very tricky… we have to be very quiet or else they'll find out."

The guy showing obvious dismay and disappointment, frowns, lets go and turns towards the fridge opening it disdainfully.

"Must be someone super special for you to be doing that without even being asked or telling them. Yay, them!!!" he mocks in a sarcastic tone.

Girl continues beaming down with concentration now to the work happening in her hands.

"Yes they are possibly the most special person ever… I just want them to know it," she teases.

Guy now scoffs slightly and retorts, "Hmph just an opinion, I wonder how many people see them the way you do… not that they aren't exactly what you say they are but everyone has their different sides little one…you should be careful."

Guy steals a tiny glance over the door of the fridge to see if it's gotten a reaction out of Girl or at the least if he can sneak a peek at what she is hiding. As his gaze drifts Guy's eyes follow up Girls figure until they're caught staring into each other's eyes.

"You DO know I CAN see you right??? Also, spying isn't nice if you want to know what I'm making just ask love. Another mean thing to do is try and play with my words. I don't know how anyone else sees them but I know how I do and nothing can change that. No matter what side of you I see I know there is a universal truth in there. It's that we were meant for each other," Girl rants.

Guy's head disappears behind the fridge door again leaving the room silent beside his rummaging for snacks and her secret work. In the same instant almost as though practiced Girl breaks the silence muttering.

"Sh-" but is cut off by Guy's excited voice, "That's for me, isn't it!?! I heard you. You said it. What is it!?!"

He slams the fridge door closed giddily and pushes past Girl easily mad with excitement pecking her on the cheek as he goes. Girl pouts and stomps her foot and crosses her arms making a scene.

She says, "I never get to surprise you with anything… do you know how hard it is to sneak two of your favorite things in this house… apples AND cinnamon!?!"

Guy now holding the container of fresh apple slices covered in shining golden syrup lowers it from directly in front of his face to look Girl in the eyes with genuine feeling.

He admits, "I LOVE when you try to surprise me. I love seeing the effort you go through to show me how much you care. These tiny gestures they may be but they mean the world to me, my love."

While the feeling from his words is still setting in with Girl, Guy takes a spoon from seemingly out of nowhere and scoops as much of Girls secret desert into his open as possible chewing only a few times before he stops abruptly squints at Girl and puts it in the fridge. She begins to open her mouth in protest and asking what he did that for when he kisses her stopping her words in her throat and just as he pulled away he hugged Girl close.

Guy whispered, "Let's just go get nuggets and milkshakes."

Alone in the kitchen again Girl broke away from her thoughts to see the door to the balcony cracked with moonlight leaching into the room and making her smile so wide she almost burst out laughing. Hurriedly moving to the door she leaned quietly and peaked through to see her Guy there, sure enough, leaning over the railing gazing at the sky. Perfect she thought a chance to actually sneak up on and surprise him!!! As she crept out towards him Girl listened closely and noticed a slight change in his breathing. With a deep breath, Guy's shoulders heaved with a big sigh.

He said out loud, "There are things you purposely make an effort to remember… and there are things you can never forget. Ya know???"

The girl stops in her tracks wondering if indeed Guy actually knew she was there and was addressing her directly like he had some kind of 6th sense intended to specifically keep focused on her, but unwilling to chance to give herself up she kept quiet and trained on him in the silence of the night.

Guy continued, "When I met you I knew that I had been smitten in a way I wouldn't be able to resist. Haha. I don't think I ever told you that, did I???"

Girl stomped her foot in that familiar way crossing her arms and responding "There's no way you knew I was here!!!"

"I will always know when you're near me bright eyes," he interjects.

Then almost as if immediately on cue, Guy turned around and locked her in his embrace.

He says "I will never forget those feelings and how often I think about the concept of being drawn to you like a moth to a flame. I mean what chance did I stand against those bright eyes of yours, those that devoured stars???"

Perfectly in sync with his words he titled her chin aiming her view towards the vast array of shining miracles hanging there like diamonds in space.

Girl did an excited wiggle and blurted out, "Oh my God is that why you call me Br—"

She was stopped short by Guy's voice, "I call you bright eyes because just like the sky above us you wear the stars in those eyes of yours more elegantly than any I've ever seen…"

Girl caught speechless leans her head back against Guy's shoulders and letting her body relax in his arms.

"Right now is possibly my favorite moment. In my favorite night of my life. In this exact moment, I love you more than anything," she says.

The girl raises her tilted head to struggle to try to kiss Guy puckering her lips repeatedly until he lowers his own head in response bringing it to her.

"Love isn't exactly a moment in time. It's every time I look in your eyes and see the way you look at me. It's every single time I think back on and remember all the reasons that made me fall for you… it's everything past, future, and present between us… IF that makes sense???" Guy rants.

Girl smiling wide says in a hushed tone just barely louder than the wind "Yes. Yes, it does. You are my everything."

The guy smiles and says back, "I will be your anything."

Girl and Guy enjoy each other's presence basking in the aura of one another enjoying a comfortable pause in time as the world itself had stopped and they melded into each other. She breaks the silence suddenly with something she'd been wondering.

"Just what were you doing out here anyways my love???" she asks.

Guy brushes it off with a flash of his charming grin, "You won't believe me but here it goes, I was talking to the moon actually. He's an old friend of mine from the bad times."

The girl can't help but jest and tease so she asks, "Is that so??? What exactly do you and the moon talk about if I might ask???" with a raised eyebrow.

The guy almost too casually without a second thought responds, "Oh well nothing really. He tells me about the sun. So I tell him about you…"