Morning Reassurance ♡ Copia/Alena
He was doing it again.
Leaning on his palms at the bathroom mirror , staring at himself, and sinking deep into the reflection that stared back. Alena had seen it many times, and knew precisely what was occurring. In that mind of his, he was tearing himself apart.
She leaned against the bathroom doorway, just watching Copia, and not yet approaching. She’d only just gotten out of bed and put a robe on, made her way to their restroom and found him there, looking dejected as ever. The very sight of which broke her heart. Copia said nothing, he didn’t even seem to register his wife’s presence, and she did not want to alarm him.
So it was only when he stopped leaning, and his head fell into his hands that she finally moved. Alena trailed up behind him, one hand sliding up his spine to caress his warm back and the other, she rested on the counter. He tensed up at the contact, but thankfully didn’t seem startled, and when she pressed her cheek to his freckled shoulder , he finally moved his hand away to peek at her.
“Good morning,” Alena greeted in a quiet tone, “my love, are you okay?”
He grunted, avoiding the question. “Good morning.”
“I don’t like to find you here, you know,” her fingers swept up and down his back, “I don’t like the way you look at yourself.”
Copia didn’t respond. He was eyeing the sink, pretending to be distracted by something there, but these acts could not fool the woman who loved him. Her hand travelled upwards, until she could run it through his hair, brushing back some unkempt pieces and gently scratching his scalp. He sighed— he liked that.
“Alena..” he finally spoke, turning just slightly toward her, “…what can I do?”
“You don’t need to do anything.”
“I’ve let myself go,” he motioned toward the mirror, and the genuine sadness in his expression and voice only worsened her pity. Her index finger traced the line of his cheek.
“You have not,”
“I don’t like… the way that I look.”
It was a statement that always broke her, but one she’d heard many times. One she knew well. She heard it even before his facial surgery, and then right after, and even now, still. Copia would never be good enough for himself.. why couldn’t he see him the way she did?
Alena frowned , unable to help herself but to wrap his body in a hug. “I do,” she replied, “I love the way you look. I wish you’d be nicer to yourself.”
Copia said nothing, but returned her embrace, finding comfort in the hold of her body.
“Be easy on yourself , amour, please.”
He sighed, “I’m trying.”
“I don’t know what you’re telling yourself right now. But you,” Alena tapped his nose, “are a beautiful, beautiful man. And I am attracted to every part of you.”
The tiniest smile tugged at his lips, “..you can’t let me stay sad , can you?”
“Absolutely not.”
She could tell he wanted to say more. To rip at himself verbally, tell Alena what he was thinking about why she was wrong. But he didn’t.
“You really do mean that?”
“Yes, my love. And I will continue to prove it to you, as long as we’re alive,” She stood on her toes to peck his cheek, and his smile grew, “if you don’t believe me now, you will someday.”
“Thank you, Alena,”
Poor Copia. She hated when he got into his own head like this.. to pull him out of it as quickly as possible was the best option. The longer he’d soak in self deprecation, the worse he would feel.
“Come back to bed,” Alena took him by the hand.
“Ah.. we should be getting up,”
“I don’t care. We can spare another twenty minutes,” and the man raised a brow.
“…for what, exactly?”
She smiled, “I just want to be in your arms, my love, whatever that takes. What we do is up to you… I just want to get back in bed and never let go.”
He practically melted, the tension visibly leaving his body at the thought of snuggling back down. He couldn’t resist, giving the suggestion a nod and allowing her to take his hand.
If Alena couldn’t convince him not to hate his appearance, the least she could do was distract him— remind him how precious he was to her, how gorgeous, with a morning spent in bed and endless kisses for his beautiful face.
