Irandial Wintoris

The necklace with the Apple rests in your palm, the metal is slightly cool against the heat of your skin and the heat of the retreating summer day. Serenity settled in after you and Caleb closed the little shop you were helping to sort out.

Caleb hasn't said a word since you settled on the floor for the night, silently resting the front of his head against yours, his hot breath mingling with the short huffs that escape your slightly parted lips.

You can’t remember when Caleb was so close to you the last time, and your heart starts beating nervously in your chest.

Can he hear it?

Your gaze wanders from your palm slowly to his face, memorizing the sharp line of his chin and the always chapped lips—he really needs to learn to use lip balm.

Further and further up you map his handsome face, the soft stubbles on his cheeks, and the straight nose until you meet his wonderful purple-pink eyes. The nebulae-like galaxies are filled with warmth, a tenderness that seems only reserved for you and it’s achingly familiar.

You remember that Caleb always looked at you this way. Like you are the world to him, the only one he cares for in this world.

And your heart beats even faster, stumbling over his own beats. Your mouth runs dry and the blood in your veins rushes like a roaring river. Maybe you should say something … maybe you shouldn’t.

And then his big warm hand caresses your hot burning cheek with a slow and careful stroke of his fingertips, like he isn’t sure if it’s okay but also as if he couldn’t resist not touching you.

And your breath hitches.

You wet your lips with your tongue, suddenly oh so nervous and painfully aware of his proximity. Of his broad shoulders that throw a shadow over your smaller figure and the muscle in his biceps that flexes with its movement.

With wide eyes, you hold his gaze.

Waiting.

Hoping.

For what, you aren’t sure.

Maybe that Caleb closes the diatance that kept you apart all these years.

Maybe to say something, anything that eases the sudden tension in the air.

But nothing of this happens as he strokes back a strand of your hair that fell into your face behind the shell of your, gliding the curve of the lobe like it could shatter every moment.

You gulp.

That draws his attention away from your eyes to your throat. The warm fingers that caressed the heated skin on your face, now traveling an invisible path down the line of your jaw to the side of your neck. Circling the sensitive throat.

Then his hand wraps itself around the column, enveloping it like a scarf in winter. And your heartbeat spikes to a record high, the blood now rushes loudly in your ear.

Caleb's gaze moves again, this time he watches your mouth. Staring your lips like a starving dog his first bite of meat after a long time.

You lean into him without thinking, drawn to him like there is some sort of gravity that pulls you into his orbit.

The hand around your neck loosens, his thumb starts to caress the tip of your chin, then glides along your bottom lip in reverence.

Caleb’s breath becomes labored as he reduces the distance like he can’t resist the treat that was the siren call of your wet lips.

The hypnotizing mix of purple and pink meets your gaze again.

And you're stunned by the expression you see in the unique mirrors of his soul.

Desperation.

Longing.

Hope.

Disbelief.

Tenderness.

A hunger that would frighten you if it were the eyes of someone else.

A hot sigh fans your cheeks and your eyelids draw close to prepare for what is about to come.

You want this kiss and yearn for it like a flower that awaits the first rays of sunshine after a harsh winter. Waited for it since the end of the days in the amusement park back in skyhaven.

“Caleb,” you whisper.

Begging, pleading for him to finally step over this line you both didn’t dare to cross before. You can almost feel the dry skin and hear his heart beating violently against the cage of his ribs.

Then a horrified scream, a yelling sound that causes your blood to freeze.

You rip open your eyes only to see a shadow that leaps swiftly over you, leaving a cloud of dust in its wake, and you cough as it hits your lungs.

The little cat that interrupted the moment of intimacy is long vanished between the lush hydrangeas as you can breathe again.

Caleb now sits, squinting in the direction where the intruder ran into. Briefly after his attention turns back to you, but the emotions in his eyes are gone. Only a soft, shy smile is left. “Are you alright? I’ll grab you somethin’ to drink, pip-squeak. Stay here and try to breathe steady, alright?”

And just like that the moment filled with tension, desperation and desire has gone, erased like the connection you shared once with the man that walks into the old store to fetch a drink.

As Caleb returns he hands you a bottle with cool water. “Here. That should wash away the dust in your throat.” Relaxed, he sits beside you again and makes himself comfortable on the thin blanket that covers the floor.

“Thank you.” you answer him as you gulp down some of the refreshing liquid, not once does your gaze leave his figure as Caleb shuffles to lay on his back.

With a final clink you set the empty bottle aside and the person you thought you know better than anyone else once, reaches out his arm to welcome you into the nook of his upper body.

“Come here. Let me be your pillow like before.” a short flicker of purple and pink to you before it settles back into the night sky, accompanied by a melancholy smile. “Let’s get some sleep before we need to get back early in the mornin’.”

Disappointment settles in your chest, the feeling of a forever lost chance lets you follow his suggestion and with a resigned sigh you cuddle into the spot under his arm, using his chest as a pillow and his belly as a bed for your hand.

You ran down the stairs to greet Caleb, planning to jump into his arms at the end but you stumbled halfway, tripping over something unknown, and now you were about to lose your balance. 

Out of instinct, you try to regain your stability, holding yourself in a couple of comical postures and waving your arms to get back into balance. The last thing you see before your world turns upside down are Caleb's beautiful colored eyes, purple tinged with pink, widened in shock.

But before your head can hit one of the stairs time seems to freeze... Or better your body stills mid-air, flowing motionless above the steps and you slowly lift your head to look around.

Meeting Caleb's face it dawns on you what happened: he used his evol to save you from possibly breaking your neck in a downfall, his arm lifted to control his powers to guide you flying down to him.

After the initial shock, you start to giggle and move around, pretending to swim in the middle of the air. You fully trust Caleb to hold and protect you with his Evol and you fool around since it's been a while he let you fly like this. 

As you arrive in front of him he chuckles and gives a little roll that makes you laugh lustily until you float into his prepared arms, gathering your body close to his in a bridal-style hold.

Still giggling you look up at his handsome face you caress his cheek. “I’m quite a catch, huh?” 

Caleb grins at you, making his galaxy-like eyes twinkle in joy. “Only mine, pip-squeak.” as he steps into the living room area.

Disclaimer: This is an original fan work for ‘Love and Deepspace’. I only own the rights to the plot idea.

Caleb is for the ones who Had a twisted hell of a home and being out there with friends, enjoying the adventure, riding bikes together, spend all summer day outside are the only cherished and good memories they have about their days as a child

Caleb is for the ones who Always wished for a brotherly figure who would protect them from everyone and everything because so many times they were hurt by the world

Caleb is for the ones Who Endure everything as long one person believes in them, only one is enough to be their guiding light when the darkness is all-consuming

Caleb is for the ones who Dream of a simple domestic life with their beloved, having their own garden with apple trees and a field of flowers

Caleb is for the ones who Always show a strong facade on the outside but are suffering and hurt on the inside. Nobody knows what they are really going through because they only show their sunny side

Caleb is for the ones Who Are tired of being independent, who want a pillar to rely on, someone who takes care of them for once. Where they can let loose and just be weak and needy.