The Sea's Breeze
"just a Valen daydream of mine hehe" - TYELANIA
Sunlight comes in through the windows, spilling golden warmth across the open pages of your book. A breeze moves in off the ocean and lifts the curtains, and for a moment the whole room smells of sea salt. Valen's thumb moves slowly, making a circle on the arch of your foot resting in his lap, as if there's nowhere else he'd rather be. You look up from your book, just a little, and see that he's already looking at you, his eyes meeting yours over the top of his own book. He asks, "Am I distracting you?" with a hint of a smile playing on his lips. "I'm trying to read here," you say, looking up from your book with a hint of playfulness, "but your hands are really distracting." Valen's lips curve into a sly smile as his thumbs apply more pressure to your arch. "I can stop if you'd like," he says, his voice low and gentle, leaving the decision entirely up to you. "I dare you," you say with a grin, setting your book down on the table. The wind starts to blow, and the pages of your book begin to turn over on their own. He gently shuts his book and sets it down next to yours, keeping his attention on your feet. "You know, I was thinking about the part we read together last night," he says, his voice quiet and thoughtful. Gently, he moves his fingers again, slowly pressing into your heel. Lost in thought, he quiets, and you can't help but wonder what's on his mind. “Which one?” You shift slightly, enjoying the warmth of his touch. “The one where they finally admit how they feel.” Valen’s eyes meet yours, and something unspoken passes between you. The ocean waves crash against the shore outside, a telling sound of the moment. Your heart quickens at his words, at the weight of what he might be suggesting. The room seems to hold its breath with you, the only sound being the same distant rhythm of the waves. "What do you mean by that?" you say, your tone a little gentler now. Valen nods, his fingers stilling on your foot. “All that time wasted, when they could have been…honest from the beginning.” The breeze shifts, bringing in a stronger scent of the sea. Outside, seagulls call to each other, their cries tainting the air like questions. You tell him, "Sometimes people need time," as you watch him let go of your feet and take your hand in his. His thumb starts tracing the lines on your palm, like he's reading a map. "To be sure," you add, feeling a sense of uncertainty. His touch is gentle, but it's like he's trying to figure something out, to understand you better. The way he's touching you makes you feel like you're being read, like your palm is a message that he's trying to decipher. "Maybe we could," he says, his voice barely above a whisper in the stillness of the room. "…just be brave." He pauses, his words hanging in the air. "What if we didn't waste any more time?"
