#zelvin

In the past, during their runs through the streets like orphaned teenagers, he would take her home to sleep, but she'd be gone in a flash; not without leaving him something delicious to eat and a tidied up living area. She made him realize he either slept harder than he realized, or he was just that soothed with her around. When she was gone, it made waking up a pain.

Those days he would push the pillows to the floor, only to learn her scent was beyond the pillows and were simply in the sheets, but not the weight or warmth of her. He'd find strands of red between his fingers, and even in his own hair after a quick comb through. The first few times, especially the first time his nose alerted him of food, he'd feel a rush. Nerves tingling from his shoulders to his chest, and a crash when there was no sound, no woman, only a plate of food for himself.

Sometimes a note. Some he still had and thought about, even with her finally in bed with him this morning.

I hope you like strawberry pancakes and a little cream♥ Tell me later.

Sinfully sweet, Zeles. I loved it.

This omelette alone will fill up for a lot of your missed vitamins, you big boy.

Delicious, but it didn't...let's say, stick. Aspargus is great, though, never had it before.

Smaller omelette this time. Spinach and mushrooms with a tiny bit of tomato. It'll stay this time.

Stay. Why not you? ...

It sure did. Say, have you ever tried any of this yourself...? They're truly delicious, you should see my face while I'm eating your love <(￣︶￣)>

After a while, he stopped sending her texts in reply to her post-it notes. Yesterday morning He made the effort to go to her apartment. His motivation being, for someone with not much to do, she was always in a rush to leave him. It was during that trip his mind wasn't right. She lit up whenever he dropped by, and that was nice. When was it the last time anyone looked at him like that for just knocking on the door? It felt like his home too.

Mother. 

People you love, and people who returned it, they were home and not a place. But when something wasn't a place, the uncertainty would be nerve wrecking. Things he was so certain of in his past before Zeles, disappeared like that. Thinking of that every time he saw her made things...hard.

He developed a habit to brush his hair back nervously whenever she opened her door. Especially not instantly, even after she opened it all those visits, he'd brush his hair back, lost in thoughts and scenarios until she'd say every time:

"You want me to style it, Al?" Dejavu would confuse with nostalgia during that period of her running away.

"Huh--oh-- As long as it's not waxed down, sure."

On that particular yesterday, soon after the knock that lead to another grooming, they went out. Much later, she was back into his house. He always lead her around hot spots in his neighborhood. That time, he was more prepared for her, or fed up with his inability to wake in time, rather. He didn't sleep when she did that night, he slipped out of bed to the kitchen door. Blowed up balloons to attach them to the frame with tape. When she goes to open the door, it should rip the balloons open.

He exited through the door to his yard to get back inside and with her again, the following morning being different than the usual.

A shrill shriek and sounds of popping, he jolted up at the sound of Peachy's distress. He momentarily forgotten about his trap.

"Alvin, what the hell?!" No emptiness, no smell of food, but a very angry redhead was present in his eyes.

"Stop leaving." He stares her down, her mouth gaped. Just like that, she's trying to flee out the side door. "Oh god damn it--" He reached for her, successfully grabbing her jacket, to pull her to him and hoist her over his broad shoulder. "Nope. not having it, you're staying here and that's final!" 

"W-what's your deal??" 

He stopped walking, feeling like his heart was like the prior ripped balloon.

"What do you mean what's my deal?! You keep leaving in the morning before I wake up!"

"I don't--you make it sound like...." With her hesitation, he stomped up the stairs with her. "...Hey, I make you really big and hearty breakfast and leave snacks!" 

"Well, yeah, but- Zeles, would it kill you to stay here at least one morning so I can wake up to see your face in the morning for once?"

"...Why?"

His breath hitched, "Wh--" the muscles in his arm flinched, and without realizing it, he threw her to the bed. "What do you mean why?!"

Her eyes looked away from his. She couldn't answer right away.

"Al..."

"Don't make me beg, Zel..." He shifted to his knees and wrapped his arms around her waist, squeezing her gently.

Her next inhale shudders dramatically, from his words, to his shift in position of kneeling, to wrapping his arms around her waist gently... Her eyes fluttered, and with that flutter, tears slipped out of her eyes. She was momentarily stunned, but broke through her fears. She slowly and gently, place her hands over his shoulders. Her trembling fingers combed through his brown locks before pressing against his scalp.

"You don't... have to do that, Al. ...I'm sorry. I-it's habit..."

“I didn’t say “I love you” to hear it back. I said it to make sure you knew. I need you to clearly know this. I don't need to hear it back...but I do need you to give me some mercy." Shes a smart woman, very smart, she should know what he meant by asking her for mercy. Even an unrequited response would help him.  "I know you're scared, Zel. I am too." He held up one hand to cup her face as he looked up at her from his position. His hands shaking, "Let me be the reason you don't have to be afraid anymore. "

Her voice is high and airy when she replied, "---you're shaking" She shook under him, just like she had their very first time together. "Al," she swallowed a lump in her throat before holding the sides of his face. "You... y-you got me."

And now here she was, in her underwear, in his bed with him in the morning edging into the afternoon. She smelled so strongly of peaches it did make his stomach growl, but it also made him nuzzle into the back of her red hair as she slept.