Page 67 of Truth or Dare
He laughs. A sheen of sweat coats his face and I meet his mouth to plant a kiss on his lips. He cradles me, and pushes my hair away from my face.
“You know, I meant what I said.” His eyes search my face. “I want a baby with you.”
A smile creeps up on my lips. Never did I think I could get to this point. Where I feel safe, and happy, and cherished. My brain and I still battle each other daily, but it’s not as bad as it once was. I don’t know if I’ll ever be better but I know I don’t want to bring a child into this world unless I can give them the best I have to offer. With time, maybe I can get there.
“Maybe one day.” He presses his lips against mine and my tongue swipes into his mouth before breaking away and tucking myself into his chest.
My fingers find his tattoo and the circular scar that sits on his rib cage. He’s mostly healed now, but his skin still wears the damage of the bullet that nearly took him from me.
“Maybe one day.” He echoes, rubbing my arm as we both stare up at the ceiling. “Well. I should probably make you my wife before then huh?”
I giggle. “Probably.”
We haven’t talked about marriage, but we’ve been living with each other, letting our bodies and minds heal from the trauma we’ve been through. And we’ve been doing it together. Healing takes time. It’s not something that can be rushed, even though I wish I can pass go and collect two-hundred dollars. Life doesn’t work that way.
“What do you say? Will you be my wife?” I stare at him. This man who’s stolen my heart and walked through fire with me. The man who stared death in the face and gave it the middle finger just so he could find his way back to me.
I give him the only answer I can with a smile splayed upon my lips. “Only if you dare me.”
He rolls over and fumbles around in the drawer next to the bed.
“What are you doing?” I ask, eyebrow quirked.
“You didn’t think I was just going to ask you without producing a ring, did you?” He turns back over taking the blankets with him, and reveals a stunning sapphire ring, surrounded by two small diamonds on either side.
“Truth or Dare, Hazel?” He asks, ice blue eyes glinting in the sunlight.
“Dare.”
His mouth quirks up into a grin as he says, “I dare you to marry me.”
“Deal.” He grabs me, bringing my mouth to his with a searing and all consuming kiss. He slips on the ring as our tongues tangle in a heated embrace. We break away and I look down at the gem that now adorns my finger as my vision wobbles and eyes begin to sting with the promise of tears.
The ring fits flawlessly.
“I measured your finger while you were sleeping.” He admits, as if reading my mind. With how closely he studies me, it doesn’t surprise me.
Of course he did it while I was asleep. I chuckle to myself, noting that some things never change. He’s always liked to watch me sleep. Most people might be creeped out by that, but it makes me feel adored. Cherished. I can’t explain why, but it does.
“It’s beautiful. I love it.” I mutter, starting down at the way the blue jewel glitters in the morning light. A small tear escapes the corner of my eye, and I feel so fucking happy.
“I love you.” He says, and I know deep in my soul that there’s no one else I could ever be this happy with.
“I love you, too.” I respond, with tears clinging to my eyelashes.
The two of us may be broken, but our broken pieces fit perfectly together making a beautiful mosaic of our damaged fragments. I’m not fixed because of him, but he does make me better. And I, in turn, make him better, too. Each pushing the other to be the best version of ourselves, as we accept the other, flaws and all for who we are.
We’re survivors. Not defined by our trauma but thriving in spite of it.
And I think there could be no more beautiful a love than that.
The End
