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Ajax, as much as he was a little troublemaker at times, always went to his bed on time. Whether he slept at the intended time or not, however, was for him only to know. His parents made some exceptions to his 9 pm bedtime on several occasions, like holidays and large family gatherings or when he had a friend over.
Lumine has been his best friend since the start of the school year. Both competed to be the first in their class, and their rivalry blossomed into a strong friendship where each knew the most about the other.
It was summer now, and he wanted to invite her to a sleepover. Once he got his mother's permission, he started practising writing her the perfect letter. He had spent a whole day rewriting it until he was satisfied.
He took a blank piece of paper and made straight lines over it with a thick black marker. He even used his ruler to measure each line, ensuring they would be perfectly spaced. Once that was done, he put another paper on top. Now that the lines were barely visible on the upper piece of paper, he could write and be sure his sentences wouldn't be crooked and messy! He spent long hours writing the perfect paragraph, writing the first letter of each sentence with a bright blue colour.
Once he finished, he drew the best-looking narwhal and crab at the bottom of the page holding hands. They were his and Lumine's favourite animals, and he was sure she would be happy to see them! He drew many stars at the top, representing their sleepover, and finally made a box around his paragraph so it would be the centre of attention!
He took the blue envelope he had begged his father to get for him and slipped the folded letter inside. He sealed it and wrote Lumine's name on the front and his on the back. He took another piece of paper, and cut it into a small shape resembling a stamp before drawing a small fish on it and glueing it to the letter.
It took some more begging for his big brother to take him to Lumine's house, where he slipped his envelope in the mailbox and went back home, giggling the entire way.
He spent the next day checking on their mailbox to see if Lumine had responded, and during one of his checks, he saw her in the distance walking to his house with her brother. Excited, he hurried back home and left the door slightly ajar, waiting until he saw her plop a letter in the mailbox and walk away.
When they were gone, he went outside running and grabbed the letter. He went to the kitchen, where his mother was preparing lunch and plopped down on one of the many stools there. He didn't want to ruin the yellow-coloured envelope in his hand, so he asked his mother to open it for him with a knife.
She complained about being busy preparing lunch for a large family yet still opened it for him anyways, and he was quick to tune down her complaints as he started reading Lumine's letter. In it, she expressed her happiness to be invited and promised she would arrive at ten in the morning in a day.
He squealed in absolute glee as he read it out loud to his mother before running off to his room to start preparing for his next project before Lumine's visit: making a program for them with plenty of games and fun activities.
It took him the rest of the day to get his plan all written on a paper sheet, with time stamps for each activity. That night, he fell asleep with the paper under his pillow.
Ajax's sleepover with Lumine couldn't be more perfect; they played in the lake and tried to catch fish barehanded, they collected twigs from the woods behind his house and made a small structure to provide shade for squirrels, they got a bucket filled with the lake's water, placed a few leaves inside it and spent two hours sitting beside it and waiting for a frog to hop in and swim.
When they got back home, they played in his room with paper swords he had prepared the night before, pretended to save his plushies from an ambush, and competed with marbles.
When the night rolled around, they drew in the living room, where they stayed with his family and then spent the rest of the night trying to beat a difficult level in his console game. Lumine slept before him while watching him attempt to win against the King Dragon, and he eventually felt himself dozing off as he kept losing time after time.
He didn't realise when he had succumbed to sleep, but he slightly felt himself being carried at some point.
It was comforting and warm in the summer's night chill, and he didn't want to wake up yet. When the morning rolled around, he woke up and found himself in his bed, Lumine sleeping next to him, her mouth slightly open. He'll definitely tease her about it when she wakes up.
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Ajax didn't have many friends, and even the friendships he made were surface-level and would usually disappear when the school year ended, except for Lumine. She has been his best friend for a few years now, and since both of them enrolled in middle school, Ajax discovered that he had a crush on her. He didn't mind his new discovery and was content with spending a lot of time with her.
They still went to sleepovers in each other's houses, went on adventures in the woods, and played in the lake. But now, each action felt more precious, and Ajax started paying more attention to Lumine than the activities they did together.
One day, it started pouring heavily when both were still in school, so they ran back to his house since it was closer than hers. His mother gave each of them a towel and helped to dry them off. They changed into drier and warmer clothes -Lumine borrowing some of his sister's- and waited in his room for the rain to lessen.
They sat on a thick blanket on the floor and covered themselves with another, facing the window and watching the rain pour down. Ajax's mother brought them each a cup of hot chocolate and cookies and told them to call her if they needed anything else.
The cup was a bit too hot to hold at first, so they talked a little about their morning classes until it cooled just enough for them to grab. The warmth from the cup was a much-needed relief after their earlier run in the rain, and while it was fun, they both got cold fast.
"Your mom makes the best cookies!" Lumine's voice pulled him out of his thoughts, and he watched her bite into one, a blissful smile on her face as she kicked her feet and chewed.
Ajax's heart skipped a beat.
He puffed up his chest, cleared his throat and ran his hand through his hair, "Actually, I helped in making these cookies," and then laughed when Lumine's eyes grew wide with surprise. "You should teach me how to make them!" He nodded and took one for himself, dipping it into his hot chocolate and savouring the cookies.
Their afternoon was spent enjoying their hot drink, watching the rain and playing with his console. Ajax hoped for many days like this with Lumine, where it's just them inside their little warm bubble.
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The more time they spent together, the bigger Ajax's crush for Lumine grew until it developed into a proper, nascent love he held dearly to his heart. Before either noticed, they were in high school. Their time together didn't lessen, and they only replaced a chunk of fun time to study together.
He started noticing the subtle glances Lumine would send his way when she thought he wasn't looking and the shy blushes whenever he complimented her outfit or hair. He started to suspect that she may also be in love with him. The thought accompanied him all day and in his dreams, and he didn't mind it much.
On the winter holidays, Ajax invited Lumine to spend a night since his mother would be making one of her favourite dishes for dinner. She was at his doorstep before their call ended. They joined his mother in the kitchen and helped her peel and cut vegetables.
Ajax tried to season the soup simmering away and got hit with a wooden spoon on his hand before he could. His mother's angry voice mixed in with Lumine's laughter, and soon, both of them were kicked out of the kitchen by a frightening and mad mom.
Dinner was delicious, and Ajax got to see Lumine's cheeks inflated with food as she kicked her legs and thanked his mother for the delicious food. For the remainder of the night, they helped his little siblings with an advanced level in their game and sneaked through the window to watch the stars shine bright in the sky.
It wasn't like his parents would object to them going out at night, but it was more fun to jump from a window than open a door.
They ended up laying side by side on the snow and pointing at the numerous constellations in the sky. Lumine knew more about the stars than he did, so he listened to her as she named each constellation she knew, watching as her eyes lit up with a sparkle rivalling that of the starry sky above. He listened to her speak excitedly about them, his heart swelling with fondness at her passion.
When their coats no longer provided warmth against the cold of the night, they decided to go back home. His mother was about to extinguish the fire in their fireplace when they returned, and she asked him to do it instead.
"Want to do something more fun first?" he turned to Lumine and asked in a faint voice, fearing the advanced hearing abilities of his mother. She looked at the stairs where his mother had disappeared and nodded. They made their way to the kitchen in careful steps, and Ajax retrieved a package and two wooden skewers.
"Marshmallows?" Lumine's voice was quiet, yet it didn't mask her excitement. They kneeled in front of the fireplace, each with a marshmallow stick in hand as they turned it over, watching as it quickly browned around the edges.
Lumine blew on her treat for a moment to cool it down and bit on it, stretching it slightly as it melted in her mouth. Ajax watched as her expression morphed into one of absolute delight, smiling and closing her eyes.
A little of the melted marshmallow stuck to her lips, and at that moment, coupled with how happy Lumine looked, Ajax couldn't stop himself from leaning in and gently placing his lips on hers. She stiffened for a moment, and he was about to pull back and apologize when she returned his kiss, pushing her mouth more firmly against his.
That was probably the sweetest first kiss anyone could have, he thought as they separated before planting a second one atop the first, and many more following suit.
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Ajax's adult life was far from peaceful. He didn't know when or how it happened, but it soon became increasingly overwhelming and consuming until it threatened to drown him in its weight. His entire world turned into a constant struggle against the shackles of his own mind.
His only salvation after a long day was a call from his family and a hug from Lumine, his girlfriend. They had moved in together a few years back and supported each other through thin and thick.
She looked tired too, no doubt from finishing a long shift, so he hugged her back tightly, a shuddering breath leaving his lips as he hoped for this rough patch of their lives to pass.
They didn't talk, didn't need to when they understood what they needed. Lumine caressed his cheek with her thumb, and he leaned in slightly to kiss her forehead. She led him inside to their bathroom, where a bath was already drawn. They slipped in the warm water together, her back to his chest as they relaxed further.
He saw her slightly hunched over, and his brows furrowed, so he started to massage her shoulders, trying to ease down the knots there. Her shoulders sagged, and a sigh escaped her as he kneaded his fingers into her skin. When all tension disappeared from her muscles, he hugged her close to himself and kissed the crown of her head.
She turned around to him with a smile on her face and gave him a sweet peck on his lips, and reached behind him for their shampoo bottle. She squeezed a generous amount in her hand before lathering his hair in it and massaging his scalp. He sighed and closed his eyes, enjoying the calming motions that she was so proficient at creating.
She rinsed all the suds away from his hair, putting her hand on his forehead to block any from falling into his eyes. His heart swelled with so much fondness and gratitude at her loving gesture that it almost ached.
After their bath was over, they went to their living room, ate the pizza they had ordered and watched a movie, cuddling under their blanket. Lumine nudged him when it was time to sleep, and he complied. Once in their bed, he tugged on her nightshirt, and she was quick to understand what he wanted.
She climbed up on top of him and laid her head on his chest, and he relaxed further into their bed as he hugged her gently and pressed a kiss to her hair, feeling safe and secure with her body weighing on top of him. After a moment, he spoke for the first time since their night started,
"Thank you. I love you," his words were simple, yet they carried all his unsaid feelings into them. "You're welcome. Good night, and I love you too," her voice was gentle and soothing as she spoke, and he hummed at her in response.
It was moments like these that kept Ajax going every day, no matter what happened. The warmth of another body against him and the feeling of being loved kept his mind from wandering too far away.
He rested his hands comfortably on her back, and she nuzzled closer to him, both lulled into slumber by the warmth of each other.
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Years passed by in a flash, and soon Ajax found himself back in his homeland with his wife, Lumine, visiting his family. The harshest part in his life yet was over, and he got over it with the help of none other than the woman walking beside him, their hands holding each other.
It was snowing as they walked, both bundled up well after his mother fussed over them at home. It was a little amusing, seeing his mom take care of them the same way she did when they were young.
Some things don't change at all, like the strong friendship between him and Lumine, others evolve, like their love, deepening with each year, and others do, like them, growing together and building a life for themselves.
They arrived at their destination just in time to watch the sunset. They sat down on a log, and Ajax brought out their soup from his bag. It was his mother's signature dish, a hearty soup that would warm you up even if you were trapped in an ice cube.
He gave her her thermos, watching in amusement as she poured some soup on the lid and happily sipped on it, her leg bouncing on the snow, and he laughed. Lumine's love for food never changed either, he thought, smiling fondly at her. He sipped at his soup too, looping his arm around her and hugging her closer to himself.
She was watching the sunset, yet he couldn't bring himself to tear his eyes away from her. She was by far a more breathtaking view, one that could keep his eyes glued to her forever, and he felt himself falling harder for her still.
She turned her head towards him then, and their following kiss was as natural as the snow falling from the sky. She rested her head on his shoulder, and he rested his on hers, content with the peace of this moment and enjoying the comfortable silence between them.
His hand wandered to rest on hers on top of her lower belly, where a small bump had barely started to show up. Neither could feel it with the number of layers she was wearing, but even the knowledge of its existence was enough.
This was another welcomed change in their lives, one they had been planning for for years. It still felt surreal to him, to expand his little family with Lumine. It was a scary new step in their lives, but they had decided to work together and make it the most enjoyable one yet.
"I wonder how your mother would react," she mused as she tapped on his hand.
"I'm sure she's going to be happy." Oh , his mother will be ecstatic . She would definitely make them a dozen meals to take back home too.
The sun was halfway down now, the sky slowly fading into twilight colours, and the cold settling in. And as much as he would like to stargaze with his wife tonight, the wind was picking up and promising a storm soon.
"Hey, Ajax,"
"Hm?"
"I'm glad I met you."
"Me too."