[[ Copyright by Ashley Young, December 10, 2007. ]]
The air was warm and smelt of fresh pine, chopped and neatly laid in the fireplace which had been forgotten about since the very first days; small cinders sparkling up into the chimney as the soothing orange flames danced across the logs excitedly, producing the rooms only light, flicking against the edges of nearby objects in a sort of eerie way. Eerie, yet calming.
A few sparks traveled outward, much like small fireflies, buzzing into the silence of the room before flickering out, caught by a bird of night. Small, metallic-gold bands glinted. Snow on the outside windowsills shimmering as if piles of glitter poured there in excess by some overly artsy child. The room was truly at peace, noise to a minimum beside the ambient chime of the entertaining fire, the rustle of sheets.
A slim hand, grasped within a smaller soft hand, lay upon a fleece blanket, thumb tracing over the back of the other. The blanket draped over the cuddling forms, accenting every curve they had to offer along with the bizarre piece of furniture.
The back rose up much like a chair, but at a small angle that grew out to support a back if needed but also comfortable for a sleeping person. Along a longer side of the piece, a sort a wall sprouted out, on a similar angle, but not as drastically small and more for support than comfort of sleep.
The fire danced on, telling tall tales of the pine, flicking a romantic light upon the feature of two faces -- calm and relaxed, eyes slipped closed. The smaller of the two rested between the legs of the second, her back rested up against the chest of her female companion; head tilted off toward the other's neck but seated comfortably upon the shoulder.
This room held love, filled to the brim and spilling over. It was this room, this fragrance, and this light on a cool winter's night that brought out all best intentions. Tears of joy were shed once more, almost on occasion, from share memories and soothing silences. Words weren't needed to be exchanged, it was a sort of telepathic connection that was held, even as smooth, velvet lips brushed against each other in a loving touch, a shy, quivering hand cupping a cheek as reassurance that it wasn't all just a dream.
It was far from a dream. It was a dream come true. To lie, hand in hand, engaged and in security of the other. To breathe the scent of not only the sweet burning pine, but of a long time lover, to feel her hair, her skin, her breath and her lips. Everything. It was now that it was actually all reality. It was now that it had been reality for some time but still feeling as new as the day before.
Love had been shed several times, expressed in more ways than one, all pure and innocent. Gleeful giggles and chimes of laughter filled each day, night bringing around the silence of thought and enjoyment. A time to relax from a morning and afternoon of relaxing. It was all refreshing, each and every moment. None of it tiring or boring and never grew old. It was reborn each day without a moments notice.
It was this love, so pure and gentle, that grew into an ocean for all to see.
Within this room lie two women, hand in hand and cuddled happily in front of an open fire, crackling with romance. They had defeated all odds set against them by society. They had faced down all the hardships together and never wavered in strength. They had joined together, so much further together, than ever though possible, with love.