shi_koi | About You... (Reply)

There are...snapshots, of things that feel unreal when I'm with you. As though the permanence of reality becomes leached away, leaving only the faded sepia tones of a warm and cherished memory, formed from moments of time that should be hidden close, away from sounds, from touches, from sharing. Selfishly hoarded as a treasure that can never be held with human hands.

Watching you in the cold early pre-dawn light, sleeping deeply, peacefully, a change from your usual nightmare-driven slumbers. I can see the passage of time as the light trails across your skin, stroking the patches of uncovered flesh with a weightless beam of light, slowly, inexorably moving as the sun deigns to rise.

Catching you mid-laugh, when you look up, glancing towards me in an effort to share your joy. That moment when our eyes meet, and the corners of your lips curl, and your eyes crinkle at the edges. The widening of your smile. The way your whole body leans towards me, eager to share the source of your happiness with me.

You, exhausted, so many times, worn down to your skin, and muscle and bone, but still taking the time to touch hands, or brush fingertips across my shoulders as you stumble up to bed. The moments when you pause to press your palm against my cheek and rest your head against mine. When you kiss my lips, cheek, head, hand, simply because I'm there.

I wish there was some way I could collect these moments, for when my memory fades. Each and every one is precious, so, so precious. They remind me of all the parts of life that are worth living for, struggling for. And you. There are so many times, so many moments when all I wanted to do was give up. Except you were there. My living treasure.