Through The Dark

23: Black-Tie

Saph

Getting to spend the night with him, I came to find out that Niall was a restless sleeper, always moving around and fidgeting in some way, shape or form. Every once in a while during his slumber, he would utter incomprehensive words, let out a tiny, almost inaudible laugh or, in the case he was lying on his back, release quiet, muffled snores. He never seemed to settle down into a certain position for more than ten minutes, to the point where I couldn't understand how he was still asleep during all this.

I, on the other hand, was the complete opposite of that. I usually needed some time to fall asleep, but the moment I did I could easily pass for a dead body, barely moving even my eyelids. At least that's what I've been told from the only two people I've previously shared a bed with, which were Kristy and Blake.

Sleeping next to someone so energetic was odd, because he would always find a way of draping an arm or leg over me, catching me off guard. Though, it was sort of amusing watching him sleep. His cheeks never lost the pink undertone and his hair was all knotted up and tousled from tossing and turning every now and then. Long eyelashes rested on his soft cheeks while his lips were always in a slight pout, parted just enough to let the air in and out of his lungs.

I came to realise that sex is not the pinnacle of a relationship, no matter what we are all led to believe. At the end of the day, what it comes down to in the matter of intimacy between two people is getting to experience eachother sleep, appreciating their presence and hoping that whatever they're dreaming about is making them feel happy, making sure that they feel at ease and anticipating the moment they open their eyes to look at you again.

Getting to know someone's ways and habits as they slept was something that most people never paid attention to, but it was something very important to me. We are at our most vulnerable state during that time. Being unconscious for hours on end meant you were unaware of anything that could happen around you as long as noise production was kept to a minimum, and that thought always made me feel uneasy.

I guess I am a restless sleeper in some way. I had the tendency of jolting awake in the middle of the night for no particular reason at all. That is a habit that probably got developed from a young age, where I would be forced to sleep alone in a dark room, knowing that my parents weren't in the house and couldn't come running to me in the case of a nightmare or a scary noise coming from outside. That was probably the reason why whenever Niall would slightly move, my sleep would be cut short and I'd instantly dart my head to the source of the movement. I didn't know how he managed to have that effect on me, but I would instantly feel relaxed the moment I met his face next to me. He had a way of making me calm down without even realising it, or without even needing to be awake, and that was crazy to think about. He was the first person to emit a sense of safety to me during the night. Not even Blake had managed that, seeing that he actually made it worse by always keeping his distance. He never was one to cuddle, and he would rarely cave in to my request of being held.

I've only been with Niall for a week, yet here I was, in his bed with half his body rolled onto mine while he had somehow managed to be able to breath with his face buried in my neck. The weird part is, I've never felt more comfortable and calm in my entire life. I hadn't managed to sleep much from his constant moving, but I didn't care. Having him cling onto me like I would disappear if he let go made up for the lack of rest. For the first time in my life I felt needed, no matter how pathetic that may sound. He was making me feel like he wouldn't be able to sleep if his body wasn't in contact with mine even in the slightest way possible, and he didn't even realise how much that meant to me.

I wrapped my arms around him, starting to run my hand up and down his spine as his hot breath hit my neck. I felt him move slightly, and I thought that he would just change positions again, but instead, his head shot up from my neck and he opened his eyes ever so slightly, the steel blue colour glimmering even in the darkness of the night.