Reunion - Mapi Leon x Reader

Chapter 35 - Domestic Mornings

I wake up with my legs entangled with hers, arms draped lazily over one another's mid-section. Her chest rises and falls with each breath and the covers fall a little lower each time, giving me a full view of the bruises and marks littered across her chest and neck. With a reluctant huff, I climb out of the bed to the kitchen and begin to throw together some breakfast in a shirt I'm 90% confident isn't mine.

If anyone was to ask, I'd tell them how excited I was for this opportunity, but as the time for leaving edges closer, I can't help but feel dread at leaving my comfort zone once more. I'd just gotten comfy in my new home, with my Mapi and my life, but now it feels like it's all been taken from me, even though I volunteered myself into this situation. I have to live with the consequences, but with Mapi by my side I don't think it will be too hard.

Speaking of the devil, I turn my head just as she walks into the kitchen - looking just as dishevelled as when I left her, just with clothes on. Almost immediately she sidles around me as her arms twist around my waist. A kiss is pressed to my neck just as she reaches all the way around me and pinches a piece of bacon.

"Mm. Delicious, baby. Why didn't you wake me?" Her voice is still rough with sleep, yet her love is still apparent in the tone.

"Maybe because you just looked so perfect where you were."

Mapi rolls her eyes before sitting down at the kitchen island for when I plate the food up. "May I mention just how dashing you look wearing my shirt?"

"No you may not. Now eat." I push the food towards her and she pulls me into a kiss as a thanks. Grabbing my plate, I slide in next to her and munch through my own breakfast, but I find myself delaying. The longer I take to eat breakfast, the more time I have with her before I have to leave. She picks up on it I know from the way she keeps leaning over and stealing a bit off my plate.

"If you eat any slower then the food might mould." Mapi's hand grips mine tightly. "You know how proud I am of you, right? The big, brave steps you're taking for your career."

I snort. "I'm not 10."

"Hmm I vividly remember telling you that same thing just before you left when you were.. 18."

"Yep, well. 7 years is a long time."

We fall silent, and I know that in my carelessness I've stepped on a loose nerve.

"What do you mean you're leaving? Why?" her voice cracks mid sentence, only making my sobs break and crack as I drag a suitcase behind me.

"Because I have to, Mapi! And it's not like you haven't already left me." I let out a choked sigh and I heard her pause in her attempts to stop me.

"Are you being for real right now? Are you not listening to me? I left the city. NOT THE WHOLE DAMN COUNTRY!"

"You never come and visit, Mapi! You leave me on my own to suffer through everything with my stupid, perfect sister and stupid, stupid school. Well guess what, Mapi. Don't expect to be seeing much of me anymore. 'Cause you might just find I don't have time to pop by and visit either."

She stops as if she knows she isn't going to win this argument. She lets me walk away from her for a couple of seconds before she launches forward and grips onto my wrist. I try to pull away, but I can't, she's 21 now. She's stronger and bigger than me and I can't do anything but succumb to fate.

Her spare hand goes and grabs my chin, forcing my eyes onto hers. "You know I'm proud of you, right?" She says. "Everything you've done and the steps you've made. You're so brave. Doing it all without me, too. When I get older I wanna be just like you." Her grip loosens and pulls me towards her further. Her lips meet my forehead, then either side of my cheeks, then the tip of my nose. She hovers over my lips but pulls away before they touch.

"You already are old." I laugh, but curse myself at how simply she managed to make me smile again.

"Maybe so." Mapi brushes a piece of hair out of my eyes and I smile. Our relationship was so effortless and it hurts me to know it's coming to an end.

Like then, I can feel that the distance this step in our relationship will bring. And I think Mapi knows that too, by the reluctance in her eyes as I swallow the last bit of breakfast, the food getting clogged against the side of my mouth as I try and force it down. We've not yet decided how we're going to navigate the distance yet, and even though we were separated before this feels bigger, longer, harder. I'm not sure what we've built has big enough supports for this.

(A bit of a short one because your girl is s.u.f.f.e.r.i.n.g. with writers block. Hopefully gonna get out a new one-shot by the end of the week - but its not a request, just one to get me back into the mood of writing. I would really appreciate it if we got a response from you all along with feedback for what we could do better and/or what you want to see happening in this book just in case we can angle it into the plotline already set. Love ya!)