CHAPTER 12: The Softest Intimacy
961 Words
The moment the front door clicked open, my heart skipped a beat. I had been waiting for this—counting down the days, hours, minutes. No amount of texts or video calls could replace the warmth of being in her arms, the feeling of her presence filling up the quiet space around me.
I rushed toward the entrance, almost tripping over my own feet. Before I could say anything, before I could even properly see her face, she pulled me into her embrace.
“Little babe, I’m home.”
Her voice was tired but gentle, and I melted into her, pressing my face against her shoulder, inhaling the familiar scent of her. That same elegant fragrance she always wore, mixed with the faintest trace of exhaustion. She must’ve been so tired.
I held her tighter. “You’re finally back…”
She chuckled, her arms tightening around me. “Missed me?”
I pouted against her shoulder. “What do you think?”
She pulled back slightly to cup my face, her thumbs brushing over my cheeks as she studied me, like she was trying to memorize every detail. “You got skinnier.”
I frowned. “No, I didn’t.”
She clicked her tongue disapprovingly. “Liar.” Then, her gaze softened, her fingers tucking a stray strand of hair behind my ear. “Have you been taking care of yourself while I was gone?”
I hesitated. “…Yes.”
She sighed, but there was amusement in her eyes. “Alright, we’ll eat something nice tonight. But first, let me wash off all this exhaustion.”
I nodded quickly. “I’ll get your towels!”
I dashed into the bathroom, grabbing her soft bathrobe, fresh towels, and her favorite body wash. When I turned around, she was already standing at the doorway, watching me with a small smile.
She leaned against the frame, arms crossed. “You’re so well-trained now, Little Babe.”
I blushed, shoving the towels into her hands. “Go shower.”
She chuckled, but instead of taking the towels and heading in, she tilted her head, giving me a look. “Join me?”
My brain was short-circuited.
I blinked at her, sure that I had misheard. “…What?”
She smirked, clearly enjoying my flustered reaction. “Shower. Together.”
My cheeks burned. “Why?”
She laughed, setting the towels aside before pulling me close again. “Because I missed you,” she murmured, her lips brushing against my temple. “And because I want to be close to you.”
My heart pounded. “We’re already close…”
She hummed, tracing light circles on my back. “Not close enough.”
I swallowed, my body tense but my heart fluttering.
I had thought about it before. Of course, I had. Every night I spent alone in her bed, wearing her oversize shirts, surrounded by her scent—I thought about her. But this…
She sensed my hesitation and pulled away slightly, tilting my chin up so I could look at her. “You don’t have to if you’re not comfortable.”
I looked into her eyes—deep, warm, full of patience. I knew she meant it. She had never once pushed me, never once made me feel like I owed her anything.
And because of that, because I knew I could say no, and she would still love me just the same, I whispered, “I’ll shower with you.”
The corner of her lips lifted. She kissed my forehead before taking my hand, leading me into the bathroom.
The warm water cascaded down our bodies, steam curling around us, blurring the edges of everything. I stood stiffly at first, not knowing what to do, but she was gentle—always gentle. She ran her fingers through my hair, massaging my scalp, lathering the shampoo so delicately it made my chest ache.
“You take such good care of me,” I murmured.
She smiled, rinsing the suds from my hair. “Of course.”
I hesitated before whispering, “Do you… want to do something more?”
She paused, then looked at me with soft, unreadable eyes. “Are you asking if I want to touch you?”
My breath hitched at how bluntly she said it. I nodded.
She exhaled slowly, her hands moving to cup my cheeks again. “I won’t lie. Of course, I do. But I want you to be ready. I don’t want to rush you.”
I bit my lip. “It’s not that I don’t want to…”
She pressed a kiss on my forehead. “I know. And I’ll wait.”
My heart squeezed. I had never felt safer than I did at that moment, standing there in the warm water, wrapped in her love.
That night, after we dried off and changed into comfortable clothes, we curled up in bed together. She pulled me against her chest, her chin resting on top of my head, her arms wrapped securely around me.
I traced small patterns on her arm. “Jiejie…”
“Hm?”
“Thank you.”
She tilted my face up to meet her gaze. “For what?”
“For waiting. For always making me feel safe.”
She smiled, pressing a kiss to my lips—slow, lingering, full of all the unspoken love between us.
She whispered, “I would wait forever if it’s for you.”
My throat tightened. I buried my face in her shoulder, breathing her in, feeling her heartbeat against mine.
This was true love. This was what it meant to be seen, to be cherished, to be understood.
Even on a quiet, ordinary night like this, true love still saved the day.
- Writer
