I settle in his arms and close my eyes. Finally... we\'re finally lovers.

Every single inch of my skin has goosebumps, and my muscles are all so relaxed. My body exudes happiness and satisfaction.

«How are you feeling?» Ignis asks while stroking my hair. His fingers play with my locks, and his eyes shine in the darkness.

«I\'m more interested in hearing about you,» I reply.

I can\'t express myself right now. It was too intense to be described.

«I feel so happy,» he says, tightening his clench and burying his face in my neck. «I couldn\'t be happier, Veronica.»

«I\'m glad.»

Oh, I can understand what he means.

«I\'m so happy to have married you,» he continues.

«Me too.»

«And that you don\'t mind my titles or positions. I\'m so relieved you see only me when you say my name...»

«Don\'t talk nonsense now,» I sigh. «I\'m not that superficial, after all. It troubles me that you were thinking I would mind...»

He pecks my forehead instead of answering and leans his head down. The pillow moves when the weight reshapes it. My head bounces in place, but it\'s not a bother. Not as much as Ignis\'s hands holding onto me.

It\'s as if he\'s afraid I\'ll disappear if he weakens his grip.

I should be worried, actually. I need Ignis more than he needs me.

But I know he won\'t just abandon me in trouble. And I know his ultimate goal wasn\'t just physical intimacy. He\'s too innocent, too kind for that.

«Veronica, I love you.»

«Hmm?» I murmur, taken back.

Love is a heavy word. It\'s not one people use without thinking about it. Especially Ignis.

But he never had trouble telling me his feelings before. And, I don\'t think he\'s over-talking.

If he said something like this, it must be what he truly thinks.

«Me too,» I whisper. I can\'t be sure about my feelings because each one of them is so new.

Also, I\'ve just experienced so much pleasure that it clouded my mind. Still, I loved Ignis even before this...

«For real?» he moans, raising my chin with a finger. «Are you sure?»

Ah, that damn question. But I can\'t admit I\'m confused just like this.

Also, Ignis could misunderstand. His feelings are so easily hurt. He\'s too concerned with anything regarding me, so I can\'t tell him I don\'t know what\'s going on with my heart.

But, of one thing, I am sure.

«Ignis, I\'m looking forward to spending the rest of my life with you.»

«Do you?»

«Why do you doubt me every time?»

«I\'m not doubting you, Veronica. But I can\'t believe you really want to stay with me. It makes me so happy... My heart can\'t stop beating fast, and my lungs ache from how much I\'d kiss you now.»

I lean my palm on his chest and smile at the crazy heartbeat. Indeed, he\'s as excited as he swears. But that\'s not all.

His red ears, I know they\'re red even if it\'s dark, must be burning with embarrassment. His arms still cling to me and don\'t seem to intend to let go.

My lips start tingling all of a sudden, and I move my head up, searching for him in the dark. When I finally meet his mouth, I stick my tongue in it. I dare to explore, to feel his inner cheeks and teeth, curious and pleased by his surrender.

«You can doubt my words, but my body is so honest,» I whisper before returning to the kiss.

Ignis\'s tongue finds mine, and they lock onto each other, sometimes fighting and sometimes caressing.

«Indeed,» he sighs when we\'re done. «Your body is so honest. It makes me want to tease you again and again and...»

«Oh, we should sleep.»

«I agree.»

Even though we do agree on sleeping, we continue kissing and caressing long into the night. We even talk a bit about other things not related to our feelings.

The darkness is comforting, for every touch is everything.

The sweat on my body starts drying, and the heat disappears. Even in this hot weather, the air feels cool after so much effort.

It makes me slip into slumber little by little, cuddled by Ignis\'s arms and his deep voice whispering sweet nothings or odd curiosities.

No matter how relaxing the environment is, though, he doesn\'t even yawn once. It\'s his insomnia again, isn\'t it?

We\'ll look for a solution when we have some time.

I wasn\'t clear until now whether he didn\'t want to sleep alone or was too excited by the situation. Yet, if he\'s not relaxed enough now, then the problem is not something he can decide that easily.

It\'s stronger than him.

It\'s not that he doesn\'t want to sleep, but he can\'t.

And I\'m losing contact with the world bit by bit, so I can\'t even offer to be the one awake. As much as his insomnia keeps him vigil, this whole situation makes me drowsy and tired.

Until I close my eyes and stop hearing every second word. Then, the sounds melt together, and his sentences are indistinguishable.

His feelings can still reach me through his tone, but I don\'t know what he\'s talking about.

«Veronica, I love you» is one of the last few words I can hear clearly. «And I\'ll spend the rest of my life protecting you with all I have. No matter what the world says. No matter what you think... I will protect you.»

I open my mouth to reply, to say I will protect him too, but only a moan leaves my throat.

It\'s too late to say anything, so I\'m fated to listen to his feelings without the chance to reply.

«Even if you hate me for this, I will use everything at my disposal to make you forgive me.»

Why do I hate him? I don\'t at all. It\'s the complete opposite of it.

Oh, he\'s so unsure of himself, my dear husband. We\'ll work on his self-esteem too.. As soon as we have some time.