"Moment"

I listened to the darkness and smiled to myself. Only the distant twitter of a single bird was heard outside and only the deep breathing of my love was audible inside. Paul was concentrating. He held the back of a cheap fountain pen to his mouth and fingered the thin paper in his other hand.

“I would ask if you need help,” I whispered into the night, “But I know you just need to find the inspiration.”

“I know, love, thanks.”

Paul and I had an unusual relationship. We weren't a couple, but we always acted like one. We practically lived together and we were barely ever apart. We held hands. We laughed. We even cried together, but we'd never officially decided that we were a couple. We had never uttered those immortal three words to one another, though, I'm sure, we both knew what we felt.

“But you're not going to get inspired by staring at me...” I giggled, fidgeting as I felt his hot gaze all over me.

“Why not?” he chuckled, twisting the pen between his lips.

“Stop it!” I teased, feeling self-conscious.

Paul laughed and stood. He clicked the pen closed and clipped it to the paper. We both watched the paper buckle and bend under the weight.

“You need to buy better quality paper for your masterpieces, love,” I smirked.

“I know,” he chuckled and kissed my forehead before walking over to the window I had been standing by. That's another thing we did – little kisses. Kisses on the forehead, temple, cheek, even on the lips at Christmas or birthdays, but never, you know, a proper kiss. I sighed just thinking about it.

“What's up?” Paul murmured, forehead pressed against the cool pane.

“Nothin',” I hummed nonchalantly. The atmosphere was slow and relaxed. A perfect still, near-silent night.

“What're you thinking about?”

“Um,” I wondered. What was I really thinking about? “I don't know really,” I giggled. “Just, you know... stuff.”

“Stuff?” he chuckled lowly, folding his arms and turning to face me, leaning back calmly against the windowsill.

“Yeah,” I giggled again, “stuff.”

“Like?”

“I don't know... You mostly,” I smirked, though it was true.

“Yeah? What about me?” he teased, moving closer.

“Stuff,” I teased back.

“Such as?”

He was closer now. He was one step away from me and leaning in slightly. I backed off, smiling, “How annoying you are?”

“Oh!” he moaned, “I thought you'd at least be dreamin' about my deep eyes, or something!”

I laughed playfully, “Yeah right, Paulie. 'Course.”

“I dream of yours,” he blushed slightly. “Is that so bad?”

As he turned away and placed the paper and pen on the chair he'd moved from, I smiled, “Really?”

He grinned to himself and faced me once more, “Maybe...”

“Hmm,” I pretended to contemplate this as I wandered once more to the pitch black window and gazed out into the dark night. “Then maybe I do too...”

Paul chuckled, “So you should.”

I grinned and suddenly felt too warm hands glide gently around my waist. His strong arms locked around my middle, he rested his chin on my shoulder and sighed. With a smirk I asked him what he was thinking about; just as he had done to me.

“Ah, ya know... Stuff.”

I giggled and playfully slapped his hand, before placing both my hands gently over his and caressing the skin subtly.

“Just wondering if there ever is a more perfect moment.”

“Perfect for what?” I asked.

“Just perfect,” he muttered.

I smiled and leaned back into him. I felt so right in his arms...

“I don't think so,” I whispered after a while of silence.

“What?” he asked quietly against my neck.

“I don't think there's a more perfect moment.”

I could feel him smile against my cheek and we fell, again, into comfortable silence.

“Right,” he broke my standing slumber of love-dreams by bouncing up and away from me. As the cool air rushed around my body, I felt distinctly bare without him. He turned me around and kissed my forehead again. “If now is a perfect moment, I have something I want to tell you...”

I looked into his eyes to see deep happiness. “What is it?” I asked.

He chuckled and took both of my hands, pressing his forehead on mine and sealing that kiss between us. I grinned.

“I know that I've never said this, but now I think it's time. I've hidden this message to you in so much of my writing, but there are only three words that I need to say to you. And what's more, I know they'll be forever true...” He paused and took a breath. My heart was pounding. Simply pounding. He smiled quickly, “I love you.”

That was it. The perfect moment. Forgetting everything that was around us, every last being on the planet could have disappeared and we wouldn't have cared. The darkness was filled with love-light and fireworks, but only in my mind.

My heart skipped a beat and I shuddered. “Perfect moment,” I whispered as our lips gravitated toward each other, “Because I love you too.”

Our lips met with paramount passion and love. It was unbelievable, yet true.

As we pulled apart, he smiled softly, “You don't know how long I've wanted to do that.”

I nodded, “Yeah, I do.”