13 Last Night Together as a Couple

How to sleep now, Kai wasn't sure, but he turned in anyway.

Aria was already settled in bed by the time he got back to his room, which was formerly theirs. Her eyes were closed, her breathing even. She lay on her side with her back facing Kai, the blanket pulled all the way up around her neck.

'Here I thought you'd use this opportunity to talk some more.' But seeing how fast she'd gone to sleep, he supposed she couldn't wait for morning to come, for when he'd sign those divorce papers at last. 'You're that eager to get rid of me, huh?'

For the millionth time, his heart churned. But at the very least, he would get to do this again.

She looked so irresistibly cozy that it took everything in his power to resist the desire to curl up beside her and wrap his arms around her body, pull her close and pepper her face with thousands of kisses like he used to.

'Love never fades. It just changes.'

He slipped into bed next to her and slowly slid under the covers, taking great care not to disturb her. The last thing Kai wanted was to interrupt Aria's rest and make her change her mind about sleeping together tonight. But her eyes shot open anyway, so beautifully chestnut that he remembered just how absolutely gone he had been for her.

"Uh, sorry," he whispered. "Didn't mean to wake you up."

Her eyelashes, long and dainty, batted against her cheeks. Aria didn't say anything to him in response. Kai wasn't even sure if she was fully awake. But as he lay down beside her, a few good inches away, he could've sworn that she scooted closer for the tiniest bit.

Kai knew they still needed to have a conversation about what would happen after their divorce. Even though their fight had been messy, what with all the avoidance, the hurt, the aftermath, their relationship was still not broken beyond repair. Kai could give her all the time in the world to sort herself out if she would only ask for it.

'But she clearly has nothing left to sort out,' he acknowledged sadly.

His fingers brushed her own underneath the covers, and when he confirmed she's fast asleep for real this time, he reached out, allowing his skin to touch hers for just a moment before he pulled back and rested his hand at his side.

Kai surveyed Aria's face.

To his surprise, he caught the beginnings of a small, contented smile blessing her cheeks. 'Did you miss this too, I wonder?' As he watched the gentle rise and fall of her chest, he couldn't help but smile as well.

His wife was nestled so comfortably next to him in bed that it was quite the endearing picture.

'As perfect as ever,' he thought as he took in the sight of her hair that had grown yet again, the long brown eyelashes that fluttered against her cheeks as she slept, and the smooth curve of her jaw which looked so kissable that he had to physically restrain himself from leaning forward and placing his lips on it.

He could see it. He could see the old her.

He knew deep down that he always could, though, and he believed not a piece of his beloved had vanished at all. As he lay there next to her, his eyes roaming her face and studying her features, he could see the woman he loved clear as day.

Kai's smile broadened – the first in a long, long while.

With the moonlight streaming in through the windows, Aria looked ethereal, almost like a golden drop of sunlight in the otherwise dark room. Kai reached out with a hesitant hand and carded his fingers through her hair, combing a few stray locks away from her forehead before resting his palm on the back of her head.

Her silky brown strands were as incredibly soft as he remembered. His skin nearly buzzed from how nice it felt just to simply touch her.

'Ugh, I'm getting carried away.' Forcing his hand to pull away from her, he sighed, thankful that his ministrations did not cause her to stir. 'She won't like this, for sure.'

Kai just couldn't resist it, not when he knew he'd never be able to do this kind of thing to Aria again once tomorrow came.

---

Misery. Pain. Anguish.

Those were what Kai had prepared himself to feel when he woke up the next day and found the divorce papers on his bedside. But what he did not expect was that Aria would no longer be around the moment he opened his eyes.

'Did she leave already? Without even telling me?' He scowled and furrowed his brows, his blood starting to boil. 'Just how heartless could she be-'

Kai's thoughts trailed off when his hand bumped into something. It took him a moment to process that it was soft and warm, which only added to his bewilderment. He turned to find the blanket on Aria's side of the bed bulging a little.

His brows shot up at the sight, and then his eyes narrowed. Before he could think too much about it, he moved to see what's underneath the covers, only to freeze up as soon as he did. In just one brief second, a completely unforeseen set of emotions struck him.

Shock. Confusion. Panic.