Autumnal love – a soft non-binary story
They got up from bed at dawn, their bare feet brushing the cold wooden floor. Still warm from their night spent in the hollow of their cozy bed, they draped themselves in a silk robe. The light fabric slid over their bare shoulders, making them shiver pleasantly.
They used to be so thin, before. They used to feel like they could break whenever they hit something. And they were so cold, too. Shivering, their hands tight around their lean chest, their hollow cheeks, their weak legs. Now they took pride in their curves. And the markings on their thighs, like the stripes of a tiger, just showed that they had survived, that they were a warrior.
They descended into the silent kitchen, moving with the grace of a ghost from another time. A cat came out of nowhere and rubbed against their ankles, asking with charming meows to be fed. They let out a small laugh at its fuss, not too loudly, so as not to wake the sleeping being upstairs. After feeding the cat, who purred in satisfaction, they made themselves tea, twirling in the kitchen, humming a forgotten melody in their breath.
Finally, when the water had finished boiling, they took their cup, and, entangling their fingers around the hot porcelain, went out onto the porch of the house. The cold autumn wind tickled their legs, but they paid no attention to it, busy observing the sleeping nature. The warm-colored leaves were beginning to fall slowly from the trees, and would have cracked under their feet if they had walked in it. The forest was rustling softly with the birdsongs and the sounds of animals, and the first rays of sun were shining through the large gray clouds that covered the sky. "Already awake ?"
They smiled when they heard the familiar voice, but didn't turn around. The door of the house closed softly and the porch planks creaked as the newcomer, just awake, approached behind their back. They took a sip of tea without ceasing to smile, and closed their eyes as arms embraced them tenderly from behind. Their lover kissed their bared neck, and they opened their eyes again and turned their head so that their lips met. Their lover laughed softly as they broke their kiss, and kissed them again on the crook of their neck. Lips against their skin, their lover whispered softly.
"Come back to bed ?" They could feel the warmth of their lover's body against their back, arms shielding them from the world. They felt serene, at peace. Nodding softly, they let themselves be drawn into the house by the hand, guided by the promise of a warm bed, passionate kisses, and autumnal love.
