Her smile
Ayaz’s fever had finally died down, letting the 21-months old toddler get some much needed rest, and his parents to stop worrying. As his father watched over him, guitar-calloused fingers combed through the boy’s mess of copper hair; definitely a trait from his mother, alongside the constellation of freckles. He had his father's eyes, however, though they were currently closed in blessed sleep. That blueish gray, like a rainy day, or a foggy morning.
As the minutes, and then the hours trickled by, Fakhri's thoughts travelled. This little being bundled up in bed was the reason the con man had not tagged along with the Covenant for that intel retrieval - which apparently had turned into a blood bath, quite literally. He'd have been of no use, his stomach complaining just at the thought of the carnage. Maybe he'd go have a look at the documents that were retrieved, now that his son was on the mend. But not today.
The day was calm, sunny with a few clouds breaking the monotony of an endless blue sky. A breeze came through the open window and, though the view was mostly of the roofs of the Reach, a square of that sky was visible amongst the sea of gray tiles. Sitting on the bed beside his sleeping son, the father smiled. Arak had joined them, sleeping so close to the boy as to be mistaken for a plush toy. Fakhri tipped his chin upward, the back of his head resting against the wall, as he soaked up the peace of that moment.
He drifted off.
***
It was fingers combing through his hair that gently woke him. Amber eyes amidst a constellation of freckles… and that smile. How he loved her smile. Lips meeting lips, locks of copper hair brushing against his cheek. When she drew back, her hand found his, gently tugging.
It wasn't rare for them to forgo words; his love language was physical touch, after all. Thus he got up, gently, so as to not wake their son, and followed Seda out of the small room. The door was closed behind them with barely the whisper of a sound.
A rare moment of quiet to selfishly make their own.
To keep her smile all to himself.