When Forever Ends

It’s actually weird. How fast Ace was able to demolish the walls I built to protect myself. I’m not afraid of being hurt anymore. I love him. He loves me. I have nothing to fear anymore.

I shift closer to the side of the bed Ace was sleeping on. It’s still warm from his body heat and it smells like his cologne. It’s stupid to say I miss him when he just left a few minutes ago...but I miss him. I pull my shirt off and pull on the shirt he left sitting on the edge of my bed. I don’t pull it all the way over my stomach because I don’t want to stretch it on him.

It’s still warm and it smells like him. The gray material is soft and I fall asleep easily while wearing the shirt.

I wake up against Ace’s chest. His arm his slung across my huge stomach, every time he exhales his breath hits my neck. I smile happily and move my body closer to his. In his sleep, Ace tightens his grip on me.

“What is Gavin going to think of this?” Ace asks surprising me. I shrug. I haven’t really thought about what to tell Gavin. I’m not sure he could understand what went on with Ace and I. I don’t even really understand what went on.

“The truth.” I say looking at the clock. It was almost noon. Saul would be dropping Gavin off soon.

“You’re gonna tell him that we were both fucking stupid and just realized that last night?” Ace asks before planting a small kiss on the back of my neck.

“Something like that.” I say thoughtfully. That was close enough to what I was going to say to my son. I’m sure he would ask only a few questions. He already knew that Ace was the baby’s father. “He’ll understand.”

Comfortable silence fills the room and Ace’s hand slides across my bare stomach. I never pulled the shirt down. Ace kisses my neck again before speaking. “What if Gavin doesn’t like me...what if he hates me?”

I bit my lip trying to hold back my laugh. Gavin idolized Ace as much as it used to annoy me. Gavin saw him on TV once and that was the end. It was like Ace was enough to forget about Superman, Batman, and Spiderman. I can now see that he is enough to make anyone forget about super heroes. I’m lame. I kind of like it.

“Don’t laugh at me, I’m being serious.” I turned onto my side to look at Ace. He wore that adorable little pouting face that once annoyed the hell out of me.

“He loves you.” I say shaking my head. “You’re his idol.” I inform Ace and watch his lips stretch into a smile.

“Well, that’s good.” Ace says smiling cutely at me. Oh God, there goes those stupid butterflies again. I thought they had been digested a long time ago. Ace’s face moves closer to mine. Oh fuck, the butterflies a reproducing! Ace’s lips connect with mine and the growing child in my stomach starts to use the walls of my uterus as a soccer ball.

“I won’t be surprised if he kicks his way out of your stomach.” Ace says with less than an inch between our lips. I swear it’s scary how long I can look into his honey colored eyes and not feel uncomfortable.

“Trust me, some days it feels like he’s about to.” I say as my eyes land on Ace’s bare chest, near his left shoulder. The ink makes me smile, I didn’t know he had a tattoo. I’m not a tattoo fanatic. Tattoos normally don’t interest me at all. Ace’s tattoo was different. It was a sparrow diving toward a nautical star, it was almost and exact copy of the tattoo I had on my hip. I smile as I trace the lines of his sparrow’s wing with the tip of my finger.

It was the meaning of the tattoo which convinced me to get mine in the first place. Typically, a sparrow diving toward a nautical star represent freedom to love and to find your true love. Knowing that Ace was able to overcome his fear of needles and having something permanent stuck to his body meant the world to me. It shows how deeply he means it when says “I love you.” Ace got the tattoo before we resolved our who stupidity issue. I can’t believe know, that I thought he was wrong when he told me he loved me. He does love me...more than I previously thought.

The doorbell echos through the hall and I sigh and pull myself out of bed. I was about to walk out of the room when Ace whirls me around and pulls his gray t-shirt as far over my belly as it can fit.

“It’s only Saul.” I say laughing lightly.

“I know.” Ace says tucking some the hair that fell out of my bun behind my ear.

“Well, he’s seen my stomach before...so you stretched your shirt out for nothing.” I say letting a smile inhabit my face.

“Well, I’m being selfish. I want to be the only one who looks at your belly anymore. It’s mine to look at, no one else’s.” Ace says just before the doorbell rings again. I smile and kiss his lips quickly and hurry through the hall towards the door. I bit my lip and smile hugely.

Serious question. How did I never notice just how completely and utterly perfect Ace is?