Smiles & Leaves

He hated to read out loud.
But she loved to hear his voice.

~

"What did Addie say when she called?" Was the question Tyler was dreading, so of course Ephraim had to ask.

"Nothing, really," she replied taking a sip of the iced tea she made. But she knew that answer wouldn't satisfy him so she continued, "She just asked me to tell you to call her when you woke up."

"When I woke up? She called this morning?"

"No... This afternoon but you were still asleep and when I asked if she wanted me to wake you up, which I didn't want to anyway," she muttered. "She said no, that you needed your sleep, and that she would just call back later. 'Cause she figured that you wouldn't call her even if I told you to."

"That's true," Ephraim whispered.

"Which I forgot to do by the way. I didn't deliberately not tell you, no matter what she says."

"Why would she think that you purposely didn't tell me?"

"...I don't know." And she got up and removed her plate and glass from the dinning room table. They could have ate in the kitchen, but that table was still covered with hand-made bows.

Ephraim got up as well and followed Tyler to the kitchen sink, helping her wash the dishes without saying a word. She washed, and rinsed. He dried and put away. She didn't say anything as she squirted dish-soap onto a plate, taking the blue rectangular sponge and wiping it clean. He didn't say anything as he took the dripping plate from her hand, drying it off with a dishtowel and putting it away in the cabinet right of the sink. No one spoke.



Later that night Tyler was going through her luggage to find something to sleep in, hearing footsteps she looked up to see Ephraim walking towards her with something folded up in his hands. She stood up from the living room floor as she stared up at him, watching as he came closer and saw that he was holding clothes.

"Here," he murmured. "They're some P.J.'s you left when you..." he trailed off looking down at the clothes with what looked like a sad smile on his face.

Tyler walked up to him and put her hand on his. He quickly looked up and gave her a small smile. "Thank you," she said, her voice low, soft. And she smiled back at him, thankful that he was being so nice and caring towards her after what she did.

"It-it's no problem," he stuttered.

Tyler smiled and gently took the tank top and shorts from him, making her way to the bathroom to change. She couldn't believe how sweet he was acting, even though she left like she did. She knew that he wouldn't be extremely hostile towards her, but she expected him to at least show some anger.

When she came out of the bathroom she saw that Ephraim was standing in the same spot, staring at nothing. She took the opportunity to really look at him, to see if anything had changed while she was away. His hair was a little longer, and he looked thinner. Which did not make Tyler feel any better at all. She didn't think about the fact that no one would be there for him everyday to cook him something. Ephraim was never the type to like take-out, he rarely ate pizza. He'd much rather have pasta or some kind of casserole. The only problem is that he can only fry eggs and bacon. Or pour a bowl of cereal.

His mother always cooked for him, and then he and his sister moved in together, so she cooked. There was only a very short time when Ephraim lived a lone, and Tyler was almost positive that his mom or sister brought him food on a-lot-more-than-one occasion. Though there is one thing Tyler likes that Ephraim can only make. Steak. No matter how much Tyler tries, she can never get the meat perfect that way he can. And he won't tell her his secret.

Tyler was brought out of her thoughts by Ephraim's voice, though she didn't know what he said. "Hmm?" she looked up at him, surprised at how close he was to her and she didn't even know.

Ephraim chuckled, "I asked if you were coming to bed," he smiled.

Tyler had to stop herself from gasping. "I'm not sleeping in the guest room?" She meant to say in her head, but realized a bit too late that she was actually saying it out loud. She swallowed trying to soothe her now dry throat.

"You thought I was going to make you sleep in the guest room?" he asked bewildered.

"Well..."

"Tyler," he murmured, making her shiver at his voice. He stared at her. "I would never make you stay in the guest room," he whispered. "I mean did I make you do that whenever we fought?" he asked smiling at her, 'cause he already knew the answer.

"No," she mumbled staring back him in wonder. She didn't understand how she could deserve someone like him, she didn't deserve him, not at all.

"Than why would I do it now?" he asked her, still smiling and giving her a 'You are so silly sometimes' look.

She nodded her head, "Right." She smiled softly as she let Ephraim lead her to the bedroom.



They'd been laying there in bed staring at each other for over two hours. And even though both Ephraim and Tyler were exhausted, they still couldn't fall asleep. Ephraim was very lightly brushing the fingertips of his right hand up and down Tyler's arm. As if assuring him that she was still there, that she was in fact home, in their bed, with him.

"Your hair is getting long," she murmured while rubbing her hand through his dark chocolate-brown mop.

His eyes fluttered close for a second, but opened while he whispered, "I thought you liked my hair long," and pouted.

Tyler laughed softly, something between a giggle and snort. Which made Ephraim grin, "Mm, I love your laugh," he said sounding almost like a moan.

She smiled. But she didn't get it. How could she have left a man like him, she remembered how hard it was for her to leave. But not once did she realize how hard it would be for him. She was so selfish. So careless. And all he ever did was be kind and loving towards her. And what did she do to repay him? She walked out on him. She didn't understand how Ephraim could just welcome her back with open arms.

"Oh, sweetheart! What's wrong? Why are you crying?" Tyler hadn't even realized she was until she heard Ephraim ask her.

She quickly wiped away the tears he was speaking of and cleared her throat before speaking herself. "Nothing. It's nothing."

He squeezed his eyes shut for a moment before opening them again and groaning out, "Oh come on, Ty, don't do that."

"Do what?" she asked feigning innocence.

"You know exactly what I'm talking about," he replied trying not to get angry with her. "Don't shut me out," he murmured with a pained expression on his face. "Not now."

"I'm sorry," she whimpered.

"What for?" he asked, his voice rising a little.

"Oh God, how can you ask that?" she sat up and stared back at him completely shocked.

Ephraim stared at her, trying to understand. "What happened?"

She just shook her head. "I can't talk about this right now," she whispered and started to get out of bed.

His hand went to her shoulder before he took a breath. "Don't. Please, Tyler. Sleep in our bed." he pleaded, silently adding another 'please' with the sad look he gave her when she looked back at him.

She slightly nodded her head. And Ephraim wasn't even sure if he imagined it until she started moving back up the bed, where she laid back down and went back to running her fingers through his hair. Ephraim let out a deep, relieved sigh and close his eyes, reveling in the feeling of the touch he missed with all his soul. He blinked his eyes open when he heard Tyler chuckle and silently raised his eyebrows in question.

"You were moaning," she smirked. "It seems your weakness hasn't changed at all."

Ephraim tried hard not to blush, he didn't know why he was so embarrassed, it wasn't like they haven't ever been together in the same bed. He was just surprised he hadn't known he was moaning. "That's not fair," he mumbled not being able to look her in the eye.

She chuckled some more. "It just made me wonder how fast you were going to be out." She said as she made sure her whole palm made contact with his scalp, which resulted in his eyes shutting involuntarily.

"Mmm."

She smiled. "You're moaning again."

He smiled back and looked at her through his lashes so he didn't really have to open his eyes. "I don't care anymore. I've missed you way too much to care," he murmured shifting so he was laying closer to her and brought her closer by putting his right arm over her waist.

Her smile turned into a grin. "Good," she whispered. "I like it when you don't care."

He chuckled softly in response and just whispered, "Sleep, Arizona Tyler," bringing his left hand out from under his pillow to cup her cheek. "Sleep." And then he leaned towards her and brushed his lips against hers ever so slightly, making her eyes flutter shut.

"That's not fair," she whispered. Which just received a soft chuckle and then silence, and Tyler knew Ephraim was asleep. "So not fair," she murmured to herself snuggling even closer to him and getting sucked into slumber herself.