Her chest slowly rises and falls, tucked underneath a thick quilt and sheets with her eyelids heavy in sleep. A lamp illuminates the room in a soft yellow glow from the nightstand, sitting flush with the bed. A novel is perched on her abdomen, open but face down; her fingers loosely grasped the edges.
Carpet-muffled footsteps enter slowly through the shadowed doorway. He steps into the light and his ring glimmers subtly as he advances to her bedside. He smiles sadly, crow’s feet branching from the corners of his eyes as he delicately pulls the book from her hands, closes it and sets it quietly on the table. It was sweet of her to try and wait up for him, he thought, but tonight it was better that she hadn't been able to stay awake.
He gazes at her face and sighs melancholically. Ghosting a hand lightly over her cheek, he bends down and kisses her forehead tenderly. He whispers that he's sorry he has to leave, but it's for the best; that he'll miss her so much and that he loves her and will continue to no matter how much distance is between them. His eyes linger on her eyelashes, cheeks, and lips; every inch of her face before he tears his gaze away and turns the bedside lamp off with a click. He walks out the door and pauses momentarily at the frame of it, his hand resting on the faded wood as he contemplates again what he's about to do.
He looks back at her shadowed figure. She rolls over, mumbling something before falling still again.
He sighs, his shoulders sagging forward. He has to force himself to turn away before he can pick up the bag he packed and walk out the door.
Closing it behind him silently, he disappears into the night.
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