WRINKLES
Catherine lay prone on top of Vincent, her chin propped atop her hands. She scrutinized his face. The close scrutiny made Vincent self-conscious. “What are you looking at?" “Hmmm. Your face." “That’s obvious. Perhaps the better question is: why are you looking at my face?” He was slowly getting used to Catherine’s regard of his physicality, although he still couldn’t quite believe he was as pleasing to look at as she claimed. “May I ask you a personal question?" “Of course.” He steeled himself for what, he knew not. “Do you wrinkle?" He emitted a rough chuff of air, nearly choking. “Do I wrinkle?” He sat up, sitting Catherine up in the process. “Whatever do you mean, do I wrinkle?" “Well, it occurred to me as I looked at your face, you don’t seem to look any older than the day I met you.” Both felt the Bond warm with the memory of that time. “It isn’t fair, Vincent. I’m getting older. My hair will gray, my face will wrinkle, and you – you’ll be the object of affection to countless women Below." “Where do you wrinkle?” He bent closer to “inspect” her wrinkles. “Is it here?” he bestowed a kiss to one eyelid. “Or, perhaps here?” he kissed the other eyelid. “Maybe your cheek?” He nuzzled her there and left a kiss as he pulled back. “Or, yes, I believe I see a wrinkle just outside your mouth – too much laughter, I believe. Let me kiss it smooth again.” He proceeded to kiss around her mouth, “smoothing wrinkles” as he went. She was about to pull his head down to her mouth when he found the target on his own. After a thorough kissing, in the interest of wrinkles, he held her close and whispered in her ear. “I think every anniversary should be spent working out your wrinkles." “I think that’s a very good idea!” She pulled back. “But you never answered my question. Do you wrinkle?" “The answer to your question is - I don’t know. I’ll trust you to keep a close eye out for any that may appear.” He smiled, slyly she thought. “And I’ll never be the object of affection to all the women Below, because they all know that my heart is taken by a small wrinkled woman from Above who packs a wicked right." She sat back in indignation, but couldn’t hold it for very long. They both broke out in laughter. “Happy Anniversary, Vincent.” She smiled at her Beloved, still astounded at her feelings for him and he for her. “Happy Anniversary, Catherine.” His eyes shone with love at this woman who rescued his heart, his life. He wrapped his arms around her, pledging in his heart, as he did every year, to never let her go.
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