Fleeting Moments: Sky and Syd

Challenge #4 – Two Halves

Note: Sorry for the lack of updates!

xxx

Thunder rumbled loudly from above as rain poured down heavily onto the ground. He could hear his footsteps pounding against the pavement as he ran and he didn’t care that he was soaked from head to toe. All Sky cared about was getting to Sydney as soon as he could. He couldn’t stay away from her any longer.

He ran through the park, his heart pounding rapidly, partly from running but mostly from anticipation. Would he get a second chance? Would she forgive him for hurting her? Adrenaline flowed through him, giving him the energy to run faster that he ever had before.

Up ahead, he could see Sydney’s apartment building. Five more minutes, he told himself. Only five more minutes. Less than that, actually.

He rushed into the lobby and immediately headed toward the elevator, ignoring the strange look he was receiving from the receptionist. He pounded the button impatiently before deciding to take the stairs. He ran up four flights of stairs before arriving at Sydney’s door and knocking frantically.

Moments later, he was standing face to face with Sydney. Her blue eyes stared at him with concern and for a minute, all he could do was stand there and stare at her. Sydney stared up into his eyes, noticing that they were bluer than ever and then she realized that he was soaked to the bone. His eyes were conflicted with emotions as he stood there, breathing heavily.

“Sky,” she started to speak. “Why are you so wet? What’s wrong? Are you –“

In one swift motion, he grabbed her by her waist and had her pinned to the wall and was kissing her fiercely. Her words died in her throat and it took a moment before she responded. Her heart was beating rapidly and there was a rushing sound in her ears. It had been so long since she had been kissed like this…

After several intense minutes, they broke apart, each breathing heavily. The fronts of Syd’s clothes were slightly damp but the former pink ranger found that she didn’t care. She stared at Sky, looking dazed and shocked. A minute passed and suddenly it seemed she was back to her normal self. She shifted and moved to shut her front door before disappearing into her bedroom, acting like nothing had happened and leaving him to stand alone in the hallway.

Sky felt his heart slowly sinking. He was too late… She wanted nothing to do with him…

Almost as fast as Sydney had disappeared, she reappeared, holding a towel and a change of clothes. As she handed him the pile, he was surprised to see that the clothes were his own pajamas that had been missing for quite some time.

“Go change and get dry before you get sick,” she said softly, her blue eyes were filled with emotions. “Then we can talk.”

He nodded, taking off his shoes and reaching for the change of clothes. He headed toward the bathroom, feeling a bit more hopeful.

Sydney had smiled at him.

xxx

The heavenly smell of hot chocolate filled his nostrils when he exited the bathroom fifteen minutes later, making him feel all dry and warm. He headed towards the kitchen area where Sydney handed him a steaming mug and beckoned him to sit down at the kitchen table.

He sat in the chair next to her and for a few minutes, they sat in silence sipping their hot chocolate. Finally, Syd sighed and placed her cup down onto the table. She looked at Sky, her expression unwavering. “So, what was that all about?” she asked, staring at him straight in the eye.

He felt the familiar quenching fear that he always felt whenever he was about to reveal his emotions, that incurable feeling of doom in the pit of his stomach. He swallowed and stared at her with pleading eyes. He opened his mouth to speak, but no sound came out. Instead, he placed his mug down and was suddenly on his knees, pulling Sydney closer to him, kissing her with more intensity than before.

She responded but after a few minutes, she pulled away and stared at him with a confused expression. “Sky?”

That was all it took. Without warning, Sky began rambling. “It all started this morning. I woke up with this empty feeling, like I hadn’t eaten for days – even though I wasn’t hungry, you know?”

That didn’t make any sense. Sydney opened her mouth as if to ask what that had to do with anything. Sky didn’t notice as he stood up and began pacing around the kitchen.

“Then you came over and my bad mood disappeared instantly. I felt so happy eating breakfast with you.” He stopped pacing and stared at her. “And then I had lunch with my dad and he asked me why I hadn’t settled down and gotten married yet.”

“Sky – “ Syd started to say.

“Syd, please let me finish this,” Sky knelt down in front of her again and took her hands. “I never wanted to hurt you – ever. Things had been so wonderful between us and I had never been happier. But then you started fantasizing about getting married and having kids – what was I supposed to think? Just the thought of it scared me. I was afraid of being abandoned, like how my mother left my father – I never stopped to think that you wouldn’t leave me for anything. At least not by choice.”

“Sky – “ Syd tried to speak again.

“But my father,” Sky interrupted once more. “He sat me down for a talk. Made me see the truth – Syd, I’m so sorry, please give me another chance. I love you so much – I never stopped loving you. I promise, I’ll open up more. I’ll tell you everything about me that you want to know, I won’t leave you again, I won’t –“

Syd reached out and gently cupped his face with her hands, bringing their faces closer together. “Idiot,” she said smiling as she rubbed her nose to his. “Of course you have another chance. You’ll always get another chance with me, I love you, you moron.”

And then she kissed him.

xxx

Hours later, their bodies were tangled together under the covers of Sydney’s bed. Sky laid flat on his back with Sydney dozing lightly on his shoulder. His hand was absent-mindedly stroking Sydney’s curls, twirling a lock of blonde hair around his finger, silently cursing himself for ever letting her go.

He had missed moments like this. His fingers ran slightly down her arm and he relished being able to feel her soft skin once more. Syd shifted slightly, drawing his attention to her face and he shifted a bit so that they were face to face.

He remembered the times when Sydney would fret over her looks, always pulling out a mirror to inspect her image. Now though, her face was free of makeup and she looked more beautiful than ever. How long had it been since he had last watch her sleep?

He brought his face closer to hers and kissed her temple, inhaling her scent as he did so. She always seemed to smell of vanilla and strawberries. He buried his nose into her hair, letting his chin rest just above her ear. His movements caused Syd to stir and moment later, sleepy cornflower blue eyes met his icy blue ones.

“Hey you,” the former pink ranger murmured, snuggling closer to Sky.

He felt warm all over and if possible, held her tighter. “Hi. Did you sleep well?”

She nodded. “Best sleep I’ve had in years.”

The implications were not lost on him and he pressed another kiss to her temple. “I’m sorry for that,” he muttered quietly. “If it makes you better, I can’t sleep that well without you next to me either.”

She grinned. “You were well worth the wait.”

“I’m sorry for making you wait.” He pulled her closer and they laid snuggled up for a few more minutes before Sky voiced what was going on in his head. “Why did you wait for me, anyway? I thought for sure you would’ve moved on by now. You didn’t date anyone at all in the whole time we’ve broken up.”

She laughed but it died down once she saw the serious expression in her eyes. She sat up and reached for his shirt, donning it as she got out of her bed. “I’ll be right back!” she announced, leaving her bedroom.

Sky leaned back into his pillow and listened as Sydney moved around in the kitchen, wondering what she was up too. Minutes later, she returned, carrying a small tray with an apple and a peeled orange and a knife. Sky sat up as Syd slid back under the covers; the tray settled on top the sheets. He watched with wondering eyes as Sydney craved the apple and the orange in half.

“Syd, what are you doing?”

“You’ll see” she replied as she grabbed one side of an apple and another side of an orange and then turned to face him. “Now look at this and tell me if you think this is perfect,” the former pink ranger continued as she held up an apple in one side and an orange in another side together.

Sky just blinked, wondering what apples and oranges had to with anything but decided to play along and shook his head no.

“Now what happens if I put the oranges back together and the apples back together?” She asked, as she grabbed each side of the orange and put them together and repeated the same process with the apples.

“They become a whole again,” he replied.

“Right,” Sydney replied as she set the tray with the apples and oranges on the nightstand. “Here’s my point. When one apple or orange is without it’s other half, it’s not whole. When it’s with it’s other half – it’s whole again. And just like these apples and oranges, I have my other half and it’s you. You’re my other half, Sky. I love you and when I’m not with you, I’m not whole. That is why I waited for you.” She smiled sweetly at him as she moved to snuggle with him.

Sky wrapped his arms around her and held her tight. “You’re my other half too,” he whispered into her ear.

xxx