NOVPUBAiden felt content in that moment.
His gaze simply lingered on Arwen's face, memorizing the delicate features he had never once forgotten in his life.
And yet, every time he looked at her, it felt like seeing her for the first time —like discovering something precious all over again.
He knew would never get tired of this. No matter how many times he had to do it, this —watching her sleep in his arms —was something he would always cherish.
His fingers moved slowly, gently outlining her lips, careful not to wake her up. Then they trailed upward to trace the bridge of her nose, and finally paused at her closed eyes.
The moment his fingertips brushed her eyelids, her expression twitched slightly,. He froze, not wanting to disturb her slumber.
But instead of pulling away, Arwen turned slightly to face him, shifting closer and rubbing her face gently against his chest.
He couldn't help but smile at her actions.
She was still as cute as she had always been.
Nothing had changed.
When he first saw her again at the Bureau of Civil Affairs, he thought she had changed over the years, losing the essence of innocence that she held unique in her.
However, soon after he realized that she hadn't lost it, rather, she was forced to forget them all.
He thought he lost part of her because he couldn't protect her well …
But finally seeing the same side of her resurfacing again, he felt relieved.
The arm she was lying on tightened gently around her frame, and his other hand moved to take hers.
Their wedding rings caught the silver glow of the moonlight, glinting like the silent promises in the dark.
He brought her hand to his lips and pressed a soft kiss to the rings, his voice low and reverent.
"Thank you for choosing me, again, Moon," he whispered against her skin, his smile deepening as he recalled her words from earlier. "I can wait for you until eternity, if that's what it takes to have you in my arms forever."
With that, he closed his eyes, content to fall asleep beside her.
But the next moment, his breath hitched when he heard her murmur —so softly it could have been the wind.
"Forever with you will be a blessing, Ide."
If he hadn't been lying so close to her, he might have thought he imagined it.
But he had heard it.
Clear. Undeniable …maybe.
She didn't just promise him forever —she called him by the name he thought had long been forgotten.
Ide!
Did she really call him that?
His heart raced. Almost bolting upright, he stared down at her face, searching for any sign —any flicker in her expression to confirm what he just heard.
But she was still sleeping, nestled in his arms, unaware of the storm she had just stirred in him.
That name …
It was not just a name. It was a memory —a shared piece of their past. One that he never was able to forget and one that she no longer remembered.
He wouldn't lie —he had longed to hear her call him that again.
But now that she had, he couldn't fully rejoice.
Was she … remembering?
He wanted that more than anything.
But then, remembering Jason's words, he couldn't wish so.
He couldn't bear to see her life at risk.
Aiden's expression, that were once calm and content, was now filled with concern and worry. There was a tinge of helplessness in his gaze —a kind of fear that was unsettling him from the core.
Maybe Arwen felt his restlessness, because she turned slightly in his arms before finally opening her eyes.
Sleepiness still lingered in her gaze, heavy and hazy, but she blinked, clearing it as she stared up at him.
A faint frown formed between her brows.
"What's wrong? Is everything okay?" she asked softly.
Aiden didn't know how to answer.
He searched her eyes for a trace —any confirmation of what he had just heard.
But her gaze was calm. Open. As if nothing had changed.
It almost made him doubt himself.
Did he really hear it?
Or was it just his longing playing tricks on him?
Arwen waited, but when he didn't respond, she couldn't stay still anymore.
Sitting up, she reached for his hand and used the other to cup his face, gently making him look at her.
"Aiden," she called, voice laced with concern. "What's wrong? Did you have a nightmare?"
He stared at her, torn between uncertainty and hope. Then he asked, his voice coming calm, yet carrying the hint of storm he was trying badly to conceal.
"What did you call me?"
She paused, noting the tug between his brows.
She searched for his face. She didn't know what was wrong. But this was the first time she saw him, looking so restless.
"Aiden," she replied slowly. "I called you Aiden."
Pausing briefly, she asked again, "What's wrong? Will you tell me? Was it a nightmare?"
Aiden thought for a long moment before finally nodding in yes.
Arwen looked at him, waiting for him to explain. "Was it very scary?"
If not, there was no way he would look so restless.
Her question made Aiden pause.
He couldn't help but repeat it in his thoughts. Was it scary? He wouldn't say so, after all he had longed for through his best dreams.
"Aiden …"
Aiden nodded. "It was not scary, but it did scare me today," he replied. "I have craved it to happen for so long, but now that the thought of it happening scares me a lot."
What he said doesn't make much sense, but when he saw her, it felt like she just got it exactly. n𝚘vp𝚞𝚋.com
Did she really get it?
Arwen stared at him for a moment before leaning in to embrace him in her arms. "It's fine," she said. "No matter how scary it was, it was just a dream. It hasn't happened in real. So, don't be scared. I am just here … with you."
Just a dream? Was it?
