1998

Life isn't easy. It never was. There are days where everything comes crashing down, there are days when you're at your lowest, there are days when you're in pain—so much pain that you decide to keep it yourself because no one would understand.

But those days, those crashing down minutes, that pain eases when you've someone to share it with. A person who listens to all your doubts you've about yourself and never fails to remind you how those doubts are nothing but a slip of mind from your perfect self. A person who promises to stay by your side through thick and thin and they do indeed stand on the grounds of their words they uttered in complete sense.

And the sad truth is, not everyone finds their 'someone'. Not everyone is blessed enough to find their person, though they do but not so easily. But you however, lied somewhere in between. Never having luck in finding that person who wouldn't leave you two months when they come to realize that you're not perfect, when they realise that you've flaws and you're not one of the plastic barbies like they imagine. Everyone left, eventually.

Except Leo.

That day when you were weeping in his arms after having a not so self warming moment, when you were doubting his decisions for choosing a normal girl over those glorious women. To say that you, for the first time let those hurtful comments get through that tough skin you built over the years, he held you. He held you so tight and didn't let go. Not even once.

Your tears were damping his navy blue shirt he wore, he cradled your crumbling body in his arms joining you on the floor. His cheek pressed on top of your head as you clutched the soft cotton material of his clothing in pain. Those words thrown at you pierced through your skin and he saw it. But in that moment of you crying, at your lowest and not the prettiest with ugly tears and broken heart, lost self esteem—he stayed by your side.

That moment of pain was your golden memory because that's the moment when you realised how this one was different. Any other would've left not wanting to deal with a broken state person, on this date everyone is busy fixing themselves that they all want someone who doesn't require touch ups. And no one realises that we all are a little broken at the end of the day.

And for Leo finding you was his biggest victory. He's one of those that always mention they can't find love easily. Giving up on hope to find love was the state he was in when he found you. His heart accepted the fate of him being alone for the rest of his life seeing his friends getting married and having kids already.

It felt as if god answered all his prayers when he found you. You were the person he missed all this time not knowing who it really was. Not everyone understood him, to the world he might be a handsome guy with no flaws whose heart was made of pure gold but inside those four walls of his house where he sits idle left to wander alone with his insecurities made him who he really was.

But the day when you decided to stay overnight within a heartbeat to take care of him all night long because of the burning fever that took over his body. Putting cold cloths over his forehead to make the sickness go away—not caring how it might make you lose your job because of the day off, was the day he felt his heart whisper, 'she's the one buddy, we found her'.

He felt like crying, how could someone care for him so dearly? How could someone be with him aware of the imperfections he possessed? How could someone ever love him so much to the point where he for the first time felt as if all his inner darkness doesn't exist anymore. How could someone?

But the answers to those questions nestled within the questions itself. It simply, she loved him just like he loved her.

So when one Friday evening when he walks into the kitchen, the aroma of freshly made lasagna filling the air made his mouth water and his heart swell with the view of his love stirring the soup with a soft humming coming through her lips, he couldn't t help but wrap his arms around your body. Mary J Blidge faintly playing on the record player he got from the vintage store.

His lips quickly coming in contact with the skin of your supple neck making you giggle as you put the wooden spatula on the tray to turn around to face him.

"Well hello there mister" you smiled wrapping your arms around his neck.

His own lips turning up to give the most adorning smile you've ever seen, his eyes searched yours. Though he stayed quite enjoying the moment, he said a lot.

"Can I have this dance my love?"

"But baby, the food-" you couldn't even finish your sentence when his arms snuck behind your from your side to turn off the stove and pull you to the middle of the kitchen.

He took your hand in his and placed the other on his shoulder making you giggle. You shook your head when he placed a soft delicate kiss on your nose making you scrunch before wrapping his arm around your waist and pulling you close, so close that if you looked up at him your lips would touch his in a ever so light kiss. His chest pressed against yours as he swayed your bodies to the soft beat of the music resting his cheek on your head just like he did that night.

Closing your eyes you swayed along, where you rested your head against his chest. And you swore it felt as if you two were the only ones on this earth, it felt so heavenly. With his skin against yours and your heartbeats synchronised. Nothing else mattered. He had his whole world in his arms and you were held by your world.

"I love you so much." Leo whispered, pulling away a little, making you look up at him.

His eyes sparkled with your sight staring at him with those eyes he lived so much, and a face of an angel. His heart skipped a beat just by thinking how much he loved you and you loved him back just the same way, unconditionally.

"I love you too" you whispered before he leaned in and pressed his lips to yours in a soft kiss.

The kiss wasn't rushed but slow. It was as if you both were trying to make love through that kiss. But it didn't last forever as you wished, he pulled away after a minute or so making you whine slightly. His eyes stared into yours like if he was trying to find an answer of a question he was yet to ask. He brought your intertwined hands to his lips to peck the skin of your hand.

"Marry me?"

"Huh?"

"Marry me baby, I want you to be my forever. I want to grow old with you, have babies with you, die with you. I never thought I'd find someone who'll love me more than I love myself and I swear everyday I wake up as the happiest man alive all because you're in my life." He whispered and you could see his eyes tearing up along yours.

Though you've been together over an year and talked about marriage, this was completely out of the blue and a dream come true. To be with the man who loved you as much as you loved him. You stared at him with tears dripping down your eyes as he slowly pulled away to reveal the most gorgeous ring you've ever seen. Leo slowly gets down on one knee, before he could even get completely down on his knee you pulled him up by cupping his cheeks and pressing your lips to his.

You could feel his warm tears falling on your cheeks mixing with yours and then making their way on your lips as one.

"Yes" you whispered against his lips.

He waited no second in slipping that elegant rock on your finger before pulling in again for another kiss, first kiss as engaged lovers.

"I love you so fucking much."

"I love you more Leo"

He found his forever and so did you.