Familiarity

Essence was finally happy to be home, even though she loved the lively atmosphere from the forest. She was most comfortable at home, in her own space. She had been alone for a few days, Mattais being summoned by the one and only Luci, but that was days ago. He had yet to make his return. Essence had cleaned the apartment, did some work on the computer before submitting it to the board and made lunch then prepared for dinner. Essence was a computer engineer and did a little biochemistry on the side. She could either work from home or on site—not really being a people person she chose from home. She didn’t have to wear anything to spicy or to bland. She could wear whatever she wanted.

Pulled from her internal monologue, she heard a light thud before a groan. “Mattais?” She said coming from the kitchen wiping her hands. “What the hell!” She gasped at the sight of him, he was barely standing and he was a bloody mess. Essence was at his side in seconds, she let out a scream as his body fell limp taking him AND her to the ground. Essence winced as all his weight landed on her, breaking his fall. Essence slowly moved from under him gently holding his head to keep it from hitting anything. She rolled him to his back before she tried to lift him— let’s just say it was a mission to get him at least on the couch. Once there she left him to get her first aid kit and book from when she was in medical school a long time ago. Returning to his side minutes later, she took note of him still being somewhat coherent and responsive but not enough to where he was able to do more than barely move his head or groan. Essence carefully took scissors from the kit and cut him free of his ripped shirt, opening it she pursed her lips as she saw his wounds. He had a deep gash on his right side another on his collar bone and minor little cuts across his torso. “When you wake up, you’re in for a ear full.” Essence mumbled to him making his stir slightly. He seemed to have lost blood already before reaching her. It was slowed now, barely any oozing or dripping which was a good sign. She pressed along his ribs to see if any were broken, he was good in that category.

She didn’t know where to start with his wounds so she cleaned them all before she worked on his right side since it was the hardest for her to get to and would take more time. Essence gently rolled Mattais to his side, his jaw tightened meaning something hurt him when she did that. “Sorry, I’ll be quick I promise.” She told him as her focused back on his wound, Essence had a high tolerance for blood and such but this was making her queasy. She patched up his side before cleaning it again and putting a small gauze and bandage sticker on it. She placed him on his back again before she carefully stitched his collar bone wound, once that was done she cleaned it before she removed his shirt completely. Tossing it to the floor, she wiped the dried blood from his face and arms before standing.

Essence cleaned the trash and needles before either throwing it away or putting them back in the first aid. Essence washed her hands and took a cool rag to place on his forehead, she had noticed that when she was patching him up his body was a little too hot. She knew that since he was a demon his body temperature was a little higher than a regular humans, it ranged from 113° to 125° for a demon. He was like a personal heater on a cold night she always told him.

After making sure Mattais was comfortable, resting, and no longer a bloody mess she shuffled back to the kitchen. There she finished prep for dinner and placed it into the oven. Waiting around for either the food or Mattais to wake she showered and changed. She pulled on a hoodie and sweatpants with fuzzy socks before heading to the living room. She placed herself on the floor next to Mattais and cut on the tv, she put on a movie before she yawned.

Essence covered her body with a blanket from the couch before leaning her head against Mattais’ side, it wasn’t long before she found it hard to keep her eyes open. Sleep came lulling her into a light slumber as always, the food being in the oven still lingered in the back of her mind. It was about an hour later when any movement was made from the girl, the ovens timer ringing loudly as she rubbed the sleep from her eyes. She pulled herself to her feet immediately noticing Mattais was no longer on the couch, groggily she headed to the kitchen pulling the food from oven before turning off the timer and going to make side options for dinner.

She set pots on the stove with water before she headed to the bedroom, rubbing her eyes as she heard the shower water running. “Hey..” Essence said pushing the door open, dumbly standing in the steamy bathroom. “Yeah?” Mattais said pulling back the curtain some to look at her. Essence smiled seeing him back to his usual self plus the stitches. “Are you hungry?” She asked as he ducked back into the shower turning off the water. What happened next left Essence a mess, Mattais pulled back the shower curtain revealing his nude body.

A scream left her lips as the image of his very very wet naked body imprinted into her mind. “Mattais!” She yelled shielding her eyes from looking even longer, she felt her cheeks burn as she bit her lip. “What? You’re acting like you haven’t seen a guy naked before. Have you forgotten we were married at one point?” He teased wrapping a towel around his waist. Essence was embarrassed now, she hadn’t seen a guy naked before. Welcome to her sad dating life! “Y-yeah but! But that’s different I don’t remember us being married! And I don’t go around looking at the male anatomy.” She defended as he chuckled softly taking her hand from her eyes, she squinted slightly before looking up at him rolling her eyes. “Maybe I can remind you.” He said with such a sultry voice, Essence felt her knees almost give out. “What-“ she said laughing confused but had her words stolen from her as Mattais pressed his lips against her own.

fa·mil·iar·i·ty

/fəˌmilyˈerədē/

noun

close acquaintance with or knowledge of something.

A sense of familiarity sparked in her mind, and suddenly she could remember parts of her past lives spent with him. They were like distant memories, they were always there just hard to get to. Every moment with him was locked away in the back of her mind just like she had done with the time with him at the lake. As the feeling faded a new one came to replace it, she couldn’t put a name on this one because she was too flustered to think about anything other than the kiss.

His lips were warm and burned like a toasty fire, they were soft like a melting marshmallow. They tasted like cinnamon..she loved cinnamon. Her hands ran along his smooth skin, her fingers taking in every groove and divot of his arms and shoulders. Skipping his left collar she ran her thumb along his right earning a shiver from the male. Essence pulled away letting a breath go as the taste of cinnamon lingered, her body wanting more of that feeling but she denied. “Remember now?” Mattais asked almost a little breathless himself. Essence looked up at him before smiling, she shook her head denying. “Maybe I should just kiss you again.” Mattais said but Essence pressed her hand to his lips. She couldn’t handle another one right now. “No, get dressed and than come eat you goof.” She said pulling away from him, now noticing how he had looped his arms around her. “Fine.” He said with a pout making her laugh. “Don’t be such a baby.” She teased as she lightly pushed him away, Essence left him alone so she could finish dinner.

She couldn’t help but dance as she entered the kitchen, moonwalking across the floor before punching the air. She was ecstatic, they kissed like really kissed. Essence would be lying if she had told you she wasn’t waiting for a moment like that with him.