Elegi Of Rose

This time, the trip to their camping site into the woods was pretty much the same pace as the last time because Roy was in crutches. She had tried discouraging him from going and to postpone their camping until he was more able, but he insisted that he could do it, so they went. They set up camp, or she set up camp, much to her frustration, rather late.

By the time she was finished with the tent, he had already started a fire.

Then, like always, they sat side by side on the cloth-covered ground.

"You know, I always find myself in this kind of a weird happiness whenever I'm with you," Roy uttered without warning. And before she could get over her shock, he added, "but it's usually only when your mouth is closed," he finished with a grin.

Her mouth fell open and remembering what he said, she closed it in an instant.

He laughed-his Roy genuine, make-me-forget-everything kind of laugh.

She pushed him playfully and lay back on the ground. She smiled sadly, remembering the last time they went camping. That time, she had less trouble to think about. Roy followed after her on the ground, but it was to loom over her, his face shadowed by the fire behind him, just inches away from hers.

"Or when it touches mine," he whispered huskily before claiming her mouth.

She was halfway through linking his words to his last statement when all thoughts came flying out of her mind and deeper into the woods.

Her hands came to roam through his hair, his neck, his shoulders-well, practically everywhere-missing every inch of him. She adored his mouth with hers, trying her might to show him how much she wanted and needed him. She bit back the words she wanted to tell him when his lips left hers to trail down her neck. All Ayu could do was close her eyes, a single tear tracing down her cheek. It dried where it stopped as the two of them once again lost themselves to the magic they create whenever they had the chance.

This, this was theirs-or so she hoped. She wanted it to be... no, she needed it to be.

*****

By the time she woke up, she almost feared it. She didn't like her morning the last time she went camping with Roy and she was almost certain he would be cold or distant once again. If that were so, she would curse the woods with all its bad spirits. She wouldn't blame anyone else if she opened her eyes and her husband wouldn't as much look at her.

But open them she did, and thank God she was wrong, because he was looking down at her lovingly with those lazy morning eyes she grew familiar with. Slowly, she smiled up to him, closing her eyes once more as he pressed his lips against hers. She could be in the middle of the desert and she still wouldn't care. She was in his arms and that was all that mattered.

*****

They spent the next few hours trekking further into the woods, Roy with his crutches which she never-not for a moment-heard him complain about, she with her hand on his shoulder as he guided her all the way. For someone who loved nature, she enjoyed the experience, stocking everything into her memory bank.

Roy was obviously very oriented with everything in the woods, including the names of trees and the type of stones which was weird for Ayu and she couldn't help but compare him to Roni. Her ex-comatose, ex-husband-to-be was like Roy when it came to work: dedicated. But that was just it. Roni limited himself to what was commonly acceptable by society-going to parties, conversing with his colleagues, taking her to dates, etcetera. He never took her to places that were outside his comfort zone, which was a little bit against her nature. He never took risks.

Roy took risks by choosing her to be his transient wife in the first place. He took risks learning and knowing the woods outside his home. He took risks everyday he lived with his crazy wife. And she only hoped he'd take the risk to continue on with their marriage and see where it would lead them.

When she finally complained about her grumbling stomach, they headed back to camp and roasted chicken-no, she didn't carry the chicken, he did-and talked about the perfect weather, nothing about some guy who woke up from a two-year

coma.

"It's getting hot, we should get going," he announced much to her disappointment. Honestly, she could live in the woods forever and he would be Tarzan and she would be Jane without the yellow balloon dress and the hat. But she knew it was only up to wishful thinking. They had reality to face.

*****

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They were back home and into the kitchen when her phone finally rang, breaking her glorious aura. Roy tried to act like he didn't hear the ringing phone and turned around to wash the dishes.

When Ayu couldn't move to pick it up, he said in a flat tone, his head bent concentrating on his work, "Aren't you going to answer that?"

Her hands were starting to shake as she grabbed the vibrating device, looked at the screen, and answered in a quaking voice, "Hello?"

"Yu, it's me." Yu. It was weird to hear that name coming from someone else other than Roy.

Of course.

He didn't have to say his name. She knew his voice too well. But she didn't say it either to confirm she heard him. She didn't say a word, not even a breath escaped her mouth. Her eyes searched Roy's face, but he was too busy admiring the faucet, his shoulders tense.

"Yu, it's me, Roni."

"Roni," she said in a whisper, like she was talking secretly inside the closet, afraid her mom would hear her using the phone. She cleared her throat and tried louder, "You're... awake." Yep, that was really stupid. "Yes," his voice seemed happy but croaky. "I want to see you. Please."

Roy had turned around to dry the dishes and this time she couldn't get a glimpse of the look on his face, not that she would want to see it right now because it could either make or break her. "When?"

"Now. Please, Yu, I really need to see you."

"I'll be there," she answered.

"I'm still in the hospital."

"Okay, I'll be there." She clicked off and jumped from the high stool where she had been sitting looking at her husband work earlier.

"The keys are by the door," Roy said without looking back at her, his voice flat as ever.

"You're not going with me?"

"I got some work to do. Just be careful," he said. No come back home safely or call me if you need me.

"What about you? You might need some help with the stairs-"

"Just go," he cut in.

Daggers straight through the heart, shoot, that hurt! Ayu nodded, gulped, and walked out the kitchen, grabbed the car keys, and within a minute walked out the house.