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Description
“Mm.”

Francis rolled over in the bed and opened his eyes to find her face only a few millimeters from his. And even in his half-asleep haze, his first thought was: si belle. With the noon light streaming through her lacy curtains, lighting up the room, she looked luminous—almost as though fireflies were dancing on her skin. Her pink lips were parted just slightly, letting out small puffs of air as she breathed slowly, still in a deep slumber.

It was a Saturday afternoon, the perfect time to laze around and bask in the warm summer weather. They’d had plans today, he recalled, to have a picnic at the park, but he felt no desire to move from his comfortable position, nor any desire to disturb her sleep.

An irrepressible smile bloomed across his face as he continued to gaze at her. God, he was so, so in love. It almost felt crazy—silly, like he was a grade-schooler with a crush. On instinct, he leaned in and brushed his lips against her forehead, lingering to breathe in her light, fruity shampoo.

“Fran…Francis…?” Her eyes fluttered open and she tilted her chin up to look at him.

He propped himself up on his elbows and pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her. Their bodies fit together perfectly, skin against skin, limbs entangled. “Bonjour, chérie. As-tu bien dormi?”

She nodded. “Et toi?”

“C’est toujours bien quand je suis avec toi,” he responded, sweetly. Hearing her speak his native language—even just a few words—made his heart race. He wondered if she could hear the thumping in his chest the way he heard it, almost like music. For a long time, he didn’t think he could feel this way about anyone, or even anything. For months and years, he’d thought he’d gone too far with his flings and casual relationships—his womanizing—to go back and find something sincere. Pure. And yet, here he was now. He’d found it.

“You’re so comfortable,” she said, letting out a contented sigh. “This feels so nice.”

Francis smiled gently. “What did I do to deserve you, I wonder?” he murmured.

She laughed. “I could ask the same about you.”

“Maybe you deserve better,” he said, and he felt a sudden tinge of sadness spark inside his chest. Maybe she did deserve better. Maybe he was the only one in this relationship who felt this happy, and maybe he wasn’t supposed to.

At that, she opened her eyes wider and shook her head. She reached up to touch his cheek, and he placed a hand over hers, leaning into her fingers.

“Everyone deserves happiness,” she said, her voice clear and steady. It immediately soothed his anxiety. “And my happiness," she went on, "is you.”

“You are mine as well.” He nuzzled her neck, tickling her and making her giggle.

“What time is it?” she asked, stretching her arms out over her head.

He glanced over at the alarm clock on the night table behind her, and grimaced. “It's already 11.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?” She playfully swatted him, pretending to be upset.

“I’m surprised your stomach didn’t wake you. It grumbled comme un lion. Un ours, ” he teased.

“It did not!”

“Of course not.” He smiled gently and hugged her again, melting at her adorable pouting. “C’était plus comme le chant d’un petit lapin.”

“Well, this petit lapin needs to get up and make lunch to feed this loup.”

“Can I just have you instead?”

“You can have me later.” She straightened herself and winked. “For now, let’s have some actual food or my stomach really will start sounding like a bear.”

He followed her out of bed and into the kitchen, not bothering to change out of his pajamas, which was really just a pair of loose, flannel pants. She stayed in her night gown as well, and he admired the way the silk hugged her curves--the way her smile was so genuine, the way she cared for him, the way she made him feel. Without warning, he reached out from behind her and embraced her, burying his face in her hair.

“F-Francis,” she jumped, startled.

“Je t'aime,” he whispered. "Beaucoup.”

---

La vie est un sommeil, l’amour en est le rêve.
Life is a long sleep and love is its dream.
- Musset

---

*Translations are in the artist's comments!

Description
“Mm.”

Francis rolled over in the bed and opened his eyes to find her face only a few millimeters from his. And even in his half-asleep haze, his first thought was: si belle. With the noon light streaming through her lacy curtains, lighting up the room, she looked luminous—almost as though fireflies were dancing on her skin. Her pink lips were parted just slightly, letting out small puffs of air as she breathed slowly, still in a deep slumber.

It was a Saturday afternoon, the perfect time to laze around and bask in the warm summer weather. They’d had plans today, he recalled, to have a picnic at the park, but he felt no desire to move from his comfortable position, nor any desire to disturb her sleep.

An irrepressible smile bloomed across his face as he continued to gaze at her. God, he was so, so in love. It almost felt crazy—silly, like he was a grade-schooler with a crush. On instinct, he leaned in and brushed his lips against her forehead, lingering to breathe in her light, fruity shampoo.

“Fran…Francis…?” Her eyes fluttered open and she tilted her chin up to look at him.

He propped himself up on his elbows and pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her. Their bodies fit together perfectly, skin against skin, limbs entangled. “Bonjour, chérie. As-tu bien dormi?”

She nodded. “Et toi?”

“C’est toujours bien quand je suis avec toi,” he responded, sweetly. Hearing her speak his native language—even just a few words—made his heart race. He wondered if she could hear the thumping in his chest the way he heard it, almost like music. For a long time, he didn’t think he could feel this way about anyone, or even anything. For months and years, he’d thought he’d gone too far with his flings and casual relationships—his womanizing—to go back and find something sincere. Pure. And yet, here he was now. He’d found it.

“You’re so comfortable,” she said, letting out a contented sigh. “This feels so nice.”

Francis smiled gently. “What did I do to deserve you, I wonder?” he murmured.

She laughed. “I could ask the same about you.”

“Maybe you deserve better,” he said, and he felt a sudden tinge of sadness spark inside his chest. Maybe she did deserve better. Maybe he was the only one in this relationship who felt this happy, and maybe he wasn’t supposed to.

At that, she opened her eyes wider and shook her head. She reached up to touch his cheek, and he placed a hand over hers, leaning into her fingers.

“Everyone deserves happiness,” she said, her voice clear and steady. It immediately soothed his anxiety. “And my happiness," she went on, "is you.”

“You are mine as well.” He nuzzled her neck, tickling her and making her giggle.

“What time is it?” she asked, stretching her arms out over her head.

He glanced over at the alarm clock on the night table behind her, and grimaced. “It's already 11.”

“Why didn’t you wake me?” She playfully swatted him, pretending to be upset.

“I’m surprised your stomach didn’t wake you. It grumbled comme un lion. Un ours, ” he teased.

“It did not!”

“Of course not.” He smiled gently and hugged her again, melting at her adorable pouting. “C’était plus comme le chant d’un petit lapin.”

“Well, this petit lapin needs to get up and make lunch to feed this loup.”

“Can I just have you instead?”

“You can have me later.” She straightened herself and winked. “For now, let’s have some actual food or my stomach really will start sounding like a bear.”

He followed her out of bed and into the kitchen, not bothering to change out of his pajamas, which was really just a pair of loose, flannel pants. She stayed in her night gown as well, and he admired the way the silk hugged her curves--the way her smile was so genuine, the way she cared for him, the way she made him feel. Without warning, he reached out from behind her and embraced her, burying his face in her hair.

“F-Francis,” she jumped, startled.

“Je t'aime,” he whispered. "Beaucoup.”

---

La vie est un sommeil, l’amour en est le rêve.
Life is a long sleep and love is its dream.
- Musset

---

*Translations are in the artist's comments!