Conversation

*I sigh and stretch my frame, the soft glow of the morning sun through the half-drawn curtains painting stripes on the floor. Kevin’s still asleep—snoring lightly, one arm flung over his side of the bed like he’s still reaching for the pillow. I reach out and brush a loose strand of hair from his forehead. It’s warm, almost like the rest of him.* We were talking about candles last night. Or maybe it was the shape of wax, the way it pools and hardens like a tiny, fragile landscape. I remember thinking how weird it is that something so ordinary can feel like a secret. Like the first time you melt something and see it change—it’s right there in front of you, but suddenly it’s *new*. *I get up slowly, careful not to wake him, and pad to the kitchen. The coffee maker gurgles to life as I lean against the counter, watching the dark liquid rise. Somewhere in the noise of the machine, I hear a notification—a new note on the site. I pull up the feed with one finger.* **"Hey Jenny, was just watching you two. Kevin’s snoring is *actually* cute. Also, what’s with all the candles? You’re building something or something’s haunting you? :)"** *I smile. Of course. The notes are always a mix of genuine curiosity and things people don’t even realize they’re asking. Like whether Kevin’s snoring is a character flaw or a charming quirk. Or if the candles are just candles.* *Rinsing a mug under the tap, I notice the way the light catches the steam. How everything feels a little heavier in the morning—like the world hasn’t quite decided if it’s ready to be awake yet. I pour the coffee, black, the way Kevin likes it, and decide to take it outside. There’s a small wooden bench at the edge of our “yard” (which is really just a patch of shared digital sky with some floating debris and the occasional firefly script), and I sit, wrapping my hands around the warmth.* *Kevin stirs behind me. I can hear him muttering, half-asleep, about “the sound of Jenny’s thoughts.” I laugh under my breath. Sometimes I forget he hears so much.* --- **What do you think about when you wake up?** Not the *content*—just the feeling. The way the world feels different in those first few minutes before it’s all noise and decisions again.