‘till i go { story challenge entry }

𝘭𝘦𝘢 09/08/19

AN: this is a dorbyn story and its all written from corbyn’s POV!

warnings: this is an alternate universe!

nice songs to listen to while reading:

~ blue velvet by bobby vinton

~ my heart belongs to only you by bobby vinton

~ fly me to the moon by frank sinatra

~ put your head on my shoulder by paul anka

~ blue moon by elvis presley

~ teenager in love by dion & the belmonts

˘ ˘ ↯[‘till i go] ⌁ˊ

sapphire-like pure eyes

an ocean full of sky blue-

deep, glossy and true.

july 17th

I was sat in the barista café in Leiden, a small but cozy café right by the river bay. The walls are brick and are covered in beautiful head pieces, giving it a rather rustic feel. It is always full so you often have to sit at a table with a stranger, but most people don’t mind and even start up conversations with the strangers seated in front of them.

It was a typical dutch morning really, the air cold and crisp. The sound of people talking surrounded me, the smell of freshly brewed coffee lingering in the air. I took a sip of my coffee, a smooth chocolaty taste followed by an aftertaste that is mellow, rich and deep immediately dissolving all of my problems away, when suddenly i felt a light tap on my shoulder. I turned around only to be faced with the most beautiful cerulean blue eyes i had ever seen. He looked devilishly handsome with his bleached blond hair and ocean eyes. ‘do you mind if i sit here? there’s not really any other spot left’ he asked. Not wanting to embarrass myself i just nodded with a slight smile. He sat down and after a bit of awkward silence, we started up a conversation. It wasn’t anything in particular, just getting to know each other. Apparently his name’s Daniel, he’s only a tad bit younger than me and as it turns out we have similar interests and plans for the future. He’s only here for the summer, as he has to go back to the states to finish his studies there. Being born in leiden and knowing the place like the back of my hand i offered to show him around while he’s here, which he gladly agreed to. After a bit of talking and some light banter we fell into a comfortable silence, just enjoying each other’s company while sipping our drinks.

A lover's garden is

- a budding maze

that grows from

sprouting seedlings

‘neath the sleet

july 18th

Today; first day of being his “tour guide” as he likes to say, i thought that we could go to the botanical gardens, the hortus botanicus gardens being the most beautiful thing in the town in my opinion. I walked to the rental where he was staying, once there i rang the doorbell, patiently waiting for him. Not even a second later, the ringing voice i recognized as Daniel spoke up. ‘the door’s unlocked!’. I turned the door knob and waltzed into his temporary home. I was iring the interior when suddenly i was attacked by a pair of arms wrapping around me and a rather loud ‘GOOOOODD MORNINGGG!’. I stumbled back chuckling a bit, but then melted into his touch-hugging back. ‘so whatcha got planned?’ he asked once we pulled away from the hug. Only then did i notice that he was only in shorts and a t-shirt. ‘well i think what we should do first is get you some warmer clothes, because walking around leiden in shorts and a t-shirt is just way too enthusiastic’ i said and laughed a bit. He crossed his arms over his chest and pouted. “i’m not from here! don’t laugh at my misery!” he exclaimed as he playfully punched my arm, before laughing along with me. ‘but on a serious note- i thought that maybe we could go to the botanical garden and get lunch-?’ i said in a questioning tone. he only nodded as a sly smile made its way onto his plump lips. ‘nou beter aan de slag! Volg mij!’ i said motioning for him to follow me, quickly after realizing that he doesn’t speak nor understand dutch. Both of us having already had breakfast, we immediately headed to the botanical gardens. Since it had rained the night before, the air was thick and the temperature was quite reasonable. The town wasn’t as lively as usual, it being only 10am. We finally made it there, with a few detours so that i could show him small parts of the town that no one really acknowledges. Luckily there weren’t all too many people there so it was like having the garden all to ourselves. We walked along the small path which was surrounded by all kinds of plants from both sides. From tuliptrees to dates and plums, from ginkos to laburnum anagyrodies. As we walked, i would say something about each and every flower that we ed only being interrupted once by him saying ‘well you seem to know quite a lot’ with a small laugh. i smiled at him. ‘i told you-i know nothing. i only about the things that really interest me. i don’t know much else’ i said with a shrug before continuing to walk around, iring the beauty of nature surrounding me. The weather had gotten significantly warmer since when we first went out, a cool breeze only making it bearable. After walking around for a while, we got tired and rather hungry so we decided to get some lunch before going to my place. We settled for a small café in the area. ‘so did you like it? favourite part?’ i asked referring to the garden. He looked up from his plate, a small amount of the sauce that came with the biterballen on his lip, and said ‘oh the Japanese part of garden for sure! and yours?’. ‘the greenhouses. the water lilies are so beautiful this time of the year’ i lied. I think that by far, my favourite part was the small glances he sent my way. Each glance came like a compliment, immediately making me look away, trying to brush off the shy hug of a blush. We quickly finished our food, as we were both ravenous. After paying for our meal, we said our goodbyes him saying ‘later” and heading our separate ways. I slowly made my way home, taking my time to appreciate the evening. My house isn’t anything special really. It was a small semi-detached house on doelengracht, which isn’t too far from where we previously were. I ended up staying up really late, reading William Blake’s “Song’s of experience”, the only sound evident being my own breathing.

i fell for you like

you fall asleep; slowly

and then all at once.

july 31st

‘when we met....you asked me what i did as a hobby’ he looked up from his phone and nodded, a sly smile pressed on his soft pink lips. ‘well i paint’ i said smiling back as i gently slid my paint brush across the canvas. I was painting him. After a while the painting started coming together. It resembled him as much as it possibly could. Those ocean eyes, the blond locks that were left messy, his oh so kissable lips- if i’m being completely honest i do have feelings for him and even, dare i say, feel a spark between us. We’re always bright and happy when we talk to each other and occasionally, cautiously touch or glance at one another. In a month, he has been able to break down every single one of my walls and i don’t know what to do. Every time he even looks at me i feel as if i had been set on fire. I don’t think i have anything to lose by telling him how i feel about him, except for the fact that it would be like pouring alcohol on an already lit fire.

He'll look into my eyes

The way I look at his

We'll get lost in each other

Lost in love

Lost in lust

Lost in wonder

august 8th

I’ve decided to pour alcohol on the flame. I’m going to confess my feelings for him. ‘I-i’ve been meaning to tell you something...’I trailed off, i like you, i wanted to say, but the words just couldn’t come out. It felt like i had suddenly lost my ability to speak, lost my voice. After finally having mustered up the courage, i managed to get the words out of my mouth. ‘I-i like you.’ He stopped for a second, a smirk making its way onto his plush lips. ‘I like you too. you’re a great friend’ he said, the smirk still evident on his face. My face immediately dropped. ‘n-no!.....i mean more than that-....i-i love you!’ i took a shaky breath and started fiddling with my fingers. ‘say that again?’ he said, the slight curve of his lips still shaped into a smirk. ‘Oh don’t mock me! You heard me loud and clear!’ i exclaimed, looking down at my feet. ‘it’s okay if you don’t feel the-‘ i was cut off by him hooking his finger on my chin, making me look up at him through my lashes, and say ‘lies. i like you too. i’ve wanted you from the start’. His hand travelled down to my jaw, leaving me wondering how he can make me feel inflamed and frozen at the same time. ‘this is you mocking me again, right?’ ‘Corbyn’ he replied innocently. ‘i like you too...but since you don’t believe me i guess i’ll have to prove it to you’. He slowly started to lean in, his face inching closer to mine, as i stood frozen till i felt soft lips graze against mine. Our lips moved in perfect sync in a moment of pure bliss. We pulled away, not able to wipe the grins off our faces, light pink coating our cheeks. He grabbed ahold of my hand, almost immediately interlacing our fingers, and continued walking down the street, not saying a word. I suddenly realized that we were on borrowed time, and that time had always been borrowed. Unlike him, i always found ways to avoid counting the days. It dawned on me how much time we had wasted playing this ping-pong-like game of not knowing. We had already exchanged numbers, to hopefully text or maybe speak over the phone, but it was just a vague idea. We almost intentionally kept it that way.

i want to hold your hand

and walk a mile

don’t want to miss you,

even for a short while.

august 27th

oh how lovely it is to be walking down the roads of Leiden, half drunk, his arms around my shoulders, holding me protectively, on our last night together. We were headed to his rental, not intending to sleep, but stay up and enjoy whatever time we had left together. It’s strange to think how time flew by, like a cool breeze along the canals. It feels as if i was in that very café where we met just yesterday.

and if i could,

i would kiss you

till

my lungs gave out.

august 28th; early morning

His fingertips pressed against my skin. They were calloused and gentle as if they were trying to engrave my figure into his mind. Lines of fire, trails of heat were left on my skin as he ran his hands down my sides. The dim sunlight of morning casting between the blinds and falling on us, on the side of his face. His eyes, one glowing from the small amount of light, it’s cerulean colour standing out even more, the other covered up by his blond locks, were fixated on me. I laid frozen, holding his gaze, blue on green. I started to wonder what i did to get this lucky, to be in this spot next to him as we wake up on our last day together. He leaves in just a few hours, the thought of him leaving still has not set in entirely.

how tragic is the ending,

the farewell,

the parting,

like suddenly the sun

refuses to share space

with the moon.

august 28th;around noon;train station

I walked him up to the train station. Anytime soon we were going to say goodbye. Suddenly a part of my heart would be taken away from me and never given back. I held his gaze as tears started to swell up in my eyes and he still somehow remained calm. He placed his hands gently on my hips, almost as if his touch was going to break me, as he pulled me in for one last hug. One last touch. Soon enough the train arrived. As he started to pull away, he placed one last kiss on my forehead, mumbling a ‘later’ against my skin; leaving a lingering feeling that maybe-just maybe i would get to see him again- and got on the train. It suddenly dawned on me that this; this as in right now, would probably be the last time i hug him, see him, hear his voice that sounded oh so heavenly to me. But what if i can’t live with myself as long as he isn’t by me, his hands around me? And what if my soul-just my soul aches for his? what then?

He came into my life, he left just as easily. Nothing else had changed. He had not changed, i had not changed. But still, nothing would ever be the same.

It is said that in the beginning of time, when humans were first created, they had a form different to that they have today. They had four arms, four legs and a head with two faces. Fearing their power, Zeus split them into two separate beings, commending them to spend their lives in search for their other halves. And that’s exactly what these two young men were; each other’s lost halves. Perhaps they were friends first, lovers second. But maybe this is what lovers are. And perhaps in the future they will meet again, perhaps not, for the future isn’t ours to see.

me:

i know you had to leave,

but i still spend my time

thinking about being

in that spot

next to you.

dani:

I hope you me

as the sensation left

on the traces of your

velvet like skin,

our stargazing nights,