The candle on your bedside flickered a warm light, illuminating the page you were reading. You murmured the words aloud, feeling John's soft breaths on your neck. He was lying on top of you as you read, arms holding you tight as you scratched his head and occasionally kissed his hair.

You stopped speaking for a moment, hand drifting away from your beloved’s scalp, as he was very still and you'd assumed he'd fallen asleep. It was only then that John's eyes cracked open, head tilting up on your chest to look at you.

“Don't stop,” he mumbled in a barely audible voice, tightening his hold on you as he waited for you to continue your soothing touch whilst reading.