Now that I see you

Lanie woke up because of the delicious aromas she smelled. It was coming from the kitchen. She slowly got up and rubbed her eyes while she was looking around. She looked at the television, the movie she was watching was done and it was already on the menu. She looked at the table and saw the burger she was eating earlier. She looked at the clock and bit her lower lip.

"Damn, I slept…'' she muttered. She got off the sofa and folded the blanket, She went to the kitchen, she smiled apologetic when she saw Tyler preparing the table. There were already foods on the table. Based on how he looked right now, he just got home. 

"Did you have a good sleep?" he innocently asked while he sat down. Lanie bit her lower lip again at embarrassment. She didn't know why she was embarrassed. Maybe because Tyler saw her sleeping on the couch or maybe because she planned to cook their dinner but she fell asleep. 

"Sit down. Let's eat." he said. She sighed and began to eat together with him. After they ate, she washed the dishes while Tyler went to his room to take a rest. When she finished washing the dishes, she cleaned her mess earlier and threw it in a garbage can. She sat down at the couch and looked at the folded blanket beside her. It was a plain grey blanket, she didn't have a blanket so she was sure it was from Tyler. 

She picked another movie she wanted to watch since she knew she couldn't sleep soon because she just woke up. She comfortably sat as she focused on the movie. As she watched the climax of the movie, she suddenly felt cold. She got the blanket and covered herself without removing her eyes on the television. 

She was so preoccupied with the movie that she didn't notice that Tyler went out to his room and stood beside the couch. Tyler's eyes settled on the blanket then to Lanie's face. The lights were dimmed so the lights from the television were two times bright and it touched Lanie's face so Tyler saw her different reactions as she preoccupied watching the movie.

Tyler looked at the movie she was watching and tried not to chuckle. She was watching 'Sing'. That cartoon movie where animals can sing. He did not know Lanie liked this kind of movie, earlier when he arrived he saw she watched 'Moana'. She liked musical cartoons. He silently went to the kitchen to get himself a can of beer before going back to the living room. He sat beside Lanie who looked enjoying the movie because she slightly bangs her head as she watched the girl sing. When he opened his beer, Lanie finally looked at her with her happy face. Tyler was amused, she was like a little girl right now. 

"I thought you're already asleep?" she said then looked again at the television. For a moment Tyler wanted to pause the movie so she could look at her for a while. He still wanted to see her face, with a smile and soft reactions while the light from the television reflected on her face. 

When the movie finished, Lanie leaned on the sofa with a smile on her lips. "That was a good movie." she commented. She looked at him and saw that he was still looking at the television.

"You want to watch another movie?" she asked. Tyler looked at her and shrugged. He let her pick another movie, as expected she picked another movie cartoon. This time, she picked 'Tangled'.

And again, instead of watching that movie cartoon, Tyler watched her instead. He found himself enjoying watching Lanie instead. On how she got excited and thrilled whenever the characters in the movie sang. On how she smiled and shrieked whenever Rapuzel and Flynn Rider had moments and adventures together. On how she became irritated with Mother Gothel. He doesn't know why he found her actions and emotions so amusing and… cute.

When he glanced at the television. Rapunzel and Flynn were on a boat at night, then soft music started to play.

"All those days, watching from the windows…" he suddenly looked at Lanie when he heard Lanie… sang the first line. Lanie was so focused on this scene compared to other previous scenes. He glanced at the television when the light suddenly became orange, then he looked back again to Lanie who was like a kid that was waiting for her mother to give her a candy. Her eyes shimmered as the lanterns in the movie lighted up and she watched it so dreamingly. He stared at her, quite mesmerized at her that he couldn't look away when she looked at him. 

"And at last, I see the light. And it's like the sky is new…" she sang while looking at him straight in his eyes. "And it's warm and real and bright...and the world has somehow shifted…" she sang wholeheartedly without leaving his eyes while smiling. Tyler was so stunned that he didn't even realize that his heart began to beat faster. "All at once, everything looks different… now that I see you…" she continued. She even sang those lines so sweetly as if she was Rapunzel and he was Flynn.

"Isn't it beautiful?" she asked, still smiling. Tyler nodded, still staring at her. 

"Yeah, it is indeed beautiful." He said without cutting his stare at her. Lanie was quite taken aback. She cleared her throat and looked away. Tyler let out a deep breath and looked at the television, instead, to continue watching what was now going on. Flynn was not holding two lanterns, he gave one lantern to Rapunzel and they let it fly to the night sky. 

He looked at Lanie again and saw her watching the scene so dreamingly again. The lights from the television reflected on her as if she was the one in that scene. Now, Flynn was singing while looking at Rapunzel who was enjoying looking at the lanterns and Tyler was looking at Lanie who was enjoying watching Flynn and Rapunzel.

"Now she's here, shining in the starlight. Now she's here, suddenly I know…" Lanie looked at Tyler in shock when he heard him sing. She was totally stunned hearing him sing… he… he could sing! His deep and sweet voice sounded like a lullaby to her ears. She held her breath as she looked and listened to him. She completely ignored Flynn singing!

Tyler's eyes became so intense as Lanie stared back at her, too. His eyes were so intense like there were some emotions there that wanted to escape. 

"If she's here… it's crystal clear... I'm where I'm meant to go…" he continued singing. Lanie was so engrossed at him like she felt like he was saying those lines to her. Like those lines were really for her and that... he really meant saying those lines… to her.

*****

Song: I See The Light by Mandy Moore and Zachary Levi (OST of Tangled)