Four(teen) things

As relationships grow over time, each becomes aware of the other’s quirks and idiosyncrasies. Over the past week I’ve been keenly aware of Janek’s. As a joke I wrote out the following list:

Four things I (love to) hate about Janek

1. The way he corrects my pronunciation of words like schedule, for example.
2. His obsession with the “correct way” to use the words less and fewer.
3. The way he insists that there is a right way to hang shirts and fold clothes.
4. The way he tidies my room when he comes to see me.

The idea was to write ten, so the title had a little more cultural relevance, but I couldn’t think of six more (though I’m sure with time they will come to me). After writing this list, I came up with another list:

Fourteen things I love about Janek

1. The way he watches me quietly, as if he’s taking all of me in and imprinting the image on his brain, in minute detail.
2. The way he pulls me towards him when we’re naked, like he wants to pull me inside him.
3. His ability and willingness to drive [me] anywhere… to appointments, Coles etc.
4. The way he gets so excited when he explains his work or other scientific tid-bits to me.
5. His back-rubs are heavenly; his skin is warm and his touch is gentle.
6. The way he lights up when he sees me.
7. The way he is content to lie with me, like in the Snow Patrol song, when I am in pain and can’t do much else.
8. The fact that two days after briefly mentioning my English text list, he arrived on my doorstep with three of the items, one of which had been procured by his mother from her place of employment. This is but one of a long list of examples of how he seems to go out of his way to help me, despite my protestations.
9. Kissing him. Period.
10. That he bought me a wireless keyboard for our two month “anniversary” (and was man enough to admit part of the reason was that he hates my laptop’s keyboard), and that he bought me a teddy bear, Paño, just because.
11. That he is incredibly chivalrous and lights my cigarette for me.
12. That he read into reactive hypoglycaemia the night I was diagnosed because he wanted to understand what was wrong with me, so he could help me with the new diet.
13. The way he just sits with me when I’m neck deep in assignments because he wants to spend time with me. The times when he helps me with them earn bonus points.
14. Most importantly: the way he tells me everything will be ok, and means it.

So this is what falling for someone is like, huh… Bring it on.