Our feet slapped against
uneven cobblestone paved decades ago,
your ankles twisting and collapsing
as they slipped between the cracks
(but you kept running).

The old city spread out before us,
tourists and foreigners
weaving in and out of busy streets,
various languages meshing together
into a mass of the misunderstood.

We sprinted through the grid of
interlocking roads and alleyways,
sweat starting to stream down our foreheads,
our backs
(I was focused on getting through the crowds
you just wanted to keep your feet steady).

Ending up all sighs and heavy breathing
on your floor,
we sprawled out,
chests heaving
lungs trying to catch back up,
hearts slowing down.
It was then when you crawled over
to place your head on my chest,
your pulse more hyperactive than mine.

Our bodies returned to normal.
We

inhaled

exhaled

together,

our heartbeats echoing through
each bone
of each other’s
arched bodies.