Say My Name [ Teacher-Student Romance -- Robert Downey Jr ]

Ch.23 - Longing For Lasting Warmth

I'm seeing AOU today! I'm so excited I can't even think straight! Plus Imma chat with the awesome Elizabeth and gosh I'm so happy! Today's gonna be a good day! Yay! Yay yay!

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She's tucked into his embrace as the world goes by. His heat hot against her, around her, seeping into her. It's, she doesn't know. She's got a lot of feelings stirring around in her gut but they're all only simmering as she's breathing out evenly with a steady heartbeat and rested closed eyes. Theirs something about this, about the contact that doesn't bother her to want to pull away, how she sorta feels like he would if he wanted to, and will. When he wants to. Maybe that's just her head again, projecting. But if she just lets it all consume her and swiftly wash away, it's just him, and it's just her. Her arms around his middle and his around her back. Its... Personal. It feels personal. Again though, she's not sure what's being fabricated in her mind and what's really happening.

It's soft, it's comfortable, and it almost hurts how badly she's wanted that weight lifted off her shoulders and how light she feels wrapped up in his hold.

Her crush is blustering and maybe that's part of the reason she doesn't want to let go because of that. And the fact that no one for so long, lonely days and nights, has held her like this. She has been so scared--still so scared of contact--yet she craves it. And she, for a moment, she has it. It's surprising and overwhelming, nerve racking and so good. The ice is creeping back, second by second as he draws those small circles, reassuring and so comforting. It's looser, so much looser. Less rigid for both of them. Leaning against his desk, and she's not even thinking about someone walking in because this is just what she needs. And maybe, oh maybe, it's what he's needing too.

He doesn't move as he speaks, holding her just as close, just as gently. "When's Terry done work?" The rumble of his groggy voice vibrating against her.

She breathes into his grey button up shirt, pressing into his shoulder further, "It's a late night." She can already sense it all coming to an end. But she can respect that, of course she can.

The air from his lips brushing against her neck as he speaks softly, "I can drive you, if you want."

She's quiet for a moment. In thought. Caught between his words and the shivers sent tumbling down her spine from the brush of his hot breath. She wants to accept it, understands that he's offering it not telling her. Still though. She can tell he's being honest about it, can tell in the way he's still rubbing her back, still moulded together.

She nods into his chest, cheek swiping a line as she does so. "If it's not too much."

"It's not." He assures, and the rubbing stops. Another sign that she should step away. "Right on the way. No trouble at all."

She stays quiet because she knows this is it. Her sign to pull away, step back and give him his space back, but it's just so safe and so nice (and she doesn't want to). It's the first peace she's felt in so long and she doesn't want it to end. Doesn't want to feel his warm touch vacant from her cold skin.

But she respects him. She appreciates him, and his temporary comfort.

She pulls her head from where she'd buried it into his shoulder, already feeling bare without that warmth, coming face to face with him as he opens his eyes, looking at her with round eyes ticking between her icy blue orbs.

It's a confusing thing where she thinks she might see something, something nagging at the back of her mind but it's quickly dismissed because she forces it to.

She bites at her lip, untangling her arms from around him.

Abruptly he coughs, straightening as he does so, looking off as she steps away.