Elude [H.S.]

SIXTEEN

TW: Mentions of grooming

The movie had finished a few minutes ago but Maeve and I remained laying on the couch, me on my back and her draped over my torso, head on my chest. My fingertips ran through her hair and I could see her plump lips were parted, slow breaths leaving her. She had fallen asleep only twenty or so minutes into the movie but I didn't dare disturb her. I knew things weren't good at all at home so I could only imagine how much of an effect that must have on her sleep.

I didn't mean to push her so much with my questions earlier, I just wanted to know more and also make her aware that I was here to listen. There was so much I didn't know about her and I know she's scared. I'm also scared, if I'm going to be completely honest. I don't think what I'm going to learn is going to change the way I view her but I'm scared to find out that things are even worse than I thought.

Letting out a sigh, I let my eyes catch sight of the picture of my mum and I on one of the shelves I have on the wall and I smile - remembering Maeve's reaction to it earlier.

"No way, this is you?" Maeve all but squeals.

I peek my head around the corner of the wall to look from the kitchen into the living room and see her holding the picture of my mum and I in her hands. Chuckling, I shake my head and walk back into the kitchen to grab the popcorn I had begun to dump into a bowl.

"Yeah, that's me! And that's my mum."

Once I'm finished with the popcorn, I toss the bag into the trash can and then head into the living room with the bowl and two glasses of water. I set everything down on the coffee table and then walk behind her, wrapping my arms around her waist.

"Oh my gosh, you look so much like her," she comments as I rest my chin on her shoulder. "How old were you here? Your hair is so long!"

"I think I was twenty-one," I say, turning my head just a bit to press a kiss to the side of her neck. "Had my hair on the longer side for a good little while. Probably from the time I was nineteen until just a bit after that picture was taken."

Maeve hums softly, tucking her bottom lip between her teeth. "I like it, actually. But I do love the length of your hair now."

"Yeah? I thought it was getting a bit long here lately. I was considering getting it trimmed or even cut a good bit."

Maeve gasps before putting the picture back on the shelf, turning to face me. "No, please just a trim," she says with a slight pout, arms wrapping around my neck. "I love this length so much."

Her hand reaches up for her to run it through the back of my hair and she twirls one of the longer curls around her finger.

"Okay then," I respond, tapping my nose against hers. "Just a trim."

"Thank you."

Leaning down, I press my lips gently against hers and she pushes herself onto her toes to help the height difference just a little more. I pull away after a moment but keep her close to me, hands roaming up and down her back.