This Won't Work

"Say I'm tryna fuck
I think that you're right
I still feel a thing
when I look you in your eyes"

- Darci

Elana stumbled into his room, carrying a pair of heels in her hand.

"Hi, Damien," She giggled.

Damien took the heels from her hand, placing them on a nearby surface. He grabbed her arm before she could trip over her own feet.

"You won't believe what happened. Nova tried to kiss me." A hiccup erupted from her.

"Wait, what? Kiss you?"

Elana nodded her head. "Mhm. Crazy right?"

She approached Damien until her head met his chest. She wrapped her arms around his warm body, inhaling his familiar scent.

"I need to talk to you, Damien." Her finger drew patterns on his chest.

Damien tried to steady his breath but it was difficult. He was on the brink of hyperventilating.

"I don't think right now is a good time to talk."

Elana gripped his muscular arms, liking the feel of them beneath her hands. She was oblivious to Damien's reactions.

"But I need to-" another hiccup- "sit down for me, please."

Damien sighed, sitting on the bed. He watched her stumble to sit beside him. Her head fell on his shoulder. She took his large hand and studied his fingers.

"I can't take you seriously right now, Elana. We'll talk tomorrow." He was serious but his voice was soft.

"But I need to talk to you now."

Damien didn't want to hear her drunk because she'd be telling the truth. He had an idea of what the topic she wanted to speak about was. He would rather hear her sober lies than her drunk honesty.

"Elana, you should go back to your room."

Instead, she crawled further into the bed, sitting in the middle of it. "I like it here, though."

Damien shut his eyes. Hiding behind the darkness instead of facing the situation.

"You make it easier to sleep."

So he had been right.

"See, I don't need weed to help me sleep. I just need you." Her lips grew into a smile.

His eyes snapped open. She needs me. -Damien thought.

Her head hit the mattress. Her eyes greeting the ceiling. She rolled onto her side, facing Damien. She could tangle herself in these sheets forever. Live in his scent forever.

"Will you let me talk to you?" Different from her sober self, her voice was soft. It was a melody Damien could catch himself listening to on repeat.

Damien couldn't say no to that voice. He couldn't say yes either. So he didn't say anything.

"Lay next to me?"

Damien nodded before settling himself beside her. Elana immediately wrapped her limbs around his body, relaxing into him. Her breathing was steady.

"Is this really just sex?" She mumbled and before Damien could respond sleep overtook her.

*****

Her drowsy eyes roamed the room. Damien's room.

She didn't fall asleep in her own bed, like she was supposed to. She didn't wake up alone, like she was supposed to.

Instead, she woke up in Damien's embrace. His arms wrapped around her like he wanted her closer. As if she would leave at any moment.

He was still sinking in a peaceful slumber and Elana didn't dare pull him out of it. So she stayed and she enjoyed it. She found a strange tranquility in his hold. As if the world paused for only her, everyone else carrying on with their lives.

The events of last night hit her hard. Nova had kissed her. Fucking kissed her. And to go with that, she had confessed her most recent Inquire to Damien.

"Is this really just sex?"

She didn't remember if he had answered. Maybe he had stayed quiet. Elana preferred that over any response.

There was so much waiting for her today. She had to talk to Nova. She felt so bad for her. Also, would she avoid Damien like she always does after an unwanted encounter? Or could she actually talk to him. It would be so much easier if she were intoxicated, but she couldn't let everything between them happen while drunk.

A groan awakened her from her own thoughts.
Damien's arm tightened around her waist.

"Good morning, princess." His voice rumbled. She didn't want the reaction his voice gave her.

It was just his voice. It shouldn't drive you this crazy. - She thought

"Morning," Elana made a move to leave his embrace but Damien pulled her back.

"Where do you think you're going?"

Elana sighed before relaxing back into the sheets.

"I think we have to talk." He suggested.

"It's too early for that."

"This conversation is never going to happen if it doesn't right now. You know you'll spend the rest of the day trying to avoid me."

He was right. So right it infuriated her.

"You asked me if this is really just sex." Elana wanted to wrap herself into a ball at the memory. "And I'm going to tell you the truth. I think we both deserve to know, no?"

Elana successfully jumped out of his arms. Her feet landed on the cold floor. "Forget whatever I asked yesterday, okay?"

He sat up, giving Elana a glimpse of tatted abs. "I would except I have the same question."

"Yeah, well, what if we keep that question to ourselves." She collected her bag and heels, heading towards the door.

"Is your response to everything leaving? You can't just cower and keep everything to yourself, Elana."

Elana stopped herself from leaving. Her eyes hardened. "I've been doing that for a while and everything's been just fine."

"But it's not. We need to talk."

Before Elana knew it, he was in front of her. Caging her against the wall so she couldn't leave. Her things dropped to the floor.

"Listen to me, baby." He took her hand in his. "We both have the same question and I am willing to answer but you have to let me."

Elana shook her head. "Go ahead," She spoke dubiously.

He put two fingers on her chin, tipping her head upward. "I don't know anymore."

She didn't know what to do with his response.

"I swear this started out as just sex. I'm not saying it isn't just sex, I'm just not sure."

Elana pushed him away. His hands fell to his sides.

"This won't work."

*****