Mr. Murphy's Mattress

xvii. Come on, Lo

"And so when I walk down the aisle, I have to shake every professor's hand," you said, your legs over Cillian's lap as he was reading a literary magazine.

"Sounds horrific," he said sarcastically, glancing at you through his glasses.

"Seriously, Cillian, I have to stand there and shake your hand? It's so awful."

"Why's that so awful?" He questioned, setting the magazine down.

"Promise you won't judge me?" You leaned to him and he hesitantly nodded.

"What is it?"

"I had a dream," you began, taking a deep breath. "It was strange, it was very strange."

"Go on," Cillian said, looking at your lips.

"Graduating has been on my mind, especially the ceremony and when I went to shake your hand, I just started fucking you," you admitted, closing your eyes tight. "And we were having this rough sex in front of everyone, it was terrifying."

"God," Cillian mumbled. "In front of your parents?"

"Yes," you answered. "You didn't stop. I didn't want you to stop. But I woke up and I just felt terrified."

"Well it won't happen," Cillian sighed, chuckling a bit. "So would you consider it a wet dream or a nightmare?"

"A wet nightmare," you said. "I'm just worried I'll slip up and look at you the wrong way, maybe even kiss you."

"Darling, why would that happen?"

"Because when have I not looked at you and wanted to kiss you?"

"Before you loved me," he stated.

"That's right," you agreed, moving to sit on his lap. "Just shake my hand and push me off."

"Will do."

-

"Y/F/N," the announcer said, and watched as you came onto the stage to accept your graduate degree.

You smiled and shook hands with all of the professors, whispering "Thank you" to each one, and when you got to Cillian you did the same.

After everyone accepted their degree, you went down to hug your parents, but they sat stone-faced. "Dad," you said, nudging your father's shoulder.

"Honey," your mother sighed, looking up at you. "Your father and I are disappointed."

"No," you muttered, threw your degree certificate at them and started to cry in front of everyone. "I don't care! Fuck you!" You ran off, and Cillian watched you.

He decided to go after you, and when he saw you in the lobby crying, his heart broke. "Darling," he whispered, sitting beside you.

"They're gonna blame you," you said through sobs, before hugging him tightly. "Stay."

"I'm not leaving," he whispered, leaning his head against yours. "Do you want to go?"

"Yes," you whispered as Cillian began to lift you up into his arms bridal style.

"Come on, Lo."

-

"I blocked their numbers," you whispered as Cillian placed a bandaid over the scrape on your knee that you got when running away.

"I'm proud of you," he whispered, squeezing your waist. "So if they're not proud, then fuck them."

"What if they are right?" You asked. "I will be a poor loser for the rest of my life if I don't become the daughter they want."

"I got you," Cillian said, and those words washed over you like a breath of fresh air. Words you hadn't heard in a long time. "I will never let anything of the sort happen to you."

-

Cillian loved the way you looked atop his desk as he packed up the classroom for the year. You watched as he went through his bookshelves, deciding what to keep and what to give to the school.

"Get rid of that," you said monotonously as Cillian whipped out The Great Gatsby.

"Why?" He asked, chuckling before tossing the book into the donation box.

"Trauma," you answered simply, crossing your legs.

His fingertips grazed each book until he got to American Prometheus. On the cover was a black and white photograph of J. Robert Oppenheimer.

"You kinda look like him," you mentioned, watching as Cillian's face scrunched up.

"Me? Him?" He pointed to himself and the book before handing it to you. "Well, it's a good book. You should read it."

"Is it just about him? Enlighten me."

Cillian walked over to you and placed his hands beside yours on the desk, almost trapping you there. "Well, it's about his life up until his death," he answered. "To put it simply."

"Well what's so interesting about his life?" You asked nervously as Cillian slowly closed the space between you two.

"You just have to read it," he said before pecking you on the lips and leaving you flustered as he walked back to his shelves. "Ah, look."

You glanced over to see Cillian holding up a small book, Pride & Prejudice. "I saw the movie," you said, getting off of his desk to look at it.

"The book is great," he said, handing it to you.

"Cill, you keep handing me every book you like," you said, giggling as he continued looking through the shelf.

"You have to read Pride & Prejudice before our wedding," he joked. "Which reminds me..."

"I thought we're getting eloped?" You asked, adjusting the ring that was on your finger.

"I thought maybe we should buy a place first," Cillian said, turning to face you. "Get settled, and then deal with everything else."

"That could work," you said quietly, nodding your head. "But like, my parents."

"What about them?" He asked, brushing your hair behind your ears.

"We best get eloped, but would they know?"

"They'd find out eventually," he pointed out, sitting in the chair in front of you.

"Maybe then they'll decide to support me," you sighed, wrapping your arms around his neck and moving onto his lap.

"Where do you want to live?" Cillian asked, wrapping his arms around your waist.

"A place where no one can bother us, where we can walk down the street and no one will suspect that I was your student and you were my teacher." You pressed your chest against his. "A house with nice thick walls."

Cillian hugged you close to him and put his hand on the back of your head. "You wouldn't mind a small home for a bit, would you?"

"As long as there's room for us and Nia," you answered. "That's all I need to be happy."

"All I need is your happiness," Cillian said before pressing his lips against yours.