Hatchetfield.

Sacred

In the dim lamp light of Peter's room, Peter and Steph studied. Steph at the desk, working on her math homework, and Pete on his bed, making flashcards for his AP Biology test. This had become their routine ever since they started to study at Pete and Ted's apartment. It was comfortable, and even though they weren't technically interacting with each other, they both took comfort in the company.

That's not to say there weren't any awkward moments between the pair, the past three weeks had been littered with them. Catching the other staring, accidentally brushing hands, a general undiscussed tension, but the time they spent studying was all theirs, almost sacred.

"Hey kiddies!" Ted burst through the door unceremoniously. Almost sacred. "You guys want snacks or anything, keep those juices flowing?"

"No Ted," Pete sighed. "We're fine."

"Okay, okay" Ted said, a sly grin spreading across his face. "I could also get out of here if you need me to, give you guys some privacy."

"WE'RE FINE TED!" Pete interjected, red in the face.

"Alright, alright." Ted raised his hands in surrender before heading toward the door, picking up a sock on the way. "Sure you don't want me to put this on the door just in case?"

"BYE TED!"

"You're fucking useless Pete!"
Pete let out an exasperated sigh as he closed the door.

"I'm sorry about him." Pete huffed. "He's an asshole."

"That's what you always say." Steph teased.

Even so, she couldn't help but notice the tension now hanging in the air. The two both knew that Ted was only hassling them but Pete couldn't deny that he was captivated by the methodical look painted on Steph's face when she focused, and Steph couldn't deny that she was intrigued by the way Pete's hair framed his face while he scribbled at his notecards.

-

After 20 minutes of forcing her brain to do math instead of wandering to think about what might happen if she ever got the chance to brush the hair out of the boy's face while he studied, Steph slammed her pencil on the desk.

"Finally!" she groaned.

"You finished?" Pete perked up.

"Uh huh!" She declared proudly, showing off her paper with a flourish.

"You want me to check it?"

"If it is not too much to ask, oh smart one."

"And people call me the dork." Pete mumbled with a shy smile as he hoisted himself off of the bed. Despite her improving test scores, Steph was still weary when it came to letting other people look at her work, even Pete. She still had much doubt in her abilities.

Usually, Pete would pull up a chair when they worked at his desk but this time he simply leaned over Steph, one hand on the desk to support him, the other resting on the back of her chair. Steph's heart began beating fast and her cheeks got warm. Stephanie Lauter did not like to feel like the smaller, weaker person in any situation, but something about the way he towered over her, focused, in his element, was hot. She could feel his breath on her neck, on occasion, his fingers absentmindedly tracing along her back as he worked out the problems in his head. She closed her eyes trying to ignore the mere inches in between them.

"Steph," Peter said softly, something lingered in his tone that Steph couldn't quite place.

"I know I probably didn't do well." Steph interrupted, still trying to avoid his eyes.

"Steph, you got them all right." He said, the tone was pride. Someone was proud of her.

"What?" She said in breathless disbelief as she turned to him, forgetting all about how close they were.

She caught his deep brown eyes, full of joy and triumph. Suddenly feeling the tension with their proximity both teens froze. Not wanting to break away, scared to move closer. Just lingering near the other. Breathing the same thick air. Not breaking eye contact.

"You're amazing." Pete mused before cradling Steph's face and pressing his lips to hers. They both embraced the release from the tension that had been surrounding them for weeks. It was soft and slow but every second was liberating. When they finally separated Steph realized it wasn't the studying, or the time they had spent together, they were sacred.