Unspoken

Dean

He felt dizzy, dizzy as hell. Dean had no idea what made him feel like this, but he knew that something was different.

Maybe it was just the hangover he had to struggle with, probably caused by to many margaritas he had mixed for himself and the crew last night. The dancing, the laughing, the talking on the boat house all night long flickered thru his mind. He vaguely remembered how georgeous she had looked, her curly hair all braided, so her beautiful face had been in focus.
He returned to mind her natural movements on their improvised dancefloor, in her light blue jeans and strappy top that had given him a small glance of her bare skin, looking so soft.

When they had been dancing - like friends, of course just like this, because that's what they were - he'd smelled her parfum, a descent smell of lime he started to love, something that swirled thru the houseboat since she had moved in.
It was the same smell that made him feel dizzy right now here in his bedroom, he'd never reeked it so clearly before. He wondered why. He should probably try to get some more sleep and get over this stupid headache and his thoughts about his housemate.

Dean rolled over to continue sleeping, but just at the moment he was reaching for his pillow he saw her lying next to him, eyes closed, breathing in a calm rythm. Victoria Hughes was sleeping in his bed, covered with his blanket! And he had no clue why she was here.
In his movement he accidentally stroked her naked arm - her skin was definitively soft - and he wondered, if this would be the only part of her body, which was naked.
Was he naked? He slightly lifted the blanket, which covered him, only to find that he was completly dressed in shirt and joggers. He breathed a sigh of relief, because housemates shouldn't sleep naked side by side...

His thoughts were abruptly stopped when his phone buzzed. Usually It reminded him to wake up and get ready for work, but this time it wasn't necessary, the A-shift had a day off.
He desperatly wanted to stop the alarm, but he couldn't find his damn phone.
Instead he heard Vic giving a yawn and muttering something like „What the hell...". Great, she was awake now, so they were both confronted with this situation.
Anyway he saw his phone on the nightstand next to him (of course, where else should it have been?) and switched it off.

„Miller, you should change the alarmsound, it's too loud and my head hurts!" Did she really yelled at him, although she'd slept in his bed? He was speechless, his tongue wasn't able to form the right words, any words... He had too much to process right now.
„You do not look like you'd have the best morning in your life!" she continued, „but damn it, Dean, the party yesterday is every headache worth it."
„Uh, Vic..." He needed to say something „Hmm, Miller?" She furrowed her brow, waiting for him to continue. Dean couldn't help himself, but he thought that she looked so cute, some curls had made their way out of the bun, somehow made her look innocently and fiercely at the same time. He felt the urge to tuck some of them behind her ear, but he knew this wasn't an option. So instead he took a deep breath and fumbled for the right words.
„Uh, Hughie, why are you here?" Her confused expression confused him more. „I mean in my bed?"
„You don't know?" Did he asked the wrong question? Maybe he shouldn't try to get to the bottom of this, just relax and pretend that this wasn't an awkward situation. But he already questioned it, so there was no way back. „No, I don't, obvisouly I missed something." He tried to say it in a neutral tone. But she hesistated.
„I thought you were awake when I asked you, but obvisouly you weren't, I guess now." Vic blushed, he could see it although his bedroom wasn't still full light.
„Travis and Emmett slept in my bed", she continued „Jack and Andy on the couch, so I thought you needed some company, too." she explained and added with a light smile as if she wanted to tease him like usual: „And you looked so lonely."

He knew this little Ping-Pong-teasing-game they always did when things might get a little bit uncomfortable. But he couldn't be angry with her, not in this case. Honestly he really liked her decision to spend the night with him (although he wished they had done other things than sleeping next to each other).

„Lonely, huh? So you thought your presence would comforted me in my sleep?" He challenged her, too, knowing that she had already a fitting answer in her mind.
„Yap, that's why I am here, every day and night: To comfort you, so you feel save and to give you some entertainment. That's our deal, isn't it?" Her smile widened, he definitively loved this beautiful smile, so much, that he got lost in it and forgot to answer. „Dean? Am I right?"
„Yes, yes, you are! I should call myself a lucky man!"
„Hell yeah, man! That's what I always say." She grinned and muffled him against his shoulder. But suddenly she let out a heavy sigh, fumbling for the right words. „You know, Miller, I am sorry! There are boundaries I have to respect. Maybe I was to drunk yesterday, but that doesn't excuse the fact, that I slept in your bed without your permission. I promise that I..."
„Don't feel sorry, Vic" he interrupted her, because he didn't want her to misperceive their conversation.
„But next time just make sure that I look straight into your eyes when you ask me."
„Oh, there won't be a next time, I promise!"
Dean chuckled, he knew this was a lie, he knew her to well.
„There will always be a next time, you know it! and I am
fine with it, because ..." because he desperatly felt in love with her and needed her by his side every single moment. He wished he could tell her. But not today, not now. They both had to deal with their headache first, it wasn't a good moment to confess such big feelings, which could also destroy their friendship.

Instead he took her hand without thinking, because he felt the urge to do it right now (sometimes he was just tired of overthinking his actions when it came to Vic) and squeezed it gently. It felt so natural, so familiar, although he had never done it before. He could do it every day and night. Her hand was so soft and warm...

„Because we are friends... family, Vic. You know, my place is your place and I am happy to have you here with me and Pru." He watched her looking at his hand, still holding hers. And suddenly she squeezed his too, no hesistation, making no big deal of it like it was the most normal thing. He wished the time would just stand still.

But before he could capture this moment forever, his phone rang again. They were both startled, releasing their hands. „Really, Dean, the phone again?!" Vic asked him in disbelief. He took his phone and read the message on the screen. „Vic, get up! It's a five alarm!" he grumpled. He loved his job, he loved beeing a firefighter, but in this special moment he hated this stupid fire or what ever it was, which interrupted him holding hands with the woman he felt in love. Vic sighed as if she had the same thoughts. „Dean?" „Hmm?" She took his hand again in hers, her thumb stroking over the back of his. She smiled at him. „Thank you, Dean, thank you for having me here." He felt a dizziness again, but this time it wasn't unpleasent, it was a welcome feeling, because she was the reason for it.