Poseidon

Inner heat

He looked so honest, and he still had that worried line between his brows, and his eyes were so blue, and I only remembered that woman with the weird eyes asking me, if I was sure, and then Poe had me in his arms in his shower.

He was also ridiculously warm, and while I would've normally fled, I knew I'd begin freezing the second he moved, and I didn't truly mind being in his arms, coming to think of it.

He traced my cheek with his fingertips again, and his blue eyes were on my mouth.

But would he kick me out if I kissed him?

That would stop him from asking.

And if he just reciprocated for a quarter of a second, it was sure to send a jolt of heat through me. I still wasn't entirely warm on the inside.

And yep, I acted before I could think that to end.

My lips were pressed to his, and how could he have warmer lips than me?!

He didn't even question it, or check if I was sure, he just rolled me over so I was pinned beneath him by his warm, heavy body, and then he devoured me.

Holy fucking shit heat shot through every single part of my being, and his tongue and his taste, and he tasted like the sea, but in a not-about-to-drown way, and he rocked into me, and I maybe even moaned into his mouth.

I just knew, that when I tugged at his hair, and he pulled back, his cheeks were flushed, and I was warm, not too hot, just warm, and I wanted more. And I wanted more with him.

He still looked at me, tracing every little line in my face, cataloging it for whatever reason.

I moistened my lips, still trying to catch my breath, and he slowly lowered himself over me, his face pressed to the crook of my neck.

"No matter how much I want to peel you out of your clothes and kiss you all over, ensuring you're actually warm, taking off your clothes might just have the opposite effect." He muttered against my skin.

"I mean, I wouldn't stop you if you did it," I said with a careful shrug.

He froze. His entire body froze, and he propped himself up on his elbows and looked at me with wide eyes. "You don't mean that," he said. "And even if you do, I'm not taking the chance."

"I won't force you," I said.

He huffed and lay back down, smothering me, but he was also so lovely warm.

"Do you know where my phone is?" I asked him.

"Why?" he asked me, not moving.

"I want to text Tara I'm staying here," I whispered.

He sagged with relief and nodded. "Yeah, here," he said and reached over me. He picked up my phone from somewhere a moment later and handed it to me. While he was at it, he shifted down so he was on his side, although still curled into me.

It was only half past eight.

I shot Tara a text, and Poe draped his arm around my midriff.

"Did you even make it back to the dorm?" he asked me.

"No," I said.

He paused for a beat too long. "Have you had any dinner?"

I swallowed. "No," I whispered.

"Athena!" he admonished and sat. "Lasagna, now, then." He got to his feet, and he took the heat, and I shivered.

He threw the sweatshirt at me, and I quickly put it on.

He didn't bother put on shorts, he just picked me up, as if I was a delicate little snowflake, and went to the kitchen.

"I can walk," I reminded him.

"Yeah, but you also shiver when I'm not wrapped around you, so suck it up," he said and gently sat me down on the countertop.

I wrapped my arms around myself, and he reheated two plates of lasagna in the microwave, watching me the whole time.

It wasn't real that I was this cold. Like, how did that even happen. I only dived under and came up for air, and then that woman thingy came and then Poe calling my name.

I didn't want to admit to it, but it freaked me out I'd even done it.

Not to say I wouldn't ever go swimming at the beach again, but probably not until next semester. We were heading towards winter anyways, so.

Steam curled under my nose, and I found Poe holding a plate before me.

I let go of myself and accepted the plate with shaking hands.

He frowned and placed his own plate on the countertop and took mine before handing me a fork.

I just wanted to sleep and not be watched by Poe, but being with Poe was the lesser evil. And he was comfortably warm. I took a small bite, and it did help to eat something. And also something warm.

After a few bites I took the plate from him so he could begin on his food.

We didn't speak, and when we finished, he handed me a glass of water, and I downed it, and another one, and he picked me back up and went back to his bedroom, where he put me down on two feet just inside the door.

I was unsure about what to do, to be honest.

Poe closed the door and leaned back against it. "So," he said. "I suggest you figure out if you want to brush your teeth, do that, and then go lie down under the covers."

I did just that, and was seated on the bed, leaning back against the headboard, when I climbed beneath the covers. They were cold, which made sense now no one had used them, but it was annoying all the same.

He typed on his laptop, until he decided that was enough.

Laying side by side, we watched more of that sitcom, but he was beneath the covers with me, so I would've agreed to most things he suggested.