totally meta

chapter 40

Henry stood outside Dr. Harris's house, nerves twisting in his stomach. He had been putting off this conversation for days, unsure of how to approach it. After everything that had happened between them—their relationship slowly growing closer, and then the night they had shared—it felt like there was an unspoken tension hanging over him. He knew they needed to talk, but the idea of bringing it up made his heart race.

Taking a deep breath, he knocked on the door, mentally preparing himself for whatever was to come. Within seconds, Dr. Harris opened it, her expression warm but cautious, as if she had been expecting this visit.

"Hey, Henry," she greeted him softly, stepping aside to let him in.

"Hey," Henry replied, his voice quiet, his hands fidgeting at his sides. He walked in and followed her to the living room, where they both sat down on the couch. An awkward silence stretched between them before Henry finally spoke.

"I... uh, I've been meaning to talk to you," he began, shifting uncomfortably. "About, you know... that night."

Dr. Harris nodded, her face softening. "I figured as much. I've been waiting for you to bring it up. I didn't want to push you if you weren't ready."

Henry's gaze flickered to her and then back down to his hands. "It's just... I don't really know where we stand now, you know? After what happened, I mean. We haven't really talked about it since then, and I don't want to assume anything. I just—" He trailed off, unsure how to finish the thought.

Dr. Harris leaned forward slightly, her expression filled with understanding. "I wanted to talk about it, too. But I was trying to give you some space, Henry. I know relationships aren't easy for you, and I didn't want to overwhelm you right away."

Henry nodded, appreciating her thoughtfulness but still feeling the weight of uncertainty pressing on him. "Yeah, I guess... I just don't know where we go from here. I mean, do you... do you still want to be in a relationship with me?" His voice wavered slightly as he asked the question.

Dr. Harris's eyes softened even more, and she reached out to gently take his hand. "Of course I do," she said firmly. "But only if you're okay with everything. I don't want you to feel pressured into anything you're not ready for. I've been trying to make sure you had time to figure out how you feel."

Henry's heart eased at her words, and he felt a sense of relief wash over him. "I don't feel pressured," he admitted. "I just wasn't sure if... you were okay with everything. I mean, I'm not exactly the best at this whole relationship thing."

Dr. Harris gave him a small, reassuring smile. "Neither am I, if I'm being honest," she said, her thumb lightly brushing over his knuckles. "But I do know that I care about you. And I want this to work. I just want to make sure you feel the same."

"I do," Henry said quickly, his gaze meeting hers. "I really do."

Dr. Harris smiled, a hint of relief in her expression. "Good. Because I don't want things to end between us, either."

Henry nodded, feeling the tension slowly leaving his body. After a pause, he glanced at her, his expression a little more sheepish. "So, uh... does that mean we can, you know, have sex again sometime?" He asked awkwardly, not sure how else to bring it up.

Dr. Harris chuckled softly, her eyes twinkling with amusement. "Yes," she replied, her voice gentle but teasing.

But just as she said that, she murmured under her breath, almost as if she didn't mean to say it out loud, "But I was hoping maybe you'd also want to marry me."

Henry didn't catch the last part, too focused on the relief he felt knowing that she still wanted to be with him. He smiled, a bit of the awkwardness lifting from his posture. "I'm glad. I didn't want to mess things up between us."

Dr. Harris smiled, though a part of her still lingered on the idea of marriage, a thought she knew she'd have to keep to herself for now. She didn't want to scare Henry off or overwhelm him with such a big commitment, not yet. She'd wait until the time was right to bring it up again.

For now, she was just glad that they were on the same page, that Henry was comfortable, and that their relationship still had room to grow.