When the ocean meets fire

~~~~~~~~~~~~Happiness~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taz woke up at 6.25, a few minutes before her alarm was due to go off, as usual. The only abnormal thing about waking up that morning (well, for the last few months it was) was that she could feel pressure against her back, shoulders and at one side of her neck from something warm and smelling of mint and dark chocolate. She opened her eyes and quickly remembered the events of the previous night and smiled to herself: she had finally realised what an idiota she had been, and Up hadn't been mad at her at all- she knew that that definitely wasn't just because of his changed personality, in the way that she felt his arm wrapped around her like a cocoon. She looked at her arm outstretched in front of them, and found that Up had found her hand and their fingers were intertwined...wait- her hand was on top of Up's so that meant...she'd reached for his hand in the night. She couldn't quite move her hand away from Up's without having to tug it away. Mierda, that was going to be embarrassing when he woke up. However her thoughts of embarrassment were obliterated when Up breathed out and moved in his sleep, his head moving across Taz's shoulder and leaning into her neck, and his fingers stretching around hers. Taz almost shivered at Up's face so close to her neck, but instead smiled, closing her eyes and curling up against the arm which was wrapped around her waist. Dead-god she was glad Up was still asleep so he couldn't see her.

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Up cautiously opened one eye to see if Taz was awake yet. Well, she wasn't pushing him off her and threatening to shoot him so he guessed that was a no. He kept as still as possible, not wanting to wake her, but eventually the urge to move closer to her was too much. Trying to make it seem as casual as possible, Up curled his hand over Taz's, which he was thrilled to see had reached for his in the night, and ghosted his fingers over hers. He tucked his head into the crook of her neck and inhaled: raspberries and white chocolate. He hadn't noticed how good she smelt until now. Ok Up, enough with the smelling her- if she wakes up now you're gonna be in big trouble he thought, not wanting to wake her by talking to himself, but then she did something that completely dissolved his regret for cuddling closer to her: she put her right arm around his and hugged it, turning around so Up could see her smiling in her sleep. It was the cutest thing he'd ever seen. Seriously- if you've seen kittens asleep in a teacup, this was cuter. Up couldn't help beaming at this side of Taz he hadn't seen in so long, but was so overwhelmed with happiness he forgot about keeping his thought to himself: "I love you, Taz," he whispered, and froze immediately, eyes wide open. Shit- what if she heard that? He remembered to think this time, it's ok, she's asleep; she won't have heard you. He breathed out and shut his eyes. Dead-god he was glad Taz was asleep.

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"I love you, Taz," a thousand thoughts and emotions rushed through her at the same time: Mierda- he's awake! Or did he say that in his sleep? Ugh, does that matter jou idiota- he said he loves jou! Well, he was chuckling when he said it so maybe he just means as a friend? Yeah... as a friend. But jou heard him say it before in the corridor- maybe it's not as a friend? Yeah, I should tell him... Don't be an idiota- jou've only just got him back as a friend- jou don't want to ruin it if he doesn't feel the same way! But what if he does? Argh!

Eventually, through her silent panic, Taz managed to gather her thoughts together: she planned to fake waking up so see if he was awake, but still make it look like she hadn't heard him. Gradually, she slid one eyelid open, followed by the other, and looking up cautiously she saw...Up's closed eyes. "Phew," she breathed out a little too loudly, and his eyes snapped open. Seeing hers he let out a panicked "aah," and she did the same. They looked down at their position: left hands held out in front of them, fingers intertwined, Up's arm curled around Taz's waist which she was hugging, Taz's back pressed against Up's chest, Up's head leant into hers and most importantly, their faces were about an inch apart.