Split

We'll Be Okay

"Casey?" The familiar voice asked quietly, waking me up, and I was met by Dennis' cool blue eyes.

I smiled sadly, "hey."

"I just wanted to come and see you. I don't have long before..." he trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence.

"I know," I sat up on the sofa where I'd been sleeping and he smoothed the pillows before sitting next to me.

"I can't believe I have to go through all this again."

"You don't have to-"

"Are you really going to do this again?" His stern eyes scanning my face, "if I want you to be safe then yeah, I do."

I bowed my head, "I know. I just don't want you to."

"It'll be over before you know it, okay?" He sounded like he was trying to convince himself and I looked at him again, seeing the dread in his face, "and maybe once they're here... maybe we'll see more of each other, you know? Patricia needs my help with them, I could sneak away more... this might be a good thing."

I scoffed, "a good thing?"

"No, that's not what I meant... I mean... I just meant that I'm only thinking of different ways I might get to see you."

"Patricia already has a hold over you, if she doesn't want you seeing me then you won't."

"She won't stop me seeing you. I will always find a way."
He put his hand on mine and I squeezed his fingers, "I will never stop trying."
I leaned my head on his shoulder, gazing up at him as I did, and he kissed me on the head. I closed my eyes and felt myself well up and she turned his body to hold me. I was soon sobbing into his chest as he hugged me, I don't think he was far from tears either, "it's okay, we'll be okay," he shushed me.

"I don't want to be part of this," I sobbed.

"I know, I don't either. But it'll be okay, you know?" He pulled away a little to look me in the eye and I saw how full of shame and sadness he looked... the way he was looking at me made me realise that he'd given up even trying to fight Patricia, he was only interested in me now, even if that meant that he had to suffer.
"We'll be okay, we'll come out the other side of this like last time and..." That seemed to trigger a thought or memory of before and he looked away, clenching his jaw to stop the emotions from spilling out. He took a deep breath and let out out slowly, then looked at me again, his eyes noticeably more watery than before, "we'll work through it. I'm here for you like you were here for me... it'll be okay."

I wiped my eyes, "I don't think I can take much more of this."

"You're not the one who has to pick them up, to know that you're bringing them here..." his voice cracked a little, "to their death... you don't have to clean up-" he put a hand over his face and took another shaky deep breath, the conversation becoming too much to bear.
I hugged him once more and he held me tighter than he'd ever held me, "I don't want to go out there."

I loosened my grip on him and looked into his beautiful, troubled pools and kissed him deeply. He held me even tighter, I almost struggled to breathe, and he kissed me back. I could tell how much he was dreading what was to come, I could just about feel him shaking, but I wasn't so sure if that was still because of the girls or because he was kissing me again-he seemed fairly nervous when it came to any kind of intimacy, so it could have been that.

"I could put a blanket on the floor?" I asked, meaning to be helpful when we didn't have access to a proper bed.

He raised his eyebrows, looking at me in almost disbelief, "o-on the floor? Are you joking? I don't think I could think of a bigger turn off..."

I smirked, "fine then, Mr Spotless, what do you suggest?"

A smiled lifted the corner of his mouth before he grabbed me by the shoulders and lifted me on top of him so that I was straddling him where he sat. He looked around at my body, pretending to give it some thought, "I think this is alright, don't you?"

I almost giggled, something I like to think that I don't do, and kissed him again. I know I shouldn't but I quite liked being manhandled, and the way he could just lift me onto him like I weighed nothing left me in awe.
I took my top off, having to apologise when I almost hit him in the face, but he didn't mind. He was too busy staring at my now exposed body.
His lips brushed my shoulder and made thir way up to my jawline, his breath touching my skin between every kiss. I closed my eyes and tilted my head, feeling goosebumps cover my body already.

I took his shirt off, unbuttoning it purposely slowly to try and savour the short time we'd have before there were more girls and more complications. He had other ideas and helped me take it off, a little too quickly, and one of the buttons pinged across the room. I watched it go and so did he, but after a moments hesitation he turned back to me and was removing my trousers.
It was a position I'd never been in before, and it seemed that way for Dennis too, but it wasn't difficult to suddenly lose all awareness of the world and focus entirely on each other. I'm not going to lie, it was incredible, and I never wanted it to end. Everything else didn't seem to matter anymore, Patricia, Hedwig, Barry... none of them seemed to exist to me anymore.
It was just Dennis.
I had been hiding my face in the crook of his neck, occasionally biting the soft skin around his collar bone if I got too overwhelmed, and he pulled my head away to look at him. He seemed to glance over every inch of my face, as if looking at it for the last time. I quickly felt self conscious and tried to turn away, but he just brushed my hair behind my ears, "what are you so afraid of?" He panted, "worried I might see how beautiful you really are when you don't hide yourself away?"

I shook my head in embarrassment, "more the fact that you might see something that you don't like... and you might not be able to see me the same way."

He stopped and looked at me, his serious expression returning, "that's already happened... but it's not something bad that I've seen, it's how incredible you are... and how perfect and kind hearted, and that you can see the good in everyone... even someone like me... you're right, I can't see you in the same way ever again... but that's not a bad thing."

I felt my insides melt-I think that was probably the nicest thing anyone had ever said to me-and I kissed him hard, taking him by surprise and making him breathe out heavily.
"I think I love you," I whispered inches away from his mouth.

He half smiled, "I love you too."

He pulled me close to him and we returned to our original position, sending the thoughts of Patricia and the beast from our minds and trying to keep moderate control of our bodies.