the book shop > j.l < MID EDIT

thirty two

john

penelope held onto johns arm as they walked through the dark streets. whenever they passed larger groups of people she would tighten her grip. john liked being able to feel like he could protect her. he liked her being able to feel like he could protect her. but he also knew his outburst at the bar was something that he couldn't let happen again, he wanted to be the person penelope needed, and the boy that fights in bars is not him.

they got into her apartment around ten o'clock.

they walked in and penelope tried to turn on the hallway light but as it came on the bulb blew resulting in the initial darkness.

"shit," she muttered under her breath, they continued on into her kitchen and the light turned on in there.

"sit down," penelope instructed to john, he took a seat at her table as she pulled out a first aid kit from her cupboard.

john watched her intently as she sauntered around her kitchen grabbing bits and pieces. she poured john a cup of tea as well as herself before she stood in front of john, she positioned herself between his legs as she poured some alcohol onto a cotton pad.

"this will probably hurt," she said before placing the cotton pad on the cut on his cheek. he flinched as it touched his wound, penelope placed a hand on the back of his head to gently stop his movement as much.

she gently wiped each cut, one on his cheekbone, and one split through the middle of his lip. the bruise on his cheek was still quite light, a purple shine throughout it. she put the used cotton pads on the table as she turned back to john and trailed a finger down the side of his face, "there, gorgeous."

john watched her as she did it all, the way she cared for him was something he'd not experienced before. he felt like she had truly seen all of him at this point and he was so happy to be with her in the moment.

he smiled weakly at her, she didn't attempt to move from between his legs, mostly because she didn't want to, but partly because whilst she had been standing there john had snaked his arms around the back of her legs.

"thank you," he said, penelope smiled sweetly at him,

"i'd say anytime, but if this happens again you're on your own," she said jokingly with a hint of seriousness to her tone.

"it won't, i promise."

penelope leaned down and kissed the boy below her, he kissed back immediately feeling an urgency to feel her against him unlike before. almost like a reassurance that she's still there and still with him. they kissed slowly, with not much movement, penelope was afraid of hurting him more, she held a hand on the back of his neck and played with the ends of his hair. john moved his hands up to wrap around her waist and placed his bare hands on the small of her back where her cropped shirt left a naked space before her trousers. john separated their lips and then reconnected to give her another peck. he pulled her closer and rested his head on her stomach, she wrapped her arms around his neck and continued playing with the hair on the back of his head.

"i really appreciate this pen," he mumbled into her skin.

she just placed a kiss on the top of his head in reply.

after sharing this moment john stood up and wondered whether he was supposed to leave and go home or if penelope wanted him to stay.