Closer

Untitled Part 5

kOtis lay, holding Dahlia like she had asked him to, stroking her arm gently.

"Five times. I think that's a record for me."

"Six if you count the oral."

"I was just counting rounds of sex, not orgasms."

"Oh." He chuckled. "Alright."

"I'm starving..."

"I would say I know what you can eat, but I don't think I could get another erection if I wanted to."

"I'm going to order a pizza."

"What?"

"Yeah! You want some?"

"N...No..."

"You have to be hung-" She giggled as she heard Otis's stomach growl. "I knew it!"

"I...No. I'm okay."

"Honey..." She stroked his face lovingly. He held back a whimper; He knew he was getting too close for comfort. Knew he was getting addicted to the affection and love too quickly. But it felt so good. And he ached for it- he always ached for it. Since he was a little boy. Since he could remember, actually. And she had always given it to him tenfold. But he was scared. People always left. Always used him and left. Which was why the life of a prostitute hadn't been exactly challenging for him to understand. But she was back. How long would she be back? Was she staying? Did she want him?

Too many questions meant not enough answers to fill the blank. And if Otis was protective of one thing, it was his own heart. It had been broken too many times. So he caged it up and kept it away from everyone and everything.

"I...I told you, I still...Have problems."

"I know that. But you won't let me eat alone will you?"

"Yes."

"Otis, please...Just a little bit of food for me. We can enjoy it together. I'll pay, if that's what you're worried about."

"No, I-"

"Your weight is fine, Otis. Stop it."

He snapped his mouth shut.

"And your body is fine as hell, let me tell you."

"Hnn...But..."

"I know. I know. Relax. It'll be alright."

He held her close until the pizza arrived, then sat on the bed with her, eyeing the food like it had wronged him. Finally, reluctantly, he took a slice.

"Dahlia...What do you want from me?"

"Well...I realized that I still had you on my heart. So I tried to get you out of it because I thought I would never see you again. And now I did and I don't know what I want but I'm enjoying your company a lot so let's just leave it at that for now, yeah?"

"No. I want to know what you want."

"Otis...You always did want finite answers. Life doesn't always have them, honey-"

"You think I don't know that? Look at me. And tell me, knowing what I've been through-"

"No, no that's not what I meant. Stop being so defensive. You know better than to be that way with me. Don't be the Otis you put up for everyone else around me, honey. Because I know you better than that. I know you're asking how far you should let your guard down because you don't want to be hurt one more fucking time. You've been hurt a lot, I know."

He just stared for a moment, slightly baffled.

"Otis, just get your undies out of a knot and enjoy yourself. Relax and enjoy life for once. It's not going to bite you."

"...I don't have any underwear on."

She swatted his chest, giggling. "How's the pizza, dummy?"

"Really good, actually."

"Told you."

Once they finished eating, Otis held her again until they both fell asleep, trying to make his mind settle on what he should or shouldn't do.

It wasn't long before Dahlia heard the ear-piercing scream in the night and bolted upright in her bed.

Otis was curled in the corner of her bedroom, shaking and screaming, fighting off invisible foes. Her heart began to slow from the panicked gallop she had developed. If she remembered correctly, he had always had these night terrors about his parents coming back for him.

"Hey, come on honey. It's okay." She slowly approached him, knowing how easily he could be startled if he was awake. It seemed to her, however, he was still dreaming.

"NO! NOOOOO!" He sobbed and begged as he curled even tighter into his ball. Another gutteral scream.

"Otis, honey you're dreaming. It's alright. Come out of it, now. You're alright." She gently placed a hand on his shoulder, giving him a hearty shake. His eyes snapped open and he gasped, trying to throw himself away from her, but he had already backed himself in a corner. "Hey, shhhh. Shhhh. It's alright."

"Where the fuck am I?"

"Honey, relax. Relax. You're at my house. You're safe. You're with me. No one else is here. Just you and me."

"Oh, god..." He let out a deep breath and pulled her into an embrace, still trembling.

"It's okay, sweetheart. You're okay." She stroked his hair, planting a kiss on his forehead. "It's okay, babe."

Regret overtook Otis as he realized he had done exactly what he would have all those years ago- reached for her, blubbering and sniffling for comfort. He debated shoving her away, but the warmth of her body against his felt so good. It fought off the coldness of his parent's hands and everyone who had hurt him. He relished in it. And it scared him.

"You're safe."

"I...Y-Yeah...Yeah. I'm safe."

"How did you get over here out of bed?"

"I must have sleep walked..."

"Okay. Let's get back IN to bed, shall we?"

"Mm..."

"Come on. The boogeyman doesn't live under the bed. He's in your head."

"Yeah. I know..." He sighed, rubbing his face before he stood. "Oh god."

"I know. We'll talk about it in the morning. For right now, we both need some rest. Come on."

As he curled up in bed, letting her hold him close and coddle him, He wondered how much of a mistake he had made, and if he would be broken again in a few days' time or how long it would take for his heart to be shattered again.

As the sun fought its way through the curtains and Otis groaned into the morning air, he felt a stiff warmth against him.

"Mornin' handsome."

"What time is it...?"

"Around 9."

"Fuck..."

"What time are you usually up?"

"Like...four." He rubbed his face. "What's touching me?"

"Look."

He sat up slightly, taking in the scene before him. Dahlia was dressed in silk and lace lingerie, a tray in front of him with a hearty breakfast waiting for him to eat.

"Holy shit..." He rolled over onto his back to fully take in the view. "Wow..."

"I thought you might like some breakfast in bed before you had to go to work." She kissed him sweetly, sensually.

"Are you part of a well-balanced breakfast?"

"I can be, if you want." She smiled, taking a piece of toast and beginning to munch on it. "Come on. Let's eat. It'll get cold."

"I used to eat rotten fried eggs out of the dumpster and scrape the yolk off of the walls are you kidding me?"

"Otis..." Her face was suddenly sullen, forlorn. "No..."

He decided a quickie before work never hurt anyone.