Embrace

Chapter 6

A/N: Fair Warning. The following chapter has depictions of a sexual and/or violent nature. Don't feel pressured into reading something you're uncomfortable with, I'll be posting a "summary" or a TL: DR at the bottom with the authors note that'll give you the jist of what happened in the chapter.

 For the second time in two weeks, Niall had found himself dumbfounded by a kiss. For the second time in two weeks, that kiss had come from Will. It infuriated him to no end because he had no idea how to handle it or what it meant that it affected him so much. The first time he could explain away as a powerful concoction of anxiety and alcohol. This time, however, was different.

The kiss was unprovoked. Will had sought it out. Not to mention they were both naked at the time and Niall felt that was somehow important.

The group had arrived back at the house in a gaggle of giggles. Feebly protecting their hides from the onslaught of icy rain with towels and whatever clothing they didn't manage to yank on as they left the lake.

They were all elbows and thumbs stumbling through the front door. Cold, swollen, and layered in flecks of mud.

The house was comfortably warm as a few of them shook the cold from their bodies.

Emma was the first to break from the group who had subconsciously all huddled together in the doorway in an attempt to keep warm. She strode forward, her steps long yet graceful, and tracking puddled footprints on the dark wood behind her. Reaching the stairs, she let her clothes and her towel, slip from her form. A soaked T-shirt revealing the rain speckled curvature of her back. She stooped slightly to remove her shorts, underwear included, leaving everything on display as one by one, she dropped them with an outstretched arm, over the side of the banister. Where they landed with heavy slopping sounds.

Emma paused only once. Like a queen gracing her onlookers and fully aware of her own power: she gifted them with a single, knowing smirk over her shoulder before continuing on her way and disappearing at the top of the stairs.

The remainders were left paralysed. Frozen, and absent-mindedly clinging on to one another like frightened animals cornered by the storm, waiting for something to break the awe filled silenced that a series of small gestures had managed to conjure.

Jason managed to wriggle himself free of the group, stumbling forward with heavy footsteps. He removed his shirt, once again flexing his athletic physique as he turned with arms outstretched to look upon everyone who was giving him a confused and somewhat shocked look.

"What're we here for, eh?" He said with a grin before scrambling up the stairs. His footsteps echoing throughout the house.

The door to Emma's room was intentionally left ajar. A curling of warm steam, pouring through the gap in the door as the gentle music of shower spray filtered outwards like a beckoning of enticement.

Jason's heart was pounding, and not solely from the run up the stairs. It was with a confidence, lightly prickled with nerves, that he placed gentle fingers on the brass door knob, pushing it further as he stepped inside.

He had discarded the lower half of his clothing on the journey up here, and a certain spike of self-doubt did enter his thoughts ever so slightly causing a moment of hesitation as he stepped in to the en suite bathroom.

The air was thick with humidity. The showers steam seemed to create a heavy fog that hovered ever present around the room. It smelled of sweet things. Of perfumes and flowers. Of soaps with ingredients that Jason couldn't pronounce.

Emma was leaning against the cool tiles of the wall, while simultaneously allowing the shower to pour generously over her shoulders and down the slope of her back. She turned when she noticed the presence of another entering the cubicle with her.