Orange

Twelve

My eyes fluttered open, struggling to adjust to the light let in by an open window. A cool breath brushed against my exposed arm, sending a small shiver through my body. There was, however, an unmistakable softness around my waist and underneath my neck, holding on tightly as if I would vanish in an instant.

I blinked in confusion.

Sure enough, I looked back to see Orion's still sleeping form. His eyes peacefully shut, his lips slightly parted as soft sighs slipped through his throat, his body still so refreshingly cool despite being partially under the covers. I attempted to sit myself up, but the weight of his arm proved stronger than I. Even our legs were tangled together, trapping me in his sleeping form. Still in my state of shock, I rested my head back down onto his arm, gently tracing circles around his bicep in mindless thought.

He's... here. Why is he still here?

Well, it's not like he has somewhere to go back to, so I guess I shouldn't be so surprised.

But still... How come he's the one who stays, and not Blaise?

Suddenly I remembered.

I reached up for my phone, which was plugged into an outlet just beside my make-shift bed. Six forty-five in the morning, I read the numbers before unlocking the device. I'll have to wake up Orion so I can go to work. I checked my messages. Nothing. I placed my phone face-down onto the floor, easing back into Orion's unconscious embrace. What was I expecting, anyway?

Ten minutes passed me by before Orion slowly began to stir. Soft groans escaped his lips, pulling my attention back to his face. Much to my surprise, a strange tingling sensation began to wrack its way up my core, reaching down into my fingers and tickling my throat. It caught me entirely off-guard, forcing me to stare down at the male sleeping beside me. Even though we didn't do anything that night, I still felt this strange... connection... to him, somehow. It was a painful, distant feeling that I had felt before. I felt it the first few days of working at Warehouse 44, whenever a buyer got up to leave; I felt it whenever I kissed Blaise, whenever he gave me that electric smile of his. I leaned in, lost in the reverie of his appearance. Where Blaise was handsome, energetic, and hotter than fire, Orion was beautiful, relaxed, and chilled. My hands trailed his cheeks, thumbs rubbing against his chin. He was so plain and simple; yes, he was unmistakably attractive, but in a really mundane way. There was no pomp and circumstance in his appeal like there was in Blaise. Orion didn't need to sweep me off my feet and kiss me with electric passion for me to feel myself getting aroused. No, all he needed was that stupid little smile of his to send shivers down my spine. All of this, I came to realize as I pressed my forehead against his own.

He was there, at my mercy. And yet, even still, I couldn't bring myself to steal a kiss.

Just get it out of your system, already, I thought, not sure if I were internally talking to Orion or myself. A sigh escaped my lips.

Orion's eyes opened, and I gasped.

"Uh..." he mumbled, face growing red with the near proximity of my own. "...Gooooood morning?"

I pushed myself up and dug my palms into his chest, feeling a bit embarrassed myself to be caught in the act.

"Sorry, um, about that, I was just... um..." I trailed off, realized that there was no point in finding an excuse. Orion laughed, rubbing his eyes as he shook his head.

"Don't worry about it. Happens all the time."

I shot my eyes down at him, feeling a bit flustered.