AMATEURS [Tenya Iida x OC]

Chapter 12 - The One Where Things Change

 Peri awoke alone.

She reached around, searching for him, sure she hadn't been dreaming. Paper crunched under her fingertips, finding her glasses in the semi-dark and sliding them on.

Went to get coffee. Be back soon. Love, T.

P.S. Go back to sleep.

Sighing, Peri settled back into his blankets. His pillows smelled like him... soap and mint and cologne of some kind. She never wanted to leave. And she was definitely stealing the t-shirt he'd loaned her.

The door creaked open just as she was teetering into sleep again, light filtering in from the hall. Peri rolled over and peeked an eye open, finding Tenya across the room at his desk. She made a sound in an attempt to say his name but, too tired,  it ended up a sleepy whimper. He turned and crossed to her.

"Morning," Tenya smiled, brushing her hair out of her eyes. Her cheeks were flushed, eyes hooded and hair twisty with sleep. Tenya had never seen her so beautiful. "I don't know if you saw my note. I went and got coffee."

Peri nodded. "It smells good," she murmured against his palm. "But I would like some snuggles first, if that's alright."

He chuckled, cheeks warming, and crawled into bed beside her fully clothed. Peri snuggled up close, burying her face in his sweatshirt, tangling their arms around each other. "So you don't regret... yesterday?" Tenya whispered into Peri's hair.

"Not even a little bit," Peri said, shaking her head. She wasn't sure if he was talking about the date, the intense makeout session, or the sleepover... but all of it was good. More than good. "Yesterday was amazing, Tenya."

"Even this?" he muttered, pressing his face into her shoulder.

She giggled. "Especially this. I slept better last night than I have in years, Tenya, really." Tipping her head back, she kissed him on the chin. "Hey, I need to ask you something. And I don't want you to freak out." She hadn't realized that she needed the answer to this question, but it seemed obvious now that the question bounced around in her brain, lingering and loud.

"Do I seem like the type to freak out?" Tenya smiled down at her.

She laughed. "I suppose not."

"So?"

Peri pursed her lips and looked away, terrified of laying her heart out in the open. "Do you want to be boyfriend and girlfriend?" Her heart fluttered, embarrassed by her confession.

"Of course I do," he grinned, craning down to peck her on the nose. "Only that could make this weekend any better."

"Are you sure? You really want to-?"

"Yes, Peregrine Alarie. I want to be your boyfriend."

-

A few hours later, Peri and Tenya were at the closest stationery shop, looking for school supplies. Tenya needed highlighters; Peri wanted colored pens to color code her notes to her classes. They held hands as they browsed, looking at colorful washi tape and admiring pretty paper.

"When is your birthday, Peri?" Tenya asked after she pointed out yet another thing he wanted to buy for her. She had him wrapped around her finger. Her outfit didn't help; she was wearing yet another sweater, this one cream, paired with a burgundy jumper and cream tights, tan boots. A matching headband held her long hair away from her face.

"April, why?" She said, running her fingers over some paper so smooth it felt like silk. "Yours?" Peri traced the tiny apples on the corners of the page, smiling.