firecracker // rodrick heffley

CHAPTER FIVE

Rodrick was staring at her.

Her bruises. He kept glancing at the splotches of color through the holes in her light-wash blue jeans. 

She felt like she could hear white noise; the sound she figured her brain was making as it was fried by nerves.

"Like, does this hurt?" Sylvia somehow heard his question over her heartbeat. His hand was on her thigh. She glanced away, trying to hide the flutter of her eyelids.

Sylvia felt her face heating up. "Not really, doesn't hurt," she turned away even more, fearing her expression would give away the way he made her feel.

"Is this okay?" she heard him ask.

Sylvia put her hand on top of Rodrick's. "It, uh- it's m- I don't mind," Sylvia stammered, looking for a response. Subtly, she guided his hand up further, moving away from her knee. He began to trace circles on her leg with his thumb.

Fuck, Sylvia thought.

Rodrick let out a dry chuckle.

Shit. Did I say that out loud? 

His hand left her thigh, drawing out a sound that Sylvia didn't know she was capable of. A sharp gasp, almost a whine. 

"Woah. Needy," Rodrick commented, mercifully sliding his hand back onto Sylvia's leg, lightly massaging her inner thigh.

It took immense self-control for Sylvia to stay quiet. After a half-hour of driving, Rodrick stopped the car in a near-empty lot. 

The time they spent on the beach, in Sylvia's opinion, couldn't hold a candle to the time she spent with Rodrick in the back of his van.

"Rodrick," she told him upon seeing it, "this is amazing. I feel..."

"Comfortable," he said for her. She felt a rush at his ability to make her feel like she belonged. "I think I have to tell you, Sylvia," he started. Sylvia's pulse pounded, a wave of anxiety overwhelming her with the words he spoke. "I really like you, you know?" 

"I... really like you, too," she said, moving her body towards him. She didn't know how to express her feelings to him - she felt all-consuming passion when she thought of Rodrick and was afraid to come on too strongly by trying to communicate that to him.

"I'm so glad you said that."

She felt Rodrick find his way on her body with his hands, his palms resting on her slim hips and slowly moving up to her waist, sliding under her soft t-shirt. Sylvia's eyes rolled back as she struggled to contain her feelings. She bit her lip, only half-suppressing a groan exhibiting her desire.

Sylvia felt Rodrick lift one of his hands to her face, taking her cheek in his hand as he leaned in, locking his lips with hers. She grabbed his neck, pulling him closer and moving towards him, her knees on either side of his lap.

Rodrick's long fingers trailed up her waist, his cold hands sending a chill through her body. Sylvia inhaled sharply. She pulled away, moving her lips to Rodrick's neck. 

"Wait," Rodrick said, pulling his hands out from under her shirt. 

"What is it?" Sylvia sat back, still straddling his hips.

"I don't want to rush things, you know? I don't wanna..." He trailed off.

Sylvia lifted a hand and brushed the side of his cheek with her thumb. "You don't want what?"

"I don't want you to feel like I used you or anything like that."

Sylvia smiled. "Come on. I don't think you could make me feel like that if you tried, Rodrick." She ran a hand through the back of his hair, tousling it further than it already had been. "I want to do this whenever you're ready."