With a little sigh, Summer curled herself into the pillow, giving him a small, false smile back. She felt cold from the inside, and hunched her shoulders around her ears, watching Derek with sleepy eyes. She’d let hope get the better of her, she thought, and decided to leave in the morning. She wouldn’t stay where she wasn’t wanted.
Derek grabbed his book from the table and sat on the edge of the couch where she was laying. “I’ll read you to sleep,” he said simply. It was something he had done for both of his sisters when they were going through something. He started off the chapter, getting lost in the words as he tried to get her to comfortably fall into her dreams.
It took a long time for her to warm up enough to fall asleep. She drifted, listening to his warm voice, until finally she slept.
She didn’t know what time it was when the nightmare woke her up; it was dark. She thrashed, still caught in the haze of the dream, and hit the floor hard. Her heart pounded, and she wished she could scream.
She blinked up at him, confused at his pulling away. It was far more than simple physical movement. After a brief pout, she flopped over to the arm of the couch instead, tucking herself up tightly so she didn’t touch him anymore.
Derek sighed and got up from the couch to get her a blanket. He came back with one of his and a pillow. Apparently he didn’t really have extras like he thought. He wrapped her like a burrito and placed the pillow at the end of the couch. “There you go,” he said with a small smile.
With a little sigh, Summer curled herself into the pillow, giving him a small, false smile back. She felt cold from the inside, and hunched her shoulders around her ears, watching Derek with sleepy eyes. She’d let hope get the better of her, she thought, and decided to leave in the morning. She wouldn’t stay where she wasn’t wanted.
Derek was just walking by when Summer’s body pressed into his, going back against the wall with a confused expression. He was surprised by the kiss, though he could smell her attraction to him sometimes, it’s not like there wasn’t some toward her either. He just didn’t expect that. Though it didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy it. He watched her walk a few steps before striding out and catching her wrist gently, pulling her back and spinning her, kissing her again.
Letting go of his wrists, she smoothed the other strap off her shoulder. Her breathing ran a little ragged as she held his gaze and reached behind herself to unclip the band. Then she took his wrists again, pulling his hands to her skin.
Derek watched carefully and listened to her breathing and heart rate. When his hands were taken back to her skin, he gently pulled the bra from her arms and dropped it off the side of the bed, bringing his palms to slide up her abdomen slowly and gently to cup both breasts.
She arched, pressing herself into his hands. He was so patient, so cautious — it was like torture, but a good kind. Hesitantly, she brushed her fingertips over his bare chest, hazily wondering if there was a place she could touch him that would make him arch and moan.
Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
She looked up at him sharply, eyes wide and the beginnings of a smile on her face — and then the motion made the towel on her head unwind, and wet red hair spilled over her face and shoulder. She peeled the strands off her face, eyes crinkling in a silent laugh. Rescuing the towel from the floor, she carried it back to the bathroom and hung it up properly, before returning to pick up the book again. She lifted it at Derek, and made hopeful eyes.
Derek bit back his chuckle as her towel fell from her head and all of her hair fell into her face. He watched her pick it up and hang it up. She was very respectful. When she came back into the room and picked up the book, oh how could he resist those sweet eyes. “You can read it if you’d like. You can pick where you want to read too.”
She shook her head with a smile. She pressed the book into his hands, and tumbled her hands.
Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
She hunched her shoulders up a little. It felt strange to be walking around in slightly-too-large clothing, the weight of her damp hair heavy on her head. Coming over to the edge of the bed, she picked up his book, reading the cover and then the back of it. That was a weight that felt right, the smoothness of the pages and gloss of the cover under her fingertips. Regretfully, she put it back down.
Derek watched as she walked over and picked his book up. She looked like it was a good thing and when she set it back down her face looked a little sad. “Do you like reading? I have more books. I don’t read some of them, but I’ve got a couple shelves with books you could look at.”
She looked up at him sharply, eyes wide and the beginnings of a smile on her face — and then the motion made the towel on her head unwind, and wet red hair spilled over her face and shoulder. She peeled the strands off her face, eyes crinkling in a silent laugh. Rescuing the towel from the floor, she carried it back to the bathroom and hung it up properly, before returning to pick up the book again. She lifted it at Derek, and made hopeful eyes.
Derek was just walking by when Summer’s body pressed into his, going back against the wall with a confused expression. He was surprised by the kiss, though he could smell her attraction to him sometimes, it’s not like there wasn’t some toward her either. He just didn’t expect that. Though it didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy it. He watched her walk a few steps before striding out and catching her wrist gently, pulling her back and spinning her, kissing her again.
The thought of true reciprocation washed out of her brain on a tide of desire. She tried to pull herself closer, pulse throbbing, and scraped her nails up and down his back. She kissed him back breathlessly, loving the way their mouths slid together. As he pulled the strap down, she wrapped her hands around his wrists.
Derek hissed at the nails along his back, little welts healing over almost as soon as they were left. When he felt the small hand around his wrist he stopped, pulling back a bit to look at her with a question in his eyes. Had he gone too far?
Letting go of his wrists, she smoothed the other strap off her shoulder. Her breathing ran a little ragged as she held his gaze and reached behind herself to unclip the band. Then she took his wrists again, pulling his hands to her skin.
With a slight, happy sigh, she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. It took a little wriggling before she was comfortable, and then she closed her eyes and radiated general contentment at him.
Derek froze, feeling his muscles tense immediately. He did not sign up for snuggling and the only people he ever really let get this close to him was his family. He shifted away from her, tilting his head. “Ahh, I can get a blanket if you would like.”
She blinked up at him, confused at his pulling away. It was far more than simple physical movement. After a brief pout, she flopped over to the arm of the couch instead, tucking herself up tightly so she didn’t touch him anymore.
Derek was just walking by when Summer’s body pressed into his, going back against the wall with a confused expression. He was surprised by the kiss, though he could smell her attraction to him sometimes, it’s not like there wasn’t some toward her either. He just didn’t expect that. Though it didn’t mean he didn’t enjoy it. He watched her walk a few steps before striding out and catching her wrist gently, pulling her back and spinning her, kissing her again.
She wanted more than those little kisses, chasing after his mouth every time, but kept being distracted by the way his hands were moving on her skin. Everything he did made her burn more, made her /want/ more, and she wasn’t sure how to reciprocate — or even if she should.
Derek finally kissed her longer, kneading her breasts gently as his tongue licked into her mouth. One hand slid higher, easing her strap down her shoulder.
The thought of true reciprocation washed out of her brain on a tide of desire. She tried to pull herself closer, pulse throbbing, and scraped her nails up and down his back. She kissed him back breathlessly, loving the way their mouths slid together. As he pulled the strap down, she wrapped her hands around his wrists.
Derek was a little startled at the sudden hug and rush of emotion, though he caught her and tentatively patted her back soothingly, still a tad bit stunned at the force of her gratitude but glad he could help and make someone feel so thankful.
Accepting the pile of fabrics, she slipped into the bathroom. She luxuriated in the shower; in the knowledge that she didn’t have to hurry, or be on her guard. She found some shampoo and washed her hair, scrubbed every bit of her twice, even rubbed at her teeth with a finger. That last was a bit inadequate, but she felt better afterwards.
Her hands remembered how to wind up her long hair in towels, and she pulled on the clothes. She didn’t exactly recognise the girl in the mirror, but she knew that bones shouldn’t be that visible, and there was just something about her own face that seemed wrong.Popping back out, she presented herself before him to be inspected. Clean, fed, and clothed, she wondered what was supposed to happen now.
Derek had been laying back on his bed with a book, reading as she showered, going over what else she may need. When she walked out, she looked much better, clean and still small, but that’s just malnutrition. “If you want to brush your teeth you can use my toothpaste and there should be a new brush in the drawer under the sink, nothing fancy but it’ll do the job,” he offered as he sat up. “I don’t have a hair brush but if you wanted you could try to tackle that with a comb later.”
She hunched her shoulders up a little. It felt strange to be walking around in slightly-too-large clothing, the weight of her damp hair heavy on her head. Coming over to the edge of the bed, she picked up his book, reading the cover and then the back of it. That was a weight that felt right, the smoothness of the pages and gloss of the cover under her fingertips. Regretfully, she put it back down.
Stomach full, comfortable and safe for the first time in weeks, she caught herself zoning out again, watching him move around the kitchen with only a vague awareness. When he spoke again she started, bumping against the table. She put a hand over her heart to try to slow its rapid beating, and slowly, dazedly shook her head.
The couch seemed to cradle her, encouraging her to relax, though her thoughts still whirled madly. She managed to lift one hand, and beckoned to Derek, wondering if he would come and sit with her, maybe let her lean against his side a little.
He was a little amused when she ran into the table, his eyes lighting up. He didn’t think he would scare her, but figured she was probably tired and needed her rest. His head tilted when she asked him to come over, hesitant to join her at first.
He did so anyways, walking to the couch and sitting next to her. “What is it? Is something wrong?” He figured she needed something. “I can get a bath ready for you, if that’s what you want?”
With a slight, happy sigh, she leaned over and rested her head on his shoulder. It took a little wriggling before she was comfortable, and then she closed her eyes and radiated general contentment at him.