The Overpriced Child

Avery's bedroom was dark when I awoke. My hands instinctively groped for the edge of the quilt only to find that I was already covered by it, the room was just freezing. I curled into a shivering ball, pulling my knees up and tucking my thighs against my belly, feeling my toes touch Avery's back. No relief there, though - the back of his shirt was cool as ever, and I could feel the steady rhythm of his breathing as he slept. Closing my eyes, I tried to match my breathing to his, hoping to trick my body into falling back asleep. Waves crashing against the lighthouse’s tiny landing didn't drown out the gentle thrumming of rain, and such sounds would have normally been a potent lullaby for me, but the chill creeping into my bones demanded to be felt above them all. 

I considered my options. 

I could get an extra blanket, though I wasn't sure where Avery's linen closet was. I hadn't seen any random-looking doors in any of the stairwells. Maybe in the bathroom? I thought about the trip there, walking barefoot in nothing but my T-shirt and boxers down the flight of frigid metal stairs. My toes curled in protest. Scratch that option. 

Avery disdained any kind of nonrenewable energy source, so while I knew he had some sort of furnace in both his kitchen and his living room, I also knew they were solar powered somehow and I didn't know how they worked. I dryly supposed that if I survived until morning, I would ask him to show me. 

I sighed slowly through my nose, opening my eyes to stare at the back of Avery's head as it was smushed into his cloud-like pillow. He was cold, but maybe cuddling would help a little? At least I would die happy…? I didn't want to wake him up, but maybe if I was careful… 

Scooting gingerly, I looped my arm over Avery's side, letting my hand rest on his soft belly as I nuzzled my forehead between his shoulder blades. He stirred, stroking a clumsy hand down my forearm and holding mine once he reached it. 

“Dewdrop…?” 

A twinge of guilt; I shouldn’t have disturbed him. 

“Shh, go back to sleep. It's still dark.” 

“You’re freezing...” 

He rolled over, eyes barely open as his palm found my face, thumb stroking my cheek. The chill of his hand made me shudder, but my heart melted as I watched him blink away sleep, his visage all innocence and vulnerability with his glasses off. 

“Y-yeah, it's a bit cold in here.” 

“Come here, I'll warm you up.” He opened his arms for me. 

My brow creased, “I'm not sure that's going to work…?” I shuffled closer anyway, inching down his body, as to not assault him with my stale breath in his face. Maybe he was too sleepy to remember his body couldn't warm mine? His arms pulled me against him almost possessively, pressing me into his cold, pillowy body. I blushed a little as my head rested against his chest. 

“Just trust me,” he whispered, lips nuzzling my hair. 

It was quiet for a moment, and then a sound like my electric kettle emanated from Avery's body, making his skin hum with a building vibration. Slowly but surely, a warmth bloomed against my back, spreading from Avery's middle to the rest of his body. I lowered my knees, pressing the soles of my feet against the growing warmth of his legs as I let out a groan of relief. He never ceased to amaze me with the things he was able to do. 

“How are you doing that…?” I brought his hand to my lips, kissing his fingers. 

“Mmmn… Magic…” 

I giggled. “Magic” was what Avery said when he was too tired or too busy to explain something scientific, particularly his physiology, Cirropian gadgets, or his homeland itself. 

“I know that's not trueee,” I lilted quietly, reaching up to stroke my fingertip across the silky underside of his head. 

Avery snorted and giggled, tucking his head down. Instead of grabbing my fingers, though, he retaliated with a gentle tweaking to my unprotected side. 

My arm immediately snapped down as my knees came up, barking a surprised laugh as I curled into a ball like a rollie pollie. My fingers and toes tingled as the warmth of his body began to dethaw them; it was strange to feel Avery moving against me without his characteristic chill, but I had to admit, the warmth was healing… and it seemed to have made me more sensitive somehow, too. 

“Be careful… If you keep fussing, you’ll wake up the tickle monster,” he threatened sleepily, his hand slipping under my T-shirt to rub my belly. 

The squeak that came out of my mouth was almost inhuman as my stomach clenched beneath his huge palm; insurance, I guessed, but that warmth… Ohhh, it was heaven… I couldn't help but fidget, nestling my body back against his until there were no gaps between us, and then I knew we had left the timeline where I would go back to sleep. 

Avery's hand stroked my belly in lazy, circular motions, pausing occasionally to give a gentle squeeze. I was embarrassed how little it took to… distract me, and I tried to ignore it, but my fluttering heart would not be still, the warmth he'd ignited in my belly refused to cool. I sighed, yearning, blushing and unbearably human, but we hadn't gotten to that point, yet… and I was resolved to take things at his pace, as I'd promised. I closed my eyes dutifully; I would lie there quietly until morning if I had to. 

The rubbing continued, slow and gentle, for a while longer before Avery was still, his breath against my hair coming in regular succession once again. I had to admit I hated that he stopped, but I was relieved that he was able to go back to sleep, at least. 

What followed was an eternity of stillness, while Avery's body slowly lost heat until he lay cool and soft against my back. Apparently, whatever mechanism allowed him to warm his body only worked when he was awake. I shivered. I whimpered. I checked the time; it was three in the morning, and I was weak. Very weak, especially since I was cold again. My toes curled again as I thought about the unforgiving metal stairs, but they were just gonna have to take one for the team. I carefully slid out from under Avery's arm, crawling to the edge of the bed and getting up. I stole a pair of boxers and a clean shirt out of Avery's tidy dresser, then made for the door. 

“Where are you going…?” 

I winced, although the sound of his voice told me he’d been awake for a while… and his tone was far from critical. Rather, I thought, it betrayed a wisp of longing. 

“To take a shower… I can't sleep.”

There was a pause, and then:

“Would you like some company?” 

The same feeling as before - like a sucker punch, only now that I was standing, my weak knees were more of an issue. I stumbled a bit. A ticker-tape parade of questions exploded in my mind; I grasped the one that seemed most important. 

“Are you awake enough…?” 

I didn't expect it to happen like this. 

“Yes.” 

But I also didn't believe in “planning” special moments, especially intimate ones; in my opinion, the best experiences always happened organically. But what if Avery felt differently…? 

“Are you sure you want to do this now?” 

I thought about all the parts of my body that Avery hadn't seen, especially the parts that were freckled with self-inflicted scars, partially from acne, but mostly from picking. 

“If you are, then yes.”

I let a long silence fall between us as I thought hard. I felt sure that Avery would accept whatever I looked like, but while I was far from a traditionalist in terms of chastity, it was important to me that we were both in the right mind for such an experience. I was tired, but I was certainly well awake… especially after that conversation. 

I hadn't even heard him get up, but before I could speak again, Avery's arms encircled me from behind. I jumped slightly, then leaned back against him, goosebumps rising on my arms from the chill of his body.

“Don’t feel pressured to be ready,” he said tenderly, kissing my hair. 

“I am ready, though,” I turned in the dark, hugging him back and nuzzling into his chest, “I'm ready. Really, I promise.” 

He held me there in silence for a moment, then I felt him move away, followed by an arm behind my knees. I gasped as he lifted and cradled me against him, heading for the stairs.

“Can’t let your little toes freeze on the way down, hm?” He cooed, nuzzling me again. “Goodness, you're freezing… Please forgive me, I'll make sure to put a heater in my room.” 

I tried to hide it, but it was true… My teeth were starting to chatter. 

“Let’s just s-start with the shower,” I said, shivering in his arms.