#foolin around

     “um... i mean the instructions say-”

     “screw the instructions!” steve snapped, hands planting themselves on his hips as he stared at the mess of tarp and metal poles before him. “i’ve... done this before, okay?” his eyes shot to the girls sitting in lawn chairs beside him, frustrated grin on his face.

     “maybe it’s a new model,” robin offered, taking the folded paper and standing to inspect the crumpled tent.

     eddie caught the youngest’s eye from where he was sat sealing the joint in his hands. she was quick to look away, focusing back in on their friends as they bickered over the instructions, her knees pressing together and making the chair beneath her squeak.

     it reminded him of being back in band. when he’d catch her eye over her trumpet and a warbled note would sound out through the room, her eyes diverting back to the papers in front of her. thank god he’d gotten held back one more year to witness that. and thank god robin had offered to help her with the arrangement, and the younger was too embarrassed to admit it wasn’t the music that was troubling her.

     grinning, eddie placed the spliff into a bag with the others he’d managed to roll while steve attempted to get the tents set up. “can’t be great at everything, harrington.” he groaned as he stood, stretching his arms up over his head until his shirt slid up over the patch of hair above his boxers. another squeak of a lawn chair didn’t go unnoticed by him. “maybe tent pitching is my calling.”

     the small group watched him crouch down, squinting at the equipment before him. he hopped a little to grab at different poles, trying to fit them into different slots.

     “no, man, it doesn’t go in there!” steve huffed, running a hand through his hair. “every time i try putting it in that hole, it pops back out.”

     and eddie braced, sighing in anticipation of what he knew was coming.

     robin’s hands found his ears, loosely cupping them so that he could still hear exactly what was said. “let’s try to keep it pg, please,” she stage-whispered, “his virgin ears can’t handle that kind of language.” stepping away, she started giggling proudly.

     it’d been months, actual months of the ongoing dig at him. and yeah, okay, it wasn’t really a dig so much as it was his friends enjoying getting a rise out of him. but at some point, eddie started to think maybe his friends really believed what they were saying, and a more primitive part of him was furious over it.

     “well,” eddie grinned annoyedly, “not a virgin, so...”

     and as always, his friends began to chuckle childishly. but something about it had the brunet’s jaw setting. he listened to them go on like a pack of hyenas for a few more beats before one laugh in particular had his blood boiling. and he knew exactly why.

     “and what exactly do you find so amusing about all this?” he taunted, staring the youngest down from where she still sat in her suspiciously squeaky chair. her eyes met his, playful gleam to them dissipating when she saw the heat behind his. “’cause i know for a fact your cherry is still nice and juicy and plump.” eddie made sure to drag out ‘nice,’ shaking his head slightly with the word.

     “eddie!” she yelped, eyebrows knitting together in hurt.

     “wait, seriously?” steve squawked, looking back and forth between the two.

     she stared at eddie desperately, feeling her face heat up under the attention. just as her mouth opened to try and steer the conversation elsewhere, the brunet’s did the same.

     “oh, absolutely,” he grinned, reveling in the small satisfaction of having all the eyes off himself. it lasted a matter of seconds before he saw a slight tremble to her lips, younger glancing around at their friends before getting up and all but sprinting off toward the cars. eddie felt the regret creep in immediately, gaze dropping to the small branch he’d been fiddling with since they’d started in on him.

     a harsh shove at his shoulder caused him to stumble slightly, eyes shooting up to see robin glaring down at him. “smooth, dickhead,” she bit, storming off after the younger.

     “oh, but everyone gets to have a go at me, huh?” he hollered after her, trying to ignore the pit forming in his stomach. he knew he was an ass for saying it. hell, it came out because he’d finally had enough of everyone teasing him. but he also knew the difference between them, and why one jab had done her in immediately.

     “when the hell did she even tell you that?” steve scoffed, blinking dumbfoundedly as he shook his head.

     eddie glanced up. “you know, harrington, sometimes it’s not always words with ladies...” the twig in his grasp finally snapped under the pressure of his fist. “and sometimes it’s nothing but words.” with a groan, he stood and sulked off in the opposite direction.

     steve watched after his friend, hands up in a confused posture before they slapped to his hips. “okay, yeah, and once again i am alone and... completely confused. great. yeah, no, i wanted to spend the whole day by myself. setting up these stupid tents. this is perfect, actually. yeah, thanks, guys! not that anyone’s around to hear me!” his eyes fell to the forgotten tarps and poles. “assholes.”

~

     eddie saw the curtains move when he pulled up outside her house, knew his music had given him away. it cut out sharply, leaving him in total silence when he killed his engine. keys still in hand, he gripped his steering wheel, forehead slapping to it with a sigh.

     “c’mon, munson, man the hell up,” he snapped. erratically, his fingers tapped at the wheel, his leg jerking from all the nerves. and he knew why he was getting like such a wreck. because this wasn’t a one and done. she wasn’t a one and done. the fabric groaned beneath his hold, eddie’s eyes shutting in frustration. “just go up, knock on the door, apologize, and-”

     a piercing scream left him when he heard a tap on the window beside him, younger biting back a laugh when the wail faded out into heavy pants.

     “jc on fuckin’ high!” he shouted, popping open the door to turn and face her, body slumping with his hand still on the handle. “i know you’re pissed, but giving me a heart attack? really?”

     she shook her head, finally letting out the giggle that she’d been fighting. “i was just coming to see why you’re parked outside my house.”

     “well, when my blood pressure comes down, i’d like to talk with you, but...” glancing at her, he squinted his eyes. “if murder is on the menu, i’ll peel right outta here.”

     “no murder,” she smiled, “at least on my end.”

     “you’re nowhere close to being on my list,” eddie purred, hopping out of his van to crowd into her space a little. “i have too much fun with you.”

     her eyes were wide, staring up at him, and her head bobbed slightly as she swallowed. the scent of cigarettes was still thick on his clothes from probably having half a pack on his drive over. but the longer they stood there, she began to pick up on something more crisp and clean.

     “did you shower?”

     eddie let out a breathy laugh, dropping his head. “yeah, i did. disappointed?”

     “w-what? no, i-i... why would i be disappointed?”

     instead of watching as that signature shit-eating grin came across eddie’s face, the younger turned and headed for her front door. biting the inside of his cheek, suddenly something clicked inside eddie’s head.

     “shit,” he hissed to himself, flailing to reach over the driver's seat of his van and onto the passenger. his tongue stuck out over his top lip as he strained, cheap paper just out of his reach. right as a finger made contact, his brain caught up with itself and he put a foot up inside the vehicle, finally grasping the bouquet.

     with a satisfied grin, he slammed the door shut and tucked the flowers behind his back before following after her up inside her house.

     “what was that?” she giggled, clearly having just watched him struggle.

     “my heroic battle to bring you these,” eddie chirped, offering out the small bouquet as she shut the door behind them.

     her eyes went wide, a slight crinkle to her brows. “eddie...” she took the flowers gingerly, bringing them to her nose with a smile. “they’re lovely... thank you, i- i’m gonna put them in a vase right now!”

     the brunet watched her practically skip to the kitchen. he took the time to give himself another mental pep talk, listening to the sounds of cabinets opening and closing followed by the faucet turning on.

     “do you want anything to drink?” she called, “there’s still some beer left from last weekend.”

     ah, last weekend. when they’d all gathered in her basement and robin’s drunken limbs had knocked a full bottle onto the baby of the group, a shout leaving her as she stood up quickly in shock. she’d scrambled for the pile of folded laundry on top of the dryer. but not before eddie got an eyeful of the white cups of her bra, the little bow at the center of her chest. and he definitely didn’t miss the flash of skin when she shucked all the soiled clothing off, too high off of his stash to realize the bathroom door didn’t shut completely behind her.

     “oh, i’d love a beer,” he laughed, plopping onto the floral couch in the living room.

     she came back in with his beer in one hand and the flowers inside a nice crystal vase in the other. “they really are lovely, eddie. thank you.”

     he tipped the beer to her when she handed it to him, his throat bobbing around a large swig. “least i can do... after earlier.” when she finally finished fiddling with the vase and sat beside him, he rested his head on the back of the couch. “i’m sorry for that, by the way. and for ruining the whole big camping adventure. even though steve was the only one that wanted to go.”

     her eyes met his for only a second, friendly smile on her lips. “i’m... really not angry with you, eddie. promise. i was just... embarrassed, i guess.”

     eddie turned himself slightly, humming, “yeah, i get that.” his arm bent beneath his head, propping it up with an elbow along the back cushion. “i’ve maybe been embarrassed once or twice in my life.”

     that got her to look at him, her face tight as she tried to hold back her smile until it blossomed across her lips. “i don’t believe that.”

     the older just grinned at her, shrugging as he took another sip of his beer.

     they sat in silence for a few moments, the clock in her dining room ticking to count each second that passed. eddie watched her intently, knowing smirk on his face like always. he knew she was about to speak again before her lips even opened. it was in the way her chest rose and fell heavily a couple times, anticipating the words about to come out.

     “eddie?” she started, glancing at him.

     “yes?” his voice was low, slightly drawn-out. he just loved teasing her, knowing she didn’t know that he knew.

     “um... how did you know?”

     eddie had to bring the bottle to his lips to hide the sly smile on them. “how’d i know what?”

     her gaze fell to her hands where they pulled at the loose threads of her sweater. “how did you... know i was a virgin?” her voice dropped, whispered between them as if there was a crowd of people around ready to point and laugh. “i-i never told you.”

     “no?” he trilled, cocking his head slightly. her own shook timidly. with another sip, eddie dragged the rim of the bottle across his lips, tapping it to his chin as he hummed, “hm... oh, right. that’s right. you haven’t ever told me. verbally.”

     “what?” she finally looked back to the older with a crease in her brows, watching as he simply beamed at her, grin wide enough for his infuriating dimples to dot the ends of it.

     sucking his teeth, eddie tipped his head back, allowing her to rake her eyes over the way the movement put his jaw on display. the couch squeaked beneath her as she adjusted. “well, you know,” eddie breathed, “actions speak louder than words, and you... you...” his index finger left the beer bottle to point at her playfully, wagging in her face as he smirked.

     “me?” she giggled, pulling away from his accusatory digit.

     eddie huffed out a laugh, shaking his head as he stared at her. “yeah, you.”

     he let her sit in it for a few moments, watching her intently as she fidgeted and tried to keep her eyes on anything but the brunet in front of her.

     taking a final swig of his beer, eddie leaned forward to place it on the coffee table. his back met the cushions again, and he spread his legs, rubbing his hands over the inside of his thighs. turning his head, he breathed, “you’re telling me right now.”

     her head tilted slightly, confusion enough to have her finally hold eye contact with him.

     “you know, uh, all those movie nights we had? over at my place?” she nodded, hanging onto his words desperately. “we’d sit on my couch, just like this... some snacks between us. what was your favorite one we watched?”

     “what?”

     “movie. what movie did you like best?”

     her mouth opened to answer, but she came up empty, chewing the inside of her cheek and shrugging at the older.

     “it’s ’cause you don’t watch the movies,” eddie cooed, getting another tilt of her head. “no, no, you’re too busy always staring at my hands, right? grabbing a bottle, digging through the bowl of popcorn... and your personal favorite; sucking my fingers into my mouth, licking them clean.”

     her eyes were glued to him as he mimed out each action, a slight shiver rocking her when he pulled his hand back from his lips with a wet pop.

     eddie hummed, a deep chuckle rumbling the end of it as he grinned at her, “and what could you possibly be thinking about when you’re watching that? huh?” eyes hooded, he watched her timidly shake her head, another shrug scrunching her shoulders. “you don’t know? that’s okay.”

     there was silence between them for a moment, eddie watching her lazily as she gnawed at her bottom lip. her breathing was labored, and it caused her sweatshirt to bunch on every exhale. but it also caused the cotton to strain on her inhales, two stiff peaks visible against the fabric.

     “i think you sit there dreaming about me sucking my fingers after i’d just had them buried inside that soaked pussy of yours, right up to my rings.”

     the look on her face was worth the slight panic that settled in his gut. her lips were parted, eyes blown wide as they darted back and forth between his. and yet another shiver ran up her spine, almost unnoticeable from how she pressed her knees together.

     “eddie...”

     “oh, and there’s that,” he marveled, dropping his hand over his heart with a pout. “you’re so sweet and shy... talking in that tone of yours... nervous and eager at the same time.” he took a risk then, slowly bringing his hand up to her face, back of his knuckles brushing over her cheek. she gasped inwardly when he leaned closer. “whole time sitting there squeezing your thighs together as tight as they’ll go... hoping to get a little friction just as badly as you’re hoping no one’ll notice.”

     her eyelids fluttered, face unconsciously gravitating toward his hand as it finally tickled down to her jaw, under her chin to gently pull her in. they were a breath apart, the scent of beer fanning across her skin before he pushed in. a muffled whine left her, hands gripping at the cuffs of her sweatshirt.

     eddie chuckled against her lips, leather of his jacket groaning when he reached his other hand around to grab onto hers, worming his way between her fists. “you told me alright.”

     taking purchase of his thumb and wrist, she keened when he traced his opposite knuckles down the column of her throat. “e-eddie...”

     “tell me to stop, sweetheart,” he breathed, holding back his groan when he felt her thighs pinch again beneath his hand. “i-i swear i’ll stop.”

     her hold on him tightened, a squeak leaving her before she caught herself and shook her head. “please...”

     “stop?”

     “no,” she huffed, shaking from frustration before pushing into his space.

     eddie met her with enthusiasm, wrapping his hand around her neck to pull her in closer. impossibly close. she could feel him grin into the kiss, older’s head spinning at how she moved against him. her lips were trembling and unsure, but eager to part for him when he hooked his thumb under her jaw and coaxed her back. her hands dropped their hold on his to grip onto the lapels of his jacket as he crowded her into the cushions.

     “what do you want, sweetheart?”

     eddie’s voice was hoarse as he panted against her lips, stealing kisses despite waiting for a response. she pushed at his chest, trying to find her voice when he just focused in on her jaw, her cheeks, her neck, his hot breath branding her skin everywhere.

     “y-you, eddie,” she preened, “please, will you...”

     exhaling against her ear, eddie pulled back to bring their mouths together again. it was sloppy and frantic, over too soon as he rasped out, “will i pop your cherry?”

     in lieu of an answer, she whined in exasperation, hands shaking where they clung to him. her lips chased after his, but eddie dodged her, thumb still hooked under her chin keeping her in place.

     “you- jesus christ... you’ve gotta tell me, okay, sweetheart? i-i know, but you have to tell me.”

     “yes, eddie, please.” when the older didn’t budge, she let her eyes flutter shut. “i want my first time to be with you.”

     eddie let her sweat for hardly a second before he was hauling her up off the couch and squeezing her head between his palms. her eyes shot open just in time to see him leaning in to plant an overjoyed kiss on each point of her face. “see how easy that was?”

     lamplight danced in her eyes as she marveled at him, teeth digging into her cheek when he nudged her along toward the hallway. she hadn’t even made it into her room before eddie had her pressed to the doorway, trapped against the wood while he just stared at her.

     his eyes were soft in contrast to his pupils blowing out until there was no sign of his irises in the dim light. but he was close enough for her to see the shadows of freshly shaved hair along his jaw and upper lip. a spot or two of red that popped up from his diet of sugar and more sugar. the corner of his mouth twitched as he made to press it to hers again.

     “w-wait, eddie, i...”

     the look on his face sent a pang through her stomach. she could see it all slipping out from under him, older starting to get inside his own head until she brushed her fingers against the back of his hand.

     “this means a lot to me.” her chest deflated with a sigh, shoulders shrugging. “i know maybe it’s stupid, but it does. i just want you to know. this is important to me.”

     eddie wasn’t ignorant to the stress she put on her words or the weight they carried. it made his heart swell, pushing against his ribs until he physically couldn’t stop himself from bouncing on his heels.

     she lit up under his touch, eddie bringing their foreheads together with a hand on her cheek. “you’re important to me, too, sweetheart,” he promised, speaking the words she was too nervous to. “i don’t take this lightly at all.”

     a full grin spread across her lips, seeking his out giddily. eddie started walking them back toward her bed, hungrily devouring her, pulling sweet whine after desperate gasp from her. she squeaked when he pushed her back, younger bouncing on the mattress a couple times before it stabilized, just long enough for him to stare down at her heatedly while toeing off his sneakers.

     “scoot up a little for me, baby.”

     his voice was low and gravelly, causing her to follow his instruction blindly, using the movement to press her thighs together. if eddie noticed, he didn’t mention it, choosing to follow after her. warmth settled into her, concentrated where he pressed to her side, large palm once more finding her cheek. it was only a second that their lips had been together before his tongue began to work its way between hers.

     she could feel his fingers ghosting down her face, leaving goosebumps in their wake as they passed over her neck. eddie’s mouth was calculated, moving over hers slowly enough for her to keep up while still driving her up the wall. he grinned when he felt her tremble beneath him, stuttered gasp leaving her at the feel of his digits sliding over the hem of her sweatshirt.

     it felt like forever. worn, softened cotton brushing up her stomach, pads of eddie’s fingers right behind it. by the time it was pushed up over her breasts, she could feel her face burning wildly. the older mouthed along the hollow of her cheek, settling with his own pressed to hers. her senses failed as cool air hit her chest at the same time his hot breath fanned across her.

     “this how you do it, baby?” he rasped, leaving a kiss to the shell of her ear, beginning to move his hand back down the newly exposed plane of skin.

     every inch he touched was alight, flesh raw and sensitive already without hardly any contact. she considered it a miracle she remained in one piece when she felt him slowly begin sliding his hand into her shorts. shutting her eyes only made it worse... better... the feel of his fingers stopping along her slit, palm pressed to her mound, all still a thin layer of fabric away from really touching her.

     tracing his lips over her jaw, eddie pushed his middle finger into the cotton harder, getting a better feel of the extent of the wet patch he’d found. he chuckled through his nose, nipping at her neck as he cooed, “good girl... so ready for me, huh?”

     her chest brushed the side of his face, back arching up off the mattress from everything building up inside her. his hand, his lips, the tickle of his hair over her skin... no one had even taken any clothes off, and she felt ready to explode right then.

     with a confusing amount of ease and grace, eddie slid his free hand beneath her, arm snaking around to maneuver her until he was reclined on her pillows with her back to his chest.

     before she could even react, he placed a kiss to her hairline. “yeah, there we go,” he hummed.

     another tremor shook through her when the chains on his cuff danced along her side, eddie’s palm splayed across her stomach, rings also stinging against her heated skin. the world beneath them might as well have fallen away the moment she caught her breath just to have it ripped away once his hand started heading south, prying at the elastic of her panties. her heart was pounding, echoing louder in her ears the further he went, his right hand skimming up her side and flattening under her ribs.

     but the position was so familiar and comfortable, she couldn’t help but melt into the older, find solace in the heat pooling through his shirt into her skin.

     “this how you touch yourself? hm?” eddie purred, dipping his middle finger between her folds. his lips curled against her temple. finally feeling her slick built up and practically dripping out of her sent his blood rushing south. “maybe you hide your body under the covers...”

     the younger was too out of touch to hear herself cry out or notice eddie’s hand drifting up her chest. his finger had begun tracing circles slowly around her entrance, grinning at the way the muscles seized on each pass. glancing down to see her lashes fluttering uncontrollably, he ceased his movements for a second, right thumb stroking soothingly along her sternum.

     when she sighed, hips twitching, he did one final lap around her before moving up slightly. a gasp punched out of her lungs when he tapped on her bud. and then again, causing her to grip onto the leg of his pants on either side of her. the third time, he waited even longer for, reveling in the way the anticipation caused her to rise off the mattress again.

     all bets were off after that. eddie was relentless, but somehow gentle. the pressure was there as he circled and flicked and rubbed, but it was just enough, nothing more. quick enough to have lewd squelching filling the air, but slow enough to have warmth creeping through every inch of her like molasses. the occasional flick of metal nestled along his knuckles making contact with the top of her mound had her convulsing.

     “fuck,” eddie laughed, “need to hide under the covers to muffle all that.”

     she shook at his words, listening to the obscene noises with her own ears. her heels dug into the bed beneath them, propelling her upward before eddie hooked a foot of his own over her ankle to keep her planted firmly. a whine left her, arm bending and slamming back down, younger overwhelmed like she’d never felt.

     “oh, i can definitely picture you working yourself into a sweat, girl. just like this.” her head fell back onto his shoulder, eyes meeting his for the first time in what felt like hours. eddie couldn’t stop the dopey grin that broke across his face. “how ’bout...” the hand on her chest finally made its way to her breast, and as soon as his thumb hit the stiff peak of her nipple, he knew she was done.

     her release ripped through her, pulling the plug on her senses until all she saw or heard was static. oblivion kicked in, numbing her to the feel of her jaw going slack around a silent scream, or the guttural moan that ripped up her throat after it. eddie felt her seize in his hold, body taut with pleasure, shaking with release.

     “oh, yeah,” he coaxed, “there you go... good girl.”

     she whimpered, turning her head into eddie’s neck, older’s lips brushing along her forehead as his middle finger soothed over her bud. the movement pulled the last few drops of bliss out of her, thighs clamping together around his hand when she couldn’t take the burn of stimulation anymore

     eddie brought his right hand up to cup the side of her face, feeling the heat permeating through her skin as she listed into the touch. “sh,” he soothed, “did so good, sweetheart. ’m so proud of you.”

     as she finally started coming back to herself, she heard pathetic whines that she soon realized were coming from her own lips. they slowed, lulled by the press of eddie’s hands caressing her; one at her face, thumb running across the apple of her cheek, and other massaging the skin of her lower stomach to try and ease the muscles beneath to stop clenching.

     “what- what just happened?” she croaked, shifting herself slightly to curl into the body beneath her.

     eddie’s laugh was breathy and somewhat patronizing, the same someone might make as they coo at a crying child that had fallen over in their haste to get somewhere.

     “i just made you cum in about...” he let his hand rise from her waist to twist his wrist, shaking his arm slightly to free his watch from beneath his sleeve. “mm... 26 seconds?”

     the teasing caused her to squirm, older taking pity on her and easing her off of him and onto the bed beside him, carefully pulling her sweatshirt back down. she pressed her heated face into his chest, basking in the heat of cotton-covered skin and chill of leather as he hugged her tighter against himself. his finger still glistened against the warm yellow light of her bedside lamp, and eddie couldn’t stop the budding pride in his chest.

     “always knew guitar was a useful hobby to take up.” at the deep, shaky sigh blowing out across his chest, eddie dropped his lips to her forehead again, dry hand nudging her chin up so their eyes met. “need a minute?”

     her eyelashes fluttered, younger nodding shyly. “just a minute. please.”

     “of course, sweet girl,” eddie pouted, pressing his plush lips to as much of her face as he could before she shook him off. her cheeks were still warm under his touch, heat seeping through his shirt onto his chest when she rested her head again. eddie let her bask in the hazy glow swirling around her, cloud of twinkling hues almost visible and radiant above her. he squeezed her into him more, hand finding its way to the sliver of skin left bare from her sweatshirt hiking up again. “that the first time someone’s made you cum?” he asked, suddenly flush down to his neck at the thought.

     little bumps rose to the surface of her flesh just as she nodded.

     a fresh waft of her salted skin hit his senses on a heavy inhale, eddie’s jeans suddenly even more constricting around his hips.

     “i’m gonna blow right now, actually. sorry,” he breathed.

     she laughed against him, face twisting until she could bury herself in the crevice of his arm. his scent was concentrated there, pure musk and smoke and hints of spice, that telltale aroma of aged leather and metal. it had her gushing, small whine getting muffled into his clothes.

     neither of them moved for a while. one of those times where it felt like hours had passed, but the second hand on the clock had only made a few rotations. eddie was twitching in his jeans, soft cotton of his boxers only a slightly better restraint than rough denim. he could still feel her blood thrumming beneath her skin, pursing his lips at the thought of how spent she was already.

     the slight shift of her legs was his cue, silent and shy. it was just a brush of knees, but he read it loud and clear, allowing his hand to start dipping lower on each pass it took across her waist. she sensed it, he knew she did. because a brush of knees became a fist in his shirt and a curl of sock-clad toes. eventually an arch of her back when his hand finally made it into her panties again, this time approaching from behind with a drag of fingertips across her ass.

     she keened at the press of his digits, parting and pulling until one could dip into her folds and trace her entrance.

     “fuck, you’re so wet,” eddie marveled, mouth hanging open as he unconsciously felt around the silky flesh.

     again he felt her chest inflating and deflating in anticipation of words, and it snapped him from his trance.

     “i’m ready,” she whispered, voice airy and distant.

     it turned to high and flustered, yelp leaving her as her back hit the mattress with a quiet thud. eddie had flipped them effortlessly, spreading her legs without a hitch as he slotted between them. he took the part of her lips as an opportunity to fit his tongue into her mouth, devouring the surprised squeak that lifted from her throat. he ate away at any subsequent whines or gasps that resulted from his belt buckle digging into her core.

     “you’re ready?” he breathed, hands falling into place at her waist, waiting for the green light. her chin bumped his as she nodded, lips chasing his only for him to dodge her with a playful yet stern grin.

     “yes, i’m ready.”

     green light.

     eddie allowed her the kiss she sought, but only just. she hummed in compromised contentment at the feel of his lips moving along her jaw, wet and focused as they descended on her neck. she’d felt the rough of his hands before, but nothing like when they were both flat on her skin, pushing, pushing, pushing until her sweatshirt was up around her collar again. he could feel her gasp beneath his mouth, throat expanding and hot air fanning across his hair, when he let his palms rest so gingerly over her breasts. they were calloused and grainy against satin flesh, stirring nubs to poke into them with a stutter of the chest behind them.

     “arms up,” he directed, abandoning her breasts despite her needy whine to slot his hands in the collar of her sweatshirt. stretching it away from her face, he pushed again until he could pull it from her wrists, tossed somewhere irrelevant as his lips found her again. right where they’d last been at the juncture of her neck and clavicle, teeth digging into flesh to find the bone with just enough force to make her sigh and shiver under him. “so soft...” his voice was a mumble, almost inaudible had he not been mere inches from her ear.

     and it was the squeeze of his hands at her sides that had her eyes fluttering shut, the focus on such an intimate part sparking cinders behind her face. he’d felt along her ribs, her breasts... had his fingers right on the edge of her entrance... but this was uncharted. ticklish if she hadn’t been so burned by the way he carefully cradled every inch he grasped.

     “smell so fuckin’ good, too,” he sighed, lips ghosting down the valley between her breasts, nose digging into her chestplate to inhale the pure, raw scent there.

     his tongue pressed flat to it, sliding up the path his lips had just taken before his mouth latched back on. even wetter and more determined as they peppered their way to squishy flesh pebbled with bumps of anticipation. his teeth nipped, searching out a shaky breath instead of bone, mouth eager to close around tender skin and soothe it before repeating the pattern along each inch. one circle all spiraling toward the pointed goal at the center.

     “eddie,” she whimpered, velvet palm finding sandpaper, prying his hand away from her side to cling to it like a lifeline.

     the older hummed around her, rolling his tongue around her nipple to make sure it was saturated before releasing it to blow gently on it. she squeezed at his fingers as the skin went rigid. “i got you, sweet girl,” he assured, “i have you.”

     right in his palm, curled up in a ball amongst chapped skin, hardened by years of labor and neglect.

     with the same agonizing pace, he mirrored his attention. teeth, mouth, tongue, and air all working her flesh over until her fingernails were imprinting crescents into his knuckles and her muscles were on constant alert. his wrist spun, trapping hers to the bed so he could take purchase of her waist again, gaze seeking hers but finding nothing but parted lips and lashes fluttering along tops of cheeks.

     eddie grinned against her stomach, trying to keep his lips pursed each time he pressed a kiss to this spot, then the next, then over there... until they left the plane of silken skin to meet worn cotton. only then did his gaze find its match.

     the room was quiet, no words spoken between them, but his stare was clear. watch.

     his feet hit the floor as he slowly dragged down her shorts and panties together, eyes unwavering from hers. and as badly as she wanted to divert hers, they stayed locked on his. jeans straining against his knees the further he went, he kissed down the length of her right leg, soft of his lips welcome after the scrape of fabric. a final press to her ankle as he slipped off her sock, letting it drop to the floor with the rest of her clothes. then the other. kiss to her left ankle. up her calf, knee, inside of her thigh...

     she could barely keep her eyes open, no longer even from the intensity of his gaze, but the scorch behind them.

     “holy fuck...” eddie groaned, bent over the footboard, hips digging into it. his own irises disappeared in the back of his head, long lashes shaking as he inhaled again, nose pressing right to the apex of her slit.

     she felt the ooze, a warmth that trickled just enough to notice before the older stood up at attention to frantically tug on the sleeves of his jacket. his sides widened as he reached his arms up to pull the collar of his shirt, curls and ball chain falling back to his neck once the fabric was discarded. there was no time to study his painted torso before it was curved over her again, one knee then the other climbing onto the mattress, elbows hooking into her knees to push until her head nearly hit the bedframe.

     dropping to lie prone between her legs, he bounced them a few times, clasping his hands before him, bare forearms brushing the insides of her thighs. she stared in bewilderment, ready to try and form some kind of question until his lips parted.

     “dear god,” he began, taking a pause as if someone else had begun to speak over him. “yeah, i know, we haven’t spoken in a while... i just couldn’t live with myself if i didn’t reach out to thank you for the meal i’m about to receive.”

     “eddie!” she shrieked, “what-” it turned into a forced giggle, complete shock and mortification and everything in between leaving her uncontrollable.

     without a hitch, the older continued, “and for the beautiful, sweet, way-the-fuck-out-of-my-league girl that lie before me in wait...”

     said girl began squirming, legs bending to try and physically escape the ridiculousness that had unfolded between them. eddie didn’t bother to open his eyes or unclasp his hands at the scene she started causing. he simply lifted his elbows from the mattress to lock them over her thighs, biceps to hipbones. her struggle ceased.

     “you might wanna tune out after this prayer, though... maybe catch an episode or two of jeopardy... check in on harrington, he could use the company... whatever floats your boat.”

     if it was more embarrassment or the ache of his chest pressing to her core, she didn’t know. but she began to struggle again, met with no reaction once more besides the muscles beneath his arms bulging as he pinned her harder to the bed. inky black warping atop white that was honeyed by an old bulb filtering through an aged shade. she felt herself leaking, sending up a prayer of her own that he couldn’t feel it along his sternum.

     “i gotta dip out,” eddie huffed, “’cause someone can’t stay still.” it was stern but lax, casual in his warning. her body went motionless in his hold. “thanks again, big man, i owe you. amen.” and all at once, his eyes shot open, his hands parted, and her arms were pinned at her sides. “that was so disrespectful,” he tutted, “lucky it’s your special night, or i’d have to dish out some punishments.”

     her eyes blew wide, electricity blowing out from her center in a shiver, leaving a physical ache in her core.

     “gonna be good for me?”

     “yes, eddie.”

     the quickness of her answer must have satisfied him, older releasing her wrists for just long enough to snake his arms under her thighs. then his hold returned, fingertips digging into bone with gentle force. that same look came across his gaze, demanding she hold it. brunet tips brushed along her thighs, bracketing the kisses he left against the supple flesh. her left, then her right, causing twitches in both. curls tickled the juncture of her leg, preceding a pointed tongue that dug into her sensitive muscle, eliciting a moan and another jerk of her limb. and of course, the mirror on her other side.

     “i-i’m gonna die,” she wheezed.

     that snapped eddie from his ministrations, filling him with a certain feeling of not quite pity, not quite mercy either. he laughed breathily against her skin, “no, no, i told you. i have too much fun with you.”

     and then the world gave out beneath her. had it ever returned? perhaps she began falling as she watched eddie’s mouth dive into her slowly, words muffled at the end. her body bowed, pinned in place by his hold on her arms. and her hips had nowhere to go, trapped between the mattress and his lips as they latched onto her bud.

     nothing came out as her jaw went slack, thighs tensing to the point of overexertion. it was like a string running the length of her body, pulled taut by the suction of his mouth at that one sweet point.

     “eddie,” she finally cried, spine falling back to the bed heavily, curling inward next, snapping back when it pushed her center harder into his face. “oh, my god. oh, my god...”

     a groan vibrated around her, plates hitting to send a quake through her bones. eddie never lifted, never pulled back. his nose stayed nestled against her mound, mouth and chin buried between her folds. a leg kicked out, slamming onto the bed, curling up again, heel at his side. eddie hollowed his cheeks more. she wailed and pulled against his hold. he ground wrist bones between his fingers and lashed his tongue.

     there was a rush of cool air to her as he sucked in a breath, nose still nestled, mouth and chin still buried. he sucked once, then pulled in more air, causing her to squeal in his hold at the rushed mixture of hot and cold. every exhale was a groan or a quick, pleased laugh. the more she squirmed, the harder he pushed her down, pushed his hips into the mattress, rutting through his jeans with cinched eyebrows and a sweaty scalp.

     “eddie...” it was a whine, high and needy and foreign to her ears. it was a plea, desperate and so close and already barreling toward her end.

     “that’s it,” he rasped, hot breath then a rush of cool air. lungs filling to coo, “such a good girl.”

     there was a hint of something... a patronizing lilt to his tone that sent her straight over. eddie’s nose dug into her mound, mouth and chin forcing her hips into the bed as he sucked hard enough to pop off wetly before diving back in. her legs kicked again, shaking as he flicked his tongue harshly, waiting for her stuttered cry that punched the air from her lungs before he suctioned his lips back around her pearl, bud now swollen and throbbing against him. white hot coursed through her veins, threatening to burn through her skin at any second, bursting colors behind her eyelids and setting off bells in her ears.

     “please, please, please, please, please...”

     chuckling, eddie let his teeth graze her and ran his tongue around her hole before he finally pulled back and gazed at his work. muscles twitched, tight ring pulsing out of rhythm of her breaths. each movement was erratic, her chest rising and falling in stutters.

     “hey,” he cooed, hands soothing her forearms before he pulled back completely, younger just barely opening her eyes in time to catch sight of his glistening lips and chin before he wiped a hand over them. his tongue flattened to his palm after, punching a sigh from her strained lungs, eyes shutting once more. “breathe.”

     one hand stroked along her cheek as the other grasped at pillows by the headboard. she listed into the touch, finding solace in the hardened skin long enough to return to center and slow her racing heart, faintly aware of the older moving things around. when she no longer heard her heartbeat in her ears, she let her eyes flutter open to stare up at him, brunet tendrils framing his saccharine smile.

     “good girl,” he beamed, running his thumb along her bottom lip. then his touch was gone, hands working together to slide a pillow under her head, fold another in half and wedge it beneath her hips. when her body melted into them, he hummed, “good, sweetheart... feel comfortable?”

     the girl beneath him nodded, sated and spent.

     “hm?” he pushed.

     “y-yes, eddie.”

     still staring down at her, he dipped two fingers between her folds, watching her hooded eyes widen briefly before they were weighed down with exhaustion again. eddie hummed, letting it twist into a laugh as he circled her entrance. “oh, yeah...” his first knuckle sank into her, nearly sucked in by the constriction of her walls. “you’re so wet and relaxed...”

     testing his luck, he pushed deeper, free hand finding his belt buckle. studying her, he felt his lips curl at the way her walls pulsed, younger’s eyes zeroed in on his fingers working the clasp open. and he could hardly pull free from her when he let the limp end of the black leather and the silver cuffs fall to either side of the prominent bulge beneath his jeans.

     slipping from her then the bed, his wet fingers snapped the button and tugged the zipper as she stared at the muscles of his back. his thumbs hooked in the sides of his jeans and boxers, pushing them down until they met his socks in a battle of mangled cloth. lats and delts strained, leaving her with thighs that clenched and toes that curled. metal clanged as eddie sighed, turning barely an inch before he stopped and bent over to pick his jeans back up.

     her eyes had only gotten to observe the dimple at the side of his ass for a second before he cursed, “ah, fuck...”

     “w-what?” she breathed wistfully, watching him turn one pocket inside out before digging his hand into the other.

     “fuck!”

     she looked up to his face then. “what?!”

     eddie dropped his pants again, jaw ticking as he sat on the side of the bed in a hunched heap, hands rubbing over his face, settling in his bangs. “i forgot a fuckin’ rubber.”

     “oh...” her stomach hit the floor as she watched him tug on his wavy strands, tension pinching his shoulders.

     a million thoughts started streaming through his brain like a subway platform at rush hour. the weight of wanting this to be perfect for her so badly... he must have looked at the box of condoms on his nightstand a hundred times before getting in his van, every time saying to himself, ‘don’t forget those.’ and what had he done? now everything was fucking ruined.

     “eddie,” she whispered, “it’s okay...”

     something in the tone of her voice had him releasing his hair, fists still pressed to his temple as he turned his head to look at her, sad and confused. his eyebrows pinched above guilty doe eyes. her lips pouted before she sat up slowly, gaze dropping to her lap to watch as her fingers twiddled around one another.

     “i’m...” her chest deflated. “god, this is embarrassing.”

     that at least made the older chuckle. “we’re sitting here naked as the day we were born, and i just had my face buried in your pussy. what could-”

     “not helping!” she squawked.

     “not hurting, either...” a grin split his lips, brows still slightly drawn. “c’mon, what?”

     all in a rush, she pointed to the calendar slightly diagonal from her nightstand, and began to speak quickly. “i’m starting my period any day now, so scientifically speaking-”

     “‘scientifically’?” eddie teased, searching over the rows of squares until he found the date he was looking for and took note of the little red frowny face a couple boxes away. it made him grin, the impish curiosity of wondering if he couldn’t make next month a smiley one invading his thoughts.

     “scientifically speaking,” she stressed, fixing his smirk with a stern stare. “it’s... fine to... to...”

     even if she would eventually get the words out, eddie didn’t let her, turning his body before she could lift her gaze from her bedspread, trapping her back against the mattress.

     same grin she’d tried to chase off his face taunting her, he purred, “it’s fine to cum in you? your first time?” the end of his words took on a tender lilt that was unequivocally mocking. it made the younger turn her face away, mortified at the voicing of her implications. “i could’ve just pulled out, you know.”

     all he received was a squeak in response, a chin turned back toward him, but eyes still struggling to meet his.

     “but you want it, don’t you?” he goaded.

     the struggle was over. her gaze locked onto his; big and eager and pleading where her voice couldn’t. there was nothing but heat left. seeping between her thighs, hovering in the air around them, shooting down his spine into his center. if she let her eyes fall away again, just beyond where his right arm pinned hers down, she’d see him lying heavy against her duvet, jumping at the phony yet sincere innocence in her stare.

     concern was gone from his doe eyes, lids dropping and casting further shadows over the nearly-black of once brown.

     eddie grunted, releasing her arms to manhandle her back into the position he’d so carefully and tenderly placed her in. her jaw was slack again, parted in awe of the way he gripped and tugged wherever he pleased. she couldn’t tear her eyes away from his face, the faintest flush dusting his cheeks in such contrast to the feral heat trapped within his features. his tongue poked out to wet his lips as he dug at the pillow beneath her hips until she was propped up to his liking, sandpaper wrapping around her knees to lift her legs.

     she gasped at the sight of her ankles framing his curls, calves pressed to his chest, all the while he kept his eyes trained to her core. she stared at him staring at where he started dragging his cock along her lips, sharp intake of breath like music to his ears when he pressed his hips flush to her ass to see how deep he was going to be in her. she felt him, hot and stiff, laid out along the top of her mound, something wet dragging along her stomach.

     she shivered at the contact, eddie rubbing at her shin with his free hand, watching his precum form a string from his tip to her belly as he released the pressure from his length, and it bobbed back toward his own abdomen. the veins in his hand bulged, her hips unconsciously canting toward him.

     “i got you, baby,” he assured her, flexing the already strained tendons to dig his fingers into her calf as he let the moisture in his mouth roll forward before using slight force to send it shooting down onto his length. his opposite thumb rubbed at the spit, coating the top of his cock in it. not like she needed it with the way she was leaking all the way down between her ass. that thought alone had him twitching beneath his own finger.

     finally, she watched his eyelashes rise, eddie flicking his eyes up to her since he’d locked himself in the haze of arousal. he smiled at her. no cocky grin or devious smirk. it was pure affection dripping off his canines and pooling in his eyes. it melted into her skin as he guided her leg toward him, lips pressing to the bone of her ankle.

     “yeah?” he rasped, voice hoarse with pride, eyebrow quirking.

     she nodded eagerly, biting back a smile of her own. “yeah.”

     eddie looked away for only a second to line himself up before training his eyes on her. he kept them locked in as he felt the wet ring of her straining to part for his head. her own gaze began to disappear behind her eyelids, brows knitting so tightly they nearly kissed. brown fell from her grimace to watch his near-purple tip ever so slowly sink into her until it popped into place. he groaned at the same moment she whimpered, hips shying away from the intrusion.

     movement across the sheets caught his eye, sight of pinched brows, teeth sinking into a bottom lip, and hands practically ripping at the duvet hitting him like a bus.

     careful not to push in further, eddie began lowering himself down onto his forearms. her heavy breaths hit his face, ragged and frantic the more she retreated into her own head.

     “look at me, sweetheart,” he sighed, ruddy knuckles tracing along her cheekbone. hot liquid hit them once he made it to the corner of her eye, her lashes fluttering open to reveal panic and wet rims. “want to stop?” her head shook quickly enough to dispel another tear, eddie didn’t hesitate to press his lips to it, spreading the salt down her cheek and onto her lips. “promise it won’t always be like this...”

     her muscles melted at the whispered vow, tension in her forehead seeping out with the last tear to slide down her temple. the longer she sat with it, the more the words sunk in. the thought of relief was welcome enough, but it was the implication that eddie wanted to do this again... be with her again... she could feel herself clench around him, earning a sharp, bitten laugh from the older.

     “fuck, what did i say?” he grinned devilishly.

     she held onto the truth, leaving the confession sat at the base of her throat, trapped just behind the skin his lips traced over on their journey across each inch of her he could reach. rough fingertips fell along her ear, idling there before venturing out to find hers. right interlocked with left, dragging her knuckles over the ruffled quilt beneath her, resting just beside the pillow cradling her head.

     his pout met hers just in time to muffle her gasp as carved metal ran along her side, granting him access to the heat of her mouth. their tongues brushed, unsure meeting determined, fingernails digging into flesh at the push of him sliding in deeper. her thighs tensed for only a moment, tightening around his hips before shakily falling slack. it was the tickle of brown curls and the soothe of a sandpaper thumb, drag of puffy lips... she focused in on all of it, pushing everything else away until she gasped at the still of his hips.

     eddie groaned into her mouth, dropping his forehead onto hers, noses smushing against each other until he lifted hardly an inch. her eyes remained shut, fresh batch of tears seeping into her hairline. he left them be, setting his lips against the tip of her nose, over the heat of her cheek, down to her jaw, letting his tongue swipe over her neck, kisses back up her throat, stopping at the spot just below her ear.

     “doing so well, princess.”

     and it was instantaneous. the way she felt new warmth flood her channel, a different kind racing through her limbs, relaxing her in his hold. the thin plastic of the pick hanging around his neck continued to brush against her, pulling bumps to the surface of her flesh.

     eddie’s head lifted, bangs tickling over her skin until they were dangling over her chin, his neck craned so he could see himself buried to the hilt. mouth fallen open, he attempted a shallow thrust, doing not much more than wiggling inside her. when his neck straightened, he beamed down at her, eyes twinkling with thrill from the sight of them joined.

     the stretch of his widened base just at her entrance stung slightly more than when it had just been his tip, but the look on the older’s face had her fluttering all over, walls opening up to draw him closer.

     eddie’s jaw ticked as he breathed, “there you go. just relax, baby.” a kiss to that delicate spot under her ear. “gonna make you feel good... so good.”

     her legs were bent at the knee, feet planted on the mattress and digging in. the chill of metal bands fell along the flesh of her thigh, sandwiched by the heat of his fingers where they slid down, dipping under to squeeze the meat of her. she let him maneuver her how he wanted once more, complying as he guided her limb around his hip. she was sure he was about to do the same with the other when he untwined their fingers, but his palm wrapped around the back of her knee instead. and he pushed until the knob of it met the mattress, testing where her comfort zone was.

     the burn of her muscles and her complete disregard for it was proof enough that her comfort zone was under him. in any way, shape, or form he wanted her.

     “eddie...”

     he almost didn’t hear it, briefly lost in the squeeze of her walls, but there was no mistaking the needy sigh blowing past her lips.

     “yes?” he trilled, fully aware she wouldn’t respond. not verbally. his only answer was in the roll of her hooded eyes, pussy fluttering around him, knowing what it needed even if she didn’t. “you’re taking me so well, pretty girl,” he grinned, watching as she preened under the praise.

     her delirium kept her distracted, oblivious to his left hand snaking between their bodies until his thumb dipped between her slit, nudging at her bud. the touch was featherlight against her sensitive clit, but it was just there... always just enough to spark that match at the base of her spine. her throat bobbed around a moan, body melting further into the sheets as liquid need rushed through her veins.

     “good girl... just breathe.”

     eddie’s words were directed at her, but aimed at the sight of her rim puckering at each pass of his thumb. he could feel himself twitch, balls tightening with every squeeze. his jaw went slack when he finally did lift his gaze, transfixed on her hands as they ran along the quilt, trembling their way over her stomach. brown was long gone, blown away by black that puffed out and fought against lamplight to hold its place. eddie let his eyes burn, not allowing himself even the smallest of relief with one simple blink, forcing his mind to capture every millisecond of her delicate hands cupping her breasts, index fingers climbing the peak of her nipples.

     his knuckles went white, fingertips digging into her thigh as he heaved, “fuck, yeah, play with your tits...” the pressure of his thumb doubled, from his desperation more than the desire to stoke the flames roiling in her core. it had her arching off her bed all the same, brows pulling together as her thumbs flicked over her nubs. something dawned on eddie while he took her in like a captivating play. “probably real sensitive, huh, baby?”

     and he couldn’t be sure with nothing concrete to compare them to, but her flesh looked swollen, puffy and throbbing from hormones rushing through her.

     she nodded desperately, whimpering under her own touch. their voices echoed, both of them moaning out in relief when eddie started dragging his length out agonizingly.

     “m-more, eddie,” she keened, hips moving restlessly against the pillow under them.

     taking in a deep breath through his nose, the older smacked his tongue, scent of her trapped on the back of his palate, clawing its way down his throat. “don’t worry,” he grunted, “i’ve got plenty more for you.”

     she whined at the back of her throat when his thumb abandoned her, chest deflating as it ran around the lip of his head where it sat right at her opening. it slipped through her drenched folds, pushing slick back up to her clit.

     “oh, god,” she swallowed, leaning into that tug, ready for the tightness to rapture her body again.

     “yeah, come on, baby,” eddie goaded, “gimme another. i know you can do it. done so well for me already.”

     her cheeks were scorched beneath her skin, lungs left empty as she cried through his push back into her. she was so full, almost uncomfortably so, but it was like that pressure to her bundle of nerves; just enough. leaving her toeing the line.

     “squeeze your tits for me.” eddie’s voice was a brick crashing through the windshield of her mind, startling her back into action, hands kneading at her breasts so familiarly. so foreign under his gaze. “good girl... pinch your nipples...” she complied, squeaking her enjoyment. “yeah... fuck. pull on ’em.” her skin stretched, snapping back when she released it, body quaking from the sensation. eddie could feel her clenching around him, sucking him in deeper. “fuck, yes,” he drawled, thumb pushing down and rubbing her clit a little harder, faster, matching the pace of her breaths. “gonna cum for me again, princess? hm? gonna show me how good you can be for me?”

     “yes, eddie,” she panted, gaining control over her eyes long enough to stare at him staring at her, black gaze swallowing her whole. a whimper left her, hips rocking into his as she felt that burn melting away.

     “yeah, come on, baby... like having my cock fill you up?” she could have been nodding, very faintly, easily mistaken for an effect of her canting hips. the only real way to tell was the suck of her walls. “oh,” eddie laughed, “i know you do, pretty girl.”

     a moan ripped out of her, fingers curling against her own flesh, pinching and pulling until her skin was sparking with tenderness.

     “like when i call you a pretty girl?” he beamed, finding his answer, as always, within her walls, silken muscles fluttering spastically. “cum for me, pretty girl.”

     her scream was bordering pained, body twitching and jerking from overexertion as that heat finally blew open inside her, spilling into every corner.

     eddie bit back his groan, taking in a deep breath to power through the vise of her around him, eased by the way she gushed, fresh slick spilling from her channel. “yeah, good girl... good fuckin’ girl, just like that.”

     he started a pace under the safety of her bliss, fucking himself back and forth within her, shallowly, just enough.

     “oh, my god... oh, my- eddie!” her vision blurred as she felt it. this dribbling from her that had her seizing up in panic, muscles fighting to give into the pleasure as he prolonged it with each thrust.

     “fuck,” eddie groaned, jaw setting. “look at you leaking on my cock...” between her frenzied cries, he could hear the wet squelch of him pushing and pulling. the hair at the base of him shimmered in the golden light, pull of his hips revealing the cream coating his length. “making quite a mess, darling.”

     she’d given into the battle raging in her bones, going lax in the final throes of her climax. there was nothing to think about when floating through outer space. nothing but how beautiful it all was from above.

     and as breathtaking as it was to look up at the stars, eddie missed her by his side, feet planted on the ground.

     letting his thumb come to a slow stop, he used his damp hand to pry hers away from her breasts, guiding her opposite one over so his right could trap it against the mattress, her knee sliding to the crook of his elbow. he mirrored his movements, gazing down between her pinned arms to watch her make her re-entry into his atmosphere.

     “hey, you,” he grinned, heart hammering at the lazy, shy smile that pulled at her lips.

     “hi,” she breathed, hooded eyes focused on the thinnest ring of brown between long lashes.

     metal clinked together where his fingers gripped onto her wrist, her heartbeat pounding under his palm. it was unspoken, younger agreeing to the unknown suggestion within eddie’s stare, craning her neck and baring it to him in a sign of compliance.

     then her back bowed, mouth hanging open as he punched the air out of her with one hard thrust. his teeth peeked from behind his plush lips, finding shelter again when he took up that pace and began groaning from the bottom of his lungs. the bedframe shook beneath them, her flesh rippling from the sheer force behind his hips. nothing came from her parted lips besides a squeak, eyes struggling to stay on him.

     “there she is,” he teased, “welcome back to planet earth.”

     her eyebrows knitted in a scowl of annoyance, quickly fading back to pleasure as he fucked the irritation off her features. the tendons in her wrist lifted like piano strings beneath his hold, younger’s hands curling and flexing in and out of fists.

     “good?” he rasped, watching as she nodded hazily. she mewled at the force of his last thrust, eddie’s hips planted flush against hers, cock buried deep enough to leave her squirming from the pressure. “i said, good?”

     “yes, eddie! s-so good...”

     “thank you,” he grinned, picking his pace back up to the prize of trembling legs.

     the smack of their hips was sickening, cracking through the room like thunder and echoing back against their chorus of delirium. she’d finally given herself over to the heat, melting entirely into a puddle of loose limbs and wanton cries. it was hard to overthink when eddie’s deep eyes were unwavering from her, soaking her up with this glint in them that only came from watching shooting stars for the first time. the pounding of his cock at the very apex of her core didn’t leave much room for waffling, either.

     another flex of her wrists had the older letting them break free to drop himself further, elbows digging into the bedspread, palms sliding under her arms to find purchase on her shoulders. he used the grip as leverage, pulling her toward his thrusts, anchor and angle sending him deeper.

     “oh, god,” she croaked wetly, one breath away from asking when it would end. when there would be no more of his length to dig away at her insides. but the long, drawn-out moan that fell from eddie’s lips, shot directly through her eardrums and down into her center, had her praying there would never be an end. she wanted him to go on forever as long as it meant she could hear that sound for just as long.

     shorter, gruffer ones puffed across her neck, his mouth burning its way to where sweat fogged over her skin. the humidity became trapped around his head as she wrapped her arms around his neck, fingers traversing the waves of unruly brunet curls.

     “fuck, you feel so fuckin’ good,” he panted, coarse fingers squeezing at her flesh, clinging onto her bicep.

     his hair shielded them from the rest of the world, draping around them like a cloak to keep everything but each other out. her face turned toward him as he kissed along her collar, up onto her shoulder, lips resting there for a moment while he lost himself in the delectation of their bubble. pads of his fingers pressed into dewy skin, clinging to her so she wouldn’t float away before he could find her pout. he was almost there, right at her jaw, when he lost track of his journey and began sucking his way back down her throat.

     her back arched, forcing their chests impossibly closer. they joined in a gasp as skin seared against skin. and when her gasp turned into a lilted moan, right beside his ear, eddie strained a laugh, breath coming heavily as his hips stilled.

     “jesus fucking christ,” he heaved, tongue sticking to the roof of his mouth as he tried to wet his lips, swallowing harshly. a heady whine sounded from her, younger’s hips rutting up into his until he pinned them back down forcefully. “enough.” his warning was sharp and commanding, faint hint of gentleness in it as he tried to explain, “let me get my shit together here...”

     walls seizing around him, he lifted his head to stare down at her, meeting nothing but pleading eyes and trembling lips.

     groaning a laugh, he splayed his hand over her face. “that’s really not helping.” her whine vibrated against his palm, dragging out until he jumped inside her. “that’s definitely not helping.” eddie wasn’t quite on the edge, but he was barreling toward it with his brake line cut before he’d stopped to collect himself.

     removing his hand, he grabbed onto her shoulder again, starting a shallow grind that had him pressing into her deepest point relentlessly. their lips brushed, neither one of them mustering the strength to actually kiss one another as he prodded her insides. the sensation clawed at the back of her throat, bubbling up into breathy grunts each time he really hit her mark.

     “god,” she keened, “w-what is that?”

     laugh blowing across her mouth, eddie slowed his movements. “uh... my cock?”

     she turned her head away, hiding her face in the curtain of his hair. “no, that... pressure.”

     eddie stilled completely again, throbbing right up against where he assumed this ‘pressure’ was. dipping his own head to chase her gaze, he hummed, “good or bad?”

     her brows knitted, thoughts almost audible as she tried to find an answer for him. “neither... both... i don’t know, just... don’t stop. please.”

     the older hung his head, hair shaking with it, laugh almost pained. “figures... fucking figures you’d like it deep like this.” her guilty silence allowed his mind to wander. the thought of just what was happening... being in her raw, first to breach her walls. cumming up against the buried ring of her womb... “this is your minute warning ’cause i’m not lasting any longer than that.”

     she smiled up at him, almost sympathetic. whether it was extended to him or herself, he wasn’t exactly sure. “sorry...” she mumbled.

     and then her hips began rutting into his again.

     eddie’s jaw clenched. “that’s it,” he snapped before untangling himself from their arms. kneeling up, readjusting her hips on the pillow until he was sure the angle was right, unafraid to yank her every which way to get his desired results.

     something sat heavily in her chest, tendrils of it spreading out the more she watched the man above her. she’d seen eddie in quite a few different situations, watched his body move in dozens, hundreds of ways. never before had she witness such strength, hidden, lying dormant in the cords of his muscles, waiting for the perfect time to make itself known.

     eddie felt her shiver in his hold, glancing up to see her eyes glazed over and lips shining with spit. there was a teasing comment on the tip of his tongue, something about what could possibly be going on in that pretty head of hers, but it died as quickly as it was conjured. he chose instead to grip the very tops of her thighs, her ankles brushing over his waist. there was nothing left for her to do but cry out when his hips started pounding into hers.

     her sounds were involuntary, knocked out of her against her control and definitely against her will. because never in a million years would she choose to let such unrelentingly lascivious noises leave her mouth.

     and maybe once her house was silent again, she’d take a moment to really let the shame of it all sink in. but when eddie matched each of her cries with a groan, each of her moans with a grunt, and every one of her screams with a devilish laugh... there wasn’t a cell in her body capable of feeling anything but ecstasy under him.

     the older stared down at the girl beneath him, eyes nearly burning holes straight through her body and into the bed from where he watched her breasts bounce with each of his heavy thrusts. but it was when he would flick his gaze up to her face that he really had to collect himself. watching the pulls of fresh, untapped pleasure contort her features was indescribable. it had his fingertips digging into her groins so forcefully he could feel the collection of bone, muscle, and nerves warping under his grasp.

     she could feel it, too, each thrust massaging his digits into the tender flesh like a weighted tickle of pressure, causing her thighs to shake wildly. her hands were desperate, spasming every which way in search of something to hold onto, keep her planted on the earth around them. they slapped at her quilt when eddie slammed right into a spot that he had only brushed against until that moment.

     a shout left her, barely enough time between it and her words for her to pull in a breath before she wailed, “oh, god!”

     eddie heard and felt all of it. the tremble of her voice, the gush of her around him, the way her body couldn’t even keep up with itself and just shook under his hold. his lips were bone dry when he licked at them, finding the moisture on his tongue after being pelted with harsh pants. “fuck yeah, that’s it,” he grated, “that’s my good girl.” he couldn’t tell if his eyes had rolled back or if his vision was failing him when everything went dark at the sight of her rim puckered out around his length, milking him until he was desperate. “think you can cum again?”

     what little function was left of her brain told her not a chance. but the knot in her was shaking and the cords of rope were snapping off from the force of being pulled so tightly from each end. maybe she nodded, maybe it was just the rock of his hips bouncing her around. his fingers readjusted on her thighs, those damn callouses along his hands infuriating. so rough, prick of dry, broken skin scraping across her plump flesh from where he’d picked too much at the joint of a finger.

     eddie angled just right, just enough, to target that one spot that had brought her that much closer to completely losing herself. she keened wetly, eyes blowing wide to search for his as this feeling overcame her. it was familiar and terrifying under the circumstance, and it had her unconsciously twisting her hips to flee his repeated stroke of the spot that had brought that feeling on.

     “eddie, i’m- i’m- i think i’m about to-”

     he pawed at her sweaty skin, getting a grip on her thighs again to head straight for that spongy mass. “just let it go, baby. let it all fuckin’ go.”

     the column of eddie’s neck was taut and flushed, his jaw tensed from where he was gritting his teeth. she watched his throat bob around a swallow, vibrate around his groans. part of her was panicking, another part so weak she couldn’t hold it even if she wanted to, muscles shutting down to make way for the inevitable rush.

     “wh- eddie!”

     he watched as she dribbled, just small at first, until one thrust finally broke the dam, and she spurted lightly on each pull back of his hips. eddie was sure his mouth would never close again, jaw permanently locked hanging open in awe at the girl before him.

     her throat was raw already, overspent from the moan that squeezed its way out of her tightened muscles. it just all felt so good, worth the embarrassment burning behind her face. her crown dug into the pillow beneath her head, hands fisted in ruffled fabric as she finally lost herself completely. it was white hot all over her body, only inky black behind her eyelids, bursts of red and violet and tiny explosions of yellow.

     “jesus fucking christ almighty...” eddie sounded so far away, muted and garbled behind the pounding in her ears. “keep going, baby, keep soaking my cock... oh, fuck, fuck, fuck!” he already struggled to maintain his hold on her from the sweat filmed across their bodies, but with the added rush of warmth down his lap and her own... he couldn’t control it, chest falling toward the earth as he slammed his hips forward. “shit!”

     cool air rushed to the tops of her thighs, scratchy heat taking purchase on her hips to keep her planted. eddie buried himself in her, feeling each rope shoot out with a tremble of his body, rasp on his lips. from the high whine at the back of her throat, he knew she felt it, too. that rush of warmth flooding her as her walls swelled up and latched onto him.

     through his teeth, he groaned, “that’s it. take it... fuck.”

     it just kept coming as he mustered a few more harsh thrusts, so shallow but so determined. a long, drawn-out, raw moan left him, voice strained from use. his spine shuttered with one final twitch of his cock, head pressed right to that sensitive ring inside her.

     “holy fucking christ...” it was relief in his voice as he slumped forward, catching himself on his forearms just barely. his face found the same crook of her neck he’d gone lightheaded in, mouth trailing all over her dewed skin. a salty drop fell down from his hairline, catching on other beads as it slid over his temple. “jesus christ... getting caught in a fuckin’ hurricane wouldn’t leave us this wet.”

     she whimpered beside his ear as she lowered her legs, muscles finally stretched out after being bent up for so long. eddie took the sound as an acknowledgement and began mouthing his way to her lips, finding them pliant and slow beneath his own.

     “still with me, sweetheart?” he sighed, continuing to stir their breaths as her pout deepened.

     her eyes struggled to stay open, thudding in time with her heartbeat even when they were shut from exertion. there was a dull ringing in her ears, rush of blood audible as it swept through every inch of her body. the burn of her legs, press of his cock still hard up against that ache within her throbbing center. wet where his hips pressed to her ass. heat beneath her cheeks, stinging in her unfocused eyes.

     “hey... hey, are you okay, baby?” eddie’s hands were soft for once, from a wispy touch or a saturation of moisture. they cupped her face, thumbs wiping over the hot liquid that streamed from the corners of her eyes.

     her head nodded lazily in his hold. the weight of his body on top of her was a blanket of safety, making sure she couldn’t drift off into the land of comets and unending darkness again. weakly, she sighed his name, eyes shaky when they met his.

     “i’m here,” he answered, reaching up to adjust the pillow beneath her head, fluffing it to keep her comfortable.

     the stretch of his arm exposed her to the unfiltered concentrate of his scent. it was raw; sweaty and fucked out when it hit her senses, invading her sinuses until she whined. it got stuck in her throat, catching on her overworked vocal cords and causing her to cough once to clear it.

     “uh...” eddie was glancing around her room frantically, searching out something. “yeah, here.” the scent was back as he strained to grasp something on her nightstand, keeping his movements as minimal as possible. he produced a glass, less than half full, leftover from the night before.

     her eyes followed him, shimmering as he placed his free hand behind her head to cradle it while she lifted toward the glass. lips around the rim, she still watched him. eddie kept his gaze on her mouth, balancing the water so it didn’t tip over too far too fast. when she tilted her chin up, he pulled the cup back, taking the last swig for himself.

     “thank you,” she breathed, fawning over him as he reached back over. and she hoped he wasn’t too distracted for the weight of the words to reach him. because they were about more than just a few sips of water.

     gleaming brown met her, marveling over her softened features. his lips curled, freshly watered and plump as ever before they descended on hers. it was slow, an unhurried press of flesh, noses bumping when he leaned in closer. humming, he pulled back. “my pleasure.”

     there was a moment, just one, where they both basked in the giddiness of everything. giggles brushed against each other, cheeks full and aching, teeth showing through wide smiles.

     and then eddie went to pull out.

     “no!” she gasped, hand finding his bicep to grip onto it. his wide smile became a sly grin, knowing look sparkling in his eyes. “just... not yet.”

     eddie nodded acceptingly, pressing his fingers to her side before sliding them under her back, younger getting the idea and arching up to accommodate his arm. “wrap your legs around me,” he guided, rolling them onto their sides when she complied. the adjustment had her sighing out a whimper, soothed only by the tickle of his fingers tracing along her spine. they both exhaled as she curled toward him, older dipping so their foreheads met softly. his hand came up to her face, knuckles running down from her temple to her chin, palm flattening against her cheek. kissing her gently, he beamed, “you did so good, sweetheart. took it all so well.”

     a smile painted her face, eyes barely staying open, head lax against the pillows. warmth sat pleasantly behind her cheeks, in the pit of her chest, lulling her in time with his fingertips at her back.

     eddie laughed fondly at the sight of her. “you’re just mush, aren’t ya? nothing left.”

     she nodded absentmindedly, beginning to feel another pull through her body, vastly different to the one he’d brought upon her over and over. eyes squinting, she took notice of the big, cheesy grin on the older’s face, scrunching her nose when he tapped his pointer finger to it playfully. “how are you this lively?” she grumbled, curling further into him. “i feel like i’m gonna die.”

     “but doesn’t it feel so good? doesn’t it make you wanna dance?” to punctuate his words, he took hold of her hand, lifting her arm as he bounced them lightly on the bed.

     “oh, please,” she groaned, laughing through the discomfort of him wiggling against her insides. “please, i can’t.”

     “okay, okay,” eddie grinned. he placed her arm back where she had it resting before, wrapping his own around her to squeeze her between them. “just a little giddy.”

     her nose found the patch of hair right in the center of his chest, nuzzling into it as she chuckled, spine shaking under the tickle of his fingers over it. the house was quiet, faint chitter of crickets coming muffled through the walls of shelter. after a moment, she heard the air conditioning unit out back whir to life, vent in her room popping once as it began its cycle. quiet, for the most part. silent against the thump of her heart from where her ear rested against eddie’s bicep. a boy had never even been in her room before, and now here he was.

     another giggle bubbled up her throat, ghosting across his chest and ruffling the hairs she was pressed against. “are you laughing at my lack of chest hair?” eddie scoffed, “give it another couple years. i’ll give harrington a run for his fuzzy money.”

     “no,” she chirped, stifling another laugh. “no, i’m... i like it, actually. i’ve always liked it.”

     craning his neck, eddie stared at her until she met his gaze. “oh, yeah? since when?”

     her eyes flitted away, finding interest in the collection of dust blowing against cooled air along her ceiling. “do you remember that first weekend we hung out? at steve’s house?”

     did eddie remember? the question should really be would he ever forget?

     she’d come with robin, nervous and keeping to the edges of the backyard until it was unavoidable. until she’d been ushered into the house to change into her swimsuit. even then, she’d come out wrapped in a stupidly vibrant beach towel, waiting until the last possible second to leave the cotton at the edge of the pool. eddie had caught her eye for the first time outside the walls of their school, and he was instantly hooked.

     grin fading, furrowed brows taking place, eddie squinted at her. “i didn’t get in the pool.”

     “no,” she hesitated, “but you had on a white shirt, and-”

     “robin did a cannonball right next to me.” he got no response, only the press of her curling into him again, heat of her cheek pressing to his chest. “oh, my god. you little perv!” the fingers at her back rushed to her side, digging into the soft skin until she began to squirm, forced laugh punching from her. “you’ve been pining over me and my four chest hairs for over a year, and i only just now got to pop that little cherry?”

     as if the pressure of his fingers wasn’t enough, eddie had to push his hips into hers, emphasizing exactly what they’d been missing out on. it knocked the wind from her, younger overcome with just how full she really was. if he’d softened yet, it really didn’t make a difference. and the plug of him keeping everything inside her...

     “i don’t know who the bigger idiot is; me or you,” eddie taunted.

     “you...”

     she caught herself after it had already come out, a small part of her panicked he’d suddenly not want to banter with her anymore.

     “oh,” he drawled, grin audible. “i can’t wait to fuck that attitude outta you.” and when her thighs clenched unconsciously, he was quick to use his hips against her again. “yeah, i felt that.” his hand found her own hip, squeezing and burning across to settle on her ass, taking the flesh in his hold harshly. “brat.”

     her attempt to hide in the safety of his armpit was stalled by his hand smoothing back over her skin comfortingly, her fingers tracing the ink on his skin slowly. she stared into the art until the shape of it started to move, her eyes growing heavy against the lulling waves of his even breaths and soothing hands.

     “don’t fall asleep on me,” he whispered, bringing his fingers up to caress her cheek. “i’ve gotta get you cleaned up.”

     she groaned, petulantly and sleepily, grumbling out, “no.” when he asked if she was ready.

     easing his hand between them, he kissed at her forehead. “yeah, this might actually suck as much as going in.”

     and then she felt he drag of him leaving the warmth of her walls, tugging on them and leaving her pulsing in search of him. it caused her to wince slightly, but his soothing praise against her skin filled her back up with all that she needed. but then he was gone from her, unwinding himself to kneel on the mattress.

     when she went to follow after him, eddie pressed his palm to her knee, stammering, “w-wait, wait...” he bent down, pushing her thighs apart to marvel at her center. her skin was still burnt beneath his touch, searing at his callouses until she fidgeted just enough for the slow trickle of milky white to start between her folds. “fuck me,” eddie heaved. the moment didn’t last long enough for him, image of it heading straight for her bedspread causing him to jerk upright frantically. “shit, uh...”

     his hand cupped under her, pads of his fingers right against the only untouched part of her left. eddie was oblivious to the way her jaw went slack and her eyes fluttered shut as he searched for something, anything. his forgotten shirt hanging off the corner of the bed was just that something.

     he wiped at her gently, stilling when she flinched and jerked away. “sensitive?” he pouted, watching her nod. “yeah, you’re swollen like you got attacked by bees, too.”

     mortified at his words, she attempted to shut her legs, fighting against his previously hidden muscles until he pried them open and kept them there.

     “it’s so fuckin’ hot.”

     his eyes were locked onto her center, staring into the puffiness of her like some sort of painting blocked off behind plexiglass and lasers. heat surged behind her skin, younger reaching for the pillow beneath her head to slam it over her face.

     through fabric and stuffing she could hear his laughter, the garbled call of his voice. “c’mon, pretty girl.”

     she let him pull and tug and guide her body however he wanted, gazing up at him in awe now that the blood was rushing back to her brain. eddie was sticky against her, curls matted to his forehead and one strand to his cheek. he glowed under the fluorescent light of her bathroom, and she wondered if he thought she did the same.

     “you look unreal right now, sweetheart. look.”

     he spun her to face the mirror, forcing her to make eye contact with herself through framed glass. she couldn’t hold it, seeking his out in their reflections only to watch him drinking her in as she’d just done to him. when his hand on her waist clung a little too long as he pulled it off to grab her own, she wondered if she was sticky against him. if the sweat along her hairline left him as breathless. she saw in deep brown the certainty of her glow, shimmering back at her when he met her gaze.

     wordlessly, he guided her onto the toilet, grinning at her impishly when she shooed him away. eddie took the time to search through the drawers of her dresser, pulling out a fresh shirt and stopping himself when faced with an array of panties. a low whistle left him as a flush sounded from just outside her bedroom door. it was summer, only a shirt is fine.

     the younger was washing her hands when he shuffled his way back into the bathroom. she eyed him, fingers brushing over the cotton tee he placed on the counter. her mouth fell open, eyes blowing out when he just stood over the toilet, scratching his stomach as he relieved himself.

     “god, eddie!” she shrieked, turning away. “you’re such a boy!”

     “oh, shut up and get your ass over here.” the shower hissed to life when she finally did face him again, shaking her head with a scrunch in her brows. “c’mon, princess, i’ll do all the work.” to prove his point, he plucked the shower cap from the back of the door, stretching out the elastic, holding it out expectantly. “isn’t that precious,” he cooed once it was secure around her hairline.

     with one arm extended out and the other offered to her with sandpaper facing up, he helped her over the wall of the tub, climbing in behind her. again, she stared at him, watching intently as he moved within a space she’d been in hundreds, thousands of times. easily grabbing at her loofah and scanning bottles along the small shelf until he found what he was looking for. eddie guided her under the stream of water, adjusting its temperature until it was just hot enough for her. he spun her, pressing her back to his chest, pulling them away so he could scrub along her collar. down over her breasts, suds falling down her stomach and washing down the drain. carrying the first kisses to her skin with them.

     stepping away from her, he did the same to her back, smiling at the pleased sigh that left her. the sponge had just passed over her lower back, teasing along her ass, when he grabbed hold of her hips and spun them both quickly. she gasped, reaching out to press her palms to the wall as he whipped open the shower curtain.

     staring at their reflections again, eddie let out a devilish laugh, tightening his grip on her hips.

     “no, no, no, eddie... i can’t...”

     the older draped over her back, kissing along her neck, up to her cheek, plastic of her shower cap crinkling as he soothed his hand up and down her arm. “no, baby, i know,” he hummed, “just thinking ahead.”

     when he spun her again, it was into the safety of his arms, lips waiting to meet hers sloppily. hers didn’t meet his pace, and eddie softened his mouth, brushing his thumb over her cheek. she hummed, going lax in his hold.

     “did you like it?” he murmured, leaving their faces close enough she couldn’t catch the flash of nerves on his features.

     “what?”

     and of course she had to go and pull back, assessing his furrowed brows and pursed lips.

     eddie gestured vaguely, hands flailing to try and convey what he didn’t want to have to express verbally. “i wasn’t too...” his fingers straightened. “crazy?”

     her own brows began to pinch, doe eyes patient when she asked, “eddie, what are you talking about?”

     he sighed, “i know i can be kinda... intense or whatever. but i-i really wanted that to be good for you, so if i was too much or anything, you can tell me. i’m sorry if i was, i was just... christ, i was so excited.”

     worried brown was focused in on the boisterous promises of the shampoo sat beside them, a flush dusting the tops of his cheeks that could be from the hot water. but she knew it was from nerves by the tap of his fingers at his thighs. it was natural to reach out for him, fingertips skimming over his wrist before her palms tried their best to encase his hands, stilling their ticking. eddie lifted his gaze, meeting hers with only a minute, lingering fleck of fear in it. his eyes were soft once they met hers, his chest deflating shakily with the breath he’d begun to hold. so easily, he fell toward her at the tug on his hands, bumping noses and capturing giggles between lips.

     a satiated hum rumbled from her, younger pulling back just enough for their eyes to lock again. “eddie, it was perfect. so much better than i ever imagined.” she could see the teasing comment working its way up the brunet’s throat, stopping it with step toward him, chests brushing as water cascaded down them. “i was- i... i like how ‘intense’ you are. with everything, but... with... that was really nice.”

     with their bodies practically flush, he could feel the tiniest of tremors rock through her, forcing her stiffened nubs to press into his chest. eddie grinned, struggling to capture her lips from his own curve, but melting as she parted hers so eagerly. it was tender, slow and full as he twisted his wrists, taking hold of her hands to pin them behind her back, hugging her against him. no room for a single drop to fall between their bodies.

     she felt his lips tighten again, smile and the way he gave up hold of her hands to wrap one of his around both her wrists telling for the mischief that sparked in his mind.

     a gasp puffed across his face as she felt his fingers worming between her legs, dipping into her folds and breaching her entrance with hardly any resistance. eddie pushed her wrists to her ass, trying to keep her lips moving against his despite how lax they’d gone at the nudge of his digits inside her. he laughed into her parted mouth, nipping at her pout. rough pads zeroed in on that sponge inside her, thrusting into it quickly, just long enough to have her knees buckling.

     and then they were gone, a sharp tug on her arms forcing her eyes open just in time for her to watch them disappear between eddie’s lips. she stared, awe-stricken, thighs itching to clamp shut at the obscene way he sucked his own fingers clean. long lashes fluttering, deep moan muffled as something jumped against her hip.

     his lips finally freed his fingers with a wet pop, grin plastered to them. “was that better than you imagined?”

     her face burned, the tease he’d wanted so badly to let out while she spoke escaping to his satisfaction. the pit of want was already back, searing between her hips, nothing stamping the flames when he simply carried on washing himself off like he hadn’t just lit a match over her. they jumped and danced deep in her center as she watched him stand up straight beneath the stream of water, curls falling flat around his face.

     there was a dripping between her legs, and she wasn’t sure if it was castoff from him shaking around or a fresh gush of want.

     ringlets framing his face, eddie dropped to his knees to scrub over her legs, tilting his head back. he stared up at her, eyes rounded with adoration and lips twitching with pent up excitement. slotting his hand behind her knee, he guided her to prop her leg up on the lip of the tub. she watched him wring out the cloth that hung from the grab bar before gently running it over her center. that ache to shut her thighs grew, embarrassment over her need already welling up again rushing hotly through her veins.

     but eddie just placed a kiss to her inner knee, one to the center of her thigh, all the while gazing up at her with that knowing glint in his eyes.

     “c’mon,” he purred, standing back to his full height to guide her under the stream. she listed into his touch, keening under the weighted press of his fingers into her skin. they massaged into her flesh, loosening her muscles with the help of the warm water pouring onto them. “good?”

     “yes,” she sighed contentedly.

     eddie mimicked her, grabbing fistfuls of her ass before twisting the knob and cutting off their source of warmth. he let her stay encased in steam, only opening the curtain again to offer out a towel which she gratefully stepped into. that same look was in his eyes as he watched her, wise to something she couldn’t place.

     “what?” she giggled, hiding behind the corner of cotton she clutched in her hand.

     eddie simply shrugged, taking the spare toothbrush she offered, and finding the task of using it increasingly hard as he followed her movements. she went about what he assumed to be her usual post-shower routine, much more intricate than his method of shaking like a dog and rubbing his towel through his hair until it stuck up in every direction. a lump got caught at the back of his throat. he’d never been like this... never spent so much time in someone else’s space feeling so comfortable. doing things that he usually did in private.

     it felt nice. to be so at peace in another’s presence. have them feel the same.

     “really?” she deadpanned, smile giving her away as she held up the lone shirt he’d brought her to change into.

     clearing his throat, eddie let his own wicked grin crawl across his otherwise soft features. “what? i didn’t wanna go through a lady’s panty drawer.”

     she just nudged his foot with her own playfully, pulling the worn, thin cotton over her fresh skin. eddie chased after her, making her shriek when he reached for her just after she’d shut off the bathroom light.

     her bedspread was stripped from her mattress when she stepped back into her room, balled up beside the hamper she’d just emptied that morning. between the summer temperature peaking and eddie’s eyes raking over her, she didn’t think keeping warm would be a problem.

     just as she’d pulled back the top sheet, and eddie had snapped the elastic of his boxers back around his hips, she turned to him. “eddie,” she started, voice quiet in the already quiet house. “you’ll stay, won’t you?”

     palms still dewy and heated from their shower, he cupped her face between them. “you’re never getting rid of me, i’m afraid.”

     “parents might not like that, but...” she bit her lip, unsuccessfully keeping her toothy smile at bay.

     “eh, just keep me in the closet like a stray.” her cheeks vibrated under his touch as she giggled, pulling away from him to climb into her waiting bed. and for a moment, eddie went to follow her eagerly. but then the sight of glowing red numbers on her alarm clock stopped him completely. “uh, quarter to eight?” he squawked, earning a crease in her brows. “sorry, sweetheart, but i’m nocturnal.”

     her lips twitched, unaware of that same knowing glint finding its way to her eyes.